I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I love this time of the year! The decorations! The songs! The spirit of the season! Getting together with the family! Food!

Here are some of the recipes from our Christmas Dinner 2017


Christmas 2017 Table

Wanted to share the dishes from our table this year. 

My family loved it and my Mother-in-law is my biggest supporter and taste-tester, she enjoys everything!

It’s funny how it all started with me marrying her son and not being able to cook at all (I was just 20 years old) and her saying that he will probably go hungry and come home to eat.

Oh well…. being on our own, life experience has taught me how to cook and now she loves to eat at Our Home!

Christmas Menu

Appetizers

Seledka (herring) plate
Boiled potatoes with garlic, dill and light Olive oil

Bread with butter and red caviar Christmas tree
Salmon Ceviche made with Homemade Gravlax
Homemade Gravlax  and guacamole on top of NAAN dippers

Salad

Classic Russian vinaigrette salad (Винегрет)
Tomatoes and cucumbers plate

Main Dishes

Roasted Turkey drumsticks with mushrooms and onions 
Chicken and vegetable potstickers
Blinis with chicken, spinach, and mushrooms
Mashed potatoes with cheddar and green onions
Parmesan roasted veggies

Dessert

One-Bowl Fudgy Chocolate cake
Sees chocolates

French pastry from Costco
Dry fruit/nuts platter
Fruit

Drinks

Wine Cocktail
Fruit Punch

elka

The Russian favorite: Bread with butter and Caviar

Christmas 2017 bread caviar tree

A classic Russian Favorite dish arranged in the shape of Christmas tree with ornaments (tomatoes). Easy presentation!

Homemade Gravlax  and guacamole on top of NAAN dippers
GRAB THE RECIPE

Christmas 2017 naan salmon avocado

 

These NAAN dippers from Costco have endless possibilities! Buy them next time! 

 Salmon Ceviche made with Homemade Gravlax

Christmas 2017 salmon ceviche
 

Recipe:

– 1 lb. fresh skinless Salmon, cubed
– 1 Tbsp. Salt
– 1 Tbsp. Vinegar (I prefer lighter testing Salad Vinegar or Rice Vinegar)
– 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice, squeezed
– 2 Tbsp. Extra Light Olive Oil
– 2 red Radishes
– 1/2 Red Onion small, diced
– 2 Tbsp. Parsley (or Dill), chopped
– salt/pepper}
– tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

In a large glass bowl combine: vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, radishes, onion, and parsley. Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

In a separate glass bowl, add cubed Salmon. Generously season with salt, rubbing on all sides. I prefer my Salmon salty tasting, but you can add as much or as little salt as you prefer. Or use Homemade Gravlax

Always adjust to taste. Let the salt absorb into the Salmon for a couple of minutes before adding it to a ceviche sauce. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.

Seledka (herring) 

Christmas 2017 seledka

Seledka (herring) served with boiled potatoes, garlic, dill and light Olive oil.

Chicken and vegetable potstickers

Christmas 2017 potstickers


These are store-bought chicken and vegetable potstickers (Costco). I usually make a meal out of them by adding sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes. Just pan fry in Sesame and light Olive oil.

These potstickers from Costco are super tasty and great when you have company over. Serve them with sauteed veggies!

Classic Russian vinaigrette salad (Винегрет)

Christmas 2017 Vinaigrette Salad

Classic Russian vinaigrette salad (Винегрет) recipe here!

Roasted Turkey drumsticks with mushrooms and onions.

Christmas 2017 turkey legs
I use the same recipe as for BBQ ribs. Click here for the recipe.

Blinis with chicken, spinach, mushrooms, onions, cream cheese baked with creamy tomato sauce on top

HOW TO MAKE STUFFED BLINIS RECIPE

One of the best-tasting dishes, but unfortunately it doesn’t look as good on pictures.

I had blinis from the European store (was too lazy to make my own), rotisserie chicken white meat (Costco), frozen spinach in the freezer, mushrooms, and cream cheese.

So I’ve decided this will make a perfect combo for Stuffed Blinis!

Just combine sauteed mushrooms and onion, diced rotisserie chicken, spinach and a couple of tablespoons of whipped cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Stuff blinis with the chicken mix and assemble on the greased with light olive oil or butter baking pan.

Make creamy tomato sauce in the saucepan and pour on top.

Creamy Tomato Sauce:

1 Large Jar (23 oz) of your favorite Pasta sauce
½ Cup Chicken Broth
1 (8 oz) Sour Cream
1 Tbsp. Corn Starch or Flour
1 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, minced

Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Parmesan Roasted Veggies

Christmas 2017 roasted veggies

HOW TO MAKE ROASTRED VEGGIES

We LOVE Brussel Sprouts and I buy them all the time. They are super tasty if prepared right and super healthy. It’s the staple food at our house.

Pasta and rice we mainly eat on holidays, going out, or on vacation. For every day, it’s meat, poultry, fish, and roasted veggies! 

With roasted veggies, you can get as creative as you like.

I saw a video that has millions of views with Brussels sprouts first boiled and then roasted. What an awful idea! All the goodness and flavor is washed out. You will end up eating mashed Brussels sprouts. No. You want to preserve the goodness! 

Just oil your favorite baking sheet. 

You can buy Brussels Sprouts stalk or already cut. Cut off the end and slice them in half or as you like. The thinner the pieces the faster they will cook through. 

Assemble the vegetables, add your favorite seasoning, and oils.

You can use any salad dressing as well, or olive oil/vinegar mix. It adds so much flavor to the veggies.

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and Bake at 400F for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Time depends on your oven and the size and amount of your veggies. Judge by color, they shouldn’t be burned. 

elka

Desserts

One-Bowl Fudgy Chocolate cake

Christmas 2017 chocolate cake

One-Bowl Fudgy Chocolate cake recipe here

 

(Crafty Cooking by Anna is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com)


 

 

Christmas 2017 family

My Loving Crew!

Merry Christmas, my friends!

elka

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