Good morning, Newdists! I am awake late and barely functioning this morning, so I’m not sure how this diary is going to turn out. Bear with me!
We hosted a Christmas party last night, and I did most of the cooking for it. I think it was a huge success all around. The food turned out great, and everybody had a lot of fun (myself included, which is rare—I usually hang out for a while and then disappear later, lol). The main thing I cooked was a ham (actually, two of them). I’d never made a ham before in my life, and I know they’re not exactly difficult, but I was worried I’d dry it out or something. It turned out beautifully, I think, and people at the party seemed to really like it. The glaze was maple-honey, and I added bourbon.
And yes, I saved the ham bones! Coincidentally, my next order of Rancho Gordo beans just arrived, so I know what I’m going to do with at least one of the bags. I also strained the ham drippings and made a quick sauce by adding butter.
For the sides, I made green bean casserole, which I never make because I’m not the biggest fan myself, but I looked for a recipe that I was pretty sure most people would like. I ended up using Chef John’s recipe for French onion green bean casserole, which uses caramelized onions, a béchamel sauce, and gruyère cheese (no canned anything!). Then I made a huge batch of red skin mashed potatoes (10 pounds!) with an ungodly amount of butter and cream cheese. And the BF made a copycat recipe for Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup.
Zuppa Toscana soup and French onion green bean casserole
Sliced ham and red skin mashed potatoes
And corn pudding, of course! It’s not a holiday gathering without my corn pudding (which is actually Chef John’s corn pudding).
My plate:
As for desserts, the BF made my favorite chocolate carrot cake with orange cream cheese icing. One of the party guests brought an amaretto cake with toasted almonds, which was fucking incredible, pardon my language. The person who made it is very shy and introverted (even more so than me), and I think I genuinely frightened and overstimulated him with my enthusiasm for the amaretto cake, LOL.
So overall, it was a successful party. Now, hopefully the rest of December can be quiet and relaxed (and healthier). If anybody needs me, I’ll be in my virtual truck.
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From belinda ridgewood and our friends at the Inoculation Project:
Today at The Inoculation Project, we’re helping a Los Angeles preschool teacher who hopes for materials to teach reading, and a North Carolina middle school teacher who needs hands-on science activities. We'd love to see you there, and coincidentally, to have your tips, recs, and social media shares, to help us reach more eyes!
