How My Husband Saved Christmas

I confess…it’s not even December and I’ve already been somewhat of a Grinch this holiday season.

You see, amidst the “Trimming the tree & listening to Christmas music!” and “Decorating sugar cookies & drinking eggnog after decorating the tree” posts on Facebook and Twitter this weekend – was me. Sitting at home with tubs of Christmas decorations in the basement, but without the will to put them up.

Why?

I thought I was the only one in my house that cared about the glittery lights and festive tree. The only one that got giddy seeing the decorations twinkling in the windows. In true Grinch fashion, I decided that after 3+ years of putting Christmas decorations up all by myself, I’d had enough. Ben didn’t really care, I thought, so why go through all the trouble for just me?

Imagine how giddy/shamed I felt when I woke up this morning to…THIS.

Ben saved Christmas!!!!!!!!

My dear, sweet, thoughtful husband knew I was feeling a little blue and, after I went to bed last night, put up ALL our decorations by himself! I MEAN!!!!!!

After I got over the shock and gulped back a few nearly-shed tears, I thanked “santa” and vowed to never throw myself such an evil little pity party again.

The grinch has officially left the building…

Merry, 

Christmas!

I suppose this makes up for stuffing his socks under the couch every night…

In other news, you knew what was coming for dinner tonight…Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken!!!

I honestly don’t think I’d ever had prosciutto before Ben and I went to Italy this Fall. Never before had I tasted the salty, silky lusciousness that is Italian dry-cured ham…I hadn’t LIVED, I tell you!

This super-easy recipe for Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken, courtesy of President Cheese, paired the prosciutto with chicken breasts, feta cheese,

and sun dried tomatoes. YUM – ‘nuf said.

The “stuffing” part of the recipe was technically “rolling.” I laid a piece of prosciutto down, topped it with a chicken tender, feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes, then wrapped like a cigar.

The prosciutto is great because it sticks to itself and keeps everything tucked inside.

Baked @ 425 for 20 minutes…

and PRESTO!

Crispy, salty outside, warm and cheesy inside. Mouthwatering!

The prosciutto was SO crispy that you could really eat these like chicken fingers, but I cut mine up so you could take a look inside. Scrumptiously stuffed!

SERiously one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time. And so easy! FYI I got the prosciutto at Trader Joe’s. What amazing ingredient DOESN’T that store carry?!

I paired my chicken with some simply steamed broccoli on the side. Da best.

After dinner, encouraged by my new, cozy Christmas decorations and today’s bone-chilling weather, I undertook a quick baking project – Chocolate Chip Cookies!

It’s a fact that the second best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe in the entire world (the first takes 3 days to make – I MUST show you some time) is from the Better Homes and Gardens RED Plaid Cook Book.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the Limited Edition PINK Plaid Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book I got for my birthday a couple years ago and found they had CHANGED THE RECIPE! 

You see, I grew up baking from my Mom’s original 1970′s BHG cookbook and the ccc recipe that was inside it. That sweet, salty, chocolaty, flat, crispy, gooey, amazing recipe. The one in the limited edition cookbook? Fluffy, too sweet, and just…WRONG.

I called my Mom in a panic that day and made her recite the original recipe to me over the phone so I could write it in the margins. Ahhh, that’s better!

And here it is!

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream cold butter and sugars until it’s the texture of cornmeal. Add egg and vanilla then mix until combined.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in three batches. Add chocolate chips and mix briefly.

3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Flat and crispy on the outside, chewy and gooey on the inside. Just the way I (and Santa – who eats them like chips) like ‘em!!!

Marathon festive post!!!!! Ho, ho, ho.

Off to go enjoy my evening – I hope you do the same!

~~~~~

Two Question Tuesday:

1. Do you decorate your house for the Holidays?

2. How do you like your CCC – fluffy, or flat?