The cute photo of the Dalmatian puppy shown above was featured as the December dog on one of my Dalmatian calendars from last year, and it actually inspired my current blue and white Christmas table (I kept this image prominently displayed in front of my holiday decorations for the whole year!). The other inspiration was the purchase of a set of Pier 1 Christmas Village Salad Plates last winter.
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| From Pier 1 |
Blue and white are the main colors on these plates, and one of them even features a pet store with a Dalmatian looking out of a second floor window. Of course there are little Dalmatians scattered about the dining room, all of them either blue-eyed or wearing blue to coordinate with the table!
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| Blue cotton place mat; white dinner plate (Tivoli by Studio Nova); Christmas Village Salad Plate (from Pier 1 last year); white-handled flatware (from Target ages ago); natural cotton fringed napkin; blue wine goblet; Park Avenue Puppies juice glass for water (from Pier 1 last year). |
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| If you look very closely at the middle window on the second floor of the pet store, you can just make out the Dalmatian in the window! |
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| I have a set of juice glasses featuring the Pier 1 Park Avenue Puppies Christmas design from last year that I set out as water glasses for this table. |
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| The complete set of Pier 1 Park Avenue Puppies juice glasses (image from Pinterest) |
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| An unadorned artificial pine tree is placed at the head of the table. |
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| At the base of the tree sit two blue-eyed Dalmatians and a set of Dalmatian salt and pepper shakers. |
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| The centerpiece consists of a fat white pillar candle surrounded by frosty blue glass beads (I use this centerpiece a lot!). |
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| The cheesecake for dessert will sit on this round marble plate, and mugs are available for anyone who wants a hot beverage as well. |
I decided that my Christmas menu this year would consist entirely of recipes I have never made before! I love white fish in lemon butter sauce so it was about time I learned to make it for myself (I substituted flounder for the tilapia used in the original recipe). The side dishes are simple enough and we like them both, so it was also time for me to make these recipes from scratch as well! I did cheat on the dessert because it came with a mail-order gift. I rarely make cheesecakes because I do not care for them, but my husband does like them so this dessert was a welcome change from the usual low-carb cookies, cakes, or pies I tend to bake for the holidays.
Christmas Village Menu:
White Wine
Lemon Butter Baked Fish with Capers*
Corn Pudding**
Creamed Spinach***
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
*Lemon Butter Baked Fish with Capers
2 T. garlic-infused olive oil
4 T. butter, melted
4 T. fresh lemon juice
2 lbs. flounder fillets
4 T. capers, drained
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper (optional)
Whisk together the olive oil, melted butter, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Place the flounder fillets in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Pour the butter mixture over the top. Sprinkle the fillets evenly with the capers, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serves 4 generously.
**Corn Pudding
2 eggs
12 oz. frozen corn, thawed
2 T. flour
2 T. cornmeal
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
2 T. butter, melted
1/4 C. buttermilk or plain kefir
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles (optional)
In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the corn and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Stir in 3 oz. cheese, melted butter, buttermilk or kefir, and chiles if using.
Pour the pudding mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 4.
***Creamed Spinach
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 C. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch nutmeg
16 oz. washed and prepackaged spinach, cooked
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with the flour and whisk together. Cook for five minutes or until light golden brown. Stir in the shallot and garlic and cook for another minute. Pour the milk in slowly, whisking constantly, and cook for another five minutes until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the spinach to the cream sauce, stirring gently to combine. Serves 4.
Note: I had to use about 1/2 cup more milk than called for in the original recipe, but the cream sauce should be very thick. When the spinach is added its liquid will thin it out a bit. If the sauce still seems too thick add a small amount of liquid, but do not add too much or it will become soupy. This dish can be made ahead, removed from the heat, covered, and then reheated just before serving.
There are also Lindt Lindor truffles on the table for the holidays (Coconut and Caramel with Sea Salt), which doesn't happen very often any more thanks to my low-carb diet.
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| The credenza Christmas puppies! |
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| Rudolph the red-nosed Dalmatian happily surveys the holiday village tablescape scene below. |
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| Pixie the Dalmatian elf always enjoys a plentiful Christmas feast. |
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| Sky the blue-eyed Dalmatian joins in the seasonal festivities. |
It took me a while to get this post finished, but at least it is up before New Year's Eve! I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Christmas, and that you enjoy what is left of the holiday season as we approach the New Year!
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| From Zazzle |
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