Solstice, an update

Solstice was fabulous, as always. It always gets me in the holiday spirit. If you didn't already know, Candy is a fantastic cook and Solistice dinner is a work of art. While Candy handles the dinner menu, my mom and I brought Sausage Balls and Captain Rodney's dip, aka Crack Dip. Make it and you'll find out why.

Captain Rodney's Dip

8 0z pkg. (fat free) cream cheese

8 0z. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup (light) mayo

2 green onions, chopped

6 Ritz Crackers

8 strips (turkey) bacon

1/4 cup of Captain Rodney's glaze, your choice of flavor

All in parenthesis are my variation on the original. Mix first four ingredients together and spread in to an 8x8 pan. Crush and sprinkle Ritz crackers over the top. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. While baking, cook bacon. After out of the oven, immediately pour glaze (the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but to me that is wayyyy to much) and crumble bacon over the cheese mixture. This dip only gets better as it sits. Perfect hot or room temperature (or cold out of the fridge the next day, if you can manage to have any left). Serve with Frito Scoops.

We had quite the appetizer spread. Guacamole, salsa, dips, crackers, Chex Mix.

Here's the menu:

Asparagus Vinaigrette Salad

Standing Rib Beef Roast

Twice Baked Potatoes

Green Beans Almondine

Acorn Squash Rings

We have this same table setting every year. I love how is screams holiday.

Plating station

My plate. Ohhhh so good.

We always do poppers after dinner. The big joke about them is that one year, Candy bought a set that had "Adult hygiene" products. When we "popped" them, scissors and nail clippers went flying! This year, we had history themed ones, I believe. (I got a water squirting grenade)

Oh my goodness. If we weren't done already, there was dessert. While we opened gifts, my mom popped hot fudge pudding in the oven. It's actually pretty cool! See here for the recipe. There is a layer of batter and a layer of dry ingredients. You pour hot water over the top and bake, which creates a layer of pudding and a layer of cake. It may look super chocolatey, but it's actually a subdued sweet flavor, which a like.

Perfect end to a perfect day!

Watching Ina Garten on the Food Network put together a Ploughmen's Lunch right now and thinking about our amazing Ploughman's Lunch last spring!