Christmas Cooking At The CBB House: The Saturday Weekend Review #339

Christmas cooking for the holidays is probably one of our most favourite times of the year.

With four weeks off for the Christmas holiday, we have plenty of time to get prepared.

This year we will be hosting Christmas at our house, and we’re both excited, like really excited.

We’ve been working on a Christmas menu that includes our family traditions and something new.

Today, I want to talk about Christmas cooking recipes that we are considering for the holidays.

You’ll also have to brace yourself for a bit of Christmas baking drools and photos.

There will also be a discussion about Christmas without parents or grandparents.

Last night, I took a long 2-hour walk thinking about the holidays and how much it means to us.

Although Christmas in the UK was lovely in Canada, it was on a whole other level.

Christmas cooking at Mrs. CBB’s parent’s house would start early, especially the potato donuts.

Then came the best anginetti Italian lemon cookies braided then coated in white frosting and Christmas balls.

At night there would be Grampa CBB roasting chestnuts in the open fireplace like a pro.

It didn’t matter if I wasn’t a fan of them because when he offered me some, I just ate it.

There was a level of respect in the house when it came to the holidays and eating.

You try a little bit of everything even if you think or know you don’t like it.

I’m certain I gained at least 10 pounds over the two weeks of relaxing getaway each year.

The most exercise I got was shovelling the driveways or going for walks around the neighbourhood.

The family came home for the holidays to Mrs. CBB’s parent’s house, and we were all together.

Christmas Doesn’t Feel The Same

During a discussion this week, Mrs. CBB said that Christmas doesn’t feel the same anymore.

Christmas was the biggest event at her parent’s, but it’s over, and as much as she wants it back, it’s gone.

All I can say is that I’m thankful for technology allowing us to keep memories alive.

We didn’t get those kinds of photos and videos in the ’70s unless you had money.

When Mrs. CBB’s mother started working at Kodak Canada in the late 70’s things changed.

They saved their money and bought a Kodak Instant Camera, and Grandpa CBB adored it.

No one was allowed to touch it because he treated it like an expensive mobile phone.

When Mrs. CBB was a child, she said everyone would get impatient to see the photo.

I don’t know if everyone did this, but he would wave the instant photo under the light fixture.

Within a minute or two, there was a beautiful instant photo with the newest toy around.

That camera took hundreds of photos that now sit in a box that we take out Christmas Eve.

Those are the types of memories we want to have for our son but on our 3TB hard drive.

I’m betting that by the time our son is in his 30’s our hard drive will look like a dinosaur box.

It’s amazing how memories change year after year, whether in our mind, a photo or digital.

Christmas Went Something Like This

I’ve never experienced Christmas quite like it was at Grandma and Grandpa CBB’s house.

• Family was all together where we laughed and joked around.
• The Christmas decor was beautiful and done by both of Mrs. CBB’s parents’
• I can’t even tell you how many Christmas cookies and treats were on the dining room table.
• Christmas cooking was a big deal and Grandma CBB was up early to get it started.
• Gifts were piled hight under, around and up the wall of the Christmas tree.
• The alcohol cabinet was always fully stocked for us and if company came around
• Christmas cooking before the gift opening was pannetone French toast or an egg bake with lots of coffee and booze.
• The box of chocolate liquor bottles, Baci chocolates , Quality Street, Turtles and every other box available was opened and set on the table to eat. (best breakfast snacks)

Healing Comes With Time

We’ve been married for over ten years, so I understand the aura of the Christmas holidays for Mrs. CBB.

Everything was perfect until everything was gone.

This time of year is hard for Mrs. CBB and her siblings, but we come together and remember.

We make new memories for our children so they can love family holidays as much as we do.

There won’t be any chestnuts roasting in our fireplace; however, we roast them on a Jr. Kamado charcoal grill. (Best investment ever) We ditched our propane gas BBQ with no regrets.

I sit on the front porch on my father-in-law’s chair and roast chestnuts just as he taught me.

Christmas decorations are up by the first day of December inside the house.

However, we’re the family who keeps the white Christmas lights up year-round.

All I need to do is check the bulbs on the massive wreathe I hang over the garage.

Call me lazy, but I call it saving time, and you can’t notice the lights at all.

I always let our son help decorate the tree, and we buy him a corny but memorable personalized ornament every year.

The top of the Christmas tree gets graced by a beautiful star that our son sets on top.

Our Christmas tree is fake because we like to pack it away at the end of the year.

Christmas Cooking Grocery List

Once the Christmas decorations are complete, it’s time to grocery shop for our food.

Typically we will go to Costco and Food Basics to buy all of our Christmas cooking needs.

This would also include all the baking supplies such as icing sugar, vanilla, butter etc.

Since butter is so expensive, we store it in the freezer when we find it on sale for $2.99.

I’m kicking myself for not buying two Butterball turkeys this year because they were 50% off before Thanksgiving at Basics.

I paid under $18.00 for one, and now they are $44.00 each, but now we know.

Although our house isn’t as big as my inlaws, it’s enough room to bring us all together.

We have two kitchen tables so there are enough chairs for the adults and children.

I really need to finish our basement, so we have even more space to roam around.

Our Christmas Cooking Menu

When it comes to Christmas cooking, we’re a traditional family and like to try a new dish every year.

Below is our Christmas cooking menu and down further some Christmas Baking recipes.

What’s on your Christmas cooking menu? Share it below, as I’d love to read what you eat.

Below is our meal plan for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

• British Sausage Rolls Finger Food
• Homemade Lasagna (Just a small one) or Keto Zucchini Lasagna rolls (amazing)
• Tortellini Soup with Fennel greens
• Atlantic Salmon with Asian Cauliflower Rice (Keto-friendly) Recipe coming tomorrow for Good Friday Meal.
• Stuffing with cranberries, raisins and sliced almonds
• Mashed keto Cauliflower with grated cheese
• Baked Yams with butter and cinnamon
• Boiled Corn Niblets with Butter
• Homemade Pickled Beets
• Mashed potatoes
• Caesar Salad
• Vegetable Platter with homemade hummus
• Desserts galore
• Panettone Bread Pudding and Egg Bake for Breakfasts

Christmas Baking Memories

Panettone Bread Pudding is a CBB fan who used to share her recipes on the blog.

This year, I will attempt to create a British Christmas Pudding but need to talk to my mum.

I have never made one, but she always had one for Christmas in the UK.

I’m scared to mess it up, but I’ll see what happens.

I’d also like to try a traditional British Christmas cake just like mum.

Last year I bought a large Christmas cake from Costco and loaded it up with booze.

It took me two months to finish eating it with my sister-in-law taking a small piece when she’d visit.

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
• Zeppole Potato Donuts
• Pecan Snowballs
• Holiday Coconut Balls
• Classic Shortbread Cookies (I use the Dundurn Castle Recipe)
• Pannetone Bread Pudding or French Toast
• Christine’s Nanaimo Bars
• Thick Classic Date Squares are a MUST!
• Keto Cinnamon Rolls

For many more Christmas-inspired desserts, meals and side dishes including keto and low-carb read my Free Recipe Depot Index.

Popular Christmas Blog Posts On CBB

You can find more of our favourites by reading the most popular Christmas posts on the blog.

• How to set up a Christmas Budget Planner (Free Printable Included)
• How to get Christmas Help for your family
• Stop buying Christmas Debt in exchange for happiness
• Sponsor a family instead of teacher Christmas gifts
• How to create a Christmas Reserve Fund for groceries

Create Memories That Will Keep On Giving

I hope I was able to give you some ideas for new Christmas cooking recipes and baking treats.

We will all die someday, but we don’t know when and things will always change.

Every year is a memory we never take for granted, so live it up, eat well and stand under the mistletoe.

P.S – Please, if you can donate gifts, money or gift cards to a Christmas drive or volunteer your time, there is always a need.

Discussion: What Christmas Cooking recipe do you make or enjoy that reminds you of someone who is no longer with you?

Please share your comments below and tell us a bit about your Christmas celebrations.

Thanks for reading,

Mr. CBB

CBB Posts Of The Week

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Finance CBB Friend Question

Below is a question that a CBB friend sent in and was hoping I could share to get feedback.

I privately shared that I would pay off the mortgage, especially since she wants to retire next year.

We paid our mortgage off in five years, not because we wanted it out of the way for good.

There’s something special about having no debt to wake up to.

Below is her question: Leave her comments below to share what you would do in her situation.

Dear Mr. CBB

Here’s one for you and your readers.

I have approx 100000$ cash to use. If I put it on my mortgage as two extra payments, 50% this year and 50% next, I save 23,000$ over amortization of 5 years in interest. If I invest the money, I could earn 23,000$ over five years in profit.

What would you do? Pay down the mortgage or invest the money? I’m hoping to retire next year.
Would it matter the overall balance on the mortgage?
Thanks

Google Search Funnies

These are keywords that readers typed into their search engine and landed on this blog.

I get quite a few of these every day and pick some of the best to feature right here.

• Sniff before buying– haha, I thought I was the only one who would write about that. It’s a bit hard today with a mask on though.
• Is Sobeys expensive– I’m going with yes it’s in the pricey category of grocery stores in Canada
• Christmas Help, Free Christmas Gifts, Low-income Families have been a huge search this month. I hope if anyone reading this can help out and donate, please do so.
• Is Rakuten worth it?- Um, hell ya! We get cheques with cash back just for ordering online which we do quite often.

That’s all for this Saturday, CBB Friends.

Be Well,

Mr. CBB

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The post Christmas Cooking At The CBB House: The Saturday Weekend Review #339 appeared first on Canadian Budget Binder.