By: Curtis Schultz

As a child I remember both sides of the families always having great gatherings for the holidays. We're talking German Christmas and a Sicilian-style Christmas. Wow! The food was indescribable. Italian Christmas Eve, with its traditional overabundance of fish dishes, is OK. But, I liked Christmas day at Grandma Scorcone's with all the homemade pasta dishes.

Now, that's cucina Italiana. I would like to present for all you here at Bodybuilding.com a contemporary Christmas Eve menu patterned after some of the meals I've prepared each year for friends and family.

As the holiday season sets in, take time to experience the joy of gratitude, and reflection. That means give thanks, you dumbbell. What am I saying? Give thanks! Ok, fine. But, what about having your friends over for a holiday party with all those goodies? Now that's what I'm talking about.

And my fellow cook and Bodybuilding.com writer Danielle Nagel will be assisting me in the kitchen with some GREAT main dishes and, of course, I'll be doing the sumptuous goodies. How about lots of holiday party ideas to accompany all the delights? You got it.

Holiday Invites

First, you've got to get those holiday party invites out right now. Why so early? Trust me, the parties are lining up right now and the calendar is getting full. So, send them out right now. And even though you are the host and making the main dishes with lots of goodies to go around, tell your guests to bring a dish to pass, as they are bodybuilders and we do eat a lot don't we? Our holiday party invites reads like this:

Holiday Party
Friday, December 13th @ 7 p.m. sharp!
Bring a dish to pass as we have lots of pasta,
cookies, candy, cakes, wine, and
holiday coffee to warm your tummies.

This kind of party is an excellent way to kick off the season because it really feeds into the sharing and giving aspects of Christmas. You supply the grub, decorations and ornament-making supplies, while your friends pitch in by donating bushels of ideas and it helps to ask them to bring a dish to pass too!

The most successful ornament making and tree trimming parties are those that are well planned and prepared for. Follow a timeline and your party will be a simple, fun extravaganza for everyone you included!

Party Planning

To Do:

1. Select a date
2. Send invitations
3. Buy a tree or put up the fake one
4. Place tree where it will remain the whole season
5. Hang lights on tree
6. Get ornaments out

1 Day Before the Party:

1. Get all those Christmas CD's out
2. Bake cookies
3. Arrange furniture for party
4. Finish baking
5. Make punches and egg nog
6. Arrange the food around the table…oops, forgot…get a camera too.

Holiday Menu

What will you serve? Well, first of all, don't let the task of preparing food scare you out of throwing a party. Food at holiday and tree trimming parties are commonly simple and seasonal; basically, almost anything goes. You want to prepare food that is simple to eat, easily portable, and appetizing. Also, make sure that you are well-stocked on the snacks. Bodybuilders and their muscle friends love to munch while flexing!

For Italian Christmas Eve my main courses are different every year, but the pulse of the meal is always essentially the same. Here is my favorite dish to kick-start any holiday party:

Basic Egg Nog

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs, separated (that means separate the yolks from the whites).
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups bourbon (optional, rum works good too)
1/2 cup dark rum
1 quart milk
2 tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 quarts whipping cream

Instructions:
Beat together egg yolks and salt in a large mixing bowl, slowly add 1 1/2 cups of sugar beating well after each addition. Mixture should be thick and pale yellow. Stir in bourbon, rum, milk and vanilla; beat well. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the remaining sugar and continue beating the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Whip the cream until thick and peaks form. Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture, and then fold in the whipped cream. Taste and add more sugar to taste. Or if you prefer a more fit Egg Nog click here.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

• Three-layer Italian white chocolate cream cake
• Cream cheese brownies
• Macaroons
• Polar bears

Main Dishes

Shrimp Scaloppini

Served with a Dry Red wine (Make sure you're over 21) this takes about one hour to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. of 100 count small shrimp
1 lb. Of sliced mushrooms
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup of chopped sweet red onions
1 cup chopped red and yellow bell peppers
4 tbs. of Olive Oil
2 tbs. butter
1 bay leaf
1 tbs. of basil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup of tomato paste

Instructions:
Heat the Olive Oil and butter in large skillet. Add the onions, garlic and Bay Leaf and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add shrimp stir, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, paste and remaining spices to the simmering shrimp mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve over a bed of spinach Spaghetti.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

Apple Fact: Wow, did you know that there are about seventy-five hundred varieties of apples grown around the world? Well, it's true and about 2,500 hundred of them grow right here in the U.S! The chances are you won't run across that many of them throughout your day but I thought it was a pretty interesting fact! Do keep your eye out for those rare beauties though, they all have a little bit different flavor and could keep you coming back for more and we all know what they say, 'an apple a day...'

Ingredients:
5 cups Braeburn apple or any baking apple, unpeeled & chopped into medium chunks
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
2 lbs. chicken thighs, skinned
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients, toss well to coat apples. Spread apple mixture evenly on the bottom of an 8 x 10 inch baking dish coated w/ nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper, and then arrange chicken on top of apple mixture.

3. Bake at 475 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Place chicken on a bed of apples, sprinkle with parsley, and serve w/ your favorite harvest vegetable.

Apple Selection: Good-quality Braeburn apples will be firm with smooth, clean skin and have good color for the variety. Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). A good apple should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light. Always avoid any apples with soft or dark spots. If the skin wrinkles when you rub your thumb across it then the apple has probably been in cold storage way too long or has not been kept cool enough.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

Apple & Raisin Bread Stuffing

If you're looking for a great stuffing, try this one! Mmmmm!

Ingredients:
14 to 16 slices white or wheat bread
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons margarine
1 cup apple, peeled & diced
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or sage
1 teaspoon thyme (fresh if possible)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup water
1 teaspoon butter-flavored sprinkles
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
Non-stick spray coating

Instructions:

1. Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Spread into a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in oven at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until dry, stirring twice or simply let bread cubes stand covered at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

2. In a small saucepan, cook the celery and onion in margarine until tender. Remove from heat and stir in apple, raisins, poultry seasoning or sage, thyme and pepper. Place the dried bread cubes in a mixing bowl and add the onion and apple mixture. Combine water, butter-flavored sprinkles and bouillon granules then drizzle over bread mixture and toss lightly to moisten. Next, spray a 2-quart casserole with non-stick coating, spoon stuffing into casserole and bake stuffing, covered for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

Holiday Goodies

Snow Macaroons

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups Angle Flake Coconut
2/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoons salt (can delete, I do)
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Instructions:
Heat oven to 325 F

Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl. Stir in egg whites and extract until well blended. Make little 1 inch balls onto lightly greased cookie sheet (I do a little shot of PAM in every spot I'm placing a cookie)

Bake 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown that's gold not black! Immediately remove from oven and cookie sheets. Cool on plate. Makes about 3 dozen unless you double the ingredients like I do.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

Ingredients:
1- 6oz. Pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 tblsp. butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 3oz. Pkg. cream cheese (softened)

Instructions:
Grease (PAM it) an 8x8x2 pan. Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. In separate bowl mix flour and baking powder. In another separate bowl for mixture beat 2 eggs and 1 tsp. of vanilla; gradually add 3/4 cup of sugar. Beat until thick and lemon colored.

Add dry ingredients, blend well. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Beat cheese and 1/4 cup sugar till fluffy and smooth. Add an extra egg and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla. Spread 1/2 of chocolate mixture, and then add cheese mixture, then top off with the remaining chocolate mixture. Swirl fork in and out throughout the mixture. BAKE @ 350 for 45 minutes. Cut into small bite sized pieces.

Click Here For A Printable Version Of This Recipe!

Remember this is time for fun and weather you celebrate Christmas or not, doesn't mean you can't just be good and reflect on all the good things that have happened over the past few months. Have a safe and fun holiday season people.

behind_the_iron@yahoo.com

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