A Christmas Lunch Tradition

What started out three years ago as a get-together

is now an established

Christmas tradition

When Friends Jeffrey, Shaun and Kate come for lunch.

We don't often visit

so this lunch is extra special

A small poinsettia in a Waterford bowl

A Santa and his pack of toys

(salt and pepper)

And two glass sleighs filled with bags of fudge and divinity!

The Christmas China

(Royal Dolton Tartan)

The Christmas Napkin Rings

(dating from 1869 to 1892

a remembrance of Christmas past)

The Menu

A revisit of an old and loved Kansas City restaurant

Stephenson's Apple Orchard

Baked Chicken in Butter and Cream

Stephenson's Green Rice Casserole

Hot curried fruit

Dessert:

A marvelous rum cake

from friend Francie

It is wonderful.

And I baked it in my small bundt pans 

One for now and one for another luncheon next week

It is the best rum cake I've ever had

And I will definitely make it again!

I'm always thrilled because Jeffrey brings his camera

and takes the most marvelous pictures of

Linderhof

And the food!

The "old girl" is always thrilled to have Jeffrey work his magic on her.

The recipes:

STEPHEN SON'S BAKED CHICKEN 'N' BUTTER AND CREAM

8 pieces frying chicken

2 cups flour

1 T. salt

1 T. pepper

2 t. paprika

1 stick butter, cut into 8 pats

2 cups half and half or cream

Dip chicken in cold water.    Mix together flour, salt, pepper and paprika.    Coat each piece of chicken thoroughly in flour mixture.    Place pieces skin side up in a 13 x 9 inch pan.    Bake uncovered at 450 for 30 minutes or until brown.   (Recipe may be prepared ahead up to this point.)    Pour cream around chicken, place 1 pat of butter on each piece and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

(*Note I used chicken breasts -- with bone in and skin on)

STEPHENSON'S GREEN RICE CASSEROLE

1 c. chopped parsley

1/4 c. green pepper, chopped

1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/2 t. seasoned salt

1/3 c. onion, chopped

14 1/2 oz. Pet milk

3 c. cooked rice

juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T. salt

Mix rice, parsley, cheese, onion, green pepper, garlic in greased 2 quart casserole.    Blend rest of ingredients.    Mix into rice.    Sprinkle with paprika.    Bake at 350 about 45 minutes or until like a soft custard.

Nell Lewis' Monroe Butter Rum Cake

(from Friend Francie)

Preheat oven to 350 and butter and flour a Bundt or tube pan.

Cream 2 sticks butter and 2 c. sugar.

Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

Sift 3 c. flour, 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 t. soda, and 1/2 t. baking powder. 

Add to butter mixture alternately with 1 c. buttermilk and beat well.

Bake at 325 to 350 for one hour or until done. 

As soon as the cake comes from the oven pour over it the following sauce:

1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. water, 1 stick butter. Bring almost to a boil, remove from heat and add 1/2 c. (or more) light rum.

Wrap cooled cake in heavy foil.

I seem to remember my mother serving her friend's cake at dinner parties with an additional butter-rum sauce that was thicker than the first syrupy sauce that goes on right after it comes out of the oven, but that seems almost too much to me and at any rate my recipe card omits that second sauce
Additional note: in recent years I have added the following Rum Butter Glaze:

1/3 c butter
2 c confectioner’s sugar
1 T rum
2-3 T boiling water

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat and let it brown slightly. Blend in sugar and rum with wooden spoon until smooth; stir in water 1 t. at a time until you reach a smooth pouring consistency. Immediately gently spread hot glaze over cake, smoothing it out quickly with a knife dipped in hot water. Some glaze may trickle down the sides and the effect is decorative. This Glaze was suggested by Nenz and it has made a really good addition to the cake.