BY ANN CIPPERLY
With a towering 12-foot decorated Christmas tree, the mantel embellished with ornaments on a garland, tables set with festive décor and stockings hanging from the staircase, the home of Joy and Bobby Samford is ready for Christmas with their children and grandchildren. The Samfords celebrate Christmas with a variety of traditions and hearty meals throughout the season.
While the Samfords don’t like to rush through Thanksgiving, it takes so long to decorate for Christmas that they will have the tree ready early. Joy and Bobby hosted over 40 extended family members in their home for Thanksgiving lunch this year.
Other decorations were brought out the day after Thanksgiving. The first thing to arrange is the manger scene that they want to be the main focus. It was given to them years ago by Bobby’s mother, Jackie Samford.
Bobby, who grew up in Opelika, met Joy while they were attending the University of Alabama. Joy grew up in Aliceville in West Alabama. They moved to Opelika in 1993, and Joy taught music for many years. Bobby spent 34 years in education before retiring. He taught and coached in several schools and was an administrator at Lee-Scott for 22 years.
She is also a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway.
Joy is currently working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she enjoys leading a Bible study for coaches’ wives in her home.
“We welcome all the new coaches that are coming into town,’’ Joy said. “We are excited about the new transition and believe God will be in the middle of that too.”
Bobby stays busy with part-time development work on property near their home.
“We see our role in this season of our life as being in service,” he said. “We are in service to our family, our kids and their kids that is occupying a lot of our time.”
The Samfords have three grown children and five grandchildren. Their daughter Amanda and her husband, David Wisdom, have two children: Ford, 3, and Trip, 11 months. Their son Chase and his wife, Laken, have three children: Lydia, 3; Wells, 2; and Micah, 9 months. Their son Clay is single.
“We love spending time with family and friends during Christmas,” Joy said. “We are focusing on the meaning of Christmas and knowing Jesus. We want that to be part of our children’s understanding as well. Even with the way we decorate the house and Christmas tree, we want that to represent Christ and all that He is to us and can be to them as well.”
“For us, the main thing at Christmas is Jesus, family and friends,” Bobby added. “As long as it stays in that order, I think we are hitting the mark.”
While they hosted a large group at Thanksgiving, out-of-town family will celebrate Christmas at their own homes. Joy and Bobby feel blessed to have their grown children and grandkids living within a mile or two from them. They celebrate numerous traditions during the Christmas season.
Joy enjoys having the grandchildren over to decorate cookies. She will purchase gingerbread or sugar cookies and let them add the toppings. To keep it easy, she will purchase the cookies and toppings in kits from a bakery. This year, she purchased a kit from Stinsons’ Breads with gingerbread cookies, icing and sprinkles.
She will also get ornament painting kits from craft stores and have the grandkids over to paint them. She said the kids are proud of their work and hang their ornament on their tree at home.
“We enjoy doing things with them and hope it makes a difference,” said Joy, “and that they will remember having fun with Pops and JoJo.”
Other Christmas traditions include having an advent calendar with ornaments and a Bible verse. After they read a scripture, a grandchild puts the ornament on the tree.
“It is a good way for children to see Jesus throughout the Bible,” Joy said. “It is not for just once a year but for all the time.”
Joy and Bobby are gathering the family together during the season to visit Callaway Gardens to see the Fantasy in Lights display.
On Christmas Eve, traditions include attending church and then having a meal together. It is a tradition carried on from Bobby’s grandmother, Aileen Samford. She would have all her children and grandchildren at her house in Collinwood with the luminaries lit on Christmas Eve.
“That was such a good memory from my childhood of going to my grandmother’s house,” Bobby said.
After church, Joy and Bobby will serve an Italian meal for their family. To keep it easy, Bobby orders the meal from an Italian restaurant and prepares homemade Tiramisu to serve for dessert.
After dinner, the grandchildren will open one gift, which is their Christmas pajamas. After they put them on, Joy takes a photo of them together, then they wear their new pajamas home.
On Christmas morning, their children and grandchildren come over for brunch after opening gifts at their homes. Bobby prepares a two-meat casserole ahead of time, while Joy will make Monkey Bread using canned biscuits, which goes together quickly. Fresh fruit and cinnamon rolls complete the menu.
After brunch, gifts under the tree are opened. Then, the family relaxes in front of a large stone fireplace and watches football.
“Joy and I are both so blessed to have backgrounds where our families had things in the right priority at Christmas,” Bobby said. “We are so thankful for that, and it makes us eager to pass it on to our children and grandchildren. We are so blessed to have them in our lives, and we want to be sure they see Christmas for what it is supposed to be and do our part.
“Joy does such a great job decorating the house,” he added, “that when people walk in, they see symbols of Jesus, family and friends. That is what we focus on at Christmas.”
“We are so thankful that we get to spend time with our family and grandchildren,” Joy said. “It is such a blessing to have them so close. They call each other best friends as well as cousins. When I was growing up, all my relatives lived hours away, and I only saw them twice a year. That is so different than seeing them two and three times a week.
“Watching them grow up together and seeing their love for each other is very special to us.”
Holiday Cheese Ball
Bobby Samford
Two 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely chopped
2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. onion powder
Mix all ingredients (only half of the pecans) and refrigerate until firm. Roll into two equal balls and cover with remaining pecans. Store in plastic wrap if necessary. Serve with favorite crackers.
Baked Brie with Raspberry Jam and Rosemary
Laken Samford
8 oz. wheel Brie cheese
1/3 cup raspberry jam
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Fresh rosemary, chopped
Crackers or sliced baguette, for serving
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place Brie wheel in the center of puff pastry. Spoon raspberry jam on top and sprinkle with a pinch of chopped rosemary.
Wrap pastry up and over the Brie, sealing the edges. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Let Brie rest five minutes before serving. Serve warm with crackers or baguette. Serves six to eight.
Spinach Dip Christmas Tree Twist
Amanda Samford Wisdom
2 jars premade spinach artichoke dip (or make your own)
2 sheets puff pastry
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 bunch parsley
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Defrost puff pastry on counter. Separate the two sheets and spread spinach dip in an even, thin layer. Cut rectangles into a triangle, remove excess pastry.
Cut from edge to 1-inch from center on each side from top to bottom of the triangle. Be sure to leave a 1-inch space in the middle for the “trunk” of the tree.
Melt butter and mix with garlic and parsley. Brush on top of pastry. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Twist each “branch” of the tree two to three times. Bake in 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and dip is bubbly. Serve with warm marinara sauce.
Crockpot Hot Chocolate
Amanda Samford Wisdom
3 pints chocolate ice cream
2 cups whole milk (or half and half for richer texture)
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. salt
3-4 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Toppings: chocolate shavings, crushed peppermint, marshmallows
Add all ingredients to a crockpot on low for three hours. Mix and leave crockpot on warm to serve. Serve with toppings.
Cranberry-Jalapeno Jam
Amanda Samford Wisdom
Serve over cream cheese with a drizzle of honey and serve with cinnamon sugar pita chips. Can also muddle and add seltzer and vodka for a holiday cocktail.
2 green onions
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 bunch cilantro
2 cups cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 lime
Roughly chop onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Add to food processor with cranberries, juice, sugar, salt and juice from lime. Leave in refrigerator until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
Mississippi Pot Roast
Amanda Samford Wisdom
Serve over mashed potatoes or white rice.
3-4 lb. chuck roast
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 packet au jus seasoning
1 stick butter
1 jar pepperoncini, with juice (or to taste for less heat)
2 cups beef broth
Add all ingredients to crockpot. Cook on low for six hours.
Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
Laken Samford
1 can refrigerated pizza dough
16–18 mozzarella pearls (or 1 cup shredded mozzarella)
4 Tbsp. melted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Marinara sauce, for dipping
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut pizza dough into 16 to 18 equal pieces. Flatten each piece slightly and place a mozzarella pearl inside. Pinch to seal into a ball.
Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Mix melted butter, garlic and Italian seasoning. Brush over dough balls.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush with more butter, sprinkle with parmesan and parsley, and serve with warm marinara. Serves eight to 10.
Barbecue Meatballs
Amanda Samford Wisdom
1 bag frozen turkey meatballs
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup grape jelly
Add all ingredients to a saucepot on medium heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with toothpicks.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownies
Laken Samford
1 box brownie mix plus ingredients listed on box
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 candy canes, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
Stir in peppermint extract and chocolate chips, then pour batter into a greased 8×8-inch pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the center is just set.
Immediately top with mini marshmallows and crushed candy canes. Return to oven for two to three minutes, just until marshmallows puff.
Cool completely before slicing. Serves 12.
Bread Pudding with Maple Bourbon Sauce
Bobby Samford
10 to 12 cups day old bread (French bread or brioche work great)
4 cups heavy cream
6 large eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cube bread in 1-inch cubes. Let bread sit out overnight to dry out. Put in greased 9×13-inch pan or dish.
Put next nine ingredients in blender and mix just until blended.
Pour over bread to cover. Let soak into bread for 30 to 60 minutes. Longer the better.
Add two cups blueberries or favorite fruit. Bake 45 to 50 minutes.
Streusel Topping (if desired)
2 cups chopped pecans ½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup flour
stick of butter
Mix together and sprinkle over bread pudding and return to oven for five to 10 minutes.
Serve with homemade whipped cream or ice cream and with Maple Bourbon Sauce, optional.
Maple Bourbon Sauce:
Combine:
2 cup confectioners’ sugar
⅓ cup bourbon
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. whole milk or half and half
¼ cup maple syrup
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cloves
Bring to simmer over low heat two to three minutes. Serve hot.
Christmas Eve Tiramisu
Bobby Samford
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups cold espresso, prepared
(There are pods of espresso in coffee section of store.)
3 Tbsp. coffee flavored liqueur optional (Kahlua or DaVinci brand)
1 pkg. lady fingers (Savoiardi brand can be found in the cookie aisle at your local grocery store or online.)
Cocoa powder for dusting the top
Add whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed with electric mixers (or use a stand mixer). Slowly add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add mascarpone cheese and fold in until combined. Set aside.
Add coffee and liqueur to a shallow bowl. Dip lady fingers in the coffee (don’t soak them — just quickly dip them on both sides to get them wet) and lay them in a single layer on the bottom of an 8×8-inch or similar size pan.
Smooth half of mascarpone mixture over the top. Add another layer of dipped lady fingers. Smooth remaining mascarpone cream over the top.
Dust cocoa powder generously over top (I use a fine mesh strainer to do this). Refrigerate for at least three to four hours or up to overnight before serving.
You may choose to double this recipe for larger crowd of 10 to 12.
Christmas Waffles
Bobby Samford
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 rounded tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs
2 cup whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Sift together first four ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients.
Heat waffle iron and pour in batter per directions.
Breakfast Casserole with Bacon and Sausage
Bobby Samford
This is a staple around our house during the holidays. However, it is so easy to have in refrigerator for easy warm-up all week. Making this the night before allows the egg and milk mixture to soak into the bread. Turkey bacon and sausage would be easy substitute.
10 pieces white bread, broken into pieces, divided
10 eggs, beaten
1 qt. milk
3 cups shredded/grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. sausage, cooked, drained
2 tsp. yellow or stone-ground mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry mustard
Coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray (foil/disposable is easier).
Break up five pieces of bread in bottom of the dish. Spread 1½ cup of cheddar cheese, bacon and sausage to top of the bread.
Beat eggs, milk, mustard, Worcestershire and salt/pepper and pour half of mixture over bread, cheese and meat. Add remaining bread and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture on top.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, if possible. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until browned.
Monkey Bread for Christmas Morning
Joy Samford
Three 10 oz. cans buttermilk biscuits
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 sticks butter, softened
½ cup light or dark brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open biscuits and cut each one into quarters. Combine sugar, cinnamon and biscuit quarters in a Ziplock plastic bag and mix or shake. Spread these biscuit quarters into bottom of a lightly greased Bundt pan.
In a small pan, melt together butter and brown sugar. Once these have become one color, pour over biscuits in bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until browned on top. Allow to cool 15 to 20 minutes and then turn over onto a plate.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Joy Samford
2 cups sugar
⅓ cup cocoa
½ cup whole milk
1 stick butter
½ cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal (quick oats, uncooked)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Measure peanut butter and oatmeal; set aside. Combine first four ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and oats. Add vanilla last. Mix well and promptly drop, by spoonful, on wax paper to cool completely.
Hot Pineapple and Cheese Casserole
Good Served with ham.
Joy Samford
2 cans (15 oz. each) pineapple chunks
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup grated sharp cheddar, divided
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 stick butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or spray a 9×13-inch pan or baking dish. Pour in pineapple chunks with juice. Add flour and sugar. Blend ½ cup of cheese with crumbled crackers and melted butter. Put cracker mixture in pineapple chunks. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese.
Bake for 30 mins uncovered until cheese is melted and pineapple is warm.
