Christmas Your Way

 Many are stating home on Christmas,away from family. It's the joy of having freinds over for good food and fun presents.It's also a chance to get away from traditional dinners. People are serving what they like and not' what's dictated by decades of tradition. eat what you like. It's a feast to celebrate but it's your feast too.

One aspect of celebrating Christmas your way is breaking free of recipes you may not like. For many it's home made pasta with sauce instead of the usual ham or turkey. This is perfect for those who love cacio e pepe or even an Alfredo, with creamy white sauce. Another festive holiday dish is risotto Milanese or any risotto for that matter. This is the perfect celebratory dinner for two or even three. Add a good bottle of wine and enjoy. Keep in mind that you can also make a smaller version of the traditional holiday meal. You can get a turkey breast at any grocery like Acme or Stop and Shop. As for gravy and stuffing go for the best- LIdl. Their cornbread stuffing and turkey gravy are the best, very flavorful and just easy to make. Just have a slice vegetable if you want.. I went with Lidl;s  potato and squash puree. I'm having a small vegan Christmas with Gardein;'s turkey slices which are easy to air fry. Vegans can also have their own holiday away from me at loving relatives. Garden and Tofurkey offer small roasts that can be roasted in around an hour and a half. They come with their own wild rice stuffing and gravy . This is perfect for two and their might even be leftovers.

What about desserts? The good thing about Christmas your way is desserts your way. Don;t make the traditional trifle if you';re not into it. Buy a fancy ice cream loaf - my way of celebrating. Again this is a fancy, lacy looking ice cream log, full of , chocolate bourbon and vanilla. There is no way I could duplicate this dreamy sweet. It's perfect for two and a bit nontraditional  for Christmas sinc it is a cold dessert.. As for cookies again, don;t bake if you have to. All stores have trays of them and you can get a smaller one. If you just fancy fruit, then go for it. Nothing beats a  light dish of different fruit after a heavy meal. Pears and apples are still big right now. have a plate with sliced pieces . You can also do a quick poached pear . Add a sweet red wine to them and maybe a dab of butter.it just takes a few minutes and then they're done. Of course if you want to spend the night gorging on Christmas candy , then do so. Also break open the champagne. Drink your way  too. Pop open a bottle of bubbly or chill in front of a fire with a hot toddy or mulled wine.It's your celebration.

Do Christmas your way if you don;t want to celebrate it with family. eat what you want. Drink what you want. Make it a day to celebrate the Lord in the way you want.