So... Christmas menus? Too early??
- Thread starter moyn
- Start date
amanda_pennsylvania
Well-known member
Never too early. smileys/smile.gif
Beef Tenderloin with Herb/Shallot Sauce (this is amazing!)
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Mashed Potatoes
Blue Hubbard Squash
English Trifle
Beef Tenderloin with Herb/Shallot Sauce (this is amazing!)
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Mashed Potatoes
Blue Hubbard Squash
English Trifle
cynupstateny
Well-known member
Just ordered a whole suckling pig. Not sure of sides yet.
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
I'll trade you some Mexican food for some suckling pig.
cynupstateny
Well-known member
Sounds good to me, Melissa!
cynupstateny
Well-known member
Is your recipe posted, Cathy?
dawn_mo
Well-known member
We usually have a variety of things, mostly whatever anyone wants to bring.
Last year for instance, we had:
Velveeta/Rotelle Dip
Layered Taco Dip
Tacquitos
Chicken Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Red Pork Chile
Refried Beans
Fideo
Chips and Salsa
Taco fixings
Pie
Everything is homemade. We serve flour and corn tortillas along with tortilla chips. We have a nice variety of salsas and hot sauces along with guac.
That is pretty much our main menu, but this year I am adding one of these; pupusas, tamale bites or tamale balls. I think my stepdaughter is bring carne asada meat. We vary the menu somewhat, but these are everyone's favorites.
Last year for instance, we had:
Velveeta/Rotelle Dip
Layered Taco Dip
Tacquitos
Chicken Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Red Pork Chile
Refried Beans
Fideo
Chips and Salsa
Taco fixings
Pie
Everything is homemade. We serve flour and corn tortillas along with tortilla chips. We have a nice variety of salsas and hot sauces along with guac.
That is pretty much our main menu, but this year I am adding one of these; pupusas, tamale bites or tamale balls. I think my stepdaughter is bring carne asada meat. We vary the menu somewhat, but these are everyone's favorites.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
We still do a mexican food feast on Christmas Eve. We started about 10 years ago...
...and we've only deviated once, with Chinese (go figure).
Typical menu:
Carnitas (with all the fixin's)
Chile Verde (Sandra in NY's recipe rocks!)
Albondigas (using broth from carnitas... oy!)
Red Pozole (Rick Bayless)
Mexican Rice
Red Pork Tamales (Rick Bayless)
Green Chile Chicken/Cheese Tamales(hybrid recipe)
Plus tons of appetizers, dips, etc.
Margaritas, wine, beer, and other goodies.
Most of the 'mains' can be made ahead, and the meal can be served buffet style very easily. The trick is for your guests not to fill up on appetizers before the main meal. Left overs freeze really well, or you can eat like a champ for a few days.
Michael
...and we've only deviated once, with Chinese (go figure).
Typical menu:
Carnitas (with all the fixin's)
Chile Verde (Sandra in NY's recipe rocks!)
Albondigas (using broth from carnitas... oy!)
Red Pozole (Rick Bayless)
Mexican Rice
Red Pork Tamales (Rick Bayless)
Green Chile Chicken/Cheese Tamales(hybrid recipe)
Plus tons of appetizers, dips, etc.
Margaritas, wine, beer, and other goodies.
Most of the 'mains' can be made ahead, and the meal can be served buffet style very easily. The trick is for your guests not to fill up on appetizers before the main meal. Left overs freeze really well, or you can eat like a champ for a few days.
Michael
Dawn, Michael, have you made Cheezz's Flan? Incredible!
http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=84910
http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=84910
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
We have a flan maker in our extended family, so no, I've never tried it.
Sandra's Chile Verde is so good. You won't be disappointed, I promise.
Michael
Sandra's Chile Verde is so good. You won't be disappointed, I promise.
Michael
REC Julia Child's French Onion Soup
Here it is- and worth every minute of time it takes to make:
JULIA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP
Plain Brown Beef Stock for about 2 quarts from Julia Child & More Company:
2 or more quarts sawed beef bones, including knuckles and some meaty scaps attached; plus veal and poultry bones, raw and/or cooked (my note: I use beef, chicken and pork)
2 large carrots, scrubbed and roughly sliced
3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
sufficient water to cover all ingredients
1 large leek, washed (optional)
3 celery ribs with leaves, washed
1 tb coarse or kosher salt (or table salt)
1 large herb bouquet tied in washed cheesecloth (8 parsley sprigs, 1 large imported bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 4 whole cloves or allspice berries, 3 large cloves garlic, unpeeled)
Spread the bones and meat scraps (except for poultry) and the carrots and onions in a roomy enough roasting pan; set in the upper middle level of a 450 degree oven and roast for 40 or more minutes, turning and basting ingredients several times with accumulated fat until nicely browned (my note: I usually use some chicken thighs on the bone and I do put them in the roasting pan right away with the other meats/bones). Transfer to a large soup kettle, leaving fat in pan. Discard fat and de-glaze pan- pour in a cup or so of water and set over heat, scraping coagulated roasting juices into the liquid. Pour into the kettle, and add enough cold water to cover ingredients by 2 inches (my note: sometimes I will use some canned broth along with the water here but if you do this, use low-sodium beef or chicken broth). Bring to the simmer, skim off gray scum that will rise to the surface for several minutes, then add rest of ingredients. Cover partially and simmer slowly 4-5 hours at least, adding more water if needed to cover ingredients. Strain into a large bowl, chill, peel coagulated fat off surface, and your stock is finished. If your stock lacks savor, boil it down in a large kettle after degreasing to concentrate it.
For the onion soup:
3 tb butter
1 tb olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (about 1-1/2 lb)
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tb flour
2 quarts homemade stock
2 cups dry white wine or dry white French vermouth
salt & pepper
Melt the butter with the oil in a 4-qt pan. Stir in the sliced onions. Cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring up occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Raise heat to moderately high, stir in the sugar and salt, and cook 20-30 minutes more, stirring frequently until onions have turned a fine, deep caramel brown. Lower heat to moderate, blend in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in 2 ladlefuls hot stock. Stir in the rest and the wine. Season lightly to taste, bring to the boil then simmer slowly, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Correct seasonings.
French Onion Soup Gratinee for a 3 quart tureen, serving 4-6
A loaf or 2 of firm, full-textured French bread
2 tb or more butter
3 oz firm Swiss cut into thin slices
Freshly ground pepper
2 qts simmering onion soup
4-5 tb Cognac
1-1/4 cups lightly packed, coarsely grated mixed Swiss cheeses
2 egg yolks beaten with 4-5 tb Port or Madeira
Toasted French bread rounds:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut bread into slices less than ½” thick, place in one layer on a baking sheet and dry out in upper third level of oven until fairly evenly brown.
Filling and baking the tureen:- About 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Smear a tb of butter in bottom of tureen and arrange over it a closely packed layer of toasted bread. Spread over bread layer the sliced cheese, grind on pepper, ladle in the boiling soup, and pour in the Cognac. Float a closely packed layer of toast on the top of the soup and spread over it the grated cheese with a few grinds of pepper. Sprinkle over that a tb or two of melted butter. Set tureen in middle level of oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Just before serving, lift the crust with a serving fork, pour into the soup the egg yolk and wine mixture and stir gently under the crust.
Here it is- and worth every minute of time it takes to make:
JULIA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP
Plain Brown Beef Stock for about 2 quarts from Julia Child & More Company:
2 or more quarts sawed beef bones, including knuckles and some meaty scaps attached; plus veal and poultry bones, raw and/or cooked (my note: I use beef, chicken and pork)
2 large carrots, scrubbed and roughly sliced
3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
sufficient water to cover all ingredients
1 large leek, washed (optional)
3 celery ribs with leaves, washed
1 tb coarse or kosher salt (or table salt)
1 large herb bouquet tied in washed cheesecloth (8 parsley sprigs, 1 large imported bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 4 whole cloves or allspice berries, 3 large cloves garlic, unpeeled)
Spread the bones and meat scraps (except for poultry) and the carrots and onions in a roomy enough roasting pan; set in the upper middle level of a 450 degree oven and roast for 40 or more minutes, turning and basting ingredients several times with accumulated fat until nicely browned (my note: I usually use some chicken thighs on the bone and I do put them in the roasting pan right away with the other meats/bones). Transfer to a large soup kettle, leaving fat in pan. Discard fat and de-glaze pan- pour in a cup or so of water and set over heat, scraping coagulated roasting juices into the liquid. Pour into the kettle, and add enough cold water to cover ingredients by 2 inches (my note: sometimes I will use some canned broth along with the water here but if you do this, use low-sodium beef or chicken broth). Bring to the simmer, skim off gray scum that will rise to the surface for several minutes, then add rest of ingredients. Cover partially and simmer slowly 4-5 hours at least, adding more water if needed to cover ingredients. Strain into a large bowl, chill, peel coagulated fat off surface, and your stock is finished. If your stock lacks savor, boil it down in a large kettle after degreasing to concentrate it.
For the onion soup:
3 tb butter
1 tb olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (about 1-1/2 lb)
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tb flour
2 quarts homemade stock
2 cups dry white wine or dry white French vermouth
salt & pepper
Melt the butter with the oil in a 4-qt pan. Stir in the sliced onions. Cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring up occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Raise heat to moderately high, stir in the sugar and salt, and cook 20-30 minutes more, stirring frequently until onions have turned a fine, deep caramel brown. Lower heat to moderate, blend in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in 2 ladlefuls hot stock. Stir in the rest and the wine. Season lightly to taste, bring to the boil then simmer slowly, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Correct seasonings.
French Onion Soup Gratinee for a 3 quart tureen, serving 4-6
A loaf or 2 of firm, full-textured French bread
2 tb or more butter
3 oz firm Swiss cut into thin slices
Freshly ground pepper
2 qts simmering onion soup
4-5 tb Cognac
1-1/4 cups lightly packed, coarsely grated mixed Swiss cheeses
2 egg yolks beaten with 4-5 tb Port or Madeira
Toasted French bread rounds:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut bread into slices less than ½” thick, place in one layer on a baking sheet and dry out in upper third level of oven until fairly evenly brown.
Filling and baking the tureen:- About 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Smear a tb of butter in bottom of tureen and arrange over it a closely packed layer of toasted bread. Spread over bread layer the sliced cheese, grind on pepper, ladle in the boiling soup, and pour in the Cognac. Float a closely packed layer of toast on the top of the soup and spread over it the grated cheese with a few grinds of pepper. Sprinkle over that a tb or two of melted butter. Set tureen in middle level of oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Just before serving, lift the crust with a serving fork, pour into the soup the egg yolk and wine mixture and stir gently under the crust.