Twas the Week AFTER Christmas
As I write this, today is Christmas Day Observed on the calendar (Monday, Dec. 26) and I can tell you I am taking this day to relax and do nothing. The refrigerator is filled with leftovers and we continue to enjoy our children collectively as our son is in town until Thursday. Here at Bella Terra we enjoy all the Christmas decorations through the New Year. Nothing comes down or gets put away until the Epiphany, January 6th.
I love this time of year where the pace slows down ALOT and our days will be filled with movie watching, book reading, long walks and the company of friends and family. Next week we will be moving our daughter to college to start her Masters program so I am enjoying the calm before the storm.
Benefits of Having Foodie Children
After years of providing Christmas breakfast, lunch and dinner, I am happy to announce that all three children really stepped in this year to do the bulk of the preparation and cooking. My youngest, Elisabeth, brined a pork belly, smoked, sliced and cooked it for homemade bacon. Hard to ever eat store bought bacon again~it is so delicious. Of course, we did have my husband’s help in preparing the Christmas tradition of Eggs a la Goldenrod, which is a family breakfast favorite.
Julianna, the middle child, made spring rolls from scratch to complement our non-traditional dinner this year. I did assist in hand rolling them~quiet the labor of love! Filled with fresh vegetables and chicken, they are such a tasty treat.
Benjamin suggests a different menu for our Christmas dinner and as a result, I had a lesson in Southeast Asian food. He made Momofuku’s Bo Ssam, a slow-roasted pork shoulder served with lettuce, rice and some many flavorful condiments from hot sauces to kimchi.
Dinner is an interactive, hands on event with everyone helping themselves to the centerpiece of delicious food. From cucumber salad to lettuce wraps filled with juicy pork and tangy sauces, the meal is a resounding success.
I know come January, I will be back to eating healthy and in less quantity, but right now, all that is going on in our kitchen is pure love, joy and laughter!
True Meaning of the Season
We try not to get caught up in the frenetic retail focus of the season and spent a wonderful Christmas Eve attending the 3:30 p.m. service at church. What a joyful time watching the children reenact the Nativity story and see our beautifully decorated church filled with people.
A casual Christmas Eve dinner of a Jack Stack Barbecue (a gift to us from my brother, Michael and wife, Brenda) is still being enjoyed in my food memory. This is very good Kansas City barbecue and I have never had it before. However, they do nationwide delivery , and we highly recommend it. You can find their website here.
Christmas Art on your Television
In the kitchen, I have a small television hidden in one of the cabinets. I just discovered that you can turn your flatscreen television into 3D framed art. The image stays on the screen for 10 minutes so if you are busy cooking you can look up occasionally and won’t miss a frame. This holiday one is on YouTube and you can find it here.
It’s Time for a Break
I will taking some time off to rest, recharge, and enjoy the company of loved ones ahead of the new year (something we hope all of you get to do as well!), so there will be no posts the rest of the week. I will catch up with you in 2023! Hard to believe that is only 6 days away.
Have a safe and blessed week, my friends.
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It sounds like you had the best Christmas Mary. I love that each of your children cooked something that they chose. So happy to hear that you’re taking some time off to enjoy your family and relax a bit before jumping back in. Happy New Year my friend.
This sounds like an absolutely perfect holiday! Thank you for making our holiday merry, bright, and meaningful. I so appreciate all that you do throughout the year for us.
So glad you will be enjoying your foodie fabulous family with joy, laughter and even more special memories.
See you next year❣
Glad your Christmas was sooo good. Enjoy your children, enjoy your break so well deserved!!
Happy new year can’t wait to see all your new ideals
Sounds like a wonderful Christmas my friend! It’s so great to have all your family home, especially since they’re such good cooks! 🙂 I hope this week is as relaxing and peaceful as you could want!
I hope you week is wonderful too! Miss you, Barbara!
Looking forward to next year!! franki
Love your unique Christmas menu! Inspiration for next year. I’m tired of the same old thing. Good luck with your daughter’s move.
Andrea, surprisingly the main course wasn’t as filling as a typical traditional menu. The only carb on the table is rice, an optional ingredient to add to the lettuce wraps. Everything else was flavorful sauces and vegetables (of course the pork being protein). It was very satisfying, but without the potatoes, etc. I didn’t feel so pudgy and sluggish afterwards. Happy to share the cucumber salad recipe too as it was delicious!