Christmas Dinner

[AmyAmyAmy]

What are you having? It's just the two of us, not sure if we'll do something elaborate.

[seattlegirl]

I believe it's going to be just the two of us, as well.   We haven't talked about it yet, but I'm going to suggest we make a nice salmon dinner, perhaps with some wild rice.

[merigayle]

It will be the three of us. I am really not sure.

[AmyAmyAmy]

I'm kinda thinking fried chicken.

[rocketgirl]

I'm going to try to have my brother and his kids over.  And grill steaks.

[AmyAmyAmy]

I'm going to try to have my brother and his kids over.  And grill steaks.

Mmm that sounds good too!

[JBM]

I do Christmas Eve dinner with my parents - they come to me and I cook. I am making a roast chicken, roasted asparagus and sweet potatoes, I think. A salad and there will be cookies and something else for dessert. I am starting my planning. I did the chicken last year and it was awesome, so I suggested it again.

We started this a few years ago because it was rather depressing (for me) to go to them on Xmas Eve all alone, we eat early and then stare at each other and by 8 I need to go home. This way I can drink more wine.

[nadra24]

My family has never done a big meal on Christmas.  After all the holiday preparations, my mom doesn't want to cook anything.  We have sandwiches.  When we were little, my dad called them "discovery sandwiches" and he'd buy different kinds of bread, sliced meat and cheese from the deli, and various different spreads and fillings to make fancy sandwiches.  As kids we still just stuck with ham and cheddar on wonder bread, but he got all excited to be able to have pastrami and swiss on rye, or whatever.

[fancypants]

Christmas Eve dinner is at our house and I've gotten as far as beer cheese in a loaf of rye bread, raspberry pie, key lime pie and cookies. I'm going to have to think of some other things.

[seattlegirl]

Christmas Eve dinner is at our house and I've gotten as far as beer cheese in a loaf of rye bread, raspberry pie, key lime pie and cookies. I'm going to have to think of some other things.

Why?

I mean, beer, cheese, and pie pretty much cover my basic food groups.

[diablita]

My family has never done a big meal on Christmas.  After all the holiday preparations, my mom doesn't want to cook anything.  We have sandwiches.  When we were little, my dad called them "discovery sandwiches" and he'd buy different kinds of bread, sliced meat and cheese from the deli, and various different spreads and fillings to make fancy sandwiches.  As kids we still just stuck with ham and cheddar on wonder bread, but he got all excited to be able to have pastrami and swiss on rye, or whatever.

I like this!

[srsly]

We'll be in the new house so I have to be careful with planning to make sure I have all my kitchen doo-dads in there to make a nice Christmas Eve dinner for my two kids and me. So it will be a simple roasted breast of duck, frisee salad, and some kind of pilaf, maybe some brownies. Breakfast will be the usual mimosa and corned beef hash and biscuits.  DH is coming home from a trip Christmas morning. We might have sliders of left over duck breast. For dinner is prime rib and potatoes au gratin, and a simple sauteed green beans and carrots.

Amy I like the fried chicken idea. I sometimes go to KFC and freeze an 8 piece bucket for one of those just in case I get the "lazies." I pop them in the oven and make a simple side or grab a bag of salad greens to go with a nice bottle of chard.

[caribougrrl]

xmas eve dinner: smoked char in vodka rose sauce on pasta

brunch: baked eggs, fruit salad

dinner:
roast duck... considering caraway roasted or slow-cooked with olives, but maybe something different altogether
Moroccan-spiced pie http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2295/moroccan-spiced-pie
salad
semifreddo

[witchypoo]

xmas eve : wild mushroom lasagna and a salad
xmas day : leg of lamb (coated with harissa), sweet potato latkes, chopped salad, fougasse w/olives

[ihop]

I have no idea and this thread is making me panic!

Shrimp and grits for Christmas Eve.  Maybe a salad?  It is just the three of us.

MIL, BIL and GMIL arrive on Christmas Day so maybe ham, scalloped potatoes, and ?  Veggie of some sort?  Pie or cake?

I need to get to work on this!

[fancypants]

I have no idea and this thread is making me panic!

Shrimp and grits for Christmas Eve.  Maybe a salad?  It is just the three of us.

MIL, BIL and GMIL arrive on Christmas Day so maybe ham, scalloped potatoes, and ?  Veggie of some sort?  Pie or cake?

I need to get to work on this!

Shrimp and grits!  That's a great idea!

[merigayle]

So, DH is on call for work the week of Xmas, so there is a chance he may not even be around. I am half tempted to make a reservation at the vegan restaurant. I am not sure if we ever went for Xmas but we have gone for Thanksgiving and it was a hoot. DH is not a fan though.

[redkitty]

I want New York strip. We have done that the last two years, so no reason not to this year

[teetime]

We are hosting xmas eve so I know the menu better than xmas day. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/aleppo-pepper-roasted-pork-with-shallot-vinaigrette which my DH is taking the lead on, braised carrots and roasted broccoli , a salad with craisins, blue cheese, and candied pecans if I don't burn them. Some dessert and some smoked dips I'll make for an app. I think we'll just buy good bakery bread for a carb. I want to make a bourbon cider cocktail but I think my DH will get twitchy if he's not in charge of booze.

Xmas is standing rib roast, green beans, scalloped potatoes and veggies my sister is making (she said she'll do fewer dishes this year but I doubt it). Flourless chocolate cake for dessert. She'll probably do a nice brunch too (our traditional as kids was citrus salad, big shrimp with cocktail sauce, cheeses, etc.

[CheryG]

Roast duck here as well, if I can find a duck.  Not sure what else.  Am also trying to find jamon serrano.

[diablita]

we'll be in South Florida this year on Christmas Eve/Day so will be able to dine anywhere we want, not just at the one or two Chinese restaurants in Asheville that stay open

[merigayle]

Dh ok'ed going to the vegan place, if i can get a reservation

[merigayle]

Reservations made!

[wherestheportojohn]

Christmas Eve at my mom's: grilled tenderloin steaks, lovingly wrapped in bacon. Baked potatoes, onion pie, roasted delicata squash, garden salad, beer, wine, holiday cookies for dessert.

Christmas Day here: low key/not much (long story involving my MIL) I'm advance prepping everything, which will include bbq pulled pork, crusty rolls, some sort of side, holiday cookies.

[Ice Cream]

We are not doing anything different from any other day.

[AmyAmyAmy]

We'll be in the new house so I have to be careful with planning to make sure I have all my kitchen doo-dads in there to make a nice Christmas Eve dinner for my two kids and me. So it will be a simple roasted breast of duck, frisee salad, and some kind of pilaf, maybe some brownies. Breakfast will be the usual mimosa and corned beef hash and biscuits.  DH is coming home from a trip Christmas morning. We might have sliders of left over duck breast. For dinner is prime rib and potatoes au gratin, and a simple sauteed green beans and carrots.

Amy I like the fried chicken idea. I sometimes go to KFC and freeze an 8 piece bucket for one of those just in case I get the "lazies." I pop them in the oven and make a simple side or grab a bag of salad greens to go with a nice bottle of chard.

This is a brilliant idea. 

[RFS]

We traditionally do Raw Oysters, King crab, asparagus and red potatoes with garlic & dill but since we're doing a huge seafood boil for our dog show friends over the New Year weekend, I think we'll stick with Roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, veggies(?) and rolls. Oh and a chocolate pretzel tart that I found in Food & Wine. 

[rocketgirl]

Ok, NOT steak.  I am making lasagna.

[srsly]

This is a brilliant idea. 

I would make fried chicken every week if I weren't so lazy! It's really good with salad.

BTW, I found a whole duck in Safeway today. It's $2.99 per lb, and I got a 4 lb bird. I hope it's enough for me and the kids. I also bought my 5lb prime rib for our Christmas dinner.

There's so much cooking to do!

[AmyAmyAmy]

I decided to roast a chicken. We'll have risotto green beans, bread and maybe biscuits too cause it's a holiday.

[CheryG]

Not duck.  Ham. 

[RioG]

tonight we're doing homemade pizza.  tomorrow morning homemade cinnamon buns. tomorrow night a happy turkey, boxing day a happy chicken and ham.

so. many. leftovers.   this is all happening at our house.

[merigayle]

We went to the vegan buffet and I ate my money's worth It was soooooooooo good. And so much was GF so i was really happy and well fed. I made cinnamon buns (vegan and GF) and they are rising now on the counter and i will put them in the fridge til tomorrow. I hope they turn out ok.

[siamesedream]

Roasted Pork
Twice baked potatoes
salad

Chocolate Trifle
Non-alcoholic wine(for me)

[merigayle]

Roasted Pork
Twice baked potatoes
salad

Chocolate Trifle
Non-alcoholic wine(for me)

grape juice?

[siamesedream]

grape juice?

Virtually, 

[merigayle]

Grape juice is cheaper I buy the sparkling juices for our parties.

[siamesedream]

Grape juice is cheaper I buy the sparkling juices for our parties.

  

[Bylo Selheigh]

Quaducant, glazed carrots, green salad and a fancy cream pie.

https://www.cajungrocer.com/qua-duc-ant-quail-duck-pheasant-909.html
This product is our Quaducant. It's breast meat of a quail stuffed with breast meat from a duck and then stuffed into a semi-boneless pheasant. We stuff the middle with our delicious creole sausage.

[nadra24]

My brother cooked a turkey on Christmas Eve which was amazing.  On Christmas we made snowman shaped pizzas.

[Dagstag v 2.0]

Pork crown roast, rice casserole, creamed corn (surprisingly delicious, I don't even like corn that much), candied yams, roasted tiny carrots with dill. Rolls with butter.
For dessert, a caramel pie with meringue and SO's mom's amazing cherry pie that has a layer of sweet almond paste at the bottom.

[sweetie darling]

I made (I think it was) Lily's recipe for brisket and it.was.great!! I can't believe I haven't made brisket in all these years. Lots of other kinds of roasts, but not brisket in the oven. I made close to an 8 lb'er for 4 adults. My two nephews ate the majority, killing it off the next day in sandwiches. I was hoping for more leftovers but as it happened, I saw a sale at a local store, so I went and bought 2 more briskets the day after Christmas. One I froze and the other I made to eat and freeze already cooked (nephews are gone). The 2nd attempt I played with the recipe, adding Porcini mushrooms, beef base and red wine. I'll reheat it today and get a better idea of how the changes helped or not.

I also made a kale salad, twice-baked horseradish & cheddar potatoes, and browned-butter string beans.

[caribougrrl]

so, the label on the frozen duck says "thaw in refrigerator overnight, or 2 hours in cold water"

being distrustful, I took the duck out of the freezer 3 days before Christmas... on Christmas Eve, I poked at the duck to find it was still frozen solid!  so I filled the sink with water, stuck the duck in it and went to bed... in the morning, the duck was squishy, so, much gladdened, I stuck it in the fridge

at 1 pm, I took the duck out to find that the fatty layer on the outside was thawed, but the center was still frozen solid... so the duck sat under cold running water for 3 hours before I finally let go and admitted defeat.

we had a lovely meal of vegetable/chickpea pie and fatoosh


I cooked the duck on Saturday, and it was fcking delicious.

[srsly]

so, the label on the frozen duck says "thaw in refrigerator overnight, or 2 hours in cold water"

being distrustful, I took the duck out of the freezer 3 days before Christmas... on Christmas Eve, I poked at the duck to find it was still frozen solid!  so I filled the sink with water, stuck the duck in it and went to bed... in the morning, the duck was squishy, so, much gladdened, I stuck it in the fridge

at 1 pm, I took the duck out to find that the fatty layer on the outside was thawed, but the center was still frozen solid... so the duck sat under cold running water for 3 hours before I finally let go and admitted defeat.

we had a lovely meal of vegetable/chickpea pie and fatoosh


I cooked the duck on Saturday, and it was fcking delicious.

Oh no. I risk salmonella poisoning by soaking our duck in warm water all.day.long. Then the recipe I found online suggested that I leave the duck on a roasting pan all day to dry out the skin and brought to room temp. I roasted it for longer than the recommended roasting time. No one got sick from it. I will do duck for next year's Thanksgiving. It's by far more delicious than turkey.



Here's my first Yule log made with a package of cookie mix that I had to improvise into a sheet cake filled with my pumpkin macaron filling. Got rave reviews for it:

[Run Amok]

My dad made this for dinner-- it was yummy! It's something I never would have made-- because it sounds like it will not be that great. But, it was actually terrific!

[diablita]

Mags, that's a lovely cake but why did you choose to use a mix?  I make "pionono" (the name for roll cakes in Peru) ALL the time and can suggest some different cake bases for next time if you'd like.

[srsly]

Mags, that's a lovely cake but why did you choose to use a mix?  I make "pionono" (the name for roll cakes in Peru) ALL the time and can suggest some different cake bases for next time if you'd like.

We call it ¨pianono¨as in ¨piano¨. And I don´t know if it´s true, but I was told that the reason for calling it such was that the process of rolling the cake is like playing the piano. LOL!

I used a bag of cookie mix because my son brought it last Thanksgiving with the intention of making the pumpkin cookies for everyone but he got held up in traffic and got in very late. Then I hogged the oven all day long. Anyway, I decided to use the mix because I didn´t want to wait til next year to use it. I went all ¨Chopped¨on it and turned it into a cake roll. So happens that I have some macaron fillings that was left over from my fall flavors so I used it as filling. It came out really good.

I would love to make this gluten free and thought of using your almond cake recipe next time I make a roll cake. I´d certainly be thrilled to learn of other types of cakes to use for this. Thanks!!