Christmas Dinner

Festive Persimmon & Pomegranate Salad

I understand that professional food bloggers prepare a Christmas dinner in early December so they can post pictures and recipes ahead of time for their followers to use in their own holiday meals.

More proof that I am not a professional food blogger.

I have been cooking and taking photos these past couple of weeks, but I've been spending more time online researching the next step of my rain farm than I have writing this food blog. Our Christmas dinner was delicious nonetheless, and I'll tell you about it over the next few days. All of the recipes would be good any time of year.

Tracie had last-minute car trouble so was unable to join us Christmas Day. We served the leftovers on the 27th when she came up for lunch - it was a good meal to eat twice.

I hope you are having a delicious holiday season. And once again I say thank you to the farmers whose hard work makes my meals so good.

Christmas Dinner Menu
Before-Dinner Nibbles:
Trader Joe's organic Corn Chips and Homemade Salsa
Spicy Almonds
Dinner:
Mushroom Pie
Turkey
Spaghetti Squash Chutney
Chestnut Stuffing
Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad
Roast Fingerling Potatoes
Brussels Sprouts with Brown Buttered Almonds
Au Jus Gravy
Trader Joe's Gravy
Mushroom Gravy
Dessert:
Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Cake
After-Dinner Nibbles:
Mum's Fudge
Spiced Hazelnuts

I ordered the fresh organic 11-lb turkey from Grassroots in South Pasadena. We picked it up on the 23rd and left it refrigerated in its wrappings until the 25th. Mum, Larry and Tracie found it excellent.

Mum made the stuffing with chestnuts from Ha's Apple Farm that we had roasted in the fire at the solstice. She added sausage and other things. Apparently it was delicious.

I realize it's weird to have three gravies for four people, but I needed a vegetarian gravy to go with my Mushroom Pie so I made mushroom gravy. Mum made an au jus gravy from the pan drippings. And because I wasn't sure if Larry and Trace would like the au jus gravy, I bought a box of turkey gravy at Trader Joe's.

The Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Cake was a recipe from the Jan. 2015 issue of Sunset - I picked the Meyer lemons from our tree on Christmas Eve. It was a moist cornmeal upside-down cake with the floral tang of the Meyer lemons - yummy.

Mum's fudge is an awesome recipe that does not belong on this healthy-eating blog, but we are still enjoying it.

And isn't that the key to good eating - mostly delicious healthy food and the occasional incredible indulgence to boost the spirits.

I hope your spirits are boosted as we head into 2015.