Christmas morning started out pretty chilly - 41 degrees and ice patches on the dock. But by the afternoon it had warmed up enough for John to take Dad & Laura for a dinghy ride: 
The seas were so calm (at least John thought so) they went all the wayout to the pier:
There were only the five of us for dinner - Ma, Laura, Dad and John & me. I decided to make a good old-fashioned comfort meal for our Christmas celebration. Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy - oh yum! We started with a Caesar Salad that John made. Love those anchovies!
I used my beautiful Christmas present from John (I know, not every girl's dream gift but it was exactly what I wanted) to make the pot roast:
In my brand new Caribbean Blue Le Creuset Dutch oven, I heated a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat and browned a chuck roast that was seasoned with salt and pepper. When the roast was browned on all sides I added a sliced onion and cooked until the onion was soft. Then I added 1/2 bottle of red wine and cooked until the wine was almost evaporated and then added a couple cups of beef broth, a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs of thyme. Next I covered the pot and let it simmer for about 3 hours, until it was just starting to fall apart. I removed the meat and thickened the juices with a little water & flour slurry to make a gravy for the mashed potatoes.
I used my beautiful Christmas present from John (I know, not every girl's dream gift but it was exactly what I wanted) to make the pot roast:In my brand new Caribbean Blue Le Creuset Dutch oven, I heated a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat and browned a chuck roast that was seasoned with salt and pepper. When the roast was browned on all sides I added a sliced onion and cooked until the onion was soft. Then I added 1/2 bottle of red wine and cooked until the wine was almost evaporated and then added a couple cups of beef broth, a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs of thyme. Next I covered the pot and let it simmer for about 3 hours, until it was just starting to fall apart. I removed the meat and thickened the juices with a little water & flour slurry to make a gravy for the mashed potatoes.While the meat was cooking I tossed together red onion, carrots, fennel and parsnips in a little olive, seasoned with salt & pepper and baked in a roasting pan for about 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
Our good friend, and one of my "dough-boys", Joe, brought us gorgeous loaf of bread for Christmas. Perfect with our dinner- thanks Joe!
And for dessert, homemade cherry pie and homemade vanilla ice cream:
To make the cherry pie, stir together sour cherries, a little of the cherry juice, cornstarch and lemon juice. Pour into the bottom of an unbaked pie crust, dot with a couple tablespoons of butter and cover with the top pie crust. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes. Vanilla ice cream.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!
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