I have people coming in Sunday and leaving early on Monday, just a quick round trip, so started pickling peppers yesterday for antipasto. Also made multiple batches of pizza dough so I have plenty for focaccia, calzones, garlic knots, and pizza.

I need to hit the store for more tomatoes for sauce, and some ground pork to make the Italian sausage. Thinking I'm going to do stuffed shells and pasta this year, but I'll make sauce tomorrow during the games.

Anyone else starts already?

Carrots/celery/serrano peppers were on sale, so giardiniera is also on the menu.

I made the fruitcake last week and the pate yesterday. We don't have anything going until a party we're hosting Friday, and then family Sunday, so I have time.

Christmas dinner is tomorrow night for us. Tied up & salted a beef tenderloin that's in the fridge last night for smoking tomorrow.

Made a tres leches cake to go along with our Mexican Christmas tonight. I've actually put zero thought into what I'll cook for actual Christmas Day. Should probably get on that!

Made the Italian sausage last night.

Gonna make meatballs and sauce today.

I'll make the garlic knots, stuff the shells, and at least one pizza tomorrow.

I'm making the Bouchon French Onion Soup base tomorrow. I've made it before so I know the prep and cook just for the onions is like 5 hours.

I'm also prepping his Pave Potatoes tomorrow.

ETA. I started prepping the onions at 11:00 AM. I made more than a full recipe since I'm feeding 9. Something like 11 pounds of onions. It took an hour just to prep and the onions finally finished cooking down at 7:00 PM. Every 15 minutes it's stir stir stir. I have to say, those caramelized onions are worth their weight in gold. I made a hot dog for dinner and snuck some on. Yeah baby.

I made a double recipe of pave potatoes. That "only" took 90 minutes to peal, slice and layer in the pans. 2 hours to cook and 2 hours to press and come to room temp.

It's been a long day.

I was cooking for five, it has now become eight.

Plan so far:

aperitivo: wine

antipasto: prosciutto, provolone, pickled peppers, roasted peppers marinated in olive oil and garlic (peperoni e olio)

primo: stuffed shells, penne

secondo: meatballs, sausage

contorno: haven't decided if we're having one

insalata: caprese

Dolce: Guests are bringing desserts

caffe: coffee, espresso

digestivo: limoncello

We are going somewhere else for Christmas dinner, so we don't have to cook, but we are having a holiday part on the 4th. Starting to plan what we're making for that. So far, I'm in charge of a couple of cakes.

Bouchon french onion soup, prime rib, pave potatoes, roasted squash/zucchini

I Cooked for 9. I'm not cleaning a bit. I'm sitting back with a pour of Sazerac rye watching 8 others clean up after me.

I had some pizza dough in the fridge, so roasted some red and bell peppers, marinated them in olive oil and garlic, and then made a hot Italian sausage and roasted peppers pizza.



My final dish for Christmas 2024.