This was the first year that my husband (hereto referred to as hubs) and I hosted Christmas. It was a pretty big deal because when I moved out here from the east coast it was a big blow to the folks. So hosting Christmas this year was my way of showing that I can carry forward the family traditions even when I'm 3,000 miles away. So I put my day-job skills of project planning to work and came up with a ridiculous Christmas Feast Matrix spanning 5 days. Every opportunity to eat, well I was going to feed them and feed them well. As it turned out, I might have over fed them. Combined I think the family gained a new member in weight but I was proud of everything that got put on the table. Of course the pièce de résistance was Christmas day dinner but I have to say, Christmas eve was damn good too.
Christmas Eve - Mustard, Rosemary, Garlic and Balsamic Crusted Rack of Lamb
Served with Smashed Peas with mint and Parmesan Polenta.
Christmas Day dinner brought a 7lb beef tenderloin (which was spectacular and purchased from Costco (along with the aforementioned lamb) for a totally reasonable price!)
The beef was rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic thyme, and garlic powder and then roasted to perfection. (35 minutes at 450).
The beef was served with
Tyler Florence's epic mashed potatoes that were cooked in cream...yes, CREAM! Some fresh thyme sprigs and garlic cloves were in the cream bath with the potatoes. After mashing, they also got a shot of grain mustard. Best mash ever!
To round out Christmas Day dinner plate we added roasted broccolini with balsamic, a decadent horseradish cream sauce and an earthy, rich wine infused mushroom bordelaise sauce. The meal was divine and a hit for my first Christmas hosting.
Mustard, Rosemary, Garlic and Balsamic!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think I just gained weight looking at these meals. You are quite the chef!
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