This was the Christmas that we would eat dinner out. But, plans changed when we found that we wouldn’t be able to find a restaurant open, and one son was coming and the other son was going.

On Christmas Eve, it ended up being this grandmother who was stirring in the kitchen instead of the mouse. I put together a dinner of different foods that I thought we’d all enjoy, yet would keep our dinner traditionally Southern. So, my husband, son and granddaughter sat down to a great dinner on Christmas Day, even though it had been unplanned until the night before.

The impromptu menu was a traditional pear and cheese salad that we must have on holidays,  baked ham, Southern Whitehouse Chicken (from my book, but also known as Country Captain) over long grain white rice, cornbread dressing with gravy, butterbeans cooked with ham, roasted asparagus with Parmesan-Romano cheese, Savannah corn fritters with red pepper jelly, rolls, pineapple cake, Christmas plum pudding (on the previous blog on this site), and mincemeat cake (Southerncookingathome.blogspot.com).

Pear & Cheese Salad

Always on the holiday table. The pear salad is nothing more than lettuce, fresh pears, peeled and sliced or cut into wedges or cubes, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese. Mix all together and place in a pretty bowl. Or, if you prefer to serve it on a plate or platter, prepare a bed of lettuce, two pear halves per person (rub with lemon juice to keep from turning brown), a dollop of mayonnaise in the center of each pear and grated cheddar on top. A rich blue cheese dressing is also good on the pears.

 

Southern Whitehouse Chicken (Country Captain)

I usually make this with chicken breasts cut in half, but I didn’t have them and used tenderloins. Tenderloins worked even better. I’ll give you the regular version and the one I used on Christmas Day. This was one of my cooking class favorites. If I’m serving this for dinner, I’ll make an Orange and Pear Salad. The recipe is in my book, but if you’d like to try it, send a message, and I’ll get you the recipe.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half crosswise

vegetable oil for frying

1 large onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion

1/2 cup currants or raisins if currents are not available

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 1/2 teaspoon curry powder or to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Original recipe-Combine the first 3 ingredients. Flour the chicken. Add oil to a skillet and let the temperature reach 35o degrees. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until brown. Drain on paper towels. Place the chicken in an oven-proof baking dish.

Drain the pan drippings, saving about 2 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the drippings and cook until tender. Add the tomatoes, and the next 6 ingredients, stir well and bring to a simmer. Add the tomato mixture to the top of the chicken in the baking dish. Place a layer of parchment over the top of dish, and place foil tightly around the dish to cover. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Remove from the baking dish to a serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and toasted almonds. Spoon over white rice and serve with a fruit salad. Serves 4 or if you make it with tenders, serves 6.

* Christmas Day version is to prepare a heavy skillet with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, and add 10 chicken tenders. Salt and pepper the tenders, and bake  in a 350 degree oven until tenders are done. Remove and set aside and let stay in the juices until ready to use. Then cut the tenders in half. Prepare the tomato mixture as above. Add the chicken and bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve as directed above.

Black Forest Ham

I always buy the Kentucky Legend Ham when I have just a few people to serve. It’s also the best ham for leftovers. Since it weighs about 2 pounds, and is all meat, no bone, it takes about 40 minutes to cook. Cook it covered in foil, in a 350 degree oven for the first 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes cover it with a paste of yellow mustard and brown sugar and smear it all over the ham, then back in the oven until the paste has formed a glaze. It’s always good. No mess, no fuss.

Pineapple Cake (Torte) with White Caramel Coconut Pecan Icing

This is an old-fashioned cake and the recipe has been around for a long while. It’s usually made in a 13 x 9-inch pan, but I make it in layers and in cupcakes. No work required for this cake!

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice (I use Dole)

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into a well greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Prepare the icing while the cake cooks.

If making a torte, divide the batter into three 9-inch well greased and floured cake pans. Bake for about 22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove from pans after cooling for 10 minutes. Place on a cake plate and divide the icing between layers. If you really want to make a hit, ice the cake, then cool the cake and spread with 7-minute icing or whipped cream.

Icing

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup evaporated milk (this is exactly the size of the small can of milk)

pinch of salt

1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/2 cup coconut

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, milk, and salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cook and stir for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pecans, and coconut. Pour the icing over the hot cake, or layers of the cake and allow it to cool before cutting.