Five Little Things

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Before we get into this week’s list, I just wanted to take a moment to give my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. Knowing that my recipes may have played a role in your own family gatherings and traditions is something I do not take lightly. Thank you for cooking with me this holiday season and throughout the year!

Here are Five Little Things I loved this week:

1. Time Together

My college kids are home, and the house feels full again! I am so grateful to be able to celebrate together! After celebrating at church, we had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at Din Tai Fung, then baked cookies and teddy bear bread (a long standing tradition) before tucking ourselves into bed. Christmas Day was spent with local family, always a treat!

2. A Gingerbread House from Scratch

After years of store-bought gingerbread house kits, my son and I decided it was time to tackle a homemade version. We used a dough recipe from King Arthur Baking Company’s The Essential Cookie Companion. (Aside: Check out my interview with editorial director David Tamarkin when the book came out.) My son then took over completely, building and decorating over the next few days. I love how it turned out!

3. Leftover Ham

Our holiday menu this year was Filipino Noche Buena-style. We feasted on ham, pan de sal, queso de bola, mechado (beef stew), pancit bihon (noodles), and lumpia (spring rolls). For dessert, we made ginataang bilo bilo (coconut tapioca pudding), and of course there were cookies, including Italian pizzelle (a nod to my old neighbors in New York). And now that we have a ton of ham, I’m excited to squeeze the most that I can with the leftovers! Tonight I’ll be making Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, but I’ll also set aside some ham for Ham Pot Pie and Ham, Barley and Kale Soup.

4. Favorite Things

Instead of a white elephant gift exchange, we decided to try a Favorite Things gift exchange at our family party. It was a fun change of pace!

5. Peaceful Tune

I’ve been listening to this beautiful song every night to wind down.