Holiday Luncheon with the Girls

Yesterday we hosted my sisters and my friend Shirley for our annual holiday luncheon here at the farm.  I tidied and tweeked and dusted and arranged things.  I prepared a salmon fillet for Dayle to put on our smoker grill.  I decided to try a new potato recipe... we put on Christmas music on our iPhone on the Bose.. we lit scented candles and Dayle laid and lit the fire.. would you like to join us?  Come on in!

After a bit of chatting in the living room, the salmon and potatoes were deemed done and we placed our luncheon on the table and were seated for the feast.  Shirley (my best friend from 7th grade) brought broccoli salad, younger sister Denise brought a chocolate pie (using our mom's pudding recipe) and older sister Roberta brought deviled eggs and a lime jello salad with pears.

What a feast!

Wait, stop, I need a photo before we dine.. hey HONEY?  Can you snap a photo for me?  Or 3.  Now sis needs him to take a photo on her phone.. hurry before things get cold!  LOL!  From left, Denise, Shirley, me and Roberta.

To have a moist salmon, I place the filet on foil on a cookie sheet, sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper, spread a layer of sour cream on top and bake until done.  I had seen these interesting potatoes called "Hasselback" potatoes and started researching them online.  Each recipe was different, so I gleaned something from each of them and made them how I wanted.  I used Russet baking potatoes, I peeled the top and left some peel on the bottom to hold them together, put two rubber spatulas handles (or wooden spoons or chopsticks) on either side and cut them in slices - you want the bottom not to be cut through.  I spread butter and fresh rosemary sprigs on top and put in the oven to bake at 425 deg. for an hour.  I then melted butter with minced garlic and brushed them with that every so often.  It was fun to do something different, but next time I will just make baked potatoes.. similar result, way less prep time.  :-)

We feasted to our heart's content.. chatted.. laughed.. and then retired to the drawing room in front of the fire.  I took this shot from the front door entry to get a bigger view of the room.

I got a new piece for my village - a "bucket brigade" with volunteer firefighters.  I put them in front of the pond.. maybe the bonfire got out of control?  I got the new piece at our DAR meeting at a sale of member's things.

We opened our little gifts from each other.. that is always so much fun!  I'll show you later what they were.. and visited and laughed some more.

Denise made a chocolate pie using our mother's recipe.  She used the same recipe for all her famous cream pies, chocolate, banana cream and coconut cream.  It was delish!!  She served it with squirty cream!

I just went into the kitchen and looked through my old wooden recipe file box and found the recipe to share with you.  One part of the recipe was on the back, so I used PhotoShop to add the last line at the bottom.  The "cocoa" in this recipe is Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder.

Our son arrived home and joined the party, the boys got home from school and joined us too, along with Kristi.  We had such a good time visiting and catching up with each other.  Shirley and both of my sisters brought something for the boys.. sweet.  

The boys and grandpa started a game of marbles, he was teaching them how to shoot them.. cute.

We got this tree before Christmas last year from Costco.  It's kind of amazing as each light can be clear or colored and it also can flash back and forth.  The boys like them colored (I like them white).  We take turns.  :-)

The sweet gifts we exchange.. not super expensive, some home made.. just fun things.  Shirley put an air plant in a glass ball with glass pebbles in the bottom and a few tiny xmas decorations.  Denise brought fingerless mitts for each of us along with a "Corndle", a corn shaped candle.  Roberta brought large hole beads for us and a leather cord for us to make our own necklaces.  Fun things! 

My cute little air plant!  I made Denise a turquoise pendant to match some earrings she's been wearing a lot.  I made Shirley and Roberta a crochet net covered red ornament - reminiscent of a Japanese fishing glass float.  :-)  I also gave each of them a bottle of Avon Skin-So-Soft shower gel.  My mom was known for giving Avon for presents, so it was kind of fun to remember those times.  Plus, it smells like mom, she used it all the time.

Today I have some silverware to hand wash and a lot of packages to wrap!  And a few more gifts to procure.  But all in all, this season is just what I'd hoped for.  Calm, pretty decorations around the house, holiday gatherings and a cozy old farmhouse filled with love.  I hope you are having a wonderful holiday time.  
((hugs)), Teresa :-)