Holiday Nostalgia - Cha Cha Charming!

Merry Christmas! I hope you are finding a few moments of respite in the flurry of activity that the holiday season generates. I am recovering (Day 4) from a particularly nasty cold/flu virus - have not been sick in over three years, and I have never been a good sick person, so needless to say, those near and dear to me are praying extra hard for my speedy renewal! As fate would have it, all my family were expected for Christmas dinner, so I had to suck it up and keep moving, smile in place! Thankfully, I was feeling better as compared to Days 1 and 2 of this bug, which felled me like a pro-wrestler before I even knew what was coming, btw! I am also grateful for the physical endurance I have earned training at FREAK Fitness - it went a long way to helping me perservere; a true culinary commando! LOL

Family First
Despite feeling like garbage, I managed to make dinner for my family, including Mom (MMM), Sooz and Uncle "On". It was the tried-and-true roast turkey with gravy and stuffing, and - of course - homemade cranberry sauce! I mixed it up a bit with Italian-style roasted potatoes - the trick is to peel and quarter the potatoes and soak them in cold water for 2-3 hours (or over night!). You then dry the potatoes well between paper towels and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Rosemary is a nice addition - but not all of our family like it, so I opted out on that addition for Christmas. The wedges are baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes - until lightly browned; the result is a moist interior and a slightly crisped exterior - yum!

Opening Acts...
I also made Mom's mandarin orange jelly (kids' favourite - and aren't we all kids at heart?), as well as broccoli/carrots mix. My dear Mom brought a lovely spinach salad too - a bit garlicky for my tastes, particularly when feeling a bit "off", but a true gourmet delight for all others - I am really only wanting toast and tea when feeling sick (I know, Sad Sack... it will pass, I promise!).

We also enjoyed Mom's recipe of Sweet 'n Sour Meatballs - I made these ahead of time in the slow cooker and they were a big hit. I am hoping there will be leftovers around when my appetite returns (great with rice and some stir fry veg!).

Cha - Cha Ching!!! The Grand Prix
December was a blur; always too much to do and too few hours, and I really didn't do much baking this year. I am finding that more of us are watching calories and last year I actually tossed out a lot of sweet treats, so it is likely for the best. The family favourites - gingerbread and shortbread - were represented, so no one went without a little sugary something to dunk in the exquisite Caffe Vergnano that my best friend imported for the holidays, and was kind enough to share with the familia :)

But a highlight for me was making Mom's Cherry Cha Cha, a simple dessert that we often enjoyed Christmas Eve after church - not only is it super easy, which was a HUGE bonus for your under-the-weather hostess, it also is delicious and not too sweet. The recipe follows and I hope you will try and enjoy - a sentimental flavour gift from this weary elf's kitchen to your own xo!

Quick to whip up for New Year's Eve - you may find it becomes a holiday staple in your circle.

Mom's Cherry Cha Cha

Ingredients:
1 large can cherry pie filling*
250 ml whipping cream, whipped
1/2 pkg. of miniature marshmallows
Small package graham crackers (You will need 15-18 of 3" crackers)

Method:
Line the bottom of a pyrex cake pan (approx 9" x 9" or 9" x 12") with graham crackers - cutting or breaking the crackers to fit, if necessary. Combine the whipped cream with the marshmallows and spread over the cracker base. Top with the cherry pie filling, spreading to cover. Cover with tin foil and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Serves 12-14: tastes light and not too sweet after a heavy meal.
*You can easily trim calories from this by using fat-free Cool Whip in place of the whipped cream and also by substituting sugar-free cherry pie filling for the regular pie filling.