Christmas Week Menu

Yey! It's Christmas week! We have the little "Christmas Countdown" hanging in our kitchen. Minte got it out and started counting before it was even December, and loved to watch me act all freaked out each day as the number got lower. Now that I'm through shopping and mostly finished wrapping, I cheer right along with him as the count gets lower. It surprised him the first day I said "Hooray!!" instead of clutching my chest like I was having a heart attack. LOL

This year I haven't gotten as creative with my cooking and homemade food gifts as I have in years past. I gave myself the year off. It's been nice! Also, it's "back to basics" for me on our Christmas menu this year. In years past I've found fun and different recipes, or spent lots of time making fancy cookies and candy, but this year I just didn't have it in me. Some years are like that!

I hope you are having a great Monday and looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with those you love! Here's what's on our menu this week:

Monday: Asian Sesame Chicken in the crock pot, rice, stir fry
Tuesday: Pumpkin Chili, cornbread
Wednesday: Ethiopian Food night! This week I'm making Doro Wat, a spicy chicken dish that is made for special occasions.
Thursday: Christmas Eve at my father-in-law's house. He always makes a yummy spread, but we all bring appetizers. I think I'm taking this Snowman Cheeseball this year. I made it a few years ago and it was fun!
Friday: Merry CHRISTmas!!
Christmas breakfast favorites- Muffins (blueberry, banana chocolate chip, and lemon poppyseed), and sausage balls
Christmas lunch- Crock Pot Ham, yeast rolls, Paula Dean's Green Bean Casserole, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, chocolate chip pecan pie
Christmas dinner- at my mother-in-law's house. We all land there after having at least one or two gatherings elsewhere during the day, and thus a big meal at lunch. So we bring snacky appetizer food. So fun! This year I think I'm going to make something I sort of "made up" last year... easy and yummy. (Healthy, not so much. But it's not January 1st yet!) It's the Hormel Tamale casserole recipe, but with the tamales cut up so it's "dippable." Served with the ginormous Fritos. Yum.

For more recipes or to share your menu, visit Laura at Orgjunkie.com. Have a yummy, wonderful CHRISTmas!