I am baking today simply because I want to not because I have to...

[Phentex]

thanks to not going to the family xmas eve gathering I am freed from cooking and baking all day to make stuff for that and I can now bake what I want. I am making desserts for tomorrow and it's so relaxing (that I have time to post!)

Later I will order Chinese food for dinner.

Then I will have Cinnamon Apple White Russians and cookies.

WITHOUT DRIVING AN HOUR AWAY AND GETTING HOME AT MIDNIGHT!

Cheers!

♪♪♪♪

[luvs2sing]

1. My husband is picking up Chinese food right now.

We have Chinese food for lunch every Christmas Eve. It’s not usually takeout but, you know..2020.

Enjoy!

[Phentex]

16. Our first...

but I hope not the last!

[SheltieLover]

2. Sounds great!

[Phentex]

24. Happy whatever you celebrate!

[underthematrix]

3. I'm baking too

I made a blueberry custard pie last night and challah bread the day before.

Today, I'm making a lemon-lime bundt cake as seen on Delicious MIss Brown on OWN. No matter the recipe I always put my own twist on it.

Anyone here familiar with yam grits?

[Rorey]

5. Please tell me you're not putting yam grits into that bundt cake

You DID say you're putting your own twist on it.

[underthematrix]

8. LOL! I love it. No yams or grts will go into the bundt cake

[Rorey]

9. Lemon Lime Bundt Cake sounds delicious!!!

I LOVE lemon cake. I can't make one because I'll eat the entire thing myself, and I'm ashamed to say how little time it'd take me to do so.

[Phentex]

17. Yam grits?

Do tell.

[LakeArenal]

4. Thanks for making it the best day you can❣️

Holidays should always be what you make them.

🎶If you can’t be with the ones you love, love the one you’re with!!🎶 Even if it’s just you!!

[Rorey]

7. Love the one you're with

That song spurs a particularly nice memory for me.

[Phentex]

18. I shouldn't be so happy...

I love my mother in law dearly. She doesn't quite understand the seriousness of this pandemic however.

Honestly, we've been struggling with the family xmas eve thing for a few years. I feel like we should just go ahead and claim it for ourselves.

[Squinch]

6. Erm, .. I think you need to give us the recipe for Cinnamon Apple White Russians. RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Happy Holidays.

[Phentex]

15. We made our own cinnamon apple infused vodka...

but you can buy it, too. We added sliced apples and cinnamon sticks to a jar of vodka. The instructions said to check it after 24 hours and then again after 48. I liked it better at 24 hours. Smelled the apples and tasted the cinnamon without being "hot". At 48 hours (per spouse), it was getting a bit hot for me but it's still good. Then we used this recipe but too lazy to do the sugar rim! And with heavy cream, it's a dessert in itself!

Ingredients

For simple syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For cinnamon sugar rim
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon White Russian
• ice
• 2 ounces cinnamon apple vodka
• 1 ounce coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
• 1 ounce heavy cream or half-and half (or your milk of choice)
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup


Instructions

Make simple syrup
1. In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine sugar and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Store in an airtight, glass container.

Make the cinnamon sugar and rim the glasses.
1. In a bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon until evenly mixed. Pour onto a plate or into a shallow bowl that's big enough for the glass.
2. To rim the glass, brush a small amount of the simple syrup around the outer rim of an old-fashioned or rocks glass. Roll the outer edge of the glass in the cinnamon sugar until coated. Set aside.

Make the cocktails.
1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, coffee liqueur, heavy cream and simple syrup. Shake vigorously, then pour into prepared cocktail glass. Serve immediately.

[Squinch]

25. Wow! That looks delicious! I'm trying this. Thank you!

[calimary]

10. I made a big salad to offset all the fattening Christmas treats.

We'll be noshing on that all day. Maybe some takeout, maybe not. Gonna relax.

I finished ALL my usual Christmas "work" yesterday. So we may not even get out of our pajamas all day!

We're on Day 292 of self-quarantine, wearing masks, keeping our distance, staying safe and virus-free. And it's only 27 days til "POTUS JOE"!

[Phentex]

19. It's been so nice to have some hope!

We survived four years of the orange monster. Kamala and Joe seem like a dream.

[CaptainTruth]

11. We'll be cooking tomorrow, just my wife & I.

Chinese food sounds good!

There was a Chinese takeout place on the island that was a favorite of many of us, a small mom/pop/son operation.

Last fall they announced they were closing temporarily & returning to China for a family emergency. Then COVID hit. They're still closed & we've been figuring they were out of business for good but a neighbor recently posted that they'll be back & reopening in January.

I hope it's true because we haven't had Chinese since they closed, & it's been over a year. There are 3-4 other places but they're just not as good.

Enjoy your Chinese!

[Phentex]

20. Thanks!

The restaurant business is tough in the best of times. LOTS of places here are closing for good.

[Mr.Bill]

12. We usually have crab for Christmas dinner.

Usually about ten or so of the family are there. Since it's just the wife and myself, and crab season is late this year, we will be having lobster claws and baby back ribs. Maybe it will become a new tradition.

[Phentex]

21. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

that sounds good!

[tavernier]

13. Baked all week!

Our heritage is Latvian and Christmas was always about baking with mothers and grandmothers, so I was surrounded with my kids and grandkids and we baked piragi (Latvian bacon rolls), saffron raisin braided sweet bread, piparkukas (thin gingerbread cookies). Whew. Hours of work, nearly gone in 10 minutes.

[Phentex]

22. Ha Ha!

I used to spend more time baking but I've struggled with it the last few years. I had no excuse this year!

[PJMcK]

14. I like your comment about not having to travel

We feel the same way. It's 4 hours each way to my sister's house so it's a half day on either side of the visit plus fuel. We usually get a hotel room so there's that expense for 3 or 4 nights. Then I usually have to pick up the tab for a lunch or dinner for a dozen or so people. I don't want to sound like a Grinch but Covid has made this holiday season easier. We sent our gifts and didn't have to face the holiday traffic.

[Phentex]

23. We're having a wintry mix as I type...

and we've had years of ice patches or fog and rain. And plenty of weather with nothing to fear.

It's just nice to be home.