Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Christmas with the Halls...

So, I'm working on my plans for the big ol' Holiday Extravaganza. It appears that we'll be doing Christmas day with the Halls/Hammontrees, and then the 26th with my dad's side of the family, both here at Neuva Casa de Hall. While I'm not the least worried about the 26th (my Aunt Micki is an amazing cook and caterer and will help with the majority of the meal), our first Christmas Day together as a new family has me a bit anxious. Matt bought me an amazing Williams-Sonoma book with some great holiday menus in it, and I can just feel myself getting overly ambitious. If I were to go shopping for the Hall-ontree Family Meal right now, this is what we'd be having:

Salad with either a citrus vinaigrette and goat cheese, or apples, walnuts, and blue cheese
Standing Rib Roast with Yorkshire Puddings (!)
Potato Gratin Rounds
Green Beans with Bacon and Onion Vinaigrette (and possibly Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Parmesan, but those would most likely be just for me and mom)
Homemade Yeast Rolls
Gingered Cranberries
Fruitcake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
and (for the non-fruitcake inclined, ie: MY DAD) a Chocolate Pecan Crostata (fancy term for a tart, y'all)

Now, most of this is no big deal, the sides are easy, the fruitcake is already made, the tart uses store-bought pie crusts, and even the Yorkies aren't worrying me, but a standing rib roast is an expensive piece of meat to mess up. I think I can pull it off, but it's intimidating. I could do a regular roast beef with my eyes closed, standing on one leg even, but something in the presentation (and, admittedly the impressive *sound*) of a standing rib roast is just calling to my soul. What do you think?

This book is evil, you guys.

It's trying to talk me into chocolate and nut covered ice cream truffles, and making my own sea-salted caramels.
It's filling my dreams with visions of elaborate centerpieces, greenery, FIGS, for heaven sake. Do we even have figs in Tennessee? Gah.

Anyway, in addition to the feasty-madness, I'm compiling my list of cookies I want to bake this year, which, I guess, I better get crackin' on. I'm doing semi-okay on my shopping, and my biggest project is just about complete (but is a surprise for too many people to be suitable for public consumption). All four of the planned Christmas trees have been put up (though I still cannot find the last tree skirt), and the outside lights are 90% finished, we've just been discussing an extra snowman here or there. I will do my bestest to take some pictures Thursday evening, and hopefully have a holly jolly picture post for you all for the weekend.
In the mean time, me and my elves will keep mighty busy, you all do the same!

3 comments:

KatieKate said...

Dude. I don't think I've ever even touched a fig. Good luck.

I'd like to order a plate of the roast with some potato gratin (double portion, please) and green beans with bacon and also one of those schmancy crostatas.

Thanks.

Sunday Grant Photography said...

goodness you have a lot of work to do! i feel the same way with cookbooks. i want to make all the recipes in them. which williams sonoma one did you get? did you say that you have 4 trees? oh my you are awesome. i can't wait to see pictures!

CortneyTree said...

Kate,

I will see what I can do about shipping you a dinner plate. :) Schmancy is all about the way it sounds, with the right terminology even Mac and Cheese sounds fancy--mostly I just follow recipes like suggestions and trust my sense of taste.

Sunday,

Matt came home with the W-S Holiday Entertaining book. I had seen (and asked for) the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's individual W-S books at Target of all places, but my industrious hubby found this one, with all the holidays combined. It's gorgeous, and none of the recipes are too complicated, just delicious sounding! The cocktail and appetizer sections are trying to talk me into throwing a party. Yeah, 4 trees. We're crazy like that ;)