# What's On Your Christmas Menu???



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Here is mine. It's a 2 day eating bonanza at our joint. We do it a lot simpler than Thanksgiving because other events like gifts from Santa take precedence.

Christmas Eve is our traditional big meal. i'm going to say my usual Grace this year for the first time in a couple of years because I can talk now. It goes like this....Rub a Dub Dub. Thanks For This Grub. Yeah GOD!!!

This year starters are going to be Shrimp Cocktails then Prime Rib, Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer, Home Fried Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding and finally Apple Pie. We are going to have a good Cabernet Sauvignon with the meal and my favorite Drambuie with dessert and Costa Rican coffee.

After dinner we allow our 11 year old boy, who is going nuts by now, to open a couple of gifts.

Christmas morning the darn kid is usually up and raring to go at 5AM. We finish off the gift opening for everyone and it is time for my traditional Champagne Christmas Breakfast of Bagels, Lox and Cream Cheese. It is simple and now big mess to clean up.

Christmas afternoon dinner is rest time with leftover Prime Rib sandwiches on Baguette bread I get the day before at the local French Restaurant and Bakery here in town. All the other leftovers from Christmas Eve dinner are up for grabs. I also break out the Egg Nog and Rum.

Merry Christmas everyone. I can't wait to chow down!\\/


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Hauling fuel. So I guess fresh air, sunshine, and a bit of snow.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Nicole Stark said:


> Hauling fuel. So I guess fresh air, sunshine, and a bit of snow.


Christmas Day is the one and only day of the year that I rarely get out of my sweats.:smile:


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## Lisa Brazeau (May 6, 2010)

Extravagganza! Stuffed lamb roast, Coquiel, salad, mashed taters, cookies, cake, WINE, WINE, WINE..... 

I'm going to go work out now....


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

Wow Lee you outdo us! 
But here's my Christmas Eve menu: I have an open house so lots of friends show up with food in hand! I will make 10 lb of meatballs, baked ziti, and chicken parmesan. I have many special cookies that are a tradition but my personal fav is baklava. yum.
The rest is pot-luck and always really yummy. I have some really good cooks for friends. Christmas dinner is with Nana Gallo, usually prime rib and lots of sides. I'm blessed to have wonderful friends and family.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Christmas eve: preparing meal for 2nd christmas day ( yeah we have 2 christmas days). 1sr nothing special gourmet grilling with the kids. 2nd indonesion 10 courses meal, family and friends over for dinner.
Not working. The 24th ( a must take a day off at work), relaxing from christmas the 27th at work. Most co workers are free, so probably very relaxed at work.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lori Gallo said:


> I have an open house so lots of friends show up with food in hand! I will make 10 lb of meatballs, baked ziti, and chicken parmesan.


I really like a big red-sauce pasta dish at a pot-luck, and when you do the meatballs/sausages in a separate chafing dish, then everyone, including vegetarians, can dig into a hearty dish that most people love. 

Last year my daughter even made two separate "vats" of pasta with sauce: one regular yummy pasta and one made of gluten-free pasta. 

All the meats (sweet and hot Italian sausages and meatballs) were also in sauce, in separate dishes, and she even had the sautéed bell peppers separate. (She drew the line at separating onions. :lol: ) So everyone, food preferences and allergies aside, got to build their own ziti at one end of the table.

I love how Lee always has shrimp cocktails. I do not care if they are 1960s restaurant food ...... I love shrimp cocktails, especially with horseradish in the sauce. I love the version that uses chunky salsa instead of cocktail sauce, too.

Last year, making the eggnog at 7 a.m. to chill it well for the afternoon, my other daughter said "Ah! There's nothing like the taste of brandy and bourbon first thing in the morning!" :lol:


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Snacking on whatever is in the office in between dealing with bad guys.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Lori Gallo said:


> Wow Lee you outdo us!
> But here's my Christmas Eve menu: I have an open house so lots of friends show up with food in hand! I will make 10 lb of meatballs, baked ziti, and chicken parmesan. I have many special cookies that are a tradition but my personal fav is baklava. yum.
> The rest is pot-luck and always really yummy. I have some really good cooks for friends. Christmas dinner is with Nana Gallo, usually prime rib and lots of sides. I'm blessed to have wonderful friends and family.


I don't know, Lori. Your "spread" sounds pretty damn good to me. i have some Italian relatives that outdo themselves with a big Italian dinner at Christmas. I now live too far from them to stuff myself with great Italian food.

The always did great veal and also eggplant parmesan. Yum!!


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I really like a big red-sauce pasta dish at a pot-luck, and when you do the meatballs/sausages in a separate chafing dish, then everyone, including vegetarians, can dig into a hearty dish that most people love.
> 
> Last year my daughter even made two separate "vats" of pasta with sauce: one regular yummy pasta and one made of gluten-free pasta.
> 
> ...


I always have to do 2 different batches of cocktail sauce. I have one red hot with the hottest horseradish I can find and one for the sissies. I alternate between shrimp and crab on various occasions. I love them both.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Lisa Brazeau said:


> Extravagganza! Stuffed lamb roast, Coquiel, salad, mashed taters, cookies, cake, WINE, WINE, WINE.....
> 
> I'm going to go work out now....


I forgot about lamb. I might just do than midweek between the Holidays. I love leg of lamb.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

mel boschwitz said:


> Snacking on whatever is in the office in between dealing with bad guys.


No fun but I guess someones gotta do it. Reminds me of a couple of bummer Christmases I spent in Vietnam. I had no problem dealing with being overseas except during the Holidays.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> I always have to do 2 different batches of cocktail sauce. I have one red hot with the hottest horseradish I can find and one for the sissies. I alternate between shrimp and crab on various occasions. I love them both.



I like both, too, and a combo is very nice!

I discovered the salsa thing at a Mexican Seafood restaurant down the coast a few miles.

Their shrimp-and-crab cocktails with a spicy salsa throughout (not just in a little pile on top) is darned good. Served with lime wedges, also a nice change, and the cilantro in the salsa seems to go really well with that shellfish. =P~

But there's nothing wrong with the traditional cocktail sauce, either! :lol:

I even eat all the lettuce at the bottom if it has that sauce on it.



Lori's dinner sounds really good to me, too.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I like both, too, and a combo is very nice!
> 
> I discovered the salsa thing at a Mexican Seafood restaurant down the coast a few miles.
> 
> ...


They do the chunky variety in Costa Rica also with some cilantro. I love it with warm water (just like Catalina lobster) lobster my fisherman in law relatives always gave me when I was down there.:smile:

Speaking of cilantro, my wife makes a pasta shell, tuna, mayo and cilantro salad that the kids love a lot.


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

Wow Connie,
I never thought about the vegetarians! I hope none of my friends are vegetarians....


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

I'm diggin' the shrimp cocktail too. Hopefully some will arrive...I always add some horseradish to kick it up an notch.

Lamb!! Love it but yikes it's expensive around here.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lori Gallo said:


> Wow Connie,
> I never thought about the vegetarians! I hope none of my friends are vegetarians....


If you have lots of side dishes, it won't matter!

I've been a vegetarian for many years (well, kind of a phony one ..... that is, I do eat seafood), and I don't remember any holiday or party potlucks where there wasn't more than plenty to eat (and overeat!). \\/


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

Connie Sutherland said:


> If you have lots of side dishes, it won't matter!
> 
> I've been a vegetarian for many years (well, kind of a phony one ..... that is, I do eat seafood), and I don't remember any holiday or party potlucks where there wasn't more than plenty to eat (and overeat!). \\/


Well it sound's like your daughter takes good care of you!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lori Gallo said:


> Well it sound's like your daughter takes good care of you!


Nah. She has lots of vegetarian friends. If it was just me, I'd be on my own. :lol:

(JK, but yeah, I'm estimating that a third of both my daughters' guests are vegetarians or vegans.)


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lori Gallo said:


> I'm diggin' the shrimp cocktail too. Hopefully some will arrive...I always add some horseradish to kick it up an notch.


Me too. I don't mind what Lee calls "sissy" cocktail sauce, as long as there's horseradish to add. :lol:


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Christmas day is probably going to start with Champagne (or maybe just cheap sparkling wine) for breakfast and go from there. 

I have a Tofurkey in the freezer. I can't eat bird meat anymore after having pet chickens, but I do like stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce. Turkey is just the carrier... tofurkey is a pretty good substitute. I'll roast garlic and onions and sweet potatoes and whatever other veg I have on hand. Yum!


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Christmas eve I'm making oyster stew (tradition)

Christmas dinner
prime rib
roasted brussel sprouts 
twice baked potatoes
green salad
croissant rolls 

bread pudding w/brandy sauce (probably)


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> Christmas eve I'm making oyster stew (tradition)
> 
> Christmas dinner
> prime rib
> ...


Ooooh, I love bread pudding! 

Also roasted brussels sprouts and 2-baked potatoes .... now I'm hungry!

Do you make the brandy sauce like a "hard sauce" (confectioners' sugar, butter, etc.)?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

leslie cassian said:


> ... I have a Tofurkey in the freezer. I can't eat bird meat anymore after having pet chickens, but I do like stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce. Turkey is just the carrier... tofurkey is a pretty good substitute. I'll roast garlic and onions and sweet potatoes and whatever other veg I have on hand. Yum!



BTW, I don't know if you know this, but the "sausages" made by Turtle Island (the Tofurkey people), especially the spicy Italian, are delicious. =P~




eta
I remember my poor defrauded son-in-law when I made a big pasta dish with those sausages and he was exclaiming over them, and my daughter said "They're tofu." :lol: :lol: Ruined his day.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Ooooh, I love bread pudding!
> 
> Also roasted brussels sprouts and 2-baked potatoes .... now I'm hungry!
> 
> Do you make the brandy sauce like a "hard sauce" (confectioners' sugar, butter, etc.)?


yep, and you're right, it's "hard sauce", don't know why I called it "brandy sauce"...could be because I have alcohol on the brain, my neighbor friend is making delicious homemade eggflogs for her holiday party Saturday night.....YUM can't wait!!!
\\/


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> yep, and you're right, it's "hard sauce", don't know why I called it "brandy sauce"...could be because I have alcohol on the brain, my neighbor friend is making delicious homemade eggflogs for her holiday party Saturday night.....YUM can't wait!!!
> \\/


No no, hard sauce doesn't always have brandy. I would differentiate too.

Also, I would eat that hard sauce plain. LOL

What is eggflog?


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

You guys are making me homesick with all this talk about Christmas dinners.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Christmas is ham. So I've purchased a spiral cut ham. I'll do mashed taters (well actually Bob Evans does the taters, I just heat them) I also do breakfast tacos. sausage/egg/green chilies with fresh flour tortillas. yumm. Then just relaxing the rest of the day.

DFrost


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Nicole Stark said:


> You guys are making me homesick with all this talk about Christmas dinners.


For the kids it's about the toys. For the adults it's about pigging out!:smile:

I also told everyone that the only gift I want is to go to this super classy French restaurant at the 5 star resort my daughter works at in Colorado Springs. I can't wait for that.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Susan and Connie - If you enjoy brussel sprouts you might want to check out the recipe at craftbeer.com. It's simple and done with beer and bacon. The beer caramelizes almost like a sauce. It's really good


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Also, I would eat that hard sauce plain. LOL
> 
> What is eggflog?


I would eat it plain too. Peter and I have always called it "eggflog" instead of "eggnog" because between it's richness and alcohol content it can leave you feeling flogged the next day (if you aren't careful).


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I might make this cake, looks interesting...

Vodka Christmas Cake Recipe

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle Vodka
2 cups dried fruit


Sample a cup of Vodka to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality then, repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point, it is best to make sure the Vodka is still OK. Try another cup just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit...

Pick the fruit up off the floor, wash it and put it in the bowl a piece at a time trying to count it. Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver Sample the Vodka to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check the Vodka. Now shit shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the Vodka and wipe the counter with the cat.

Happy Easter or something like that and to all a good night.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Looks interesting to me, too, and possibly suitable for other sprits as well as vodka!


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Oh yuk brussel sprouts.... Hate them..


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Selena van Leeuwen said:


> Oh yuk brussel sprouts.... Hate them..


I hear you. I hated them for decades.

Then when the craze for roasting vegetables with olive oil and salt started, brussels sprouts were one of the biggies, and I discovered how completely different they are from boiled or steamed brussels sprouts.

Roasted vegetables are wonderful. Browned with caramelization, crunchy sea salt on them .... and that olive oil doesn't hurt, either. :lol: And the outside leaves on brussels sprouts sometimes loosen (and fall off) in the oven, and taste like tiny crispy little potato chips, but better. (The cook gets those. If the cook is smart, she loosens them when she's checking for doneness and then grabs them so more will form.)

Last year someone in my family tried a new recipe for roasted cabbage wedges, of all things, and now that's one of my favorites too. They are done all the usual way, with evoo, but they are first sprinkled with a tiny bit of a mixture of half sea salt, a fourth sugar, and a fourth coarse black pepper. (You mix this up together and sprinkle a pinch on each wedge.)

Dammit! Hungry again, and it's only 11 a.m.! LOL


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I hear you. I hated them for decades.
> 
> Then when the craze for roasting vegetables with olive oil and salt started, brussels sprouts were one of the biggies, and I discovered how completely different they are from boiled or steamed brussels sprouts.
> 
> ...


Roasted Brussels Sprouts...it's the only way to fly!! mmm mmmmm good!


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Only know brussels sprouts boiled , youth trauma.. Just like chigory...yuk, yuk, yuk!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Selena van Leeuwen said:


> Only know brussels sprouts boiled , youth trauma.. Just like chigory...yuk, yuk, yuk!




I have to agree with the boiled-brussels-sprouts thing. A culinary tragedy. :lol:


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I have to agree with the boiled-brussels-sprouts thing. A culinary tragedy. :lol:


Have you tried just frying Brussel Sprout's leaves?

it's the rage over here with the promi chefs.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

One of the girls in my English class went to England to visit her daughter and brought me back mince pies from Waitrose.

I can heat them and serve them with thick cold cream or serve them cold with custard - just drooling in anticipation.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> One of the girls in my English class went to England to visit her daughter and brought me back mince pies from Waitrose.
> 
> I can heat them and serve them with thick cold cream or serve them cold with custard - just drooling in anticipation.


That brings back memories. My mother used to make mince pies at Christmas. It was one of her favorites. Both my grandparents on that side were English. Apparently that's a tradition there.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I can't imagine an English Christmas without mince pies. I can forgo the Christmas Pudding and Christmas cake but not the mince pies.

Where were your grandparents from Lee?


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> I can't imagine an English Christmas without mince pies. I can forgo the Christmas Pudding and Christmas cake but not the mince pies.
> 
> Where were your grandparents from Lee?


I don't know what part of England they were from.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I like mince meat pies, but no one else I'm cooking for does :-s and I've decided I don't want to make a bread pudding [-( so I'm going to make this easy peasy crustless cranberry pie :smile:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/...D=12398&origin=detail&servings=8&metric=false


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> I like mince meat pies, but no one else I'm cooking for does :-s and I've decided I don't want to make a bread pudding [-( so I'm going to make this easy peasy crustless cranberry pie :smile:
> 
> http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/...D=12398&origin=detail&servings=8&metric=false


That was my mother's problem too. She always end up being the only one eating her mice meat pie. We were all apple and pumpkin pie fans.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Oh boy, we might just be having turkey pot pies out of the freezer because I just went outside and our upper road is one long solid sheet of ice, so I can't drive to town for groceries or to pick up the prime rib I ordered from the butcher. No biggie, I can always postpone the fancy shmancy dinner for later in the week.
:lol:


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> Oh boy, we might just be having turkey pot pies out of the freezer because I just went outside and our upper road is one long solid sheet of ice, so I can't drive to town for groceries or to pick up the prime rib I ordered from the butcher. No biggie, I can always postpone the fancy shmancy dinner for later in the week.
> :lol:


You still have a couple of days. Pray for a thaw. We are supposed to have snow Christmas Eveso we should have a white Christmas.

When I lived in North Idaho we could practically guarantee a white one. Here it seems to be hit or miss.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Snow would be a blessing about now. On the road right now and its -12. By the time I get to the trail its going to be about -20 or. I cringe just thinking about doing 60 miles in those temps. Damn.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Nicole Stark said:


> Snow would be a blessing about now. On the road right now and its -12. By the time I get to the trail its going to be about -20 or. I cringe just thinking about doing 60 miles in those temps. Damn.



In my younger, pre couch potato days, did a bunch of snowmobiling in those kind of temperatures. Then I turned tropical.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

I am sure you did. Freighting in these conditions is an entirely different game. Its not the same even if its being done by snow machine.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Nicole Stark said:


> I am sure you did. Freighting in these conditions is an entirely different game. Its not the same even if its being done by snow machine.


Think about this, Nicole. The first time I live in CR I went 2 years without ever getting out of shorts, tank tops and sandals.:smile:

My young nephews in law open their presents on Christmas and then go surfing. LOL


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## James Kotary (Nov 14, 2012)

Our too is a two day/night affair. We have the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixens on Christmas eve. We wake for a Belgian Waffles with fruits breakfast and present openning. Then we have roast beef for lunch and reheat for dinner. There are many cakes, cookies, pies and desserts, the best being a cheese cake with a brownie layer and covered in chocolate, carmel and pecans. Egg nog too with a nip of rum.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

James Kotary said:


> Our too is a two day/night affair. We have the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixens on Christmas eve. We wake for a Belgian Waffles with fruits breakfast and present openning. Then we have roast beef for lunch and reheat for dinner. There are many cakes, cookies, pies and desserts, the best being a cheese cake with a brownie layer and covered in chocolate, carmel and pecans. Egg nog too with a nip of rum.



_
"a cheese cake with a brownie layer and covered in chocolate, carmel and pecans."_

Whoa! I want this! =P~


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> _
> "a cheese cake with a brownie layer and covered in chocolate, carmel and pecans."_
> 
> Whoa! I want this! =P~



We could throw a hell of a buffet meal with all of the goodies mentioned over these 2 past holidays.:smile:


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