Guide to a Last Minute Christmas Dinner

  Hey everyone, it's that time of year again! I'm always so surprised of how fast the holiday season creeps up on me. Also, with school and other activities I find myself really busy, and it's sometimes difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. I am sure you all are running to the store for last minute gifts, trying to get everything wrapped and looking festive;it can be really difficult to balance everything.
  My boyfriend and I always have a Christmas dinner together, and I'm usually the one who prepares all of the food (which I love). I don't always have the time I would like to get ready for the dinner;however, I did my best this year and I think it was a success. I want to share with you all my last minute tips and trick to prepare a wonderful Christmas dinner! Everything I made was from Bon Appetit magazine/website. If you would like to try any of these recipes I will post a link. They were all so divine!http://www.bonappetit.com/ Let's get into it!

Red -Wine Braised Short Ribs

  The main entree was a mouth watering, fall off the bone, red-wine braised short rib. I know, it sounds so complex but it was very simple to prepare. What I like about this dish is that you pop it in the over for 3 hours and the magic begins. You don't have to sit around constantly watching your food, just put it in and take it out after a few hours. This recipe is also great because most of the ingredients you probably already have...minus the red-wine. If you don't have the wine, just add more stock;however, the wine really makes the meat juicy and tender. This is a simple recipe that will make your guests super impressed. It's also great comfort food for this winter weather. Again, you can find this recipe on the website above so you can try it for yourself.

My little Gnocchi 

 One of the sides I made was Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce. Gnocchi is one of my favorite foods ever, and I think it's a creative spin that pairs well with the braised short ribs. For those of you who haven't had gnocchi before, you need to try this wonderful potato noodle. It's kind of like an Italian chicken and dumpling...which is ironic because I hate chicken and dumplings! haha. This recipe took a little longer than the ribs, but it was worth it. Now, I made the noodles from scratch which is something you don't need to do. You can search for gnocchi at the store then follow the recipe if you don't have extra time. After you cook the gnocchi you can whip up the sauce in about 10 minutes! That's it and you have a gourmet side. So rich! This recipe is also on the website.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce 

  
    

Raspberry Ice Cream

  For dessert I made Raspberry Ice Cream; I wanted to do something light for dessert since everything else was so heavy. All you do is mix your ingredients, put them in your Ice Cream machine, and wait. Make sure your bowl is chilled the night before or your Ice Cream won't set. That's it, so simple and festive. 

  Benjamin and I had such a fun time trying all of these new recipes. They are all so holiday friendly and easy to prepare. One of my favorite things about this season is that I get to eat all of the wonderful homemade treats. It's something I remember doing when I was a kid and I want to share that with others. I hope you try these recipes out and have as much fun as I did. Have a great Christmas and spend time with the ones you love. Thanks for reading and I will talk to you soon.

-Abbey Shae p.s- check out this short video of our Christmas dinner!