Xmas Goodies

The Hubby and I have offered to make Christmas dinner this year at my in-laws, however the scary part is it will be in their kitchen! My in-laws, who are well into there sixties, are way over cooking, even if it’s the Christmas feast. In fact, they would just as soon do instant mashed potatoes and Stove Top stuffing. They have warned me, no more cookbooks—ever, ever in their lifetime! My mother-in-law has stated that her husband (A New Orleanean) should have a Food Network show called Cooking With Envelopes With Andre’ (The Cajun New Orleanean)—hey I like it! Move it on over Emeril! I have to admit the crawfish etouffee is pretty good (somehow though I cannot find that envelope). Basically envelopes are the extent of their cooking, and if it does not come from an envelope then it does not get made. The good news is since Michael and I will be doing the cooking, no instant mashed potatoes. Tis The Season!

So after making 18 dozen cookies this past weekend (how I got myself in this situation of volunteering for cooking, I don’t know. My husband made me do a bill of materials and create a production operation), I have decided to do something different! After watching Giada from Everyday Italian, I have decide to add a little Italian flavor to our Christmas this year. In one of Giada’s episodes she does some Italian goodie bags, and one of the things she added were Amaretti cookies, which are not so easy to find here in Nashville. The best part about these will be that I don’t have to make them, as they come indivually wrapped in beautiful old world looking tissues. I sent the hubby out to Marche’s, a Italian market here in Nashville, thinking they would have them--no such luck! The amaretti cookies they had are in the red tins and are not indivually wrapped; I have to have the ones that are individually wrapped! Hey, it all about the presentation. I found them through Amazon.com and decided against spending the huge shipping fee, but with a little work I did find them in Atlanta, which is where we are heading anyway. So I’ll be heading to Harry’s Farmer Market, where they even put a few boxes on hold for me. So with my Italian goodies bags and antipasta platter of meats, cheeses and olives—we’re set! Now, I just need to get my hands on some rosy goat cheese for my father-in-law!

Amaretti cookies