This year I'm not sure what I'm doing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and honestly... I'm cool with it! I do have plans, however, to have my parents and my In-Laws over for dinner on the 28th for a Holiday Dinner. Why the 28th? My In-Laws live in Mammoth and they always stay up on the Mountain until a day or two after Christmas... so the 28th is when they'll be available for dinner. And heck, why not invite my parents over as well since I've already got one set coming!

I love to cook. Heck, if I had the time I would probably go to Culinary School just for fun (that also requires money though... so it's not happening). It seems like every year when it's time to figure out what to make for a Holiday Dinner my go-to source is Bon Appetit magazine, or in the case of this year their website. I really need to renew that subscription...

After gazing over all of the yummy options for this year's dinner, I found a menu entitled "Holiday Dinner for 8." How perfect! There will be 8 of us (if you include my small children), so I figured I'd give the selection a browse.

This menu consists of a Roasted Salt- and Spice-Packed Pork Loin Roast, Fresh Herb, Grapefruit, and Fennel Salad, Yams with Crispy Skins and Brown-Butter Vinaigrette, Roasted Onions with Gruyere Croutons, and a Roasted Pear Tarte Tatin with Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream. Out of the selections I'm not really feeling the Fennel Salad, so I will just offer a different salad selection in it's place. I forgot to mention that the appetizer selection for the menu was pickled shrimp. Definitely will not be serving that, but I found some additional yummies to serve instead. I haven't decided if I will go with the Mini Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tarts or the Ricotta, Fig and Onion Bruschetta (tomato free, of course!).

Cooking a holiday meal excites me. I don't really see it as being a stressful situation, especially since much of this stuff can be prepped well in advance and then popped in the oven when needed. And who knows, maybe I'll even break out the China for this meal!

If you are looking for Holiday Cooking ideas, and even VERY helpful tips pick up a copy of Bon Appetit Magazine or visit their website at http://www.bonappetit.com .