However, I have a few favorite things about Christmas, which I will list here.
1) Patty's homemade pizza. Our family's Christmas Eve is like a giant open house and we just gorge ourselves on cocktails and round after round of heavy appetizers. My favorite of these "heavy apps" is my aunt Patty's homemade pizza. Of course, since it's prepared for the Clark family, it's plain cheese. It is simple... and phenomenal.
2) Stuffed mushrooms. Christmas Day involves a more formal meal structure, with a big dinner preceded by appetizers and followed by desserts. This year, we had some amazing appetizers. Among them were some absolutely delicious stuffed mushrooms. They were the perfect texture -- just firm enough with a delicious cheesey-breadcrumb filling and not greasy at all! These may have been the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had. Mad props to Kelly Hickey -- well played.
3) Beef tenderloin. The main event on Christmas Day is beef tenderloin. One of my favorite cuts of meat, prepared lovingly -- and masterfully -- by one of my favorite uncles. This year, he decided we needed three separate roasts so that he could prepare each to a specific level of doneness. One was well-done -- a travesty to meat-lovers everywhere, but a delicacy among the Clarks... and Joe knows his audience. Then there was a roast that was medium to medium-well. And lastly, thank God, a roast that was medium-rare to medium. The meat was amazing: perfectly-seasoned, tender, impeccably prepared. 
4) Last but not least, there's the homemade peppermint bark my aunt Ginny makes every year. Amazing!
Yes, these are a few of my favorite homemade holiday things... Back to the restaurant reviews moving forward... There's a lot of great eating to be done in 2011!
Hope your holidays were fantastic and wish you all a very healthy, happy and hearty new year!
Well you made Joe's day - he's SO proud that he made the blog! (Not that he didn't lobby shamelessly!) Thanks, Nan
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