Catching up from Christmas - Part 3 of 6

This post continues from where the previous post concluded on December 17...

December 18

Feast of the Seven Fishes! This typically occurs on Christmas eve itself, but my school music department family and I have been creating our own version for several years.

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. The seven traditional fishes include marinated anchovies, sea bass soup, a fish tartare, a seafood pasta, a baked fish, and a grilled fish. Our menu included some of the above, but we also took a bit of liberty. There are four of us, therefore three of us made 2 fish dishes, and one of us made the last fish plus dessert (we drew out of a hat to determine). One of my colleagues made salmon and tilapia, one made caesar salad (anchovies) and shrimp pasta, one made calamari macaroni and cheese plus red velvet cake, and when it was my turn to pick from the hat, I drew mussels and crab. I immediately knew what I would cook.

First up - Mussels - THREE Ways! Mussels are inexpensive and so easy to prepare. Wash them, pull out the beard if it is still there, and just remember the two key rules -

1. If it will not close before cooking, throw it out.

2. If it will not open after cooking, throw it out!

Most mussel dishes include aromatics and a sauce for steaming. Combine the ingredients, close the lid, and several minutes later, they are ready,.

My first variation was Mussels Luigi which consisted of onions, garlic, white wine, hand crushed plum tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

My second variation was Mussels in Cream Sauce with Saffron which consisted of shallots, lemon, saffron, white wine, heavy cream, and fresh herbs.

My third variation was Mussels in Red Thai Curry Sauce which was the most unique of the three and consisted of lemongrass, red curry, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime, and fresh cilantro.

These three trays combined took less than FIFTEEN minutes.

Which one was my favorite? Yes.

Some grilled baguette and a slice of lemon is all you need to serve!

For the crab portion, I instantly knew I was making Crab Rangoon which is one of my favorite appetizers. Wonton wrappers filled with a scallion, crab, and cream cheese mixture, and fried until golden. I took the softened cream cheese and combined it with the scallions and crab. I used imitation crab meat to save money, time (no need to pick for shells), and I love the hint of sweetness.

A simple bottled Thai chili sauce is all you need for dipping, or use duck sauce, soy sauce, hot mustard, or whatever tickles your fancy! They are delicious enough without a sauce.

December 19

Several days later, we had our annual "Festivus" celebration at school and everyone contributes to an all-day pot luck spread. I decided to make Chili Mac and Cheese and let me tell you, there was NONE left!

I started by browning some ground pork.

I added diced onions and chopped garlic.

Once the meat and onions were cooked, I added two cans of diced tomatoes and chiles in their liquid, chicken stock, taco seasoning, Mexican oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.

I combined and brought it to a boil and added a box of macaroni which cooked in the sauce. Thirty minutes later and it was done! To finish, I added two cups of shredded Mexican cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro, transferred it to a crock pot, and it was ready for the staff! I put out some sour cream, extra cheese, and pickled jalapeños for people to add. Easy and beyond delicious! Luckily, I reserved some for myself at home before leaving for work because the crockpot was utterly empty before the school day ended.

December 20

The next night we hosted more dear friends for an early Christmas dinner. As this was a work night for everyone, I knew I needed to make dishes that were easy, could be made in advance, but were still impressive and delicious.

I started with my Caprese Bruschetta Wreath. I roasted the cherry tomatoes with a touch of oil and honey until they started to pop. I topped the toasted baguette slices with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and drizzled it all with balsamic glaze.

Beautiful and delicious! (And ten minutes later, GONE.)

I had extra crab rangoon filling and wonton wrappers from the night before, but this time I took a healthier route and tested them out in the air fryer. To be honest, I think they turned out better in the air fryer than the night before when I deep fried them. Less grease, same crispiness and flavor, less fat. Again, ten minutes later, GONE. This recipe is such a winner!

For the main course, I stuck with my motto of make ahead, easy, and impressive so I made Chicken Pot Pies. I made the filling the day before so that all I needed to do the day of the dinner party was to assemble and bake. I started with sautéing onions in butter. I added flour and cooked for a few minutes before adding chicken stock, milk, frozen peas and carrots, pearl onions, and the meat from chicken breasts and thighs (bone-in, skin-on) that I roasted earlier. I also added a pinch of saffron for the gorgeous color and of course, salt and pepper to taste.

About an hour before my guests arrived, I filled the crocks....

...then topped with puff pastry. Egg wash, vent, salt, pepper, and bake. Done.

For dessert, I decided to do a play on two of my favorite pies, Lemon Merengue and Pumpkin, so I made a Pumpkin Merengue Pie. I started with a store-bought frozen pie crust to save time and made a basic spiced pumpkin pie filling using canned pumpkin.

I baked it off and allowed it to cool while I made the merengue. I heated and whisked the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler. Once it was hot, I added it to the stand mixer with cream of tartar and a splash of vanilla extract. I whipped until stiff peaks formed.

I spread it all over the pumpkin and used my kitchen torch to finish. Such an impressive and unique dessert!

That is about all I can fit into this post! Part 4 coming soon with more deliciousness!