Christmas food...

Look at me, remembering to share my Christmas recipes!  It's like I'm almost a real blogger.  Almost...

As one of the "kids," I'm not usually charged with bringing anything super important to our family get-togethers.  I plan on milking this for as long as I possibly can... :)  But if you're ever in need of some yummy desserts/appetizers, here are the things I brought this year.  Click on the titles or pictures for the recipes.

Dad's Christmas:  Butterfinger Pie.

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The verdict:  This was delicious.  My aunt made a version of this for Thanksgiving, and I loved it.  The best part?  It only takes four ingredients and about 2 minutes to whip together (although you've got to give it some time to chill in the fridge after it's all put together).  I'd recommend buying an extra Butterfinger bar to crush on top for presentation.

Mamaw's/Mom's Christmas:  Paula Deen's Corn "Salad"

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The verdict:  loved it.  I've made corn dip before, but this was simpler, and the addition of the chili cheese Fritos made it even more delicious.  I served it as a dip with tortilla chips, rather than as a salad, because I love dip.  As the recipe suggests, you can make the dip ahead of time (and I'd recommend doing so to let the flavors blend), but don't add the Fritos until just before serving, or they'll get soggy.  Also, this recipe makes a lot.  I took half to one Christmas and half to another (and had plenty at both). 

Mom's Christmas:  Hot Louisiana Crab Dip

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The verdict:  hated it.  Although the "base" dip was pretty darned scrumptious, it was completely overwhelmed by the intense crabby taste.  Perhaps I need to try again with different/more fresh crab?  I also think it'd be delicious with a half-pound of sauteed, chopped shrimp instead of the crab. 

Micah's Parents' Christmas:  The "World's Best" Macaroni and Cheese

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The verdict:  liked it.  This was definitely good, but the consistency was just a teensy bit off for me.  It could have been because I made the sauce the day before and had to reheat it the next morning before I added it to the pasta.  But honestly, if you're looking for an interesting, slam-dunk mac and cheese recipe, I'd go with this Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese.  Marry me.

Micah's Extended Family's Christmas:**  Hissy Fit Dip

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The verdict:  loved it.  This is a fabulous variation of the ole' Velveeta/Rotel standby.  It calls for cream cheese, white American cheese, and, of course, a little Velveeta.  But it also has other interesting ingredients like Worchestershire sauce and curry powder.  I'll definitely make this again when I'm in the mood for cheese dip.

** In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that we didn't actually make it to Micah's aunt and uncle's house because of the snow/ice, so I didn't get to test this one out on anyone else but Micah and me.  But I had already mixed up the dip, so I threw it in the oven when we got home, and we enjoyed it for our Christmas dinner.  :)

Micah's Extended Family's Christmas:  Creamy Jalapeno Corn

The verdict:  liked it.  My mom makes this jalapeno cream cheese corn (which I adore), but I had seen this recipe floating around the internet and wanted to try it. Overall, I think I prefer my mom's mostly because I really like the pickled jalapeno flavor with the corn better than the fresh.  (But I do think I'll add a few tablespoons of butter to my mom's recipe next time, though.  It added a richness and thinned the creaminess out a bit.)  I also prefer the canned corn to the frozen corn, but maybe I'm just crazy.  Plus, I didn't think the use of the crockpot was necessary -- it all mixes together perfectly in just a few minutes in a saucepan on the stove.

What did you guys make for Christmas?