When I'm with the ones I love, this is what I truly love to cook for Christmas.

Reminiscent of happy days in the Pacific Northwest, a fresh whole salmon, grilled the way I learned how to do it in Alaska. 

Get the best fresh salmon you can acquire locally or through shipping (I've ordered in past from Pike Place Market in Seattle with success, but you might be able to acquire one locally).  Grill and brush with melted butter/brown sugar.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Religion:  Inuit, I suppose.  Or Unitarian.  Take your pick. 

An homage to my home in the Wisconsin northwoods, wild rice to accompany the salmon and make it feel welcome. 

Start with good quality wild rice from Minnesota or Wisconsin, or a long grain and wild rice mixture, and cook according to instructions, adding other rice, vegetables, fruits or nuts of your choosing.   Serve next to the salmon.

Religion: Lutheran

From Iowa friends with German heritage, thinly sliced cucumbers in a sweet-sour cream sauce. 

Peel several good cucumbers and slice as thinly as you are able.  Make a dressing of equal parts sour cream and Miracle Whip (start with a cup of each if making a large batch),  then thin down with apple cider vinegar and sweeten with sugar to taste.  If too sweet, add more vinegar.  If too tart, add more sugar.  Pour dressing mix over the cucumbers in a large bowl and fold to distribute evenly.  Top with dill weed or poppy seeds. (Some people include onions; I don't.)

Religion: Catholic 

From my childhood growing up in the Rocky Mountains, some tropical golden fruit salad, a hat tip to Mormon cooking. 

This generally starts with fruits like canned pineapple, canned mandarin oranges, and canned pears.  Get a can or two of each in their own juice (not syrup), drain the juice and reserve.  Use half as many mandarin oranges as you do the pears and pineapple.  Put one or two cans each of the pears and pineapple, drained, into a large bowl, add a small can or one large can of mandarin oranges, drained.  Gently stir together with a spatula to mix.  Add sliced bananas if you like.  Sorbet and/or coconut can also be added.  (If you prefer, substitute other topical fruits like mango, but always add the bananas last.  Keep in mind this recipe originated when canned/preserved fruits were easier to come by than fresh.)

The real recipe for this (the more caloric, family stick-to-your-ribs one) is below, if you prefer to make the dressing.  I generally do it lighter, without the dressing.

Religion: Mormon 

When I can get them, my mother's homemade rolls.   

My mother could be the Mrs. Fields of homemade white rolls, and we're fortunate when we can enjoy them.  When we can't, we substitute something like King's Hawaiian rolls, which although not the same, have a similar cakelike sweetness.  Serve warm from the oven with lots of butter.

Religion: Garden variety Protestant.   Or Amish. 

To finish the meal, a souvenir of my British heritage, Grandma's carrot pudding, steamed for hours and served like a traditional Christmas plum pudding. 

The recipe, made by my grandmother and passed down to my mother, is traditionally made by steaming on the stovetop, but I do it in the oven and serve warm with hard sauce if available, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Religion:  Anglican 

***** 

THE RECIPES 

GOLDEN FRUIT SALAD 

1 can pineapple chunks, drained (save juice)

1 can sliced pears, drained

1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

3 bananas, sliced (optional)

In a saucepan, combine the juice of one orange with the reserved pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and grated orange rind (optional).  Mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar and add to juices in pan.  Blend and cook over low to medium heat until thick.  Cool sauce and pour over drained fruits.  Let sit in refrigerator several hours before serving.

***** 

MOM'S HOMEMADE ROLLS 

2 packages yeast

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup shortening or oil

7 cups flour 

Mix all ingredients except flour and beat until foamy.  Let stand five minutes.  Add the flour.  Mix, knead, and let rise.  After it has risen, shape and let rise again.  Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes two dozen rolls. 

***** 

GRANDMA'S CARROT PUDDING 

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated potatoes or apples (I generally use apples, but my ancestors would have used potatoes)

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup currants

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 teaspoon each cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg

Stir in one teaspoon of soda to the grated potato/carrot mixture, and flour the raisins before putting into the rest of the batter.  Combine ingredients and steam for three hours.  (As an alternative to steaming, I generally bake this in a coffee can tightly sealed with foil in the oven, with or without a pan of water in the oven to help with the cooking, and cook in a low oven.  I add amaretto or brandy to the top during baking, checking occasionally to make sure the pudding does not dry out.)

Serve warm with traditional hard sauce, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.