Christmas Plans

It is the off year for us to celebrate Christmas. With grown and married children, we move Christmas to the time that works best for all that will be here. That means this year Saturday, December 26. We plan to start at 8 am with brunch.

The brunch menu:

Raspberry-white grape juice
coffee, tea, hot chocolate with real whip cream
Canadian bacon
Eggs-home grown by my daughter-in-law
and pastries

We then plan to open gifts after which we will take a play break. Whether permitting we will go outside and play in the snow.

Dinner menu:

Grilled steak
Baked home grown potatoes, with butter or sour cream
Rice pilaf
steamed carrots-home grown!
Rolls with whipped butter and honey
7-up with rainbow sherbet in pretty glasses

Later we wil have a light supper with our desserts:

A variety of summer sausages, ham, and cheeses with crackers
Fruit
Ruby's Cheesecake-see recipe below
Blueberry pie
And something chocolate
With water. coffee, and tea.


My favorite Christmas dessert is this Cheese Cake recipe that a friend, Ruby, made for my birthday several years ago.

Crust: 6 oz. Crushed Zwieback Toast* (See recipe below)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Mix, press into bottom and sides of spring form pan. Reserve 1/4 cup. Chill crust while fixing filling.

Filling: Beat 4 egg whites until stiff–set aside.
Mix 3 – 8 oz. Cream cheese packages with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. Vanilla. Fold in egg whites. Pour into crust. Bake 25 minutes at 350°F.

Top with 1-pint sour cream, 4 Tbsp. Sugar, 1 tsp. Vanilla, and the reserved crumbs. Bake 5 minutes at 475°F.

Cool for several hours. Enjoy.


*This year I couldn't find the Zwieback Toast at the two grocery stores I shop at most. So I tried this recipe:

Scald 1/2 cup milk. Cool

When lukewarm add 2 Tbsp. yeast, stir.

Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 3 eggs, and about 3 cups flour. Add enough additional flour to make a workable dough. It should be sticky, but not wet. Cover, Let rise in bowl until light.

Shape into oblong rolls 2" in diameter by about 4" long. Space 2" apart on greased baking sheet. Cover, let rise again.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. They should be browned. Let cool.

Chill in refrigerator until cold. When cold, cut in 1/2" slices. Lay on baking sheet. Brown in a 400° oven for about 10 minutes. They must be dry.