Christmas Eve supper

This was a last-minute menu, so I have no idea whether it will become a tradition. But it was very successful.

The main course was Pollo Diablo from the Weber Big Book of Grilling. This recipe has the marinade right -- a blend of fruit juices and spices, particularly red pepper flakes. I used about half the red pepper flakes that it called for and it was plenty spicy for us. But we used the method recommended in the book -- we butterflied a whole chicken and marinated it. Then we put one skewer through the legs and another through the wings and breasts to keep it open. R grilled it for about an hour and it was delicious with just the right amount of heat.

While the chicken was grilling, I made risotto following the recipe in the Joy of Cooking, but with less butter.

And we served that with a green salad tossed with dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds, and slivered carrots. The salad was a dry run for the one I'm bringing out to the family gathering today. It worked! I made up the dressing recipe:

Orange-Rosemary Salad Dressing
1/4 c olive oil
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
1/4 c cider vinegar
5 drops of habanero cider vinegar (I used Blue Heron Orchard's)
1/4 c orange juice
salt and pepper
2 T coarse mustard (I used Sandhill Farm's)
1 T agave nectar

Heat the oil and the rosemary over medium heat until it's bubbly all over. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic. Allow that concoction to steep while everything else is prepped.

Put the other ingredients into a food processor or blender and process a few seconds until mixed. Add the oil and herbs a little at a time while continuing to process. Process until smooth.