Wassel has never been one of our family favorites
come Christmastime. Maybe it’s a
regional thing or just not something our family ever adopted. You won’t find figgy pudding or goose on the
table on Christmas Day either.
In our home, which now encompasses the recipes of
several generations we have a generous mix of Texas country cooking and a
definite Louisiana Cajun influence.
Some of our traditional favorites include ham, and turkey. I know you probably just dealt with the last
of the turkey from Thanksgiving and maybe the thought of left-over turkey
sandwiches or pot pies makes you a little queasy, but we tend to enjoy turkey
for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s
all about personal preference I suppose.
The good news for ham lovers is that today it’s easy
to avoid the $80 or more ham at that ham specialty store. Most major grocery chains feature spiral
sliced ham, already cooked and at much more sensible prices. You just follow the simple directions and pop
them in the oven to heat. Some are
already glazed and some come with a glaze that you add. Either way it’s pretty simple, affordable and
delicious.
For us, the side dishes are really what get the
major emphasis.
My mother’s cornbread dressing is always a big hit
and just a hint of its aroma brings back a flood of memories for me. This dressing was on my family holiday tables
every year of my life.
My mother is gone now, but my wife has lovingly
learned to prepare that same dressing. It is dressing, not stuffing. One is on the side and the other is in the bird. This dish goes with anything. Even ham.
I suppose it would work with a Christmas goose, too if that is more to
your liking.
Cornbread dressing is about as southern as you can
get and oh so delicious; Mamma’s
Cornbread Dressing Recipe.
The Cajun influence from my wife’s grandmother comes
into play with a tradition that everyone in the family always asks about. Granny’s Dirty Rice.
“You’re making the dirty rice, right?”
Who knew rice could reach such amazing heights! Try this recipe and it will become a favorite
for your family, too. My
Granny’s Famous Dirty Rice.
No holiday table is complete without sweet potatoes
and in our house no sweet potato recipe can ever take the place of Gaga’s
Sweet Potatoes. This is my
mother-in-law’s recipe and the whole family loves it.
No southern table should ever be without Southern
Style Green Beans and New Potatoes. You can buy this canned but it won’t compare
to making them yourself. This one takes
me back to my mother’s table, too. It’s
a classic.
If you’re a macaroni fan, ditch the Kraft Mac and
Cheese and give this one a try, Penne
From Heaven. Not to put too fine of
a point on it, but it is simply the best marriage of cheeses and noodles ever
conceived. It’s a new recipe for us, but
one that can’t be beat. Who says the
kids are the only ones who like cheesy pasta?
Spice it up with some spinach. Yeah, spicy spinach. Your taste buds will thank you. Spicy
Cheesy Spinach recipe.
Other requisite favorites include the Baked
Squash Casserole and for either now or certainly on New Year’s Day you’ll
want to go with the Black
Eyed Peas…the food not the musical group.
For desert you can never go wrong with Aunt
Bee’s Nanner Puddin’ or my wife’s
other grandmother’s specialty Sally’s
Butterscotch Pie.
Regardless of what you place upon your table
remember the greatest Christmas gifts you can have are love, fellowship and a
time set aside to remember the reason for celebrating: The birth of the Christ child, a savior given
unto us so that all could be saved.
Merry Christmas.
For more recipes visit the Food Section of The Cypress
Times.
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