Christmas Eve Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 12:56:13 PM EST
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I wish all of our readers a happy holiday eve. May it be free of thoughts about Donald Trump.

If you are looking for TV, I'll suggest El Cartel I and II (called "Cartel de los Sapos")-- both seasons are now available with subtitles on Amazon Prime. It's the story of the Norte del Valle cartel in Colombia and its takedown and prosecution in the U.S., written by a former member of the cartel while in prison in Miami. It really launched the whole narco-drama series phenomenon and has terrific, now well-known actors. I've probably watched the full series three times or more. The Norte del Valle cartel was the successor to the Cali Cartel. The series is a far more accurate portrayal of real life characters and events and much better done in my opinion than American shows like Narcos which pay DEA agents to be consultants. It focuses on the corruption as well as the drug dealing.

Two Twitter feeds I'm recently added: Calorie Fixes and Tasty. Check out Tasty's five best egg hacks, you'll be a fan.

Again, Happy Xmas Eve, and please let us know what you're cooking and how you are celebrating and anything else on your mind.

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Christmas Eve Open Thread | 21 comments (21 topical)

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My wife made fresh egg nog last night. (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 03:03:45 PM EST

It's so much better than the store-bought kind, especially when you add rum to give it a little kick. We bought a turkey for tomorrow, and she's making a list for me to go to the grocery store to fetch the rest of the fixings. Elder Daughter and her new baby will be home from the hospital in a couple of hours.

: Homemade egg nog sounds great (none / 0) (#6)
by McBain on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 03:19:30 PM EST

but I'd probably have to delude it a bit with milk. Although I have a sweet tooth, many deserts are too sweet. My mom makes a holiday cheesecake with about half the sugar as most recipe's call for. Of course, I end up eating twice a much.
Congrats on the new addition to the family.

Had the big eat yesterday (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 25, 2017 at 08:29:57 AM EST

Today I'm making NY style falafel/pita sandwiches. With lettuce tomatoes red onion cucs kalamata olives feta and tahini and cream of garlic and celery soup with shredded chicken and wild mushrooms.

My guests have never had falafel

Baroody (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by jmacWA on Mon Dec 25, 2017 at 09:05:14 AM EST

Love falafel... I think the Baroody falafel mix makes the ultimate falafel. Usually we just add some extra sesame seeds for crunch, and I have now switched to making falafel waffles. Usually served with a sauce consisting of greek yogurt, chopped cucmbers, chopped peppers.


omg (none / 0) (#12)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Dec 26, 2017 at 09:43:02 AM EST

Falafel waffles with yogurt tahinni sauce sounds amazing.

Guess I have to buy a waffle iron.


wow! I never thought of that, (none / 0) (#13)
by leap on Tue Dec 26, 2017 at 10:58:23 AM EST

baking falafels in a waffle iron. That does sound wonderful. I never make falafels because I don't do frying, but this sounds like the way to go. I'm always trying to find ways to ingest more protein with flavor. Thank you putting that out there., jmacWA.


: Just look online (none / 0) (#14)
by jmacWA on Tue Dec 26, 2017 at 11:05:16 AM EST

There are dozens of different recipes for how to make falafel batter suitable for a waffle iron. IIRC, the one I use puts in an egg, to the mix.

And watching the Dexter marathon. (none / 0) (#10)
by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 25, 2017 at 08:31:19 AM EST

Also just binged season two of STRANGER THINGS, so good.


Merry Christmas and.. (none / 0) (#1)
by desertswine on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 01:34:03 PM EST

Happy Holidays.

I always enjoy watching the movie "Scrooge" sometime during the holidays. You know, the musical one with Albert Finney.

Thank you very much,
Thank you very much,
That's the nicest thing that anyone's ever said to me.

Peaky Blinders (none / 0) (#2)
by Chuck0 on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 01:47:47 PM EST

Season 4 now on Netflix.

eating pie (none / 0) (#3)
by leap on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 02:26:20 PM EST

Made a blueberry from my own berries; and an apple, made with piñata apples. Imma gonna eat the blueberry, though!

Every Christmas Eve for the past (none / 0) (#5)
by McBain on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 03:14:27 PM EST

15 years, my mom cooks a special roast called Fred's Steak.
It's SF Bay Peninsula favorite with a secret recipe for the marinade that makes it so dark it looks burnt to a crisp even when tender inside. Some think the secret is molasses or coffee. I've heard rumors of squid ink. Whatever it is, it makes the holidays even more special.

After dinner we exchange gifts and on the way home I always drive or walk though a nearby neighborhood that goes all out with Christmas decorations. I believe homeowners are required to at least put up lights.

Christmas Day, I'm going to see the new Star Wars movie. That's also become somewhat of a tradition.

My talented cooks (none / 0) (#15)
by Towanda on Wed Dec 27, 2017 at 07:23:18 PM EST

also known as my son and daughter-in-law used their favorite kitchen device, some Fnch thing, on Christmas Eve to tenderize a flank steak that was fantastic, topped by bearnaise sauce. And mmm, roasted brussels sprouts and great potatoes . . . ending with my daughter-in-torching her terrific, individual creme brulees.

They are foodies and always intrigue us with the results of their interst. Next, we return to Chicago to share the culinary results of their newst kitchen device, an air fryer.


: Was it, perhaps, sous vide? (none / 0) (#16)
by caseyOR on Sat Dec 30, 2017 at 12:15:19 PM EST

We switched up our tradition this year, (none / 0) (#7)
by Anne on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 06:48:14 PM EST

and it worked out well.

Normally, the kids come over in the morning with husbands and grandkids in tow, we open gifts, have breakfast - and then they disperse. Around lunchtime, we go get my mom, then swing by our older daugter's in-laws for their open house, then head back to our house for dinner.

But...this year may be my son-in-law's father's last Christmas. He was diagnosed with Stage IV glioblastoma in July, had surgery, chemo and radiation - and while we're all hoping for the best, and he's generally doing okay, the odds are not in his favor.

So, my son-in-law wanted all of them to spend the whole day together, rather than dividing their time.

We decided we'd do our Christmas on Christmas Eve, and we had a really nice time. Food was more casual than our normal Christmas dinner. We had some good finger foods while we were all getting ready to open gifts: shrimp cocktail, a chili-cheese dip and a Christmas "tree" made with pizza dough and filled with spinach dip.

Dinner was chicken fajita sliders, and cheeseburger sliders, and salad. Dessert was three kinds of cookies - chocolate chip, salted caramel snickerdoodles and chocolate chip shortbread.

And...I got an Instant Pot! Can hardly wait to use it! And a Tasty cookbook (I have the app on my phone and have made quite a few things from it - good stuff, and easy to make).

Tomorrow, we will go get my mom, stop by the open house, then come back here for dinner. Our younger daughter and her family will join us. Beef tenderloin, green beans, roasted potatoes and mushrooms, and more cookies for dessert - or I may make a gingerbread roll - we'll see how it goes.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, and here's to a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year!

Cheers, everyone!

Making yummy feta roasted potatoes. (none / 0) (#8)
by oculus on Sun Dec 24, 2017 at 09:50:31 PM EST

Third time this week. Big hit.

I think Agent Orange is losing it (none / 0) (#19)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 19, 2018 at 09:44:06 PM EST

Just breaking WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL: COATS HAS GONE TO FAR.
I was saying Coats should resign. This is even better. Force him to fire you for telling the truth.

But Donald is losing his grip. The last week it's been really clear. So clear it no longer denialble.

Trump is head headed for a crack up like a freight train. I think he may do something crazy enough to cause an intervention by the cabinet, seriously.

And yes, I think there are things he is capable of that would for e them to do it.

Are you OK? (none / 0) (#20)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Jul 20, 2018 at 11:34:35 PM EST

Or did the heat sap you to the point you forgot what day it is?

I hope you're not losing it.


Go ahead (none / 0) (#21)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 21, 2018 at 06:52:42 AM EST

Laugh you with yer mile high temps

The HI was 119 yesterday.

Just now when I woke up a dawn it's not that much better.

Supposedly we are getting a "cold front" this weekend that will lower temps to the mid 90s and possibly drop the heat index below 105. Which is heat warning territory


Check it out (none / 0) (#22)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 21, 2018 at 07:11:11 AM EST

By Associated Press
Published: July 20, 2018, 5:22 PM
0
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Scorching heat was spreading Friday across much of the South, where temperatures are expected to soar over 100 degrees and persist into next week.
The National Weather Service posted heat advisories and warnings from the New Mexico-Texas border eastward to parts of Alabama. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, west Tennessee and parts of Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky were all under heat advisories or warnings Friday. In Texas, the nation's largest prison system took the unprecedented step of allowing all inmates and staff unlimited access to cold water and opportunities to cool off in air-conditioned spaces.
"This one will be rather long-lasting in the areas it affects," said David Hamrick, a forecaster at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md.
The hot temperatures will combine with high humidity, which could be lethal to some people, forecasters said. They were warning that children, older people, those without air conditioning and outdoor workers will be particularly at risk.
Highs Friday were expected to be 109 degrees in the Dallas and Oklahoma City metro areas; 111 degrees in parts of western Oklahoma; and 100 degrees in Shreveport, La.
With highs that hot, temperatures in many places were in the 80s during the pre-dawn hours Friday. In Dallas, for instance, the low temperature early Friday was 85 degrees, Hamrick said.
The heat wave has already broken records in Texas set more than 90 years ago.
"I have records all over the place," said Bianca Villanueva, a National Weather Service forecaster in north Texas. "It looks like we'll probably break most of the records that we have through the weekend."

: We are going to smash the record.... (5.00 / 1) (#23)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Sat Jul 21, 2018 at 11:53:09 AM EST

for days over 90 this year. Up around 100 again today. But, at least its a dry heat. I did my time with 90 degee/90% humidity days when I was in Iowa.