Christmas Brunch - and Happy Holidays

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

from ShowFood Chef and Family~

As I look around the room, late afternoon on this Christmas Day, I am feeling so emotional. After a morning of laughs with my visiting in-laws, tons of presents, chasing the dogs to get the stockings back and feeling my daughter's baby move in her "pregger" tummy, I can't help but whisper a quiet "Thank You."

In the midst of our food-induced drowsiness, everyone of us are taking an electronic break. My husband is watching a short-film on television, one son is watching a movie on his new ipad, my mother-in-law is playing a word game on her iphone, my father-in-law is reading a book on his kindle, my other son is creating music with his new software, my daugher and her husband are on Skype talking to my mother on the other side of the United States. It's an amazing time to be alive. The world feels both giant and tiny at the same time. We're all in the same room chatting with each other, but also connected to the whole planet.

In a few minutes I'll be starting our Holiday Dinner that will include Ham, Toasted Couscous w/Corn & Tomatoes, Carrot and Zucchini Ribbon Salad, Roasted Potatoes w/ Escarole, and Celeriac Slaw. Later we'll go bowling together - yeah, you heard right - it's a family tradition.

Late tonight we'll end with another family tradition called "Dirty Bingo". It sounds like quite a few families have a version of this game. It involves rolling dice, trying to score doubles, choosing a wrapped secret gift from a pile of them, then trying to "take" presents from each other based on how the dice play out.

Every year when we play this together it dissolves into so much laughter you can hardly breathe.

Earlier today, our brunch included these easy to make and gobble down "Eggs & Bacon In The Round". I'm sharing the recipe/process with you in case you'd find them fun and tasty, too.

RECIPE: Eggs & Bacon In The Round

For Each serving, you'll need 1 egg, 1 piece of bacon, 1 piece of toast and a bit of butter.

1) Toast slices of bread with just a bit of butter spread on them. Then cut a round out of each toast (the size of your muffin tins.)

2) Place the rounds in each muffin hole, wrap a piece of bacon around each round.

3) Break an egg onto each round and inside the bacon wrap.

4) Bake in a 350F pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes or until eggs are set.

*Garnish with parsley or chives, or a drizzle of good Olive Oil. I hope this posting finds you with people that you love, wonderful memories of people from your life, and the hope for a wonderful year in the making.