The Feast

Oh My!!! The time between Christmas and New Years should be called 'The Feast'. This is the only time of the year where basically almost everyone eats non-stop. Chocolate, turkey, chocolate, turkey buns, treats, turkey soup, dessert, ... 

Looking back, 2010 has been a year of change for me. So keeping with the continuity of change, prime rib instead of turkey and strawberry shortcake instead of pumpkin pie. What a treat!

My sister brought this delightfully tasty crunchy salad that she found at Cooks.com instead of orange-pineapple jelly salad.

CAULIFLOWER-CASHEW-PEA SALAD from COOKS.COM

Combine ingredients:
1 c. chopped cauliflower
1 c. diced celery
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas (thaw in fridge overnight)
1/4 c. diced green onion

Salad dressing: *
1 c. Ranch dressing
1/2 c. sour cream

Add as garnish or mix in: **
1/2 lb. crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
1 c. cashews added

Chill.

* we only used half
** added just before serving


CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Serves 6.
from Kirkland Signature Whole Strawberry Bag

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
Additional sugar

2 1/2 cups whole frozen strawberries
1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg into large bowl.
Cut in butter to resemble coarse meal.
In bowl blend milk and egg yolks with fork.
Stir into flour mixture to make a soft dough.
Divide dough into 6 portions; form into balls.
Pat balls out on greased baking sheet to 3-inch circles, moistening fingers with egg whites.
Brush cakes with egg whites. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in preheated 450 degree oven 10-12 minutes until golden.
Remove from rack; cool.
Sweeten strawberries to taste.***
Halve the cakes horizontally.
Fill and garnish with strawberries and whipped cream.

*** I put the whole strawberries into a large bowl to thaw. When the strawberries were slightly thawed I sliced them then let them completely thaw in fridge. Because strawberries are already sweet, I did not sweeten them. But, I made a rum sauce to pour over the strawberries.

Layered: top to bottom
Strawberry
Whipped cream
Rum sauce
Strawberries
Top of shortcake
Whipped cream
Rum sauce
Strawberries
Bottom of shortcake

Rum Sauce Serves 6. Created on the fly
1/2 cup butter - Melt on medium heat in sauce pan
1/2 cup sugar - Stir in sugar
1 cup water - Carefully add - there will be spitting and splattering
Milk - Approx 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Butter rum flavoring or Rum - Add to taste
Cornstarch - Approx 1 1/2 Tablespoons - add gradually until thickened

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!