Holiday Foods

Dana, the main character in my Blossom Valley series, has been working at Esther’s organic farm for a few years now. While she was a die-hard junk food aficionado when she first started, she is finally picking up some of the cook’s healthy eating habits and even eats vegetables on a semi-regular basis. But all of her newfound healthy eating flies out the window when the holidays approach. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, she loves anything deep fried or dipped in chocolate.

Okay, that might be an exaggeration. She doesn’t want deep fried pudding (is that even possible?), nor does she want cheeseburgers dipped in chocolate. Blech.

What she does want are those warm, comforting foods that are perfect for those cold holiday nights. She’s imagining giant bowls of creamy mashed potatoes, slices of honey-baked ham, and warm rolls with butter.

And let’s not forget dessert. Perhaps her mom will make a luscious apple pie drizzled with caramel sauce. Or maybe Dana will pick up a yule log cake at the local bakery. It will take all her will power not to dig into that rich chocolate frosting on the drive over, but as long as she keeps the box taped shut, she should be all right.

Once the meal is over and the dishes are done, it’s time to relax with a nice mug of egg nog and a candy cane or two. Then, with a full belly, she can drift off to sleep to the sweet sounds of holiday tunes. Merry Christmas!

Comments

[Jean]

Hmmmmmmmmm...the one thing I didn't buy this year, but MUST on my next trip to the store. Egg Nog. You made me HAVE TO GO OUT and get Egg Nog. Sigh.

[Staci]

As soon as the first carton of egg nog hits the store shelves, I start buying it. The only problem is that my kids like it so much, I sometimes don't even get a taste before the carton is empty!

[Michael A Black]

The apple pie sounds good, Staci, but I'd prefer to skip the egg nog. Tried it once when I was a kid and never repeated that mistake.

[Ellen Kirschman]

My husband has to bake a ham at Christmas or he's guilty of breaking decades of family tradition. (I don't eat anything covered in fur, just fins and feathers). I will skip the ham but bake potato kugel. We are an ecumenical culinary couple.