need help with holiday dinner

Quoted message said:

From: [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

i just got married in august and am planning on making a holiday dinner this christmas eve. i dont
have much time to prepare and i dont have a lot of money. i know for the desserts i will be making
a chocolate pie and some cookies. i just need some help with the actual meal. what do you guys
suggest? email me with any help you can give me, i really appreciate it a lot.

KiM cOmBs

This takes me back. 😉 I had great success with this easy and festive Christmas Eve meal my first
year as a newlywed. I didn't have a table large enough for sit down, so I served buffet style and
everyone found a comfie place to sit in the LR.

Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Ham with Pineapple Sauce. [Score a bone-in ham and then slather with dijon
mustard and brown sugar, bake per directions] Nowadays I would substitute the cooked sauce with a
fresh pineapple-mango salsa
- finely chopped fresh pineapple, mango, onions, jalapeno, cilantro and a bit of vinegar and honey

Quiche Lorraine - Make a couple! Recipes abound on the internet. Use ready to bake crusts [the sort
you find in the dairy case], and fill with crumbled cooked bacon, sauteed onions, shredded swiss
cheese, eggs, cream and a dash of nutmeg. Bake right before the ham and serve room temp.

Spinach Salad - Baby Spinach with bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion, mandarin oranges and sliced
almonds with raspberry vinaigrette.

White and Whole Wheat Bakery Rolls and Butter. Put out dishes of honey mustard & stone ground
mustard so folks can make little ham sandwiches so knives aren't required.

Holiday Punch - Cran-Raspberry and Pineapple Juice with inexpensive sparkling wine added for
bubbly. Borrow a plain ring mold and make an ice ring with some of the juice and a can of ginger
ale. Offer non-alcoholic beverages you know they enjoy - be it Lemon Lime Soda or Colas, Iced Tea
or Sparkling Water.

Add your desserts, some good coffee with real cream and I'm sure your guests will enjoy themselves a
great deal.

If anyone offers to help, and they most likely will, suggest that they bring their favorite
appetizer. That will take the edge off their appetites, get them chatting and munching, while you
finish preparing the table for buffet service.

Happy Holidays! Ellen