Celebrating Traditions Wendt Style: The Food

For this past holiday week, Matt and I traveled to my parents, as is the tradition. Xmas is always held at my parent's home in Northern Michigan. For some reason, this year I didn't take as many photos as usual. But I still managed to remember to take a few.

Unlike most families, we didn't start out with the appetizers. We shared glasses of homemade wine and a toast.
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My parents made their famous Whisky Slush, which is another "Wendt thing".http://media-files.gather.com/images/d320/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg
Our appetizers always include cheese. This year we had brie, a cheese ball, various cheddars, boursin, salami cheese and several others.http://media-files.gather.com/images/d326/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpghttp://media-files.gather.com/images/d314/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpghttp://media-files.gather.com/images/d315/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg
Matt and I were were both really looking forward to the dinner. Mom had a whole smoked ham, which we both absolutely love! Ham is one of the most versatile foods. We had it baked and sliced, in a couple different kinds of sammiches and soup, in an appetizer and in scrambled eggs.

Xmas dinner also included au gratin potatoes, greens with bacon, mashed sweet potatoes and horseradish sauce.
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For lunch the next day I made a couple pots of soup with some of the ham.

Creamy potato soup with ham and white cheddar:http://media-files.gather.com/images/d323/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg
And one of my all time favorites, Puerto Rican soup, made with jalapenos instead of the usual habaneros:
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And no soup is complete without a sammich! I made probably my best Monte Cristos ever:http://media-files.gather.com/images/d321/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg
Served with honey mustard:
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One of the biggest surprises of the day was that Mom had made one of my absolute favorite desserts in the world, a chocolate cream roll. I really need to make this one soon!
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http://media-files.gather.com/images/d310/d406/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpgAnd last, but certainly not least was my mom's cookies. She had made a couple different kinds, but I only remembered to photograph the Treasure cookies. But that's okay, they are one of my favorite kinds of cookies.






All in all, we had a great time. We always enjoy the time honored traditions, and even start some new ones. This year's new tradition was the creme de menthe and ice cream drink my dad came up with (and which I forgot to photograph. Homemade wine is pretty potent stuff).

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