Merry day after Christmas!
We started out Christmas Eve with a not so festive, but quick n’ healthy breakfast of vanilla greek yogurt topped with granola and agave syrup.
And freshly squeezed orange juice to drink. We have resorted to juicing the oranges for lack of wanting our hands and mouths all sticky and smelly. Plus you can go through quite a bit of oranges by juicing for a whole family. I need to ask Mark Jr. what type of oranges he got because they are more sweet than sour. Wait… I just checked via Instagram and they are Naval Oranges!
Mark Jr. had something else for breakfast… Cinnamon toast made by my mom. We knew something was up when he didn’t get out of the car at Great Harvest… and we really knew later than night when he got sick on the bathroom floor 
When my brother and I were little my mom would make Cinnamon toast the morning after being sick. Even when nothing seemed appetizing, cinnamon toast always did for some reason. It’s so simple to make, but it’s just something we always did.
To make:
Butter however many pieces of toast you want, then layer cinnamon topped with a coat of sugar. Put them in the oven until toasted and flip them over to get the bottom toasted, and there you have it folks, the famous Cinnamon Toast!
We traditionally do an Italian Christmas Eve dinner, meaning no meat. The main dish is always Lasagna with bread and salad on the side. In the morning we made the Lasagna sauce. My mom’s secret ingredient in the sauce is too unique to wait until I post the recipe… ground coffee beans! You would never think to put ground coffee beans in tomato sauce but trust me it’s good!
Mid-morning my dad and I worked on the last little bit of present wrapping for the relatives. Okay maybe not last “little” bit of wrapping, but we managed to get it all done and brought down stairs in one trip!
We did Pilates and around 12 we started on the cinnamon rolls… “The cinnamon rolls”…. I promise they are life changing. We only make them for Christmas morning because for one that makes them special, and two they take a while to prepare.
We didn’t have plans this Christmas Eve, so we were planning on being by ourselves and going downtown to see the lights after dinner. But there sure is magic in Christmas… and maybe Santa had something to do with this. In the midst of our kitchen chaos, our friends called us and said that they a few of their family and friends at home with the flu, so they invited us over to fill the empty seats. We dropped our stuff, jumped in the shower, and headed over to spend what ended up to be a wonderful night surround by ones who mean so much to us. We kind of broke tradition this year by skipping out on the Lasagna and Red Velvet cake, but it was worth it.
They had a delicious appetizers and a gorgeous meal prepared… I have to get some of those recipes!!
They had Beef Tenderloin as the main dish
With Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, some sort of Crab casserole, Green Beans, and rolls!
After dinner we hung out and digested our food before dessert.
For dessert we had Tea and Coffee and sweet little desserts!
With White Chocolate Cherry Pistachio cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies
And Rice pudding and Rum Cake
We have to get those recipes!!
After dinner we walked home in the chilly night and my mom finished making the cinnamon rolls.
My brother and I settled down in my room and watched Christmas Movies until we feel asleep.
‘Twas the night before Christmas…
When all through the house…
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…
Ho Ho Ho!!! Merryyyyy Christmassss
Viva la Violette
You also mean so much to us. We were so glad you were able to come and have Xmas dinner with us. We truly enjoyed your company. We will get you the recipes but few of the ingredients may be missing or replaced on those recipes.
Laughing
…. You better give the correct recipe 