But here I am with a husband and two kids, and the generational tide has turned. Now it is my responsibility to host holidays.

Wait. How did this happen?

I was hoping to put it off as long as possible, but I am now in the throes of it, and honestly, I’m learning as I go and it isn’t as challenging as I feared. Believe me, I had a lot to learn about cooking, but much to my surprise, have found I really enjoy it.

I am now planning the menu for Christmas Eve, when we will host 13 people. I am asking friends’ opinions, browsing recipes online, looking at magazines, making lists and checking them twice. It helps that there are so many resources available these days — many more than our mothers and grandmothers had at their fingertips. Most often, I turn to Real Simple.

See below for photo credits.

I have decided to roast a beef tenderloin for Christmas Eve. Even a relatively unseasoned cook (pardon the pun) like myself can pull this off. It is fairly simple, yet just the word tenderloin exudes elegance.

I have made a whole tenderloin once before — three years ago — the first time I hosted Christmas. My whole family came from out of town, and not only was I cooking Christmas Eve dinner, but also Christmas dinner. This was a real test. It required being very organized (fridge space at a premium!) and putting together not just one big meal, but two.

That first Christmas was a bit nerve-wracking, but the meals came together beautifully. I think my family may have even been a bit impressed, wondering when I had actually turned into a good cook.

One tip I have learned: find a couple stand-bys that you can master and stick with them, especially when they work for you. One of my favorites has become sweet potatoes with pecans and brown sugar. I also have come to rely on green beans with prosciutto. With the meat, potato, and vegetable figured out, the meal is nearly complete.

See below for photo credits.

Another crowd pleaser I turn to when hosting Christmas is gingerbread cookies (and my kids can’t stay away from them). My children and I just decorated ours in colorful clothing with little frosting faces. If gingerbread men are too juvenile for your taste, we also devour ginger chocolate chip bars.

I am continually raising the bar for myself. My definition of success has evolved from just not burning anything and providing an acceptable meal to making something delicious and special for my guests.

As a young adult my dad told me (on more than one occasion), “If you can read, you can cook.” Reading will keep food on the table, but in my opinion the real recipe for success in the kitchen includes one part interest and one part dedication, with a dash of passion. I am still trying to perfect this recipe.

Photo sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coltharp/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dongkwan/ / CC BY 2.0

The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. Instead, I use crushed candy canes. In the past I’ve experimented with different colors and the best bet is the classic white and red striped candy canes, but other colors are fun too. Kids also love helping with this treat by sprinkling the crushed candy cane all over the toffee.

I used an 11X17 baking sheet. I don’t suggest a cookie sheet since you need a bit of a lip on all four sides of the sheet. I lined the sheet with parchment paper, but you can use aluminum foil with some non-stick spray, or better yet, use a non-stick aluminum foil.

Now the fun part, or at least the first fun part. Crushing the candy canes. I placed broken pieces of candy cane in a Ziploc bag and went at it with a rolling pin. Didn’t work so well. I was wishing for a kitchen rubber mallet just when the husband walked over to see what all the banging was about. He suggested using a plain old hammer, but covering the head with some paper towel. Genius!

Here’s where you have to keep your inner OCD in check. At least I did. I lined the baking sheet with parchment paper, and it helps (but not a requirement) if you fold/score the paper so that it sits nicely in the baking sheet. Then, use one whole sleeve of Saltine crackers and line them up. I could’ve spent hours lining them up just so, but it doesn’t matter so much if one or maybe three are out of line — as long as they look somewhat lined up.

As the recipe instructs, you want to boil the butter and brown sugar for three minutes. Lesson learned by reading through the reviews. Let the mixture boil, and once it does, DO NOT TOUCH and start your three minutes. If you stir or try to mix, you’ll end up with unsightly and separated watery butter and unmelted brown sugar. Definitely a culinary Don’t.

When the timer rings after the three golden UNTOUCHED minutes (have I made it clear that you should barely even look at the pot?), you’ll want to pour the mixture with the help of a silicone spatula, as evenly as possible over the rows of Saltines. Once you spread it evenly with an offset spatula, pop in in the preheated oven as directed.

After you spread you semi-sweet chocolate morsels, ready your crushed candy canes (or chopped pecans, or even Christmas-appropriate sprinkles) and get ready to spread the love. This is a great project to do with kids where you can arm them with the candy or sprinkles and let them go at it. It’s supposed to be messy, so don’t worry and have fun with it.

Once you break them up into pieces, you can put them in cellophane gift bags, or a cookie tin. Tie a pretty ribbon around it and you have the perfect gift for your fellow playdate families, neighbors, or friends. I love that it looks so cheerful and lucky recipients of this will thank you for the delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Christmas Toffee treat.

Photos by Sarah Kim