My Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to share my very, Merry Christmas with you.  It began on the Tuesday before Christmas with the Pizazz party.  

 Meet the Pizazz girls

 As you can see it is difficult to get 8 women to pay attention

  

Opening my gifts from the Pizazz girls.

Christmas Eve arrived with much anticipation.  I was so excited to welcome my mother and children just in time to attend the Christmas Eve service at First Methodist.  I love that service and also love seeing everyone that has come home for Christmas.  After the communion service we were off to the Wilcoxes for dinner.  We have been celebrating with the Wilcox family for many years and always have great food and fun.  We take turns hosting our Christmas Eve dinner and we also share in the food preparation even though my only contribution to this fabulous meal was the desserts.  

 One of the great appetizers--Cranberry Brie--Delicious!!!!

Shrimp--also delicious!!!

Linda, Sammy, Harrison and Bailey enjoying conversation and cocktails.

Looks like some serious conversation for Christmas Eve

Time to Eat---Salad, Beef Tenderloin, Potatoes,  and Broccoli & Artichoke Casserole-
Wow!!!!  So Good

My contribution to our meal---Bananas Foster Cake and

Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake--I know this cheesecake looks very messy in the photo, but it was fabulous!  If you love chocolate, this is heavenly. 

After great food, friends and fun, we are ready for bed.  We sure don't want to surprise Santa Claus.

.

Bailey surprised me with matching pajamas.  So here we are--THE TWINS

 We woke to snow on Christmas Morn and guess who was the first one outside

 Avery!!!!

Looks like Santa has filled the stockings

Avery can hardly wait to get into her stocking

 Mother Bailey encouraging Avery to sit til we find Chloe--Good girl

Avery is thrilled with the toys Santa brought her

This should keep her busy for 2 minutes.

After our traditional Christmas Brunch which consisted of Breakfast Pizza, Cinnamon Rolls and Cheddar Baked Grits, it was time to open presents

The presents looked so pretty under the tree

but we all managed to 

tear into them

Such fun!!!!

Harrison gets a little help from Avery

 Now its time to play with Moe

Family photo--The Copelands

 Avery settles down to her toys and is probably thinking--enough of that family stuff

After all the presents were open, we started a jigsaw puzzle(this might be a new Christmas Day tradition), cooked, and Harrison flipped thru all the sports channels.  Since we had a very late breakfast/brunch, we snacked through out the day and enjoyed our Christmas meal that night.  We were joined by Pat and Katie.  David went on a duck hunting trip late Christmas afternoon, so I invited them to join us for dinner.  Remember I posted on David's delicious grilled teal breast, so we want him to go hunting. 

 Enjoying cocktails before dinner

Katie has captured everyone's attention

Time to eat

 Harrison gets us all settled and blesses the food.  Time to dig in.

Roasted Cornish Hens with Cranberry-Port Sauce, Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust, and Green Beans Supreme

This was absolutely delicious!!  Will definitely be making again.  Check out my Christmas Day Menu Post for all the recipes.

On Wednesday after Christmas, I traveled to Tupelo to share Christmas with my sister who lives in Arkansas.  Not all of my family or hers was able to make the trip.  Jobs always get in the way of celebrating.

My sister Debbie opening her gifts from Bailey--Napa Firelites

Nash delivering a gift to my Mother--Great dog!! You can
see the proud Mother's face in upper left corner of
photo--Allison

All right--I have delivered enough presents.  That's Santa's job.
Now leave me alone!

Dusty (Allison's new Hubby) opening his gift.

Christmas has come and gone for another year.  It was a great Christmas!!!!  Celebrating with family,  friends, and with good food is a recipe for great memories. 

Christmas Day Menu

This was my Christmas Day Menu.  Our Breakfast/Brunch is the same every year.

If I did not make the breakfast pizza, I think my family would disown me.  Harrison(my son) does not understand why I only make it once a year.  Actually I don't either since it is such a simple recipe, however it does make this recipe very special when only made once a year.   The Cinnamon Rolls I make weeks in advance and freeze.  I change up our other food served that day depending on recipes that I want to try and the foods that I know my family would enjoy.

So this was the foods cooked in my kitchen for Christmas Day:

Breakfast Pizza- No Picture--As far as my children are concerned, this is the must have 

                                          recipe of the season.  It would not be Christmas without this

                                          for breakfast.

Jumbo Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

 These are always a hit at my house.  I also bake enough to give as gifts.  These freeze beautifully.  I just thaw the morning I am serving and either warm in oven on low temperature or microwave each one as needed.

Christmas Morning Baked Cheese Grits--No picture--I usually try a different grits recipe each

                                                                         year.  This one was good and convenient 

                                                                         since you could put together the night 

                                                                         before and just bake the next day.

Dinner

Appetizers:

 Not sure I would make again.  Just ok.

  Pastry-Wrapped Baked Brie with Truffled Crabmeat Filling

 Great!!!
White-Bean Soup Shooters with Bacon
Main Course:

 Delicious!!  The Cranberry-Port Sauce is a must

 Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Port Sauce

 This was wonderful and so pretty.

Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust


Green Beans Supreme--No Picture--I love this recipe.  It is just an easy and very good side.
                                                          This is one of the very few recipes that I make over and
                                                           over.

Desserts:

This was great.  I would definitely bake again.

 

Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake

This was the bomb!!  If you love chocolate you must try this recipe.  Fabulous!!!