How the Grinch Stole Christmas Feast

I have a few movies from my childhood I have to watch (at least a bit of) around the holidays... it's just not Christmas without some Home Alone (that scene when Kevin is shopping for himself with coupons), Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (if you haven't seen it, it's a must see), Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (classic, I sing along still), and of course the How the Grinch Stole Christmas. No matter how many times I've seen it when the sleigh full of Who-ville holiday swag is teetering on the top of the mountain with Max the dog tied on, I get nervous. I love the lesson too...

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Two recipes today were inspired by the Grinch. You know how the Grinch sneaks down to Who-ville and steals all the presents, decorations and the Who's feast. "He took the who pudding. He took the roast beast. He cleaned out the icebox as quick as a flash. Why, that Grinch even took the last can of Who hash." So I made some...

Shelly's Who-ville Roast Beast Hash

1 1/2 cups Roasted Butternut Squash
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 to 1 1/2 cups Leftover, Cooked Roast Beef, cubed (Tri Tip, Brisket, Pot Roast will work)
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
a few twists of Black Pepper
Salt to taste

Roast the squash: Preheat oven to 425. Peel and cube (or cheat like me and buy it already peeled and cubed) the squash. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with Kosher salt, toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes turning 2 or 3 times during cooking.

Saute onion and pepper till golden. Cube leftover roast beef. Add all remaining ingredients and cook till warmed through. 

If you have a little more or less of one item leftover it doesn't matter, toss it in, hash is flexible. You can even change the "roast beast" to chicken, ham, sausage. 

Shelly's How the Grinch Stole Christmas Protein Shake

8 oz. Milk (any cow, soy, almond, coconut)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Pistachio Pudding Mix, dry
a few Ice Cubes
optional: a few drops Green Food Coloring

Whiz in blender on high. I topped mine with No Sugar Added Homemade Whipped Cream and a few nonpareils.

Shelly's Homemade No Sugar Added Whipped Cream

1 cup Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (any flavor will do) 

Whisk till well combined. Every batch I make a new flavor: SF Vanilla, SF Coconut, SF Almond, if you want pink cream SF Raspberry is great. Fill whipping cream to the fill line of the whipper. Screw on the top. Insert the CO2 cartridge till it empties, unscrew that. Put the nozzle on, shake a few times and squirt away. It makes a ton, store it in the fridge for up to 10 days just give it another few shakes before squirting. Great on berries, shakes and smoothies, crepes.