It’s almost Christmas and I am so excited! When your kids believe in Santa, it makes the Christmas season so magical. I love decorating my home for Christmas too. I don’t go too crazy with decorations but having the tree, the lights lit around the house, and the mantle decorated, makes my home feel so much more cozy.
Every year, I host Christmas Eve dinner with my parents, brother, and his wife. I always make recipes from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa since her recipes have easy to find ingredients and always turn out amazing. This year I am going to make her Loin of Pork with Fennel and Garlic. For the sides, I’m going to make prosciutto wrapped asparagus, mashed potatoes au gratin, and my mom is bringing her amazing sausage stuffing.
Of course the tradition of having an appliance break down over a holiday has continued. Over Memorial Day weekend our dryer broke. Over Labor Day weekend, our washing machine broke. Last night, our fridge is showing an error message that said SY EF. A technician came over and said that our motherboard needs to be replaced! Luckily, we kept our old fridge in the garage so all of the food I purchased for Christmas Eve won’t go bad. Whew! Crisis averted!
If you’re looking for recipes for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s, or for an upcoming dinner party, I highly recommend trying one of these recipes. The best part is, you can make the potato au gratin and prosciutto wrapped asparagus ahead of time which is perfect for busy moms!
Loin of Pork with Fennel and Garlic
How beautiful is this roast? It is so easy to make and looks so impressive! I always get my meat from this fabulous butcher near me called Center Cuts. It makes such a difference to use good, quality meat. I make the pork rub in a small food processor, rub it all over the pork and roast it in the oven for 1 1/4 hours. As Ina would say, “How easy is that?” You must try this recipe.
Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles
Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin
Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? I saw Katie Lee make this recipe on an episode of The Kitchen on The Food Network. I love mashed potatoes mixed with cheese and I love the fact that you can make this ahead of time! The reviews are all pretty high so I am excited to make this for Christmas Eve.
What are you making for the holidays? If you try any of these recipes, let me know!
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