Your Christmas Dinner List

The big holiday meal is only less than two days away.By now you should have everything.Or do you?Here is acheck list of what you should have.If you run short,the stores are open tomorrow which allows you to fill any gaps. Yes ,you probably have the roast and hopefully you have the sides too.If you're making stuffing then check to see how much bread you have.You don't want to run short with it.Another thing to check is alternativesides.Thanks to the host of allergies people have these days.Another idea is to make sure your most finicky eaters also have a good variety to choose from.Keep extra cans of green beans ,beets and even potatoes on the side.Flour may be in short supply too, thanks to holiday baking.You'll need it to thicken gravies and make roux.Check to see if you have enough butter and olive oil too.These figure heavily in food prep and you certainly don't want to run out of them during crucial cooking time.Aluminium foil and Saran wrap should also be on hand for storing leftovers or making doggie bags. The little things count too.If you're planning on a hot hors d'ouevres ,make sure there's enough for everyone.Figure two tidbits per person.Antepastos should also be plentiful.Favorites such as salame and olives will go quick.Have a back up supply on the ready to support that need.The end of the meal should be just as planned.Have different teas in the background to suit your guests' tastes.There should also be caf and decaf coffee too as well as honey and stevia for those who prefer more natural sweeteners.Liquor cabinets should also be filled and make sure you have enough wine for everyone. For the kids you can have soda but also have fruit juice and sparkling water too.Dinner should end with mints and toothpicks.Have a dish of both with extras waiting on the side. Don't let your masterpiece of a holiday dinner be ruined by shortages.Take stock of what yup have.If you've forgotten or don't have enough you have time to run out and get it.Be prepared.Be well stocked for your Christmas meal.

Tangerine Time

One of the best things about December is that it's tangerine season.There's nothing that beats this sweet citrus and it's" sweet tangy taste.It's also versatile too - adding a new spin to traditional winter dishes. Tangerines are one of the oldest fruits in the world.They originated from China and Japan around three thousand years ago ,a deviation from the Mandarin orange.The name actually comes from the North Africa,Tangiers Morroco.They were first shipped there in 1841 to Europe .First called tangiera they were then known as tangerines.The fruit is the perfect cold weather deterrent to colds and flus.They are rich in Vitamin C but also beta carotene and Vitamin A. tangerines should only be stored in the fridge for seven days.A ripe one will feel heavy and have a loose skin. Tangerines are not only good on their own but also in dishes.The juice is an excellent addition to a homemade vinaigrette.You can also add the wedges to any salad.A refreshing spin is a grilled chicken salad with tangerine wedges and almonds.It's also yummy in a spicy shrimp jambalaya.You could also use the juice for wok fried Chinese beef.It's a wonderful marinade for pork chops and even pork roast.Ofcourse it can be used in desserts.Tangerines can be used to make refreshing sorbets.If you're ambitious you could also try making tangerine marmalade ,perfect for family brunches or breakfasts.Tangerines also lend some exoticism to cookies and scones too. This is tangerine season .Pick up a few and enjoy them as a sweet ,healthy snack or in a tasty dish.They are not just good but good for you.

Ice Cream For Dessert

Ice cream is not one of those desserts that goes with Christmas or even in winter.Yet it's a nice change from the traditional baked goods.A simple scoop can offset an elegant roast dinner while a sundae can be a treat at the children's table.There's also a bigger choice of ice creams and even sorbets to choose from than there are with cakes and cookies. Ice cream can be made elegant simply by how it's served. A single serving is truly something served in a elegant glass bowl.One idea that is a perfect foil for after Goose or hams vanilla is ice cream served with a drizzle of brandy.For a refreshing change try peppermint, which is sold right now or a simple chocolate chip mint.You can also try a Neapolitan ,strawberry,vanilla and chocolate ice-cream molded into a stria effect.Tortone ,a Southern Italian treat, ice cream with a chocolate shell .This can be bought at any supermarket or can be made at home.Take scoops of your favorite then pour hard shell chocolate sauce over it.Affogato is another hip frozen dessert.Roll ice cream balls in ground almonds and cocoa powder.Serve in a cup of steaming espresso.If you feel that any ice cream maybe too heavy after an elaborate meal, then go for lighter fare.Try gelato or a refreshing lemon or orange sorbet to cleanse your palate. Frozen desserts are also a fun departure from the usual cookies and cakes.Friendly's ,the king of ice cream treats , have their famed Jubilee roll.This is type of buche de Noel.A cylinder of chocolate ice cream is covered with chocolate chip ice cream covered in fudge along with almonds and candy chips.You can make something similar at home.One looks like a giant ice cream sandwich ,made with ice cream and those famed chocolate wafers as a base.For a fun family party.You can take any pre made crust and fill it with ice cream and then a layer of whipped cream.One treat is a chocolate crust filled with a coffee ice-cream.Cover first with a layer of fudge sauce and decorative spritzes of ReddiWhip.You could also fill the crust with the kinds that have crushed candy in them.Top with more of the same crushed candy.Another neat idea is having the kids make their own ice cream sandwiches,using crushed candy canes and ribbon candy as decoration. Ice cream for Christmas? Why not? It's a refreshing departure from the tradition Holiday desserts.

Dynasty Of Duck

If you want an elegant spin on your holiday meals then try duck.It is a notch up from chicken and turkey and makes for an elegant platter.It may be more labor intensive but the result is a tasty ,tender meal with a burnished,crispy skin.It will be the dinner family and friends will talk about all year long. David Tanis had decided to tackle the bird in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.His A City kitchen gives a primer on how to cook stand what sections are the juiciest.Many people are daunted by duck.After all it's the most complicated of poultry to roast.Some people slow spit roast it.This takes five hours but does give a bird a crackling skin with tender meat.The problem is staying outdoors with it during this weather.Forget Chinese style.Yes it gives you a magazine worthy bird but the cooking process involves everything from air drying ,steaming and then work frying. The best way is using an oven.French chefs and home cooks twice roast it.This means initially cooked until the breast is medium rare.It's then carved from the body and set aside.The duck is then returned to the oven so that legs are crisped before eating.Mr.Tanis prefers just oven roasting the whole bird.Sinced the bird has a high fat content ,it will smoke.Mr.Tanis also recommends dismantling any smoke alarms because they will go off.Also keep the oven fan on too.This draws the smoke out of the kitchen.Roast it for only two hours at about 350 degrees .he seasons his with orange zest and Ginger ,a more sophisticated spin on duck a l' orange.You could also just season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper too.Serve with simple dishes like mashed squash or Brussels sprouts. Try a roasted duck for an eye catching holiday meal.It is more elegant than the usual chicken or turkey.Duck is a tasty change that ' s also memorable too.

A Spin On A Neapolitan Feast

The Neapolitans have a very set and traditional Christmas Eve meal.It is a centuries old fish dinner featuring twelve different kinds of seafood.Anyone can recreate this on Christmas Eve.In fact a few new twists can be thrown in to liven it up. Melissa Clark covered this in her A Good Appetite in today's New York Times Wednesday Dining section.She uses traditional squid, but instead of it being the breaded calamari ,it is a fried squid with a tangy Thai sauce.instead of serving it with tomato sauce ,Ms Clark has it with Asian fish sauce and fiery bits of jalapeno peppers. Some families do serve an entire fish but it's usually cod or as it's called baccala. She also suggests aa big fish because it's easier to debone.Choices include sea bass or Atlantic char.Mussels are also usua Ly served and Ms Clark gives them a more Provencale spin with garlic and butter. For different twists Ms Clark whips up drool worthy potato chips topped with a lemon infused sour cream and caviar. this would male an excellent appetizer, even for a holiday party.Another good horsd'ouevre is a hot crab and oyster dip on bruschetta.This is a tasty meld of the two seafoods mixed with jalapeño and a variety of cheeses.The fish can even be served as a side dish with an anchovy mustard vinaigrette over arugula and radicchio.Anchovies are blended with Dijon mustard and garlic to create a unique and savory dressing. Nothing is more traditional than the feast of fishes.There can be centuries old recipes but there can also be new ones.It's a great way of preserving one's culture while showcasing some awesome seafood.

Healthy Holiday Treats

This is the season to indulge in all sorts of goodies. There's plates of cookies to munch on and candies to nibble.They may taste good but they are  lethal. A steady diet of sugar , white flour and refined sugar is not healthy. Instead, treat yourself and your family to healthier sweets. They're not only delicious but good for you. Best of all you can eat as much as you like and not worry about the side effects.

Who doesn't love holiday cookies this time of year? The problem is that they taste so yummy that anybody can over eat. Meringues cookies are light and are made with a minimum of sugar and flour. Egg whites power these, creating a sweet indulgence without the many calories. Another baked treat is a fig and flax thumbprint cookie(this from the Eating Well site)/It is made with the healthier  and less processed brown sugar and always good for you flax seeds.Another good idea is nixing the white flour and subbing in whole wheat  flour for your recipes. You can still make chocolate chips or sugar cookies with it. Another healthy choice is the simple but traditional oatmeal cookie,Use whole oats for more chewiness along with raisins or dried cranberries for added flavor..

Homemade candy is always a fun Christmas or New Year's treat.Fudge heads the list however it's a fat bomb waiting to happen. Try a lighter version made with almond butter, cocoa and honey,This is an easy no cook kind that can be made in minutes. It just takes some mixing and then a quick stay in the fridge to harden. You can also make peanut butter cups using all natural peanut butter and dark chocolate along with coconut flour and stevia, a natural sugar substitute.Truffles, the perfect indulgence for anytime can also be turned from decadent to healthy.Start with coconut milk and coconut powder.From there you can add mashed banana, apple sauce or pumpkin along with cocoa powder and stevia. Put into th e freezer until solid and that's it. You can dust them with extra cocoa powder for more flavor.

It's the holidays. Treat yourself with homemade goodies. They're not only tasty but made with healthy ingredients. You can eat well on all levels thanks to these good for you treats!

Your Holiday Roast Guide

Roasts are the crown jewels of any holiday feast. They are not only delicious if cooked right but also picture perfect.They add a combination of grace and coziness to any table. The best part is that they're not as scary to make as some people think. Any  roast from goose to ham is pretty easy to cook, starting from prep time to carving..

The New York Times Sunday magazine devoted their entire cooking section  yesterday to these culinary diamonds.The Sunday Times Food editor, Sam Sifton gives his advice and recommendations on the classics. There is the traditional ham , turkey and goose along with the lesser known choices of beef rib roast and crown roast of pork. .These are great suggestions not only for Christmas but for also New Year's Day and especially for an open house. There will be enough meat to go around for that  and the leftovers can easily be made into sandwiches.Another plus are nuggets of useful information that appear in sidebars all over the article.One in particular is what sort of drink to serve with the meat you're serving.

What is great about this guide is that the details are meticulously laid out. If some prep, such as preparing a crown rib roast is too difficult, then , Mr Sifton suggests go to the butcher and have it done there.Two other suggestions are to  get a good meat thermometer and also heavily season the different meats for  optimum flavor. His recommendations for hams calls for a sweet -savory crust of brown sugar and mustard to offset the meat's saltiness. The beef rib roast has a simple rub of just salt , pepper and surprisingly flour/ he also provides the sides that go well with each dish too. Goose should have roasted potatoes and caramelized onions while turkey should have cornbread stuffing and hashed Brussels sprouts.

Holiday meals should have great roasts as their centerpieces.These gems are surprisingly easy to make and heavenly to eat. Choose from these classics and create a memorable meal both for Christmas and the New Year!