Why are we starving ourselves? Because in less than 48 hours on Christmas Eve night, we will be enjoying a traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes. That means fried calamari, fried smelts, and crab cakes. Snail salad, bacala (a dried, salted fish), and shrimp cocktail. (Those are just the starters.) Then comes the pasta. Two types of pasta, actually -- one with mixed seafood including shrimp, scallops, and lobster; the other with olive oil, clam sauce, and parsley. Then we'll finish with jumbo stuffed shrimp and garlicky broccoli rabe.
Jeff figures if he can lose enough enough weight to tighten his belt by one notch, then that'll leave him a whole notch-worth of eating on Christmas Eve. Genius.
You might think that we wouldn't eat on Christmas Day. We do. Christmas breakfast or brunch always upstages Christmas dinner because who feels like eating turkey and vegetables after all that seafood? Fruit salad, pancakes, and frittatas are much more appealing. Chances are good that even if you don't celebrate Christmas Eve, you'll have a special Christmas Day breakfast or brunch. So if you're looking for Christmas Day breakfast and brunch ideas, here are some of my favorite archived recipes.
Happy Holidays!
Ricotta Hotcakes with Warm Spiced Apples and Maple Syrup
Spinach and Ricotta Frittata
Cherry, Prune, and Almond Granola
Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette
Need a few more ideas? Check out these recipes from Food Blogga:
Spiced Coffee
Winter Jewel Fruit Salad with Honey-Citrus Glaze
Pear and Cardamom Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
Old-Fashioned Spiced Apple Streusel Muffins
Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones
Chestnut Pancakes with Pancetta, Creme Fraiche, and Cinnamon Maple Syrup
Here are more delicious Christmas breakfast and brunch recipes:
Holiday Breakfast Wreath recipe at The Kitchn
Pumpkin Waffles recipe at Smitten Kitchen
Gingerbread Pancakes recipe at Homesick Texan
Sausage Breakfast Casserole recipe at Simply Recipes
Spiked Egg French Toast recipe at Pinch My Salt
