MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas, as we did.  What a fun, busy time!  We begin celebrating on Christmas Eve, attending Christmas Eve service and having our nice dinner that evening.  We always open one gift on Christmas Eve as well.  Some of the older kids even go to Midnight Mass with some friends of our family.

This year, with my dad living in Austin in a Memory Care Community, we wanted him to be part of our celebration on Christmas Eve.  We left for Dallas Christmas Day, so we knew it wasn’t going to work for us to go get him that morning and bring him back.  With all of that in mind, we needed to have a really early dinner, so we could eat a relatively relaxing meal with my dad, then head to church, where a few of us would be performing a song.  I had planned for an easy dinner of ham, green bean casserole and a wonderful sweet potato and apple dish that is cooked in the crock pot.  It was an easy meal, but really delicious, too.  Christmas Eve service was beautiful, we survived performing our song, and we were also able to enjoy some time with friends after the service over sweet and salty treats.  I’m so glad we were able to include my dad in these festivities, and give him a Christmas with family.

Sweet Potatoes with Apples (Makes 8-10 servings)
Ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large tart and firm apples peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
Toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans, optional

Instructions: 
1. Place half the sweet potatoes in slow cooker.  Layer in half the apple slices.
2. Mix together seasonings. Sprinkle half over apples.
3. Mix together butter and maple syrup.  Spoon half over seasonings.
4. Repeat layers.
5. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.
6. To add a bit of crunch, sprinkle with toasted almonds or pecans when serving.
7. Serve with pork or poultry.

Every other year, after reading the Christmas story, eating our traditional breakfast foods, and opening gifts at our house, we drive up to Dallas to spend a few days with Todd’s family.  The years in between, we stay at home, and my mom is usually visiting us.  This year is our year to be in Dallas.  So, I wanted to make something in the crock pot that we could eat for breakfast.  We usually have cinnamon rolls (I used to make them homemade, but I abandoned that practice once I had so many little children to manage that it was way to stressful) and crustless breakfast quiche.  These are the breakfast foods our kids want and expect every year.  I decided to add Western Omelet Casserole to the breakfast repertoire.  I thought it was really good, and most of it was eaten up quickly along with the cinnamon rolls.  I was up really late wrapping gifts, so I was able to start this late enough for it to be ready by 7:30.  On a normal night, I would prepare it and set an alarm to start it.

Western Omelet Casserole  (I doubled to feed my crew)
Ingredients: 
32-oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes, divided
1 lb. cooked ham, cubed, divided
1 medium onion, diced, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
18 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Instructions:
1. Layer one-third each of frozen potatoes, ham, onion, and cheese in bottom of slow cooker.  Repeat 2 times.
2. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Pour over mixture in slow cooker.
3. Cover.  Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

Yesterday we were at my sister-in-law’s house for the day, so I decided to make a side dish to complement the baked potato bar she was making for dinner.  I made a broccoli casserole that was great as a side dish or served as a topping for the baked potatoes.

Crock Pot Broccoli and Cheese
Ingredients:
6 cups frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25)
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:
1.  In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, soup, 1 cup cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Pour into a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle crackers on top; dot with butter.
2.  Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook 10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.