Tasty Treats for Christmas Eats

For several years now, this one not to be excluded, I've talked about the making of my fraternal grandmother's Cardamom Bread. What I've neglected to mention is the second part of this annual tradition.

Since my family is Catholic, we always attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to celebrate the real reason for our beautiful Christmas Season. After mass (which at our church ends at midnight) we head home for champagne and ham sandwiches on cardamom bread.

Let me tell you folks. Nothing tastes better than a ham sandwich on soft, fragrantly spiced bread at 1:30am on (technically) Christmas Morning. Well, the only thing that makes it better is a glass of champagne (or four! my father keeps insisting on buying a magnum of champagne for our family of three!) and a side of classic deviled eggs.

Our ham sandwiches may have been traditional, but Christmas dinner was anything but this year. (Praise be to the newborn Baby Jesus! I would gag if we had another slice of roasted turkey in this house. )

For dinner: Rosemary and Sea Salt Sourdough, Shrimp and Spinach Cheddar Grits and a beautiful (but sadly unpictured) salad made of mixed greens from my mother's best friend's garden. And for a simple dessert: "holiday red" grapes topped with Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

I hope your holiday season is filled with wonderful food, be it traditional or no, but more importantly that you are able to cherish the time you spend with friends and family during your meals.

Love to all,
~the "I'm getting sentimental about meals in my old age" gal, Jess