Merry Christmas Dinner In My Winter Wonderland

Merry Christmas Dinner - I am sharing some delicious recipes that you can make for a romantic dinner or if having family/friends over for the holidays.  In my winter wonderland of Colorado, we usually are blessed to have beautiful snow falling which really adds to the romantic ambiance of Christmas dinner.  If you don't have the pleasure of snow falling, I am sharing some winter wonderland decorating ideas to help enhance the mood.

Decorating the holiday table;  to evoke the magic of a winter wonderland right on your own tabletop use lots of clear tableware and accent pieces, such as glass ornaments, vases and cake or pastry stands.  Trail a sparkly ornamental garland down the center of the table to add some sparkle.  For the centerpiece fill a tall vase with artificial snow and use it to anchor twigs you've spray painted white.  Dust the table top with a sparkling of snow and use a pastry stand to showcase iridescent ornaments. Love using place cards like I do?  Add them underneath an inverted wine glass along with a pretty ornament, then add some icy looking small bead garland around the glass.  If children are attending your Christmas dinner make small wreaths with round styrofoam adding jumbo red, white and green gumdrops stuck with small wooden picks into the foam. Attach a festive red and white or green and white polka dot bow to the wreaths.  Place on the children's dinner plates for a cute take home item they can enjoy.

My Christmas table for Jerry and me this year will be in tones of silver and chocolate brown with some fresh evergreens added. I am taking some of those twig balls (small to large) and wrapping some in chocolate brown satin ribbons and the small ones in chocolate brown velvet ribbons.   For our Christmas dinner this year (just the two of us) I am going to make a rich mixed seafood lasagna with a creamy Alfredo sauce, tossed salad with roasted beets, artichokes, goat cheese and pecans tossed with a lively vinaigrette, hot crusty garlic/cheese bread, and for dessert lemon pound cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.  White wine will be either chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.

Did you know you can dress up clear votive candle holders to make a statement by cutting a length of pretty or festive ribbon long enough to wrap around the votive holder with a little overlap and then hot glue the ends together.  You can purchase these little holders for very reasonable and if you don't want to add a real candle you can always use the battery operated candles.  Add some pine cones and evergreens to intertwine around the candle holders.  You can also add some green moss, faux little birds with eggs, along with a few small rustic bird houses with some pretty french ribbons in a spring green color for a festive and woodsy display.

Another great decorating idea;  one year I printed off some letters in different fonts on my computer onto off-white paper then I bought some brushed gold and silver frames and added some sheets of decorative papers in green tones as the matting and framed the letters to spell out "Joy" "Happy" and "Love" and placed them on the mantel.  Note; you want to print off the letters in a larger size you can see from a distance.

If you want a romantic dinner….you first need to start with making sure the surroundings are fitting the mood you are in….or will be in soon….  If you want just your significant other for a romantic dinner remember ambiance, ambiance and more ambiance for a romantic evening.  Candles, soft romantic music, flowers…..well you know.


Today my husband and I were discussing Christmas dinners from the past and started laughing remembering my husband's mom, Vesta and her lack of cooking skills.  She could play the piano and organ like a professional, but cooking was not her thing.  She always wanted to bring something so I would print off a recipe, the easiest one I could decide on to have her make.  Vesta would be so proud and when we tasted it- YIKES.  I would say mom did you follow the recipe exactly and she would say yes.  Some people aren't just meant to cook and she was one of them.  Love and miss her deeply.

I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below and have a beautiful and delicious holiday.  Remember all eggs are large unless otherwise listed.

Champagne Cocktail (this makes one drink, and it's a good one!)

1/2 ounce Dark Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1/2 ounce Chambord
Chilled Champagne

In a Champagne flute, pour the Godiva and the Chambord. Top with chilled Champagne. Enjoy and believe me you will want more than one!

Simple Baked Brie

1 large wedge Brie
3 Tbl. brandy
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place brie onto a baking dish, add sugar to cover and pour over brandy.  Scatter on walnuts.  Bake for about 10 minutes and serve immediately with crackers, baguette slices or sliced apples or pears.

Delicious Shrimp Spread

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1/3 cup mayo
1/2 curry powder or paste (or to your taste)
5 scallions, chopped with green part
1 lb. small cooked shrimp, rough chopped or left whole
2 hard boiled eggs, grated
Fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Into a bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, curry (add about 1/2 tsp. first, mix and taste then add more if desired), scallions and stir to combine, gently stir in shrimp.  Pour into a pretty serving bowl, cover and chill.  Remove and garnish with grated eggs and parsley.

Goat Cheese Spread

1 cup mayonnaise
1 goat cheese log
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 scallions, rough sliced including green part
Tabasco
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley sprigs, garnish
Accompaniments; toasted baguette slices, crackers, crudites

Into a blender add spread ingredients, process to smooth, taste and adjust flavorings.  Pour into pretty serving bowl and garnish with parsley sprigs or dusting of fresh lemon zest.  Serve with accompaniments.

Crab Dip with Petite Scallion Biscuits - love this and have been making for years, it's great for parties.  Also, the scallion biscuits are nice with small slices of cooked ham and spicy sweet mustard for parties and delicious served with creamy rich bowls of clam chowder

2 cups lump crab meat, picked over
1 cup Havarti dill cheese, shredded 
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, soft
1  shallots, finely minced
6 Tbl. mayonnaise
1 Tbl. fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Tabasco
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh dill sprigs (garnish)
Biscuits
1 1/4 cups milk
1 lemon, zested
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup butter, cubed and chilled
4 scallions, finely chopped including green part
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco, just a splash

Biscuits; preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Into a bowl combine milk, zest, and lemon juice and refrigerate to thicken about 15 minutes.  Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.  With your fingers add butter to work into dough.  Add the milk mixture, Tabasco and scallions until dough comes together, dough will be sticky.  Gather into a ball and refrigerate covered about 20 minutes.  Place dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead about 4 times.  Do not over knead.  Roll out about 3/4-inch thickness and with a small petite round cutter, cut biscuits and place onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, until nicely golden brown.  Remove from oven to cooling rack.  Dip; preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Into a pretty oven proof baking dish (you will use this to serve in) mix all ingredients to combine and place in oven for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serve with petite scallions biscuits or accompaniments of your choice.  Remove and garnish with fresh dill sprigs.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini

1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 Tbl. honey
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Goat cheese
1 French baguette, sliced on diagonal
Fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Into a bowl add tomatoes, honey and a drizzle of olive oil, place onto a baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes.  Remove and place into a bowl with accumulated juices on baking sheet and mix, season with salt and pepper.  Add the baguette slices to clean baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil and bake until light golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Arrange bread slices onto serving platter and top with some tomato mixture and pieces of goat cheese.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Pear and Arugula Salad - this salad is easily adaptable to how many people you are serving

2 large pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett) cut into 8 wedges and seeded 
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 cups baby arugula, rinsed in cold water and spun dry
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled (I like Maytag)
6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise
Vinaigrette
2 Tbl. pure maple syrup
1 Tbl. Dijon
2 Tbl. red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Vinaigrette; into a jar with lid add ingredients and shake well to combine, taste and adjust flavorings.  Into a large bowl add pears and toss with lemon juice.  Add arugula to serving platter, drizzle with dressing and toss.  Top arugula with pears, blue cheese and prosciutto.  

Diakon Radish and Crab Salad

1 daikon radish, about 2 lb. peeled and trimmed
2 Tbl. seasoned rice vinegar
1 to 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 lb. cooked lump crab meat, picked over 
2 tsp. black sesame seeds
1/2 cup radish sprouts

Using a mandoline, slice the radish into threads using the finest teeth. Cut the radish into 3-inch pieces and julienne the pieces.  In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar and sesame oil. Add the radish pieces and toss to coat well. Add the crab meat and gently toss again. Place the salad onto a small serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds, garnish with the radish sprouts and serve.

Grapefruit and Shrimp Salad or Cocktail

Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp. chili sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared horseradish (optional, but I love the extra zing)
2 lbs. large shrimp, cleaned tail left on
dry white wine (to steam shrimp in)
2 Texas ruby red grapefruits, peeled, pith removed and cut into segments
Boston lettuce 
2 large avocados, peeled, seeded and medium dice (spritz with fresh lime juice to prevent browning)
Mayonnaise
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Garnishes; fresh lime slices, fresh dill sprigs

Mayonnaise; place egg yolks into a bowl with mustard, salt and pepper and beat well.  Pour oil slowly in whisking or use a hand mixer, adding just a small drizzle at a time to incorporate.  Then whisk in vinegar and continue drizzling in oil until you have a thick mayo and all the oil is used. Mix the mayo, ketchup, chili sauce, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce to combine then cover and refrigerate.  Make sure shrimp are cleaned and then steam for a few minutes to cook through.  Remove shrimp and refrigerate to chill.  To serve;  there are either two ways you can do this;  first is place some lettuce into a wide rimmed cocktail glass, divide the shrimp, grapefruit and avocado and top with mayonnaise dressing, and garnish. To Serve on Platter;  place Boston leaves onto platter overlapping, then pile on shrimp, avocado slices and grapefruit segments.  Pour over some mayonnaise.  Garnish with lime wedges and dill.

Smooth and Creamy Cheese Beer Soup - you are most likely thinking beer soup doesn't sound so romantic for dinner, but really it's delicious and romantic!

1 large yellow onion, chopped
Butter
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 new red potatoes, diced (leave skin on)
2 cups chicken stock (good rich quality)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. dry mustard, such as Coleman's
pinch of cayenne
1/2 bottle of beer, (a rich hearty beer) you get to drink the rest
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Into a Dutch oven add butter and drizzle of olive oil.  Add onions, carrots, potatoes and celery sauteing for a few minutes, then stir in garlic and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute, season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in stock and milk simmering covered about 30 minutes.  Stir in cayenne, cheese, and mustard cooking to melt cheese, then stir in beer.  Simmer for a few minutes, garnish with parsley.  

Green Bean and Mushroom Salad

1 lb. harcoit verts
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 lb. beets
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Cherry tomatoes
1 large romaine hearts lettuce, torn
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbl. red wine vinegar
1 scallion, chopped including green part
2 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. EACH; dried thyme, oregano, basil and paprika
2 Tbl. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Dijon

Dressing; into a jar with lid add ingredients and shake well, taste and adjust flavorings.  Into a pot of boiling salted water add beans and cook about 3 to 4 minutes, remove and plunge into ice bath.  Drain and pat dry with paper towels and place into large bowl.  Pour a little of the dressing over beans, tossing, cover and place into refrigerator to chill.  Cut off beet tops and rinse, add to pot of boiling salted water, cover and cook about 40 minutes until tender.  Drain and rinse under cold water, remove skins, tops and roots.  Slice beets and place into a bowl covered to chill.  To assemble; arrange greens and cabbage onto serving platter, drizzle with some dressing top with beans, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes,  beets and pour over some extra dressing.  Top with croutons if desired.

Festive Scallop Salad

1/2 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1 lb. sea scallops
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 yellow bell peppers, cut into 2-inch strips
3 orange bell peppers, cut into 2-inch strips
1 large shallot, minced

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 cup walnut oil or vegetable oil

4 heads radicchio, outer leaves only

1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted rough chopped

Into a pot of boiling salted water add beans and cook just to crisp/tender or about 3 to 4 minutes.  Plunge into ice bath to stop cooking, drain well and pat dry with paper towels.  Remove the muscle from each scallop and slice horizontally and season with salt and pepper.  Into a large saute pan add drizzle of oil to hot pan, add one layer of scallops and cook on each side for just a few minutes to get golden brown, remove to a large bowl, continue cooking scallops.  Into saute pan add 2 Tbl. olive oil and cook shallot for a few minutes.  Add vinegar, sugar, remaining oil, salt and pepper cooking about 1 minute, remove to cool.  Place radicchio onto serving platter.  Add beans and vinaigrette to scallops and toss gently to combine.  Pile on top of radicchio and garnish with walnuts.

Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad

4 (4 oz.) goat cheese logs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 egg whites

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

4 Tbl. olive oil

1 large container of baby arugula (rinsed in cold water, spun dry)

4 large navel oranges, seeded and sectioned (remove pith)

1 small red onion, slivered
Pecan halves, lightly toasted (garnish)
1 pomegranate, seeded (garnish)

Vinaigrette

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice

1/3 cup olive oil

5 tsp. honey

1 Tbl. white wine vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Into a saucepan add pomegranate juice and bring to a boil cooking and stirring occasionally  for about 15 minutes.  You want juice to reduce to about 1/4 cup.  Place into a bowl and cook about 30 minutes.  Whisk in oil, honey, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cut each goat log into 6 (1/2-inch) slices.  Onto a plate add flour, salt and pepper and mix to combine.  Whisk the egg whites with 2 Tbl. water into another shallow dish.  Place Panko into third shallow dish.  Dredge the goat cheese slices in flour, dip in egg mixture then dredge in Panko.  Arrange goat cheese in a single layer on foil lined baking sheet, cover and chill for 30 minutes.  Into a large saute pan, heat 2 Tbl. olive oil and add half of the goat cheese rounds cooking about 3 minutes per side to lightly browned.  Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.  Repeat with remaining oil and goat cheese rounds.   Place arugula, slivers of onion and orange sections onto serving platter and drizzle with some of the dressing.  Top with cooked goat cheese rounds, sprinkle on some pecans and pomegranate seeds.  Serve remaining dressing on side.

Really Easy and Delicious Dinner Rolls

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls (or make your own)
1/3 cup pecans lightly toasted and finely chopped
1/3 cup green olives, finely chopped (drain and pat dry with paper towels)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
Paprika, garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Into a bowl combine nuts, olives, cheese and thyme.  Unroll the crescent rolls on lightly floured work surface and separate into triangles.  Sprinkle pecan mixture evenly over sections pressing into rolls.  Roll up each triangle starting at wide end and place point sides down onto a ungreased baking sheet curving slightly.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake about 15 minutes.

Cioppino - one of my favorites and I seem to change it up every time I prepare it
serve with a crisp tossed garden salad and hot crunchy garlic bread

4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 bay leave
2 Tbl. EACH; of fresh oregano, chopped and fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 jalapenos seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. small clams, in shells scrubbed
2 lbs. halibut fillets, skinned, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. sea scallops, cleaned
2 qts. fish stock, warmed
pinch of saffron
2 large Dungeness crabs, cleaned and cracked
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and cleaned (leave tails on)
2 cups dry white wine
3 Tbl. tomato paste
2 (28 oz.) cans whole tomatoes with juice, hand crushed ( I like Cento brand)
3 Tbl. unsalted butter
Fresh parsley, chopped

Into a saute pan add fish stock with saffron and simmer for about 10 minutes, remove from heat.  Into a large Dutch oven add a good drizzle of olive oil and add onions, shallots and garlic cooking and stirring for a few minutes.  Add oregano, thyme and bay leaf stir for about 30 seconds.  Add tomato paste and cook stirring for about 1 minute.  Add hand crushed tomatoes with juice, white wine and fish stock you warmed earlier.  Add jalapenos, pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper cooking covered about 30 minutes.  Skim any fat from pan.  Add clams and simmer about 3 minutes for clams to open (discard any unopened clams) add crab pieces and heat through.  Add shrimp, add butter to broth and stir to melt.  Season halibut and scallops with salt and pepper and add to stock cooking for a few minutes to cook through, add fresh parsley and basil.  Remove bay leaf taste and re-season with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with French bread or crusty Italian bread and a salad.

Chicken with Figs and Port

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbl. butter
1 cup dried figs, stemmed and quartered
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup Tawny port
1 cup chicken stock or beef stock (good rich quality)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Into a large saute pan, add drizzle of oil.  Season chicken with thyme, salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour and add chicken skin side down into saute pan cooking until skin is nicely browned about 15 minutes.  Turn and cook about 5 more minutes.  Remove from pan and tent with foil.  Discard pan drippings.  Melt 2 Tbl. butter into pan and add figs and shallots cooking about 4 minutes, add port and bring to a boil for about 1 minute.  Add stock and reduce heat to simmer for about 3 minutes.  Remove half of figs from pan and place with warmed chicken.  Place remaining figs and sauce into blender or food processor and process to smooth.  Pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve and place back into skillet, discarding ingredients left in sieve.  Place chicken and figs back into pan and heat through for about 8 minutes.  Drizzle with vinegar and place onto serving platter.  You can slice the chicken into slices on diagonal and pour sauce over if desired. 

Creamy Mussels - these can be used for appetizer or entree

2 lbs. fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 Tbl. butter
olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups seafood stock (good quality)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup tomato puree (I like Cento brand)
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Fresh parsley, chopped (garnish)

Into a large saute pan add butter and drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat to melt.  Add shallots cooking for a few minutes.  Add garlic and cook a few minutes.  Stir in stock, wine, tomato puree, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes simmering for about 12 minutes.  Taste and adjust flavorings.  Add mussels and cook for about 5 minutes or until shells have opened.  Discard any shells that have not opened.  Pour in cream and stir around, add Parmesan and stir.  Pour mixture into large deep sided serving platter or bowl and garnish with parsley.  Serve with crusty bread so you can dip into those flavorful juices.  mmmmm

Prawns with Couscous

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 good pinch of saffron
1 1/2 lbs. large raw shell on prawns, cleaned
1 orange
Couscous
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 3/4 cups boiling water
pinch of salt
2 cups mixed vegetables;  such as frozen peas thawed, fresh asparagus cut into small pieces, sliced celery, sliced scallions, red or yellow peppers seeded and chopped
1 fresh red chili
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, rough chopped
1 pomegranate, seeded

Strip the rosemary leaves into a pestle and mortar, then peel and add the garlic and pound into a paste with a pinch of sea salt. Muddle in 1 tablespoon of oil, the paprika, saffron and a splash of boiling water to make a marinade.  Scrap marinade into a baking dish, add prawns and toss to combine.  Cut 1 orange into wedges, toss with the prawns and the marinade and let stand for 20 minutes. Into a saute pan on high, add prawns, marinade and orange wedges and cook about 5 minutes or until prawns are cooked.  Remove from heat, discard marinade and oranges.  Into a small saute pan, add drizzle of oil and add vegetables cooking for a few minutes.  Couscous; in a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and stir. Add couscous and remove from heat, covered and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.  Remove lid and stir fluffing with a fork, couscous should be light and fluffy, not gummy.  Stir in cooked vegetables, chili and mint leaves.  Place onto a serving platter and top with cooked prawns and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. 

Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust

2 (8 rib) lamb rib roasts, Frenched
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbl. fresh rosemary, minced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbl. mayo
2 Tbl. Dijon
Fresh rosemary sprigs (garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pat the lamb with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large saute pan over high and cook lamb for about 4 minutes on each side to brown.  Place lamb onto rack in a broiler pan.  Into a bowl combine breadcrumbs, parsley, rosemary, some salt, pepper, garlic.  In another small bowl add mayo and Dijon and mix to combine.  Brush the mustard mixture over meaty top side of lamb racks and pat the herb mixture evenly over mustard so it sticks.  Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until meat registers 145 degrees.  Remove and let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Cut each rack into double chops and place onto serving platter, garnish with rosemary sprigs.  

Savory Seafood Gratin

1 lb. scallops
3 halibut fillets, skin and bones removed and cut into about 2-inch pieces
1 lb. medium shrimp, cleaned and tails removed
1 lb. Dungeness crab meat (or other good lump crab meat)
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup hollandaise sauce
Fresh parsley, chopped
Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
dash of cayenne
salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Butter a large baking dish and arrange halibut pieces in a single layer on bottom.  Layer on shrimp, crab and scallops then cheese, hollandaise and top with breadcrumbs.  Bake about 15 minutes then remove and top with parsley and paprika.  Sauce; into a blender combine egg yolks, juice, cayenne and salt. Process for about 3 minutes and then with blender running slowly add butter in a steady stream for about 30 seconds to combine.   Taste and adjust flavorings.

Lobster and Shrimp Carbonara - love this!  makes delicious leftovers

8 oz. pancetta, cut into small dice
1 large shallot, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, cleaned
2 cups lobster meat, cut into chunks
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated plus extra for serving
1 1/2 lbs. fettuccine 
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped

Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil.  Into a large saute pan add pancetta and cook until browned, add shallots and cook about 1 minute, add peppers and stir cooking a few minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook about 1 minute stirring.  Add shrimp and lobster and cook about 3 minutes, remove from pan.  Into a bowl whisk the cream, eggs and 1 cup cheese.  Add pasta to the boiling water and cook al dente, drain well and return to pot, drizzle with a touch of olive oil and toss to combine.  Stir in the cooked shrimp and lobster then pour in egg mixture and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper tossing.  Pour onto a large serving platter, garnish with parsley and extra cheese.  

Roasted Pork with Pesto

Brine
1 (64 oz.) bottle apple cider
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped
Roast
1 (4 lb.) boneless pork loin roast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
Pecan Pesto
1/2 cup pecans toasted and chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup extra virgin live oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, rough chop
freshly ground black pepper

Pesto; combine all pesto ingredients into food processor and process to smooth, taste and adjust flavorings.  Brine; combine cider, 1/2 cup chopped sage and salt into a saucepan to stirring to dissolve salt. Place pork into a large ziplock type bag, place into a large baking dish and pour over brine, seal and chill for 24 hours.  Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle pork with some pepper.  Heat oil into a large saute pan and add pork, cooking to brown on all sides.  Place pork on a baking rack in a roasting pan and rub with some of the pesto. Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until thermometer inserted into pork registers 150 degrees.  Remove from oven and slather with pesto, returning to oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes, before slicing.  

Chicken with Orange Sauce

8 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds (garnish)
1 orange, sliced (garnish)
sprigs of fresh rosemary (garnish)
Orange sauce
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup chicken stock (good rich quality)
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
salt
1 1/2 Tbl. cornstarch
1/4 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse chicken in cold water, pat dry with paper towels.  Season well with salt and pepper on both sides.  Into a large saute pan add butter and  drizzle of olive oil.  Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, remove chicken to a 2 qt. lightly greased baking dish and cover, baking about 20 minutes.  While chicken is baking make sauce;  into a saucepan add sauce ingredients, bring to a boil and stir constantly until slightly thickened about 3 minutes.  Uncover chicken in pan and pour sauce over top baking uncovered about 25 more minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter, spoon over sauce garnish with almonds, orange slices and sprigs of fresh rosemary.  

Pork chops with Asian Sauce - my husband loves these decadent chops!

Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbl. oyster sauce
2 Tbl. honey
2 Tbl. seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
4 thick (2-inch) rib pork chops 
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 scallions thinly sliced on diagonal including green part

First be sure to make a brine and add your chops to brine for at least a couple of hours.  An easy brine is water, salt and sugar.  Remove chops and rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels.  Sauce; add ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil whisking, simmer about 4 minutes.  Place into a bowl to cool.  Chops; season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat a grill and cook covered rotating to create that great cross hatch marks.  Don't feel like heating up the outside grill you can cook them on stove top, but they just don't have the same taste.  If you can, at least get a grill pan and cook on stove top.  Cook to desired doneness.  Brush the chops with sauce while grilling.  If you are not going to grill, baste with sauce while pan cooking. Remove to serving platter and sprinkle on sliced scallions.  Heat sauce and serve extra with chops if desired.

Fillet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce

4 Tbl. butter, divided
2 shallots, minced
1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 cup dry red wine, divided (Cabernet is nice)
5 oz. beef stock
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 (6 oz.) fillet Mignon steaks 
1 Tbl. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. dried thyme
Fresh thyme (garnish)

In a saute pan add 2 Tbl. butter and saute shallots and mushrooms for about 4 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of red wine and 3 oz. of stock simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the mushrooms from sauce, set aside. Boil wine mixture over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup.  Combine sauce with mushrooms in bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, combine combine soy sauce with cornstarch. Set aside. Sprinkle fillets with pepper to taste. Saute steaks in remaining 1 tbsp butter over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side for a 1-inch thick steak.  Reduce heat to medium low heat cooking steaks until desired doneness. Remove steaks from pan, keep warm (tent on a plate with foil).  Add the rest of the red wine and beef stock to the pan, scraping to deglaze pan and incorporate the fond into the sauce. Bring to a boil, boiling for one minute. Add mushroom/sauce mixture, cornstarch/soy sauce mixture, and the thyme. Boil one minute, stirring constantly, until thickened. Place steaks on serving and pour sauce over. Garnish with fresh thyme. 

Baby Clams with Sausage - love this dish

4 lbs. small clams, cleaned and rinsed
4 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
2 spicy Italian sausages, casings removed (sometimes I use 1 spicy and 1 sweet sausage)
1 large red onion, thinly julienned
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbl. tomato paste
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 cups seafood stock (good quality)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
Fresh parsley, chopped
French baguette; sliced on diagonal, brushed with olive oil and toasted in oven, remove and rubbed with fresh garlic cloves

Rinse the clams well in a large bowl of ice water sprinkled with some salt, shaking them to remove any excess sand.  Into a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium high  Add the onions and saute for a few minutes to soften.  Add garlic and saute about 2 minutes, stir in tomato paste and cook stirring about 1 minute.  Add sausage and saute to browned, crumbled and cooked through.  Add the cleaned and drained clams and wine.  Cover pot and increase to high allowing the clams to cook.  Add the seafood stock and simmer a few minutes.  Remove lid and add half of the lemon zest to pot and juice of one lemon, stir and season with salt and red pepper flakes.   Pour mixture onto large rimmed deep serving platter and remove any clams that have not opened and discard.  Garnish with parsley, remaining lemon zest and bread slices.

Creamy Mashed Blue Cheese Potatoes

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and rough chopped
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (good quality, I like Maytag)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
heavy whipping cream
1 stick butter, soft
fresh parsley, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced including green part (garnish)

Into a pot of boiling salted water add potatoes and cook about 25 minutes or until tender, drain well and place back into pan.  Mash with potato masher and add butter and cream to achieve desired consistency.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, gently stir in blue cheese and parsley.  Pour into serving bowl and garnish with scallions.  Note; these are also good with some cooked crisp bacon added.

Sauteed Mixed Peppers

2 large yellow bell peppers, seeded and halved
2 large green bell peppers, seeded and halved
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and halved
2 large orange bell peppers, seeded and halved
1 large red onion, cut into thick wedges
3 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. molasses
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. fresh rosemary, minced

Place the halved peppers skin side up onto a large foil lined baking sheet and broil 5 inches from broiler for about 25 minutes or until nicely blackened.  Remove peppers and place into a zip top baggie, seal and let stand 10 to 15 minutes.  Place the onion onto baking sheet and place under broiler for just a few minutes, do not blacken.  Peel skin from peppers and cut into thick strips.  Into a bowl add vinegar, olive oil, molasses, salt and pepper whisking to combine.  Taste and adjust flavorings.  Stir in rosemary.  Into a bowl add roasted peppers and onions and pour over dressing mixing to combine.  Pour onto a small serving platter or serving bowl.

Vegetable Gratin

3 large parsnips
2 small rutabagas
1 medium turnip
3 Yukon Gold potatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 12-inch flameproof gratin dish.  Peel the parsnips, rutabagas, turnip and potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put the vegetables in a stockpot, add water to cover by 4 to 5 inches and add some salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.  Drain the vegetables well and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and stir several times.  In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the half-and-half, milk and the 2 Tbs. butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until tiny bubbles form along the edge of the pan.  Pour half of the milk mixture over the vegetables and mash coarsely with a potato masher. When the milk mixture has been absorbed, add the remaining milk mixture and 3 Tbs. of the parsley. Mash coarsely again until well blended. Spoon the mashed mixture into the prepared gratin dish, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle the cheeses on top. Cut the 1 tsp. butter into bits and dot the top.  Bake about 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely golden and bubbly. Preheat the broiler and broil until the top is golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the broiler and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbl. parsley.

Squash with Cilantro Chili Sauce - a friend in San Diego gave me this delicious recipe

1 large butternut squash, about 3 lb.
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbl. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and stems, plus extra leaves for garnish
1 small garlic clove, crushed
3 Tbl. pumpkin seeds
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds, and then cut into wedges 3/4 inch wide and about 2 3/4 inches  long, leaving the skin on. Place in a large bowl with the cinnamon, 2 Tbl. of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well so that the squash is evenly coated.  Arrange the squash, skin side down, in a single layer on 2 baking sheets and roast until soft and starting to color about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.  To make the herb paste; combine the cilantro, garlic, the remaining 4 Tbl.  olive oil and a generous pinch of salt in the bowl of a small food processor. Puree to form a fine paste and set aside.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.   Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until the outer skin pops open and the seeds become light and crispy about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.  When you are ready to serve, swirl together the yogurt and sriracha sauce. Arrange the squash wedges on a platter and drizzle the spicy yogurt sauce and then the herb paste over the top (you can also swirl the yogurt sauce and herb paste together, if you like).  Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top, followed by the extra cilantro leaves, and serve immediately.

Leek, Mushroom and Onion Stuffing - I absolutely love stuffing.  You can serve with almost any entree and it's especially great with grilled meats and obviously roasted turkey or chicken

1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sided
1 small package crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbl. butter
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (good quality)
1 package traditional or herb stuffing mix (I like Mrs. Cubbison's)
Fresh herbs; 1 Tbl. EACH parsley, thyme, sage
2 tsp. poultry seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees  Butter a 13x9 baking casserole dish.  Into a large saute pan add butter and drizzle of olive oil.  Add onion, leeks, mushrooms and season with salt and pepper cooking and stirring about 8 minutes, then stir in fresh herbs, zest and poultry seasoning.  Place this into a large bowl.  Add stuffing mix and 1/2 cup of cheese mixing to combine.  Place mixture into baking dish.  In the same bowl whisk the eggs, milk and chicken stock and pour over stuffing mix, let stand 5 minutes then top with remaining cheese.  Cover with foil that has been buttered and bake about 25 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 25 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Remove and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Fingerling Potatoes with Smoked Salmon - love these with scrambled or poached eggs for breakfast/brunch too

1 lb. fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 Tbl. olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, pitted and halved
1 Tbl. minced fresh dill
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 (4-oz.) package thinly sliced smoked salmon
Fresh dill sprigs (garnish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Into a large bowl toss toss together potatoes, oil, salt and pepper. Place potatoes, cut sides down onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake 20 minutes or until tender and browned. Cool completely (about 20 minutes).  Meanwhile, scoop avocado pulp into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in dill, zest, and juice. Spoon mixture onto cut sides of potatoes, and top each with 1 salmon slice.  

One of My Favorite Spinach Casseroles

2 large shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (10 oz.) packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed and rolled in clean kitchen towels to absorb all the moisture
4 oz. cream cheese, soft
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco
1 cup milk
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbl. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Into a large saute pan add 2 Tbl. butter along with shallots and garlic sauteing to tender.  Into a bowl add cream cheese blending with flour to smooth consistency.  Whisk in eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Tabasco.  Whisk in milk to blend.  Add sauteed shallots, garlic, spinach and cheese stirring to combine.  Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish.  Into a small bowl add Panko with the 3 Tbl. melted butter and stir to combine, sprinkle over casserole.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.  

Sweet Potato Galette

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
touch of fresh grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine potatoes and 2 Tbl. butter into a large bowl.  Combine flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and sprinkle over potatoes, tossing to combine.  Place 2 Tbl. butter into a 10-inch oven proof skillet and add 1 layer of potatoes slightly overlapping in a circle and top with remaining potatoes.  Cut a circle of foil to place over potatoes and top with a weight or another heavy skillet onto foil.  Cook on medium for 5 minutes without disturbing.  Transfer skillet and weight to oven and bake about 10 minutes.  Remove weight and foil and bake 15/20 more minutes or until tender. With a sharp paring knife loosen edges and carefully invert potatoes onto serving platter.  

Chocolate Mousse Cake - rich and sinful (my daughter Brittany sent me this recipe)

Crust
5 Tbl. butter, melted
22 chocolate cookies
Filling
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate (rich good quality)
1 1/4 cups hot rich brewed coffee
3 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
Topping
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 Tbl. unsalted butter
Fresh raspberries, for garnish (I love raspberries and chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.  Crust; place the cookies into a food processor to create crumbs (2 cups) pour crumbs into a bowl and stir in butter to combine.  Press into springform pan and bake about 9 minutes.  Remove from oven to cool.  Filling;  into a large bowl add chocolate and pour in hot coffee let stand a few minutes.  Whisk to smooth.  Topping; into a bowl of electric mixer beat cream with sugar and vanilla to almost stiff peaks form.  Stir a small portion into the tepid chocolate mixture, add remaining whipped cream and fold in.  Pour into chocolate crust.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Remove springform and place onto pretty cake stand, slice and garnish with berries.

Dessert Terrine - love this - an acquaintance of mine that I worked with in San Diego used to always make this for holiday parties and it's so delicious

7 Tbl. superfine sugar (you can add regular sugar to food processor and whirl)
5 Tbl. water
4 egg yolks
6 large moist dried figs, cut into pieces
2 Tbl. candied ginger, coarsely chopped
1 Tbl. EACH; candied orange peel and candied lemon peel
6 candied red cherries, halved
1/3 cup pistachios (shelled)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamon
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream (whipped to almost stiff peaks)
2 Tbl. kirsch

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees, the soft-ball stage, on a candy thermometer.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the egg yolks with a handheld electric mixer. When the sugar mixture is ready, pour it onto the eggs in a slow stream while beating constantly. Beat until the mixture has cooled and has doubled in volume. Fold in the figs, ginger, citrus peels, cherries, pistachios, cinnamon and cardamom. Carefully fold in the whipped cream, then fold in the kirsch.  Pour the mixture into a 4 cup rectangular ceramic terrine or loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or up to 4 days. Run a knife blade around the sides of the mold and invert the mold onto a plate. Soak a kitchen towel with hot water, wring out, place on the bottom of the mold to release the terrine, and lift off the mold. Return to the freezer to refirm. Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick and serve.

Apple Bourbon Bars - these are very good and nice when topped with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream with a touch of bourbon

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbl. sugar
1/2 cup Crisco
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 egg yolks, beaten
4 Tbl. water
Apples
8 large crisp sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
splash of bourbon
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 Tbl. butter
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. apple pie spice
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crust; into a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Cut in shortening with a pastry blender to resemble coarse crumbs.  Mix in egg yolks and water to form a ball.  Roll out to fit bottom of a 10x15 pan.  Filling; into a bowl add sliced apples tossing with bourbon, let stand about 10 minutes.  Add lemon juice, flour, sugar, spices mixing to combine and pour into pie crust and dot with butter.  Topping; into a bowl combine topping mix and cut into butter to crumbly.  Sprinkle over apples and bake for about 1 hour.  Remove and place on cooling rack.  Cut into bars and drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.

Chocolate Mousse - easy and very good

10 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbl. instant coffee powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Chocolate shavings (garnish)

Into a double boiler melt the chocolate, stirring while it melts.  Scrape the melted chocolate into a large bowl.  Into a bowl of electric mixer add cream and beat with the powdered sugar, instant coffee and vanilla on high to form stiff peaks.  Whisk about 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate until smooth.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  Divide the mousse into individual serving goblets.  Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.  Garnish with chocolate shavings.  Serve with shortbread cookies.

Strawberry Tiramisu

2 eggs, room temp, whites and yolks separated
1/4 cup powdered sugar
10 1/2 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
20 strawberries, hulled, cleaned, and quartered (extra for garnish)
1/3 cup strong coffee (espresso is best)
2 Tbl. rum
14 ladyfingers
unsweetened cocoa, to garnish

Beat egg yolks with sugar with electric mixer until yolks are pale and thick. Add mascarpone, beat until incorporated.  Into a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold cream into cheese mixture, then fold in egg whites.  Fold in the strawberries.  Into a small bowl, combine rum and espresso. Dip seven of the ladyfingers into the coffee/rum mixture (don't dip the entire ladyfinger, or it may fall apart), then place them in the bottom of a serving dish. Spread half the cheese/strawberry mixture over the ladyfingers. Dip remaining seven ladyfingers in coffee/rum, then place over cheese. Spread remaining cheese over.  Refrigerate four hours (or more), then sift cocoa over and serve.   Garnish with whole berries.

Cherry Crisp - gooey, delicious and perfect - for romantic dinners I like to scoop into martini glasses and add vanilla ice cream or perfectly whipped whip cream

Filling
2 lbs. frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
1/2 cup sugar to taste
3 Tbl. cherry liqueur
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3 Tbl. cornstarch
Topping
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 stick butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a medium size baking dish.  Topping; into a bowl stir the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt.  Add butter and oats and using your fingers work butter to blend, blend in dried cherries.  Filling; into a saucepan add cherries, sugar, liqueur, lemon juice and ginger bringing to a simmer over medium stirring occasionally about 3 minutes.  Into a small bowl add 1/4 cup cold water and stir in cornstarch to dissolve.  Stir this into cherry mixture and cook to thicken stirring constantly.  Pour filling into baking pan and place crumble topping over top.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbly, light brown and hot.  I usually place baking pan on a baking sheet so in case it bubbles over. Remove to cooling rack.

Bon Appetit and Merry Christmas!

Good news, great joy and a precious gift;

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" - Matthew 2:10

"And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." - Luke 1:30-31

 "And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:12 

"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger." - Luke 2:15-16  

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  

Luke 2:11