Your Christmas Dinner Menu?

Christmas Eve is just us and we do dungeness crab. Usually it's steamed
crabs piled on the table onto newspapers with several dipping sauces,
french bread and steamed artichokes.

Christmas Dinner is for 18 (confirmed and two more possible) We do five
courses. We are limited by a few food allergies so no dairy, fish, nuts
or mushrooms...sigh.

First course will be several little appetizers - crostini with a white
bean puree, spanish tortilla cut into smaller pieces, a recipe I found
for a spicy meatball with an asian dipping sauce.

Next is soup. We're thinking cream of celery root from the December
Fine Cooking but we have to test it first. Usually it's some kind of
puree soup - last year was corn, year before was carrot..... Maybe rolls
or breadsticks - yes, homemade.

Sorbet - I'm thinking cranberry but I just saw a recipe for grapefruit
and that looks tempting. Or, if we do sorbet in the dessert then insert
some sort of salad here.

Main dish is always prime rib. We do it with an herb/garlic crust.
Olive oil mashed potatoes, roasted carrots.

Dessert - I went out for lunch and had an individual baked Alaska with
sorbet instead of ice cream and it was very good. So, I'm thinking that
with chocolate sorbet and raspberry sauce dribbled on the plate. Last
year was individual chocolate souffle and that was a hit.

Should be fun.

marcella

My wife and I will be heading to Georgia to spend Christmas with
family, but we always have a "pre-Christmas dinner-dinner" together,
but we've yet to finalize our menu.
We will probably start that particular day with a brunch consisting of
a breakfast strata made several days in advance to avoid the hassle and
Mimosas.
A hearty strata brunch will get us through the day of travel planning,
ensure an apetite for dinner and the Mimosas will keep that Holiday
sparkle intact. Kev

I'm making a pork roast, marinade it with a garlic and herb dry rub
over night, then roast with veggies. Potatoes daphinoise (scalloped
potatoes), cranberry sauce, asparagus?, apple pie. There will be lots
of cookies and candy around too. a bottle of champagne.

the pork turns out so tasty.

Christmas Eve will be the 2 of us. We'll have hearts of romaine salad
with my own balsamic vinaigrette; prime rib with a crust of
garlic/herbs/olive oil; Yorkshire pudding; pan gravy; real mashed
potatoes; steamed Brussels sprouts with lightly browned butter and
pignoli; custard pie (yuck) for my husband and pecan pie for me.
Christmas Day we'll travel down to my mother-in-law's house for ham,
then stop by the nursing home to visit with my dad. Carol

Our life may not always be the party we would have chosen, but while we
are here, we may as well dance!

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

(snippage)

Quoted message said:

Carol

I'm now thinking roasted cornish game hen with cornbread dressing, some sort
of steamed green veggie on the side (time will tell) for Christmas. For New
Year's Day, a small bone-in rib roast to make prime rib au jus.

New Year's Eve I usually just have snacky type things, including wonderful
steamed dumplings. It all will depend on where I am on those given days.
Time will tell!

Thai Dumplings:

5 oz. crab meat
8 oz. ground pork
6 large prawns, minced*
1 Tbs. water
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 large egg
1-1/2 tsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. pepper

*or 1 small can of baby shrimp, drained or frozen baby "salad" shrimp

Combine all ingredients except wonton wrappers. Place 1 Tbs. filling in the
center of each wrapper and fold and pinch to seal with moistened fingers.
Cover and steam over boiling water 20-25 minutes. Serve with the dipping
sauce of your choice.

My dipping sauce is usually just soy with garlic and minced fresh ginger.

Or fried crab puffs:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 dashes hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
dash of salt
1 c. flaked crabmeat
1 small spring onion, minced
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbs. cold water
1 pkg. wonton wrappers

Blend all ingredients except egg wash and wonton wrappers. Place 1-1/2 tsp.
filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Fold over into a triangle
shape and then fold again. Brush with egg wash. Deep fry in hot fat until
golden brown. Remove with a slotted strainer and drain on brown paper.
Serve with dipping sauce - soy, thai chili-garlic, whatever.

Jill

"Marcella Peek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Christmas Eve is just us and we do dungeness crab. Usually it's steamed
crabs piled on the table onto newspapers with several dipping sauces,
french bread and steamed artichokes.

That sounds wonderful!!

Christmas eve will be just the immediate family at our house, so we'll try
to do something that's special but that everybody likes. Sometimes a tall
order around here; usually steak works, but we'll be having a beef
tenderloin at Grandma's the next day, so will have somethign else on
Christmas eve. I'm thinking either a buffet of little appetizers and a
great dessert, or assorted sausages from the German gourmet store, with
homemade hot pretzels, assorted mustards, roasted asparagus, some kind of
veggie for the kids, and apple strudel for dessert.

Christmas morning, we'll have cranberry-tangerine scones (my birthday
treat!) and bacon -- I just ordered a few kinds of artisinal bacons from the
Grateful Palate. Plus some kind of quick bread -- banana or pumpkin.

Chris

Carol said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Following that old comedy bit "Be decisive! Or should you?" I'm still
deciding between sauerbraten and lasagna. But at least I've got it narrowed
down! Now if I can only decide WHEN I'm going to make my celebratory meal:
I'll be working both Christmas Eve and Christmas, so the closest
alternatives would be the 23rd or the 26th. For those who celebrate Boxing
Day, do you have a holiday feast on that day? Or are you food-weary by
then?

Bob

In article <[email hidden]>,

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Then Jill's Turkey Cottage Pie for Christmas Day. Our peas have been
used as an injury treatment cold pack, so we're going to use corn
instead.

Christmas Eve will be:

Rib Roast with a wine sauce
Red Potatoes stuffed with Boursin
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert with whipped cream, and maybe
a raspberry sauce if I get to it.

Christmas day is a potluck, and I have been comissioned to bring four
times the eggnog I made last year. 🙂 I have also had a request for my
garlic mashed potatoes, but I don't know that it will happen. We
usually try to make some breads and bring cheeses, pickles and jams to
take to the NICU where Elijah was, since we got to be recipients of
their holiday work, we try to bring things to them on holidays. They
seem to appreciate more savory foods, since they get all sorts of
candies and cookies and sweets from other people. It also gives them a
chance to see how well Elijah is doing and we like visiting with them
for a couple minutes, since we are so thankful. Anyway, since we do
that in between church and the potluck, I don't think I'll be making
mashed potatoes, but if we have time, we can make it there.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

"Damsel in dis Dress" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Then Jill's Turkey Cottage Pie for Christmas Day. Our peas have been
used as an injury treatment cold pack, so we're going to use corn
instead.

For other leftovers:
I think I'll make turkey and dumplings for Crash instead of soup. The
dark meat will be shredded, heated in barbecue sauce, and served as
pseudo barbecue beef sandwiches. Turkey fried rice is likely, and I'd
like to grind some of the thigh meat before cooking the turkey so I
can make Maria's meatball soup.

Carol
--

We're starting the day with bagels (God, I hope I can find some good ones!),
cream cheese, smoked salmon we received from Alaska, capers and slivered
onions. In the afternoon/evening, we're doing swiss cheese fondue with a
good, sturdy Italian bread (hope I can find that, too). We'll most likely
have a mixed green salad as well.

Our local Publix grocery store sells Lindsay Green Ripe Select Homestyle
Cured olives in a can, that are buttery and so much sweeter than black
olives so we picked some up for snacks for Xmas. If you folks see these in
your grocery store, get them! They're absolutely amazing. Oh, maybe we'll
do boiled peanuts, too.

We're going to keep it simple and light, but I'm sure much beer and whiskey
will be consumed. :~)

kili

In article <[email hidden]>,

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Then Jill's Turkey Cottage Pie for Christmas Day. Our peas have been
used as an injury treatment cold pack, so we're going to use corn
instead.

For other leftovers:
I think I'll make turkey and dumplings for Crash instead of soup. The
dark meat will be shredded, heated in barbecue sauce, and served as
pseudo barbecue beef sandwiches. Turkey fried rice is likely, and I'd
like to grind some of the thigh meat before cooking the turkey so I
can make Maria's meatball soup.

Carol

Lasagna (with hamburger, hot italian sausage, and venison burger)
Green Salad
Fresh Bread

Texas Brownies for dessert.

Amy

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

We will do Christmas Eve dinner as well. A collection of favorites
more than a serious try at all the balances a real banquet
accomplishes. Three starters that can be largely done ahead followed
by a festive soup:

Cold Asparagus Salad (with soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil)
Shrimp Balls, served with plum sauce and mustard sauce for dipping
Scallion Pancakes
Jade Soup [chicken stock, spinach, stiff egg whites]

Main Courses and vegetable:
Chinese Roast Duck with Mandarin Pancakes [bought]
Steamed Fish, Cantonese Style
Shanghai Bok Choy with Chinese Mushrooms and Oyster Sauce
Jasmine Rice

Dessert will be Key Lime Pie, tea will be Pu Er with Chrysanthemum.
Wine is likely to be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Or maybe a
Gewurztramminer. -aem

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Then Jill's Turkey Cottage Pie for Christmas Day. Our peas have been
used as an injury treatment cold pack, so we're going to use corn
instead.

For other leftovers:
I think I'll make turkey and dumplings for Crash instead of soup. The
dark meat will be shredded, heated in barbecue sauce, and served as
pseudo barbecue beef sandwiches. Turkey fried rice is likely, and I'd
like to grind some of the thigh meat before cooking the turkey so I
can make Maria's meatball soup.

Carol

We are having dinner at my SIL's. Ham, biscuits, green salad, my
husband's grandmother's potato salad that I have been entrusted to make,
maybe green beans or some other green veggie if she gets around to
it. She usually orders some pies; I'm making butter cookies and
gingerbread men for dessert. I was thinking of making a trifle, but I'm
not sure if anyone would eat it (this is a culinarily unadventurous bunch)

--

saerah

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

sarah bennett said:

Damsel in dis Dress said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

Then Jill's Turkey Cottage Pie for Christmas Day. Our peas have been
used as an injury treatment cold pack, so we're going to use corn
instead.

For other leftovers:
I think I'll make turkey and dumplings for Crash instead of soup. The
dark meat will be shredded, heated in barbecue sauce, and served as
pseudo barbecue beef sandwiches. Turkey fried rice is likely, and I'd
like to grind some of the thigh meat before cooking the turkey so I
can make Maria's meatball soup.

Carol

We are having dinner at my SIL's. Ham, biscuits, green salad, my
husband's grandmother's potato salad that I have been entrusted to make,
maybe green beans or some other green veggie if she gets around to it.
She usually orders some pies; I'm making butter cookies and gingerbread
men for dessert. I was thinking of making a trifle, but I'm not sure if
anyone would eat it (this is a culinarily unadventurous bunch)

I generally make a ham-and-bean soup with the bone, and omelettes with
any leftover ham my SIL sends us home with.

--

saerah

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

That'll be *two* Christmas menus, thank you (family feud - don't ask,
I refuse to be involved).

One for 8 people.
Appetizer: Foie gras roti (it's a special kind of foie gras terrine,
actually), smoked salmon marinated in cream and dill (for those who
don't like foie gras)
Main dish: chicken with Vin Jaune and morrels, and probably white rice
to go with it.
Dessert: Christmas pudding (brought back from England) with crème
anglaise

One the next evening for 10 or 11 people.
Appetizer: Foie gras aux fruits secs (another terrine), smoked salmon
parcels with avocado mousse (again, for those who don't like foie
gras...)
Main dish: Probably suckling pig, roasted. I have to find a recipe for
that yet. Tentatively thinking of red cabbage to go with it.
Dessert: Christmas pudding (another one, also brought back from
England), can I serve it with something else than crème anglaise?

Wish me two merry days in the kitchen!

Nathalie in Switzerland

I have no idea yet what the Christmas dinner menu will
be, except that (a) it will be at my sister-in-law's in Dallas,
and (b) I've volunteered to assist with the cooking, primarily
in self-defense....:-)

Bob M.

"Damsel in dis Dress" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It'll be just us two for Christmas this year. We're going to have
turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Christmas Eve. There
will be Sour Cream Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pecan Pie for dessert.

For the first time, we have eliminated turkey from christmas dinner, on the
grounds that nobody is *that* fond of turkey anyway. I then foolishly said
that I might as well cook what people *do* like, which means the prospective
menu reads like a chaotic potluck, rather than any kind of organised,
gourmet event 🙁

So far we have - baked ham (my mum's recipe) roast pork (loin or leg,
depending what my butcher recommends) and roast topside of beef. After that,
it all goes downhill. Roast and mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, baked sweet
potatoes with bourbon and orange juice, cauli, broccoli and green beans in a
two-cheese sauce, glazed carrots, yorkshire puddings, bacon-wrapped sausage,
three stuffings (which aren't actually stuffed into anything), gravy, apple
sauce, wholegrain mustard and horseradish. Followed by my mince pies, mum's
sherry trifle, and a christmas cake which I haven't actually made, but will
attempt to almond-paste and ice by hand. That'll be an entertainment in
itself.

The leftovers will be cold meats, assorted salads and pickles, and a
cheeseboard - and a *real* cottage pie for once, if I manage to salvage
enough of the beef.

Of course, if I forget to book time off work, we might end up with
egg'n'chips ....

Jani

Ranee Mueller said:

We
usually try to make some breads and bring cheeses, pickles and jams to
take to the NICU where Elijah was, since we got to be recipients of
their holiday work, we try to bring things to them on holidays. They
seem to appreciate more savory foods, since they get all sorts of
candies and cookies and sweets from other people.

I agree on the savory foods!!!

I work in a NICU, and believe me, you are so right about us getting so
many sweets. By the time New Years rolls around, I am sick of
sweets!

And yes, it is very much a treat for us NICU nurses to see our old
patients, and see how they have progressed. Makes it all worthwhile.
Christine

Jani said:

So far we have - baked ham (my mum's recipe) roast pork (loin or leg,
depending what my butcher recommends) and roast topside of beef. After that,
it all goes downhill. Roast and mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, baked sweet
potatoes with bourbon and orange juice, cauli, broccoli and green beans in a
two-cheese sauce, glazed carrots, yorkshire puddings, bacon-wrapped sausage,
three stuffings (which aren't actually stuffed into anything), gravy, apple
sauce, wholegrain mustard and horseradish. Followed by my mince pies, mum's
sherry trifle, and a christmas cake which I haven't actually made, but will
attempt to almond-paste and ice by hand. That'll be an entertainment in
itself.

Sounds MORE like a christmas dinner than some boring old turkey anyway!!!
I wish I could share it with you, sounds lovely!
Goomba

I did Thanksgiving for 24 by myself this year and loved it. I'm
waiting to find out any day now if I am doing Christmas Eve or if it
will be shared by another family member. If I have it here, this will
likely be the menu:
Appetizers = Spicy Sausage Breads and Cool Cucumber Sandies
Dinner = Honey and Brown Sugar Ham, Roasted Garlic Mashed
Potatoes, Homemade Noodles, Wrapped Asparagus Bundles with Bacon and
Sauce, Roasted Carrots with Shallots and Almonds, Corn Pudding, 7 layer
Salad, Stuffing (technically dressing, I suppose) times two - cornbread
w/herbs & dried cherries and white bread oyster, thyme and garlic
popovers, and herbed breadmaker bread. (We looove our carbs!)
Dessert = Apple Pie (my favorite), Chocolate Fountain with
Fruits and Homemade Biscotti, Carrot Cake, and Key Lime [censored].

I'm getting hungry already!
Missy in Indiana