Ummm...

Holiday menu? Holiday recipes? All I've got is homemade mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Seriously. I haven't ever done anything special for a Christmas menu.

The only thing that I've ever thought about making someday for Christmas when I have more time is a Cranberry Pudding (like the English pudding) that we had at my Aunt Alice's friend's house one Thanksgiving. It was so delicious and like nothing I've ever had. It's really involved though and needs to be double boiled in a pot that has straight sides so it's easy to dump out in one piece. Maybe it's not really that difficult, but it has to cook for a long time and you have to keep checking it so it seems high maintenance to me.

Here's the recipe if any of you are intrigued...

PUDDING:
½ cup molasses (mix light and dark)
2 tsp baking soda
½ boiling water
1 ½ cups flour, sift to measure
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup cranberries

1. Sift 1 cup flour with baking powder and salt; set aside
2. Mix remaining ½ cup flour with cranberries; set aside
3. Put molasses in a large bowl. Add baking soda and then boiling water and stir vigorously
4. Pour the flour/baking powder/salt mixture into the molasses/water/soda mixture.
5. Stir until well blended. Add the cranberry/flour mixture and stir until the flour just disappears.
6. Pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler, spray with PAM and steam, covered, over just boiling water for 2 full hours. (It’s important to make sure that the water doesn’t boil dry; check water level every ½ hour)


SAUCE:
½ cup salted butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup light cream
½ tsp vanilla

1. In a pan or double boiler, melt the butter slowly, add the sugar and stir well.
2. Add the cream and heat until hot but not boiling.
3. Add the vanilla