Another Apology Plus a Confession

This Christmas I guess I was more unorganized than usual so I didn't get to post any the week before Christmas as promised.  I apologize for not posting the recipes for the rest of our Christmas dinner.  However, the menu we had for Christmas dinner will be good for a fancy New Year's dinner or anytime you want to impress guests. 

I love cranberries in just about any form you can cook or bake them into.  This salad is simple and can made the day before serving.  Just whip the cream and fold in the rest of the ingredients.  The bread is a family favorite but must be set out to rise at least 2 hours before serving.  I promise if you try the brussel sprouts, you will look at them in a different way.  I love brussel sprouts but this is the best way to prepare them.  My kids will eat them this way without complaining.

Cranberry Salad
1 bag cranberries, washed and chopped
1 cup sugar
2 cups red grapes, sliced in half
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped and toasted pecans
1 carton of heavy cream, whipped
Stir sugar into chopped cranberries.  Add grapes and pineapple, mixing well and let set overnight.  Whip cream and fold nuts and cream into fruit mixture just before serving. 

Pullaway Bread
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp.dried basil
1 25 oz. package frozen roll dough
3 tbsp. butter melted
Lightly grease a Bundt pan with cooking spray.  Stir together first 3 ingredients.  Sprinkle into the greased pan.  Place 1/2 of the frozen rolls into the pan and drizzle with 1/2 the melted butter.  Sprinkle with 1/2 the remaining cheese.  Repeat all 3 layers.  Let rise in a warm place 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, shielding with foil if necessary.  Invert onto a serving platter and serve immediately.

Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries
1 lb. brussel sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup craisins
Thinly slice brussel sprouts.  Add butter to pan and when melted, add nuts and sprouts.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes until just tender.  Salt and pepper and toss in craisins.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

And now for my confession:  I ate way too many cookies over the Christmas holiday.  I fell in love with a new recipe I tried, Chai Kissed Chocodoodles, a type of chocolate snickerdoodle.  I sometimes ate 8 in a sitting.  Plus my husband tried several new cocktails all full of cream and calories.  They were so gooood! So the cardiologist's wife isn't perfect.  However, my exercise and eating right most of the time kept me from gaining too much weight.  Now the holidays are over, I can return to being good. (I hope.)