Holiday baking and other food prep

[BonitaApplebum]

Risotto is my favorite. I made a really easy one in the IP a few months ago, I can dig out the recipe if you are interested.

[rocketgirl]

Shrimp and risotto would be excellent. 

As long as you're carbing out and edging Cajun, a bourbon bread pudding is a great dessert.  I've used the Paula Dean bread pudding recipe with some modifications - and you can totally throw in most kinds of random bread - we've intermixed 1/2 Italian bread and 1/2 banana bread, for example when the boyfriend had made some banana bread that wasn't quite right.

[BonitaApplebum]

Shrimp and risotto would be excellent. 

As long as you're carbing out and edging Cajun, a bourbon bread pudding is a great dessert.  I've used the Paula Dean bread pudding recipe with some modifications - and you can totally throw in most kinds of random bread - we've intermixed 1/2 Italian bread and 1/2 banana bread, for example when the boyfriend had made some banana bread that wasn't quite right.

Oooh I have a banana bread in the freezer from when DH made a double batch. I bet a banana bread bread pudding would be amazing.

[ihop]

I haven't even gotten to dessert yet!  Or Christmas breakfast...or Christmas dinner.  Oy!

[caribougrrl]

I haven't even gotten to dessert yet!  Or Christmas breakfast...or Christmas dinner.  Oy!

I am making a ricotta-based semifreddo for dessert, with shaved dark chocolate and candied peel in it.

I'm having carpal tunnel surgery on Dec 22nd, so I am trying to do what can be done ahead of time ahead of time. That means this weekend I have to dig up horseradish to prepare, figure out a good way to do a make-ahead beef gravy or jus or some kind of good sauce for roast beef. On Christmas day, Susie will have to do all the cooking but we're trying to keep it easy. Prime rib roast, roasted potatoes, green beans, yorkshire puddings... mushrooms au vin for the vegetarians. She wants to do a first course of some sort, but can't decide what. I offered to make a carrot-ginger soup but she said, "it's not 1995 anymore".

[BonitaApplebum]

I am making a ricotta-based semifreddo for dessert, with shaved dark chocolate and candied peel in it.

I'm having carpal tunnel surgery on Dec 22nd, so I am trying to do what can be done ahead of time ahead of time. That means this weekend I have to dig up horseradish to prepare, figure out a good way to do a make-ahead beef gravy or jus or some kind of good sauce for roast beef. On Christmas day, Susie will have to do all the cooking but we're trying to keep it easy. Prime rib roast, roasted potatoes, green beans, yorkshire puddings... mushrooms au vin for the vegetarians. She wants to do a first course of some sort, but can't decide what. I offered to make a carrot-ginger soup but she said, "it's not 1995 anymore".

Bummer about the carpal tunnel, bou! Hope it's not going to be a lot of downtime for you.

My first course for the holidays is often a seafood bisque type of thing. I also have a good cold shimp/calimari/scallop salad people like a lot.

[caribougrrl]

Bummer about the carpal tunnel, bou! Hope it's not going to be a lot of downtime for you.

My first course for the holidays is often a seafood bisque type of thing. I also have a good cold shimp/calimari/scallop salad people like a lot.

thanks... from what I've heard, I am optimistic I'll be back at work a couple of weeks post-surgery... the symptoms were very manageable for about 6 years, but have become really bad... I can only use my computer mouse for a few seconds at a time without pain, I get strong electric pulses in my palm when I turn doorknobs, I am constantly dropping stuff if I'm trying to hold it in my right hand (I just can't keep a grip)... so it's definitely time to try surgery. I'll probably regret having not done it sooner, but I can't fix that now!

[BonitaApplebum]

thanks... from what I've heard, I am optimistic I'll be back at work a couple of weeks post-surgery... the symptoms were very manageable for about 6 years, but have become really bad... I can only use my computer mouse for a few seconds at a time without pain, I get strong electric pulses in my palm when I turn doorknobs, I am constantly dropping stuff if I'm trying to hold it in my right hand (I just can't keep a grip)... so it's definitely time to try surgery. I'll probably regret having not done it sooner, but I can't fix that now!

Yikes! Glad you’re getting it taken care of.

[ihop]

Yikes boo! 

I think I might try a grouper something or other for main course on Christmas eve.  Local and fresh.  Something different.

Dessert might be la bete noire.  I haven't made one in a long time.

Christmas might be steaks of some sort - just received a shipment from Snake River Farms - not sure what DH ordered.

DD has been asking for a charcuterie board so maybe that on Christmas too. 

Thanks for the ideas!

[DocBuzzkill]

Yikes boo! 

I think I might try a grouper something or other for main course on Christmas eve.  Local and fresh.  Something different.

Dessert might be la bete noire.  I haven't made one in a long time.

Christmas might be steaks of some sort - just received a shipment from Snake River Farms - not sure what DH ordered.

DD has been asking for a charcuterie board so maybe that on Christmas too. 

Thanks for the ideas!

I love grouper!   I make a point of dining on grouper, hogfish, and red snapper when I am in FL.

Our traditional Xmas Eve dinner is a creamy fish chowder made with North Atlantic cod and pecan-sweet potato pie for dessert. For years we had rack of lamb for Xmas dinner, but a few years ago, we switched over to beef roast (either a rib roast or sirloin roast) because we like leftovers.  Hard to have those with rack of lamb!

[merigayle]

The only thing I know I am making is a Yule Log 

[diablita]

I'm ordering ingredients for potato latkes this morning.  DD likes sour cream with hers and I like applesauce, so will have both.

[merigayle]

Latkes tomorrow, i have so many potatoes from the CSA still!

[BonitaApplebum]

I love latkes!!!

[ihop]

I love latkes!!!

Me too!

Doc - Lamb is for Easter in our house!  Food traditions galore here!   

[merigayle]

I think a vegetarian Wellington for xmas dinner.

[Rejaneration]

Tis the season for cooking!

My DD is dating a Jewish guy who is estranged from his mother, so we had a Hanukkah dinner last night.  First time I have ever prepared this food but it turned out well.
We had latkes with sour cream and chives and lox as an appetizer
Brisket
Roasted potatoes
Noodle kugel (!)
salad
Donut holes with chocolate drizzle.

Now, on the Christmas.  We are doing a graze day where the table continually refreshes.
So far
codfish cakes
deviled eggs
latkes with lox
Some type of roast
and I don't know what else.

What are you doing?

[DocBuzzkill]

Me too!

Doc - Lamb is for Easter in our house!  Food traditions galore here!   

Oooh, same for us.  Leg of lamb, preferably grilled if it's not snowing (hey, it's Massachusetts in spring) for Easter, and now rack of lamb (Julia Child's recipe) for New Year's Eve. 

I love reading about everyone's holiday food traditions here!

[witchypoo]

xmas eve is always trader joe's apps and bubbly

xmas this year will be mushroom lasagna, green salad, crusty bread, and probably poached pears

i can't muster the energy to plan anything else

[diablita]

I'll be at witchy's for Christmas

Jan, your meal sounds wonderful and so nice of you to put that together.  What was the noodle kugel like?  sweet?  with raisins and cinnamon or w/o?