What to make for Christmas

[chowmama]

22. Ham

Smoked from our local BBQ place. Sweet potato mash, done some kind of savory way - probably thyme butter, parmesan and black pepper. Asparagus. And a chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting.

Regarding the cake - the recipe came from the caterer for DH's first wedding. It was their wedding cake and is now traditional for our winter holiday, which includes 3 birthdays, 1 anniversary (our 45th this year), Xmas, and New Year.

DH's son was told as a toddler that the 3 layers represented all of our birthdays. He protested with all of the drama he could muster that 3 birthdays required 3 cakes, no fewer. We compromised for 2 years with 1 cake, but each layer of a different flavor (so, Neopolitan) before we could finally convince him to let it go. With the addition of 3 grandkids, we now have to split each layer in half for a 6-layer chocolate cake and we'd add a 7th layer for DIL if it were possible. But everybody's old enough to agree that the cake, while delicious, is mostly an excuse for as much frosting as possible. As long there there's enough of that, nobody's counting.

However, we took everybody to Little Mermaid instead of having a holiday get-together this year, so it's just the 2 of us. The cake will be unsplit.