Christmas Spectacular

First Course: Seared Scallops on spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.

Finally, scallop WIN!

 

 My half eaten dinner, including Lamb, roasted brussel sprouts and smashed potatoes (see note below)

 

Dessert: Not molten, but entirely delicious chocolate cake.

Only minor disasters this Christmas, no exciting oven fires or burnt roasts to report, sadly. There was, however a wild goose chase for polenta on Christmas morning (note to self: out of the one grocery store open on Christmas day, the chances of finding polenta are slim to none), which led to the great smashed potato compromise of 2009. Yes, smashed potatoes, and I know what youre thinking ("how gouche!"). It was really the only option, ok?

With only about 8 hours of distracted cooking, Christmas dinner came off relatively fantastic. The scallops were surprisingly perfect (go me!), and a lot of bacon fat never hurts. Lamb with a rosemary/olive crust was a hit, and even the potatoes held their own. My molten chocolate fantasies never materialized, though. I learned that 30 seconds too long in the oven just makes really good, but not molten, chocolate cake. Yet, I heard no complaints.

And what would Christmas be without a little holiday fire alarm? No Christmas I want to celebrate, that's for sure.