holiday traditions...old and new

picture it: december 24th, 1946; it's a wonderful life

fast forward: december 20th, 2012; san diego, california. our christmas dinner. (yes, it was a little early but it was because we would not have our "own" christmas until after the fact, so early would have to work.)

i felt like george bailey finding that newly reestablished love for the simple things in life that are already around him. "merry christmas snowmen appetizer platter. merry christmas little cheese knife. merry christmas fancy red wine glasses."

we had a bottle of decoy cabernet sauvignon. as daddy rog would say: it's a very drinkable wine. drinkable indeed. to the right, i did a new stuffed mushroom this year: goat cheese pesto. so easy and so delicious! in the middle we had a simple cream cheese covered and smothered in cherry pomegranate habanero sauce served with carr's table water crackers. this was a wonderful starter and we were both full of food and drink and holiday spirit. a perfect way to start our very own holiday.

i let that tide us over while the main course baked and cooked and prepared.

like last year, prime rib. unlike last year, different flavors: whole black peppercorn, whole mustard seed, dijon mustard, and worcestershire rubbed across the top. garlic under the skin. zinfandel sauce to accompany both the prime rib and the mashed potatoes. i also made fresh horseradish for the prime rib and the two together (zinfandel and horseradish) were phenomenal! fresh carrots from our csa steamed to perfection. the fluffiest of mashed russets. and a beautiful salad to finish it off. baby spring greens, oranges, pomegranate seeds with fresh pressed garlic and citrus to dress. one of these best meals i have made all year. everything was perfect, in taste and in look. shockingly, we didn't even make it to dessert because between the appetizers, dinner, salad, and wine, there was no room at the inn. 

after dinner we exchanged gifts. i got a new kitchen toy (enameled cast iron pot--dutch oven-like), and new baking gadget (scone pan), and a gift card to williams-sonoma to increase my ever-expanding collection/er, kitchen. stay tuned for new exciting kulinary kreations in 2013...

but before we start, i leave you with the new year's eve of my discontent.

we decided to stay in and cook and eat and just be together. not freeze. not be around strangers. not overpay for everything. not pay a cab to get us home. not risk our lives going out our home.

like with christmas, a tradition of drinks and appetizers.

i made those same goat cheese pesto stuffed mushrooms, but the oven was too hot and i put too much olive oil of the mushrooms and they were oily and squishy. fail. i made chicken wings with that same cherry pomegranate habanero sauce. i marinated them all day and baked them. they were cooked and good but i think chris burned his hand and mouth on them. finally, i made a gorgonzola-artichoke dip. that was the only thing i liked and i ate tons of it. i have made it before which is why i did not mess it up. chris was doing an excellent job of making himself martinis and he found them very drinkable (and nibbleable of the olives). that did tide us over while i attempted to make osso buco with risotto alla milanese (williams-sonoma italian cookbook). sidebar: i love osso buco at this local, authentic italian place. when i order it, it is so tender and melts in my mouth. i was hoping for that same feeling, but this was my first time so i thought, let's give it a try. i get the best meat from a local butcher. i follow the recipe exactly, step by step.

i browned the veal

<-----

i softened the veggies

----->

i deglazed the pan with red
and let it thicken and reduce
by half
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i added beef stock

brought it to a boil

----->

 i returned the veal to the pan, covered, and simmered.
<-----







meanwhile, back at the ranch, i was making the risotto and i was steaming green beans for our veggie. i also made a gremolata (parsley, lemon zest, and garlic) to sprinkle on the top of the veal.
the finished product:

it was not too bad to look at, that's for sure.
but the taste was a whole different experience...
the green beans were totally out of season. the osso buco was so tough and full of parts i don't want to eat (fat, gristle, sinew). the flavor of that meat was delish but i was so deflated after having made it. the only thing i liked on that plate was the risotto because i worked so hard on risotto for so long that i feel i know a little about what's going on there.

finally, if bibical end times don't signal in three, there was the dessert course. i bought a bunch of strawberries and blueberries and some cream that i was going to whip for a light topping of fresh fruits. and i couldn't even get my cream to whip. instead chris is upset about the sound of the mixer and after going longer than it should have, i realized it was not going to make cream and my dessert just wasn't going to be.

recap: appetizer=i lose; dinner=i lose; dessert=i lose

so i messed up our supposed-to-be-better-than-going-out evening. i should have just gone to bed and hoped for a fresh start with the new year.