Best Christmas Dishes

• Split large dinner, Kaiser, or submarine sandwich rolls with a knife and brush with EVOO olive oil. Delicious with any good crusty-top roll. Try rye or pumpernickel. Onion rolls would be especially good.
• Alternate thin slices of turkey and cheese on one side.
• Top with Olive Salad and replace top of the roll.
• Makes 2 to 3 servings.
• If you like, heat through long enough to soften cheeses.

Olive Salad

• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
• 1/2 cup black olives, chopped or sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cauliflower or brocolli
• 1 Tablespoon chopped green and red bell pepper
• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1 cup EVOO
• 1/3 cup vegetable or peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, oregano and coarsely ground fresh black pepper

Mix all the Olive Salad ingredients together in a quart jar and keep refrigerated.

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease or cooking-spray two cookie sheets.
• Mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt until well blended
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy yellow.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Add the dry mixture in slowly and stir until combined.
• Stir in the dried cranberries.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls or small icream-scooperfuls onto the baking sheets and be sure to leave 2 inches between cookies so they have room to spread as they bake.
• Bake until evenly golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to cooling racks.
• Serve with Strawberry or Lemon Ice Cream from your grocery, or make your own.

You can use White Chocolate Chips or any flavored chips, like RASPBERRY.

INGREIDENTS

• 1 cup white chocolate [or flavored] chips - mint choco-chips are good.
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 cups half-and-half [or 2% milk to reduce fats]
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Vanilla whipped topping
• Thick candy cane or light peppermint sticks, some crushed over the tops and a whole stick in each glass.

DIRECTIONS

In a heavy, medium size saucepan use medium heat and add white chocolate chips and heavy cream.

• Stirring continuously until all the chocolate chips melt, don't let the pot burn.
• Stir in the half-and-half or 2%, vanilla and peppermint extract.
• Stir until mixture is hot and delicious.
• Pour into mugs or thick glasses and top with a dollop of whipped topping and a candy stick. Crush some pepermint stick over the tops of each mug.