Christmas Menus

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Whenever we talk about holiday menus and recipes my heart still hurts that Arete is no longer with us.  But as much as she loved these discussions I know she would want them to continue.

I'll post my Christmas menu and hope everyone else does too as I'm looking for something new and fun to add to ours.

Apps:

• Crudite
• Cheese/cracker tray (including Chicken in a Biscuit - judge away)
• Brauschwieger on cocktail rye
• Spinach Dip
• Crab puffs
• Devilled eggs (picnic eggs to the Maxwells, Hi Steve!)

Dinner:

• Turkey
• Roast beef
• Candied mashed sweet potatoes
• Mashed potatoes
• Turkey and beef gravy
• Crescent rolls
• Canned cranberry jelly
• Homemade whole cranberry sauce
• German stuffing/dressing (roughly based on leberknoedel)
• American stuffing/dressing
• Mushroom pierogis
• Cheese pierogis
• Green bean casserole (for my daughter's BF, I'm still trying to get it right)
• Canned asparagus (I know!  But my daughter loves it so much I had to hide the cans since she was a kid otherwise she'd sneak them before the holiday)
• Irish butter as an accompaniment

Dessert:  (I've let myself off the hook for homemade pie)

• Pumpkin pie - Baker's Square
• Cherry pie - Baker's square
• Pecan Pie - Mrs. Smith
• Homemade kolachkis since my daughter just ate her first piece of pie this past Thanksgiving I always have to have a non-pie option)

Beverages:

• Water
• Flavored water for Vodka
• Iced Tea
• Wine
• Beer
• Coffee
• Cocoa

And way too many cookies and cranberry muffins hanging around.

Please share yours!!

 

 

[Destiny]

B, you are so organized. I am actually having a guest for christmas and still zero idea of what we are going to make.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, Destiny said:

B, you are so organized. I am actually having a guest for christmas and still zero idea of what we are going to make.

Whatever you make will be fabulous - I have no doubt.

Some people do fish.  

[Destiny]

12 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Whatever you make will be fabulous - I have no doubt.

Some people do fish.  

Oh, I have plenty of doubt. You say that because you've never been subjected to my cooking.

I think we might end up doing salmon, but that's still a gigantic ????

[HerNameIsBuffy]

6 minutes ago, Destiny said:

Oh, I have plenty of doubt. You say that because you've never been subjected to my cooking.

I think we might end up doing salmon, but that's still a gigantic ????

I have never cooked salmon.  I have a fabulous recipe for swordfish, which works beautifully with all white fish, but salmon is a whole different flavor profile.

[Destiny]

2 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I have never cooked salmon.  I have a fabulous recipe for swordfish, which works beautifully with all white fish, but salmon is a whole different flavor profile.

Share? I was thinking of trying to make something different too. I don't know. I might just go to the grocery store while hungry and wait for something to sound amazing.

[Coconut Flan]

I shall have whatever my daughters decide to make.  I'm sure they've already planned everything.  There are advantages to age after all.  ?

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, Destiny said:

Share? I was thinking of trying to make something different too. I don't know. I might just go to the grocery store while hungry and wait for something to sound amazing.

It's shamefully easy.  Take baking dish with sides and on bottom pour large can diced tomatoes (don't drain, you want the juice too) until it's about 1/4 to 1/2' layer.  Add in 1-2 tsp minced garlic (I like it garlicky so I'm heavy handed, but to taste)

Rub the fish with a little olive oil and salt and pepper both sides.  

Lay the fish on bed of tomatoes and sprinkle paprika generously over the top.

Cover with another can of diced tomatoes (you want to smother the fish.)

Cover dish with aluminum foil tightly so fish will be more poached than baked and cook in 400 degree oven for 10 min per inch of thickness.  

Be gentle when you remove the fish so they don't break, sprinkle lightly with a little more paprika so it looks pretty with a few lemon slices, tomatoes I serve on the side over rice, and I usually serve with spinach to give the plate some color.

The only fish I don't love this method with is catfish as they are very oily and it makes the tomatoes kind of heavy.  

 

[samurai_sarah]

I'm doing fresh salmon this year. Not much to it. A sprinkle of pepper, a little salt - per taste- and enjoy.

[Bethella]

After a trip to the grocery store this afternoon, we're having prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli with hollandaise. Dessert will be pound cake with raspberries and whipped cream. 

Breakfast is going to be Nutella coffeecake from a local bakery.

[Maggie Mae]

I don't know how long ago we started this "tradition" but we always have beef wellington on Christmas. This year it almost didn't happen, due to the fact that the butcher didn't have tenderloin (and he was MEAN about it). Seriously, I almost went full Karen. Instead I just left and went to Costco. Sometimes you can't buy local. 

I'm thinking about pairing it with yorkshire puddings and asparagus, if there is any left tomorrow. (I can't buy vegetables in advance here.) 

It might not even happen, though, we were invited to a Christmas Brunch so we probably won't be hungry after that.  

I do not make my own puff pastry. 

 

[Bethella]

Just to make you jealous, here’s our Nutella coffee cake for Christmas morning. 

[Kailash]

Our entirely random menu: 

elk (husband’s choice), ham, gouda mac and cheese, rolls, mashed potatoes, corn, and dressing

White cake with chocolate frosting 

 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

On ‎12‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 4:42 PM, Bethella said:

Just to make you jealous, here’s our Nutella coffee cake for Christmas morning. 

Is that as flaky as it looks?  Yum!

[Bethella]

2 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Is that as flaky as it looks?  Yum!

Not quite, it was a little more cake-like than flaky. But it was delicious, the Nutella filling went all the way to the edge.

[MarblesMom]

I hosted Christmas Eve feast.  I made a large Lobster Mac n Cheese (the Ina Garten version), decadent.  I also made Chili Cornbread Pie.  I also made Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (roasted in the oven).  We had an ice cream sundae bar and cupcakes and cookies for dessert.  I fed 7 adults - there is a tiny portion of the mac n cheese left.   Bacon and french toast for the following breakfast.