ndannie
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Post by ndannie on Dec 14, 2017 15:39:28 GMT -5
Hello I have followed these boards throughout the years; I just don't post much. I'm hoping you all can give me some inspiration! (And I apologize if this has already been posted this year...) What are your Christmas menu ideas this year? This is our first year as a family of three...and the first year hosting my in-laws for the holiday.. so I'm trying to think of something good, but relatively simple. And maybe even something my little family can continue every year, if we all like it. So...what are you making? Suggestions are welcome as well! Thanks, all!
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Dec 14, 2017 15:57:29 GMT -5
We do basically a repeat of Thanksgiving - Turkey, old family recipe stuffing goes in the turkey, something we call stuffing squares (a variation on the old family recipe NOT cooked in the turkey), mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, canned cranberry sauce (it's very important that it have the ridges from the can and be cut into round slices. and be served in a soup bowl). We also have green bean casserole, mashed rutabaga, rolls, corn, and a relish tray -these things are required to be on the table - but which no one eats.
If you are looking for something to continue every year - pick one or two recipes and focus on those and let all the other food offerings be ok to have or not have.
If you don't have a 'family recipe' stuffing to make - maybe do a variation on an "old standby": instead of boxed/plain mashed potatoes - make them from scratch (maybe add a bay leaf to the water) - or maybe add cream cheese or garlic or chives. Something you normally wouldn't serve for Sunday Dinner. Same thing with sweet potatoes - there are recipes that do NOT call for marshmallows or orange juice. Maybe use a bit of brown sugar or real maple syrup? You want the "Christmas" version of everyday stuff to be a little different.
I like making cranberry pear ginger sauce from scratch... it's easy and can be done the night before. No one else in my family will eat this - so I make it for me to enjoy with the leftovers. I also do like the canned cranberry sauce.
I recommend trying to avoid having the side dish that no one ever eats BUT MUST BE ON THE TABLE as a tradition. Just saying.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on Dec 14, 2017 16:04:26 GMT -5
I think I'll be making a standing rib roast this year with mashed potatoes, and corn from the freezer along with freshly made yeast rolls and some kind of dessert. I freeze corn each summer when it's at its best so that will be yummy.
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ndannie
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Post by ndannie on Dec 14, 2017 16:24:50 GMT -5
You guys are making my mouth water! Both of your meals sound good. Tiny - I do like your idea of just picking two dishes and sticking with that....my problem is picking the two dishes!!
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Dec 14, 2017 16:31:51 GMT -5
You guys are making my mouth water! Both of your meals sound good. Tiny - I do like your idea of just picking two dishes and sticking with that....my problem is picking the two dishes!! ndannnie-have you had the in-laws over for dinner before this upcoming Christmas? And if you did, what did you serve them and did they like it? If they liked it, prepare something similar at least when it comes to side dishes. You cannot go wrong with a roasted turkey, smoke ham, prime rib roast, or even a roasted leg of lamb.
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irishpad
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Post by irishpad on Dec 14, 2017 16:38:38 GMT -5
ndannie - are there any ethnic foods that would be a tradition for you or for your in-laws? If you in-laws have an ethnic food they like, you would gain major brownie points if you asked them what they liked and/or asked them to teach you how to do the dish. Never turn down a brownie point! (btw...... does the nd in your screen name stand for North Dakota? if so, I am nearby)
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 14, 2017 16:46:53 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking.
For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Dec 14, 2017 16:48:57 GMT -5
My uncle always did gumbo on Christmas Eve if he was in town. We usually rehash Thanksgiving and I so wish we would do anything else. I don't really like turkey that much.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Dec 14, 2017 16:52:09 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking. For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year. I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid.
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Happy prose
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Post by Happy prose on Dec 14, 2017 16:58:23 GMT -5
I keep Christmas so simple. I'm making stuffed shells and meatballs. I make the sauce and meatballs ahead of time. The shells I buy at Costco, and they're delicious. All I have to do is put them in a pan, cover with sauce, and put in oven. I started this when my daughter was small, because there's just so much activity on Christmas. Everyone likes them, so I continue.
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irishpad
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Post by irishpad on Dec 14, 2017 18:27:32 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking. For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year. I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. For this reason alone, I wish I was Italian! The one dish that is our family tradition is Oyster Stew. Yum! A few years ago I made Cioppino for the entire family. They loved it and the recipe has been shared multiple times. Use recipe from mother of a friend in the PNW.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Dec 14, 2017 18:29:08 GMT -5
We usually do a ham dinner and a turkey dinner. But my kids do not like ham. And we always like prime rib. For this year we will have to plan meals for 23, 24 and 25,plus leftovers.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 14, 2017 18:57:05 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking. For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year. I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. Nope. No Italian anywhere. Christmas Eve was my mom's birthday, and she adored seafood so regardless where we lived, seafood was Mom's choice of meal for her birthday. Luckily, we always lived in a place where you could easily get it. I just continued it once I left home.
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dee27
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Post by dee27 on Dec 14, 2017 19:10:34 GMT -5
Chicken Marsala, risotto, and a green vegetable (probably asparagus) with chocolate mousse for dessert
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 14, 2017 19:11:15 GMT -5
King crab legs.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Dec 14, 2017 19:19:43 GMT -5
Turkey, roast potatoes, roast green/orange veggies, and Vienetta icecream for dessert. No stuffing, gravy, or cranberry sauce. This has been my go to menu for years. However, this year I go to the menu (fly to Europe to celebrate with DS2 and his family) so I have no clue what we'll have. I may cook if needed --- DGS2 has some health issues so my help may be appreciated. But if not, I'll just enjoy myself and entertain the kiddos
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 14, 2017 19:31:02 GMT -5
First year hosting Christmas Eve dinner...we're keeping it pretty much the same as mom used to make so as to keep any complaining at a minimum (just a few small twists to accommodate dishes my wife and I like).
Ham, prep-ahead mashed potatoes (you make mashed potatoes, then add some stuff and bake them, my favorite dish my wife makes), green bean casserole, mom's noodles (she's making them) to go on the potatoes, creamed corn, rolls.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Dec 14, 2017 19:39:07 GMT -5
Well lol, I DO come from an Italian family, and the Christmas Eve tradition of 7 fishes lives on . These days we tend to potluck though, rather than have the host person or family stuck with all the cooking and all the expense.
That said, our holidays seem to be both fixed AND flexible. Thanksgiving is always turkey; Christmas Day, always a beef roast of some kind; New Years, spaghetti and meatballs (long noodles signifying good luck/a long life). Some times we bend the New Year's tradition a little and have lasagna (those noodles are long but they are not skinny ).
What DOES change from year to year are the side dishes. So we have the best of both worlds: tradition and experimentation.
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stillmovingforward
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Post by stillmovingforward on Dec 14, 2017 20:28:28 GMT -5
Christmas is always at my house. And I carry on my family tradition of cold cuts, cheese, crackers and good mustard and relishes. Buy ahead, grab cold cuts and sausages, and I'm done. I did tell the outlaws on thier first year, 'don't like it? The kitchen is that way! ' Nope, not thier favorite dil. My parents were both first responders. We never had fancy meals that involved prep because they'd both be gone within a few hours anyway.......ever......
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Post by empress of self-improvement on Dec 14, 2017 20:36:08 GMT -5
Probably leftover pizza. I'm working Christmas night and unless DH goes to his brother's, he'll want pizza. I may cook a ham for Christmas Eve but that will depend on how inspired, and awake, I feel.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Dec 14, 2017 21:50:55 GMT -5
Whatever my DIL and her sister put on the table. They don't let the moms get involved in any of the cooking - which in my case is a good thing. I just chow down on the vegetables and have never been disappointed.
Sorry no help in regards to you post.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Dec 14, 2017 22:05:29 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking. For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year. I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. 7 fishes. Lots of Italians in my part of NJ. Seafood and pasta. What do they stuff the squid with?
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Dec 14, 2017 22:09:18 GMT -5
I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. 7 fishes. Lots of Italians in my part of NJ. Seafood and pasta. What do they stuff the squid with? If I remember correctly, a crab and bread stuffing. But this is when I lived in Connecticut many years ago so I could be wrong on the crab. But it was good.
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andi9899
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Post by andi9899 on Dec 14, 2017 22:10:46 GMT -5
Usually we do Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, flautas, rice, potato salad, etc. This year mom said she wants to have ham and fried chicken. We'll probably make most of the same sides. Rice, potato salad, veggies etc.
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skubikky
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Post by skubikky on Dec 15, 2017 8:53:15 GMT -5
If I was going to be home Christmas, I'd be doing my prime rib, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, roasted asparagus and some sort of dessert. This year, I'll be at the IL's so no cooking. For Christmas Eve, it is tradition in my family to do some sort of seafood. When in NY, it'd be lobster, but in the PNW, I do king crab legs. I'll make a big Cesears salad and som sort of crusty bread to dip up the juices with. I've also done a shrimp boil in the past, or grilled salmon, but am feeling the crab legs more this year. I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. baccala, fried smelt, shrimp, linguine and clam sauce, fried calamari, fried eel, scungilli and squid salads....."i piatti più gustosi"
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Dec 15, 2017 9:38:42 GMT -5
I don't know if you are Italian, but many Italians had seafood on Christmas Eve. I often went to an Italian friend's home for Christmas Eve dinner and it was seafood. I especially liked the stuffed squid. baccala, fried smelt, shrimp, linguine and clam sauce, fried calamari, fried eel, scungilli and squid salads....."i piatti più gustosi" Delizioso.
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mollyanna58
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Post by mollyanna58 on Dec 15, 2017 11:53:32 GMT -5
Christmas Eve, we have cold cuts with a few hot items mixed in. Christmas Day, it will be prime rib with some kind of potatoes, vegetables, canned cranberry sauce, and rolls.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Dec 16, 2017 17:03:27 GMT -5
Hello I have followed these boards throughout the years; I just don't post much. I'm hoping you all can give me some inspiration! (And I apologize if this has already been posted this year...) What are your Christmas menu ideas this year? This is our first year as a family of three...and the first year hosting my in-laws for the holiday.. so I'm trying to think of something good, but relatively simple. And maybe even something my little family can continue every year, if we all like it. So...what are you making? Suggestions are welcome as well! Thanks, all! ndannie-saw this on MSN's home page. Maybe you can get some ideas from it. 40 Christmas Dinner Ideas That Rival What's Under the Tree
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 17, 2017 2:10:55 GMT -5
Christmas Eve is prime rib, ham, potato puff rolls (those do take some work, but they are dense and amazing and I could eat all the leftovers in one sitting, and will share the recipe if anyone wants), and a "pink" and "green" salad (jello salad with fruit, whipped cream, and some other stuff), baked or mashed potatoes, and some sweet potatoes and yams.
Christmas my dad always made omelets after we opened presents, and the rest of the day there was a cheese, meat, and cracker tray available, as well as a vegetable tray. If you wanted anything else, you were on your own.
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beergut
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Post by beergut on Dec 17, 2017 6:05:46 GMT -5
Hello I have followed these boards throughout the years; I just don't post much. I'm hoping you all can give me some inspiration! (And I apologize if this has already been posted this year...) What are your Christmas menu ideas this year? This is our first year as a family of three...and the first year hosting my in-laws for the holiday.. so I'm trying to think of something good, but relatively simple. And maybe even something my little family can continue every year, if we all like it. So...what are you making? Suggestions are welcome as well! Thanks, all! Growing up, we always had some main pasta dish (lasagna or stuffed shells) along with meatballs, and some other pasta and sauce on the side. Last year, I hosted Christmas dinner, and did a traditional 10-course meal for 19 people. For your sanity, I do not recommend doing that on your first year hosting your in-laws. Since this is your first year as a family of three, this is a great opportunity to start your own traditions. I know from visits to see relatives back East as a kid, one of their traditions was making gnocchi, which is labor-intensive enough to get the kids involved in the fun. I did it last year as the primo course, and it was a lot of fun for the 17YO. She was the only one among her friends who made pasta from scratch last Christmas. Making gnochhi can take 2-3 hours, though, because of the need to boil the potatoes, so you can do gnochetti, which is gnocchi-shaped pasta (my recipe and instructions are in the link). You could also make garganelli, which is hand-made penne pasta. If you don't want to do pasta, you can always do homemade bread. You can do two simple loaves of no-knead bread ( easy recipe here) , although prep time is 5 minutes to mix the dough, two hours to rise, 30 minutes baking in the oven, and 10 minutes to cool, so figure 3 hours? I made the linked recipe the other day without a mixer, just using a wooden spoon to mix the dough and then left it to rise, and it came out wonderful. If you plan on doing a soup course, the bread is a great accompaniment. Another option for a cooking tradition you can share is to make your desserts. You can do cakes or cookies or pies or even homemade ice cream. The point is to do something together that you all will like and that you can continue to do every year. For the main course of your meal, have something you know everyone is going to like but you're also going to be happy with eating as leftovers for the next few days. Prime rib is an idea, as is a honey-baked or smoked ham, or you can even do a whole pork shoulder (a very easy to follow recipe that takes 8-10 hours to make). You can do a whole chicken or a turkey, but as others have mentioned, some prefer turkey only be for Thanksgiving. The most important thing when hosting a meal is to make sure no one is ever hungry. If that means doing an appetizer like a charcuterie platter or fruits and cheeses or a vegetable platter while you put the final touches on the main courses in the kitchen, do it. Let people lounge around and graze while you cook. People may not remember everything about a meal you host, but they will always remember if they left full and happy. If they were never hungry during their visit, that's the first start toward making your event a success. A basic meal for me would be: Antipasto (appetizer): charcuterie platter or fruit/vegetable platter Primo (Soup or pasta course): gnochetti or pasta fagioli Secondo (main course or entree): ham or pork shoulder Insalata (salad): insalata caprese Dolce: (dessert): cookies/cake/pies Caffe: coffee Digestivo: (this is completely optional, but a tradition in my house) Limoncello Since you want simple as possible, I'd do a vegetable platter, serve a simple soup, serve a smoked ham you buy from a local barbecue place, serve a salad ( caprese insalata), then serve dessert and coffee, After dinner drinks are always welcome.
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