As I reflect back over the years growing up my mom’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners were not fancy complex recipes, they were just simple dishes made with love.

She always wrote out her menu on a legal pad for both days, titled as to which dinner and dated with the year, taped up on the inside of one of the kitchen cabinet doors. Each year taped on top of the previous one. We couldn’t wait to check the door to see what the menu was……..Memories!!

Her main entrée was always one of three meats the same year after year. Ham, Whole Filet Mignon or Prime Rib. Her side dishes may have changed from year to year but she always had her “go to” list: fresh green beans with mushrooms, corn pudding (soufflé), sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts with grapes, applesauce, cooked cranberries, cheese grits (it’s a southern thing she loved), winter squash, salad, pineapple jello with cottage cheese, glazed carrots, Texas potatoes, peas with pearl onions, mashed potatoes, parsnips, cooked rutabaga’s, bread/rolls, mincemeat and pumpkin pie, cake, coffee and last but not least Wine!

Her last notation on the bottom of the page was for the day after Christmas “Kitchen Closed, You’re on your own”…….her way of saying she was not cooking that day!

So for my recipe I have chosen to share her 1995 menu……

Filet Mignon, Texas Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, Parsnips, Corn Pudding, Peas with Pearl Onions, Dressing, Rolls, Cake, Mincemeat Pie, Fruit Cake and Wine (Red and White).

As we look forward to 2021 (no need to look back at 2020) I hope you take the time to make your own family traditions that you and your loved ones will remember and cherish for a lifetime!

Merry Christmas!!

Texas Potatoes

• 1 ½ bags of shredded hash browns – thawed
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1-16oz carton sour cream
• Mix all of above together.

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed corn flake crumbs
• ¼ cup melted butter

Mix together.

Thaw potatoes and mix with rest of ingredients. Put in a 13 x 9 greased dish. Top with corn flake crumbs. Bake 350 degree’s 30 -45 minutes til hot and bubbly.

Note: Sometimes I like to top them with French’s Fried Onions.

Best Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 can cream style corn
• 2 tablespoon melted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dash nutmeg

Directions:

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Add all other ingredients. Mix well. Grease 1 qt baking dish. Pour custard in dish and place in a pan of hot water.

Bake 300° for 1 ¾ hours.  Serves 4-6