The Perfect Christmas (13 page)

Cassie’s friend (and now sister-in-law) has taken knitting lessons. She’s knitting a Christmas gift for Cassie. And she’s already completed an infant Santa hat for Cassie and Simon’s baby to wear next Christmas.

Here’s the pattern she used.

Designed and knitted by Cynthia Novito-Mason

Materials:

Size 7 16" circular needles

Size 7 double point needles

Darning needle

Cast On: 60 stitches with white yarn. Join in the round; place marker to mark beginning of round.

Purl 5 rows

Knit 1 row

Change to red yarn and knit 20 rows.

Shape Crown:

(Change to double pointed needles when no longer able to knit with circular.)

#Knit 2 stitches together, knit 10, repeat from * to end of round

Knit 1 row

#Knit 2 sts. tog., Knit 9, repeat from * to end of round

Knit 1 row

#Knit 2 sts. tog., Knit 8, repeat from * to end of round

Knit 1 row

#Knit 2 sts. tog., Knit 7 repeat from * to end of round

Knit 1 row

Continue each row by decreasing every other round, until you have 5 sts.

Cut yarn, leaving 6 inches and draw through remaining stitches with darning needle. Weave in ends.

With remainder of white yarn make a pom-pom and sew in place.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

©2010 by Cynthia Novito-Mason. All Rights reserved.

The pattern is for personal use only and may not be knitted for resale.

I love Christmas—and
Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook
proves it. (As if you didn’t already know!)

This beautiful cookbook has recipes for Christmas morning breakfast or brunch, appetizers for a get-together with colleagues, family or friends, Christmas dinner, desserts (yes, a whole chapter), cooking with kids and a lot more. As well, the recipes are interspersed with decorating tips, gifts to make (edible and otherwise), wrapping ideas and all kinds of other Christmas-related things. I’ve opened every chapter with personal reminiscences and references to my various Christmas stories.

In the chapter “Christmas and Christmas Eve Dinner,” I talk about
The Perfect Christmas
—since, of course, one of Cassie’s tasks is to create the perfect dinner for her neighbors. And since she chooses to replicate that dinner two years later, in the story’s new epilogue….

I’ve included six recipes from my cookbook:

• Christmas Eggnog
  
• Crock-Pot Chicken Chili
  
• Five-Minute Cranberry Walnut Cobbler
  
• Ice Krispie Snowmen
  
• Many Bean Soup Mix
  
• Cream Scones with Dried Figs and Cherries
  

These are all easy to follow and easy to make—and they’re guaranteed to delight everyone who tries them.

I hope they’ll whet your appetite for
Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook
and the fabulous recipes inside!

Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook
is available in stores and from online retailers.

This classic eggnog recipe calls for warming the egg yolks to assure a decadent, delicious yet safe drink for your party guests. (Except, of course, for children!)

Serves about 12

6 large eggs, separated

1 cup granulated sugar

3 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Salt

½ cup brandy

1 cup heavy cream

Garnishes: Ground nutmeg, chocolate shavings, cinnamon sticks

Place a large bowl in a larger bowl of ice water; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and ½ cup of the sugar until thick, for about 2 minutes.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring milk, vanilla bean, and pinch of salt to a simmer. Remove from heat; whisk 1 cup of this hot milk mixture into the yolks. Slowly pour yolk-milk mixture into
milk remaining in saucepan. Place pan over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches 160°F and is thick enough to coat the back of spoon.

Strain eggnog base through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl in ice bath. Let cool for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, for about 1 hour.

Whisk brandy and cream into chilled eggnog. In large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining ½ cup sugar; beat on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whites into eggnog until blended. Cover, refrigerate for several hours or overnight, or until cold. Pour into a pitcher to serve. Garnish servings as desired.

Serve this creamy, slightly spicy stew with fresh warmed flour tortillas or tortilla chips.

Serves 8

1 pound dried Great Northern or cannellini beans, soaked overnight

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, warmed

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, minced

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt and black pepper

1 pound (about 3 cups, chopped) cooked chicken or turkey meat

1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Garnishes: Sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa, chopped scallions

Combine beans and warm broth in a large slow cooker; let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic, jalapeño,
chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 hours, or until beans are tender.

Stir in chicken, corn and cheese. Cook for 10 minutes, until chicken and corn are warmed through and cheese is melted. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish as desired.

This homey dessert is so easy to make and so sweetly satisfying that you will make it again and again. Serve warm with whipped cream if you are feeling decadent.

Serves 8

2½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries

¾ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup plus ¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9-inch pie pan, combine cranberries, walnuts and ½ cup of the sugar; toss until coated.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, remaining sugar and almond extract until blended. Fold in flour and salt until combined. Pour the batter
over the cranberry mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, until crust is golden and fruit bubbles. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

No snow? No problem. Bring winter fun indoors with these sweet snowmen that kids can make and decorate themselves.

Makes 6

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1 bag (10 ounces) mini marshmallows

5 cups crispy rice cereal

1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Prepared vanilla icing, as needed

Decorations: mini chocolate chips, candy corn, black gumdrops, peppermint patties, colorful fruit leather

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Place butter and marshmallows in a glass bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, until fully melted, stirring often. Place cereal in a large bowl; fold in marshmallow mixture until coated.

Place coconut in a medium deep bowl. Butter your hands lightly. Scoop up a spoonful of the mixture and drop into coconut. Using your hands, roll each mound in coconut, pressing into a tight ball as you roll. Make 18 balls: 6 large, 6 medium and 6 small. Using a dab of
icing to stick balls together, form 6 snowmen. Set the snowmen upright on prepared baking sheet.

Decorate snowmen as desired. Some ideas: chocolate chips for eyes, tip of candy corn for nose, gumdrop placed atop mint patty for hat. Cut a strip of fruit leather for scarf. Use icing to “glue” candy onto snowmen.

Here’s a gift that’s good for everyone on your list. Who doesn’t crave a cup of warm, homemade soup on a cold winter’s night?

Makes 1 gift jar

½ cup dried yellow split peas

1/3 cup dried green split peas

1/3 cup dried red lentils

¼ cup instant minced onion

1/3 cup dried green beans

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Layer all ingredients, in order listed, in a 1-pint glass jar. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 months.

On gift tag write recipe for soup as follows:

Making these in the food processor means the dough comes together in minutes. These are not very sweet—feel free to increase the sugar if desired.

Makes 8

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 large eggs

½ cup heavy cream

¾ cup dried cherries or cranberries

½ cup dried figs, chopped

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cream, for wash

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Add butter chunks; pulse until
mixture resembles fine crumbs. In a glass measuring cup, whisk eggs and cream until well blended; add to batter and pulse until just combined. Pulse in dried cherries and figs.

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough just enough to assure ingredients are combined. Using floured hands, shape dough into a ¾-inch-thick round. Using a sharp knife, cut round into 8 wedges. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush scones with egg wash; sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.