Christmas Shrimp Boil & Ribs

Traditional food is a big part of my family. Eggs benedict for Christmas morning, clam chowder for Christmas eve dinner, baked apples for Christmas Eve dessert, prime rib for New Years, grape sherbet for Memorial Day (or any other outdoor family gathering), sauerkraut on Thanksgiving. You get the point. However, there is one rather interesting meal left out: Christmas dinner.



I think Christmas dinner is supposed to be turkey and ham, or something like that for most people. Sometimes after the presents are all opened, we just eat cherry chocolates and the Life Savers books that came in our stockings and call it good, but sometimes we get adventurous on Christmas dinner. I have a vague memory of duck back there somewhere, and I'm pretty sure there was lamb once (only because I distinctly remember the mint jelly), and I am positive there was a goose that did not go well.



In spite of our many attempts, nothing really stuck as the traditional, Christmas dinner. To be perfectly honest, I don't think this one is going to stick, either, but it sure was fun. We invited over some cousins and just dumped the shrimp, veggies, and ribs right in the middle of the table. Most people were a little skeptical, and Grandma seemed a little scandalized, but we had a ball. Make sure you have adequate paper towels: it's really important.


Now, I just outright stole the recipe for the shrimp boil, and the ribs are my brother's super-secret recipe, so there's no actual recipe here. Just some ideas for super-fun, utensil-optional meals for large groups.

What are ideas you've done that are great for parties or large groups? Fun food traditions? Let us know.

Fancy cheese = party, with a recipe for Goat Cheese with Pepper Jelly thrown in there

This is one of those "not really a recipe but just kind of a cool thing you do" posts, and a commandment to you to go throw a cheese party. Really, go do it right now. I was invited by a few friends to a fancy cheese party, and let me tell you, cheese brings people together. Surprisingly, everyone has an opinion about cheese, and more people than you would think have a particular type of cheese they're really particular about. You'll probably get a great combination of hard and soft, foreign and domestic, subtle and sharp, etc. Great times will be had by all.

Just tell everyone to bring their favorite cheese, you provide some bread, crackers, and fruit, and you've got a party. I decided to bring a log of goat cheese with red pepper jelly. I love the combination of the tangy cheese with the sweet, slightly spicy jelly. It also works really well with jalapeno jelly, or if you are lucky enough to live close to a Foster's Market, a bottle of their amazing Seven-pepper jelly.

There really isn't much to this. Just get some fresh goat cheese and serve it with the jelly. There. That was the recipe. Awesome. Just little tricks, though. You can slice the cheese with some unflavored, unwaxed dental floss (I keep a spool in my kitchen). I think it is best served with a fresh, crusty baguette, but you go do whatever you want. Just have your party now. Your life will be better.