Christmas Dinner!

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with our parents, Lee's sister, and our nephew.  Tonight also happened to be Lenny, our dog's, birthday.  

Christmas Dinner Sides!

It was a feast and everyone contributed.  Lee's mom brought the brisket and mini key lime pies.  One thing you'll learn is that Lee has two cooking idols, his mom and the Food Network.  Margy's parents brought the rolls and Lenny's birthday cake.  Lee made Brussel Sprout Gratin and a Vegetable Tarte.  

First the Brussel Sprout Gratin.   We have brussel sprouts a lot, probably more than the average family trying to terrorize their children.  Typically, they're made with just olive oil and bacon, but Lee stepped it up a notch for Christmas.  This year's brussel sprout dish featured cheese!  If you don't like brussel sprouts, after trying this version, you'll love them!

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

from the Food Network, with additions

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the dish

Kosher salt

6 strips of bacon

1 pound Brussels sprouts,outer leaves and stems removed

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup cornflakes

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Dice bacon into small pieces and fry.
• Crush cornflakes into crumbs.
• Drain the Brussels sprouts and coarsely chop. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and toss with the red pepper flakes, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste, then spread out evenly.  Pour the cream on top, sprinkle with the cheese and breadcrumbs and dot with the butter pieces.
• Bake the gratin until bubbly and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 91 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  188 Calories from Fat  127

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  14.1g 22%

Saturated Fat  7.0g 35%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  41mg 14%

Sodium  443mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates  7.1g 2%

Dietary Fiber  2.2g 9%

Sugars  1.5g

Protein  9.3g

Vitamin A 15% • Vitamin C 81% Calcium 8% • Iron 9%

Brussel Sprouts Gratin- if you don't like brussel sprouts, these will change your mind!

Next up: Vegetable Tarte... mmmmm.  We saw this recipe last Christmas in the Food Network Magazine.  It's kind of labor intensive, but the payoff is huge!  The caramel mixed with the sweetness of the veggies is a little unexpected, but definitely delicious!  We have this a lot for special occasions.  It's an alternative to heavy potato dishes and BONUS, it has parsnips!  If you haven't tried parsnips, you definitely want to.  They look like white carrots but are a little sweeter and super tasty. 

Vegetable Tarte Tatin

from Food Network Magazine

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

4 cloves garlic, halved

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon small fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

6 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)

1 8.5-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss both kinds of potatoes, the parsnips, onion, garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet; bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons water and the sugar in a skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until amber, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and 1/4teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour the caramel into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and spread with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the sage and oregano on top.
• Arrange the roasted potatoes and parsnips in a single snug layer on top of the caramel. Scatter the onion and garlic over the roasted vegetables; sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Pierce the pastry all over with a fork, then lay it on top of the mozzarella, folding the edges under to fit, if necessary. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until the dough is cooked through, 15 to 20 more minutes.
• Let the tart cool 10 minutes in the baking dish, then carefully invert it onto a cutting board. Replace any vegetables that stick to the dish, if necessary.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 316 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  558 Calories from Fat  193

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  21.4g 33%

Saturated Fat  5.1g 26%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  11mg 4%

Sodium  542mg 23%

Total Carbohydrates  81.4g 27%

Dietary Fiber  8.5g 34%

Sugars  31.3g

Protein  12.5g

Vitamin A 580% • Vitamin C 68% Calcium 25% • Iron 16%

We do our Nutritional Analysis on www.caloriecount.com. 

The finished Vegetable Tarte.  We had a few extra vegetables and just threw those in a frying pan with some olive oil and ate those separately.  They were amazing!

 Merry Christmas!