Holiday Food

We all have those favorite foods that make up the holidays. My Christmas menu goes from what drinks I have to have at Christmas all the way to the main course. These are favorites year after year and many of them go back to my childhood because they were things Mom had every year.

In addition to my standard Pepsi, I have to have grape and orange pop. When I was young it was always Nehi. But we can't get that around here and I have fallen in love with Crush over the years.

I love baked ham. At Christmas I top it with orange marmalade and brown sugar. It is divine.

Potato salad is a must if I am going to have ham.

In my house I can't have ham and potato salad without my all time favorite ... baked beans.

Then of course comes the dessert. No bake oatmeal cookies top my list of things I have to eat at Christmas.

And chocolate cake is made around here at least 2 or 3 times per month. I love chocolate cake.

My special holiday dessert is graham cracker pie. I only have it for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I didn't get to make one for Thanksgiving this year so I am definitely having one for Christmas.

Then you move onto the quick snacks. Starting with Mom's recipe for old fashioned chocolate candy. Not to be confused with creamy fudge. This melts in your mouth.

Plus peanut butter fudge. I love that just as much as the chocolate.

There are some store bought snacks that I can't live without at Christmas that bring back memories of my childhood. The main thing is Brach's chocolate malted milk balls. I've been sneaking into these all week.

My other Brach's favorite is their chocolate covered raisins.

I also have to have nuts. My favorites are cashews, honey roasted and salted peanuts.

If all of that doesn't make you hungry, nothing will. I plan all this to last from Christmas eve through New Year's. I know the kids will help me eat it when they come over for our party. I just hope I have enough time to get it all made.