Christmas Traditions

As another Christmas comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on how the years fly by. Eighteen of the past twenty we have driven home late on Christmas Eve from a fun celebration with family - 1 1/2 hours north. This drive home has changed from young kids excited for Santa to come to some great conversation and reflection over the past year and valued family time. This year the conversation in the car was more dominated by sports talk (I'm not sure how they keep track of all these teams!) with Steve & Kendall. It was our first Christmas without our daughter Natalie . It was her in-laws turn for Christmas this year. Missed her and Adam but looking forward to Martin Luther King weekend! We enjoy having a Christmas Brunch at our house and so fun to have this cute mother/daughter here ... sister-in-law, Eiko and daughter, Emily! Cricket is lower in this pose - let's face it this dog now thinks anytime a camera is taken out that she is supposed to go assume her position!
This was our brunch before we sat down.

For the last 11years on the menu is always Pantera's Egg Casserole and Steve's waffles with jam and whipped topping. This year we added a new Salad: Pina Colada Salad. I consider it must be good when someone asks for the recipe, so here it is!

Pina Colada Salad

2 cans mandarin oranges
1 fresh pineapple, diced
1 small can maraschino cherries
2 red apples, diced
2 bananas
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3 oz. pineapple juice
1 tsp. rum extract
4 oz. coconut milk
1/2 pkg. (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding

Drain cherries and oranges. Prepare all fruit and place in serving bowl. Toss with flaked coconut. In separate bowls, mix pineappele juice, rum extract, coconut milk and dry pudding mix. Mix until pudding is dissolved. Pour over fruit. Mix well. Garnish w/additional coconut.