Merry Christmas from Epitherrien Farms

Steve and I started to holiday with putting up the outside decorations and having a small snow ball fight.  Grey, our pet rooster didn't like the fact that Steve's snowballs met the mark each time he threw one, he came to my rescue.  Feathers fluffed and head spiked out he ran straight for Steve.  Of course he doesn't do anything once he gets to you, just wants you to stroke his feathers.  Weird bird.
Dinner that night was Butterflied pork chops with a sauce from Bobby Flay that will be a regular in my kitchen now, Pomegranate black pepper sauce.
1/2 cup pomegrante molassas
2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp prepared hot horseradish
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and warm to blend flavors.  Spoon over seared pork chops, Heaven!
Bobby Flays original recipe makes more of the suace and he serves it over roasted turkey.
I served the pork chops with southern greens cooked with vinegar and chilies, swiss chard and collards from the garden.
The night before Christmas eve we had a Quebecois dinner.  First Course Poutine!  French fries served with unaged white cheddar cheese curds and a hot gravy type sauce.
Second Course was Tourtier! American's would not know what this is but it is a pork pie that melts in your mouth.  Ground pork, onion and a special spice mix that is the key. Two crusts golden brown served with ketchup. Yummy!
  The texture was a bit different than Meme's because this original recipe calls for a potato rather than french bread as a base with the ground pork.
Third course was a Turket leftover soup, recipe from William Sonoma.  Turkey stock, left over turkey meat from Thanksgiving, fresh tomatoes, carrots onions, white beans, wild rice and you actually use a cup of left over turkey gravy to thicken the stock a bit.  Outstanding!
Christmas eve will begin with Shrimp Cocktail (feast of the one fish here in land-locked-ville) then
Ham with Fire Glaze (the glaze is a mixture of Red Pepper jelly and apricot perserves) Fantastic!
Served with Asparagus risotto and roasted root veggies with a salad of greens goat cheese and pomegranate, balsamic, maple vinaigrette.
Pies: Pumpkin Maple (Derek's favorite), Cranberry Pear with oatmeal struesel topping (of course pears what else), Creme Breule Custard pie with a caramel base (it tastes like flan) and assorted Christmas Cookies, sugar cookies, espresso crinkles, mudslide cookies and gingerbread men.
Christmas day will include roast turkey with bourbon maple glaze, stuffing with pears, pomegranate and mushrooms, served with sweet potatoes and beet & sweet onion salad.  Yes Beets!
Altogether a festive and great