What is your Christmas Menu? Here's mine...

MCM...make it easy on yourself. I will never forget the glares I got the year

that I volunteered all the males in our household to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner. I was exhausted and fed up with doing everything. So I told my mother-in-law and sister-in-law to go sit down that the guys were going to clean up since we had cooked all day. Talk about an unhappy group of men.
Do a breakfast strata, made the night before and make something you want for dinner. I always make a strata on Christmas eve, and I am always so happy I did on Christmas morning. Just pop that baby in the oven and enjoy.

 
Yay, hubby poured gasoline down at the edge of the driveway

and was able to get out to go to the store. He isn't back yet, so hopefully he will be able to get back into our driveway. I think I apply the brakes too liberally, which isn't a good thing with ice. So I will be able to do some baking after all. Have a great one Gayle!

 
Thanks for all the support....my husband made one last plea for prime rib last night....

....and we compromised and agreed that we WILL have prime rib (his favorite) but not until the 27th. That way, I still get to hang with the guys on Christmas Day and he gets his big meal. So, everyone is happy.

I have it on good authority that there will be THREE Ultimate Light Sabers under the tree this year and my guys have been wanting them for, like, EVER. AND there will be that whole Lego knight/castle thing as well as games and puzzles and the first Harry Potter book and it just seems like there will be no time to cook. It isn't as if I can say "Mommy can't help you put together your legos, sweetie, she is making Daddy's Prime Rib." Just won't fly and my husband gets that. In fact, he is now starting to get into the idea of the ALL STUFF THAT WILL KILL US meal and is even going to swing by Costco after dropping the 5 year olds at their birthday party this afternoon and see if there is more he can add to our little buffet. Our only little dilemma is that our 6 year old's way of rebelling is to be too good. He won't eat junk food (cries if we go to McDonald's...quirky kid)...so we are going to make extra fruit salad and veggies and dip so he won't starve.

Kathleen

 
The aforementioned Herb and Shallot Beef Tenderloin.

I do the herb rub the day before so the work gets divided up nicely.

~Mashed potatoes (which my husband will make)
~Beets (which I'll ask my FIL to make)
~Carrots
~Blue Hubbard squash (if we can find one)
~English trifle

My MIL always does the dishes because she doesn't cook. So actually there isn't too much work for any one person. I'm very luckly with my family that everyone always pitches in.

It will just be my husband, me, and my in-laws. My mom can't travel anymore, and it's too close to my due date for me to travel. I feel really badly about not being with my parents at Christmas, but the timing this year just didn't work out. We had an early Christmas with them last weekend.

We're not really doing any presents this year, either. I asked all the parents just to buy things for the baby, not for us, so there really won't be much to open. Which is fine--gives me more time to do leisurely cooking, and I'd rather spend time eating anyway. smileys/smile.gif

Christmas Eve we usually do a ham and spinach/carrot casserole, with cookies for dessert. Not sure if we're going to do that this year, although I think I should because I always like having the leftover ham for toasted ham and cheese sandwiches.

I might take the tapas/appetizer approach for New Year's Eve and locate some movies for us to watch. I really wanted to go out to dinner, but DH thinks that's a bad idea. They have a First Night celebration in town, but I don't think I want to be wandering around in a huge crowd a week away from giving birth. smileys/wink.gif There are worse things than staying home and nibbling, and there are a ton of appetizers in the T&T section I've been wanting to try.

Anyway, everyone's menus sound great--especially the Mexican ones! Tamales--yum!

 
Sounds like a Christmas with the promise of some legendary memories! I can't believe your kid

cries at going to McDonalds. That's awesome!

 
I've found that getting the drippings hot enough is key.

You have to work with a pretty high heat, otherwise the puddings won't inflate properly. Otherwise, it's pretty easy and impressive.

I once made a crown rib roast with Yorkshire puddings for my father's birthday (his choice) in Illinois in July in my house with no air conditioning. Love goes no further.

 
We're very traditional but I always dot one new ones. This year... Port Glazed Pearl Onions.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Mushroom Tourtiere
Canadian Bacon
Beans
Salad
Cole Salw
Pickled Beets


Assorted Cookies
Homemade Egg Nog Ice Cream


CHRISTMAS DAY

Olive Cheese Balls
Red pepper Dip & Crackers

Champagne Soup with Scallops

Turkey
Stuffing (Plain with Sausage & Fruit & Nut)
Giblet Gravy
Marc’s Cranberry Sauce
Port Glazed Pearl Onions
Puree of Root Veggies
Steamed Broccoli

Christmas Pudding with Hard Sauce & Rum Sauce
Assorted Cookies
Fruit Cake

 
DH always does the bulk of the clean up after big dinner parties otherwise all he'd get a sandwich.

 
Actually, it makes long car trips or crazy nights a bit frustrating....

...We are a HUGE slow food family and I cook pretty much everything from scratch, everything is organic, healthful, etc. However, there is a time and a place for everything and sometimes McDonald's just makes sense. McDonald's fries are one of life's true pleasures and I am not above enjoying them. However, this one guy just flips out if we suggest it. That, and always wanting to go to bed BEFORE his bedtime and fighting us if we suggest he stays up a bit longer, are his two big quirks. Makes life around here very interesting......

 
Just found out we are having Swedish Meatballs for Christmas eve!

we're trying the new CI recipe in this month's issue. I love Jansson's Temptation, going to see if I can talk the family into it, we are still trying low carb-ish...

 
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