What's on your menu for the holiday? We are having...

C

charlie

Well-known member
a meatless eve with oysters on the half shell, broiled clams with seasoned breadcrumbs, scungilli salad, crab stuffed lobster, coleslaw, plum puding, boozy fruitcake, and cookies.--Muscadet and Champagnes.

Christmas day: assorted cheeses and pates, then arugula and pear salad with ricotta salata, rib veal chops with pepperonata and a gastric drizzle, sauteed spinach, Potato gratins from Pat/NCal, and a triple chocolate Mousse cake from CI---more Champagnes and a pinot.

 
Christmas Eve with friends is all seafood. I'm doing Tyler Florence's Mussels in green olive sauce

for hors d'oeuvres, then we've been promised ceviche for a first course, then a lobster stew. I'm Italian but this will be my first all-seafood Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day with the family I'm making Poulet Vallee d'Auge--chicken braised in hard cider, flamed with Calvados, and finished with cream. Served with noodles and sauteed apples.

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=77864

 
Christmas Eve will be Spicy Shellfish and Sausage Stew

I think I may put some angel hair pasta in the bottom of the bowl before the stew. A simple salad and crusty french bread. Christmas cookies, fudge, buckeyes.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Spicy Shellfish and Sausage Stew

Recipe By :Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dinner Seafood

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion -- thinly sliced
2 large ripe tomatoes -- peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
1 pound small clams -- scrubbed
1 1/2 cups fennel bulb -- matchstick sized strips
1 cup red bell pepper -- matchstick sized strips
1/2 cup zucchini -- matchstick sized strips
1 pound mussels -- scrubbed, debearded
1 pound chorizo -- matchstick sized strips
1/2 cup kalamata olives -- pitted and halved
2 tablespoons fresh italian parsley -- chopped

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; saute 2 minutes. Add tomatoes; saute 4 minutes. Increase heat to high; add wine. Boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Add clam juice; simmer 3 minutes. Add clams; cover and cook 3 minutes.

Mix in fennel, bell pepper, and zucchini. Add mussels, sausage, and olives.

Cover; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until shellfish open, about 5 minutes (discard any that do not open). Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Source:
"Bon Appetit September 2003"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1906 Calories; 124g Fat (61.2% calories from fat); 115g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 341mg Cholesterol; 5233mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 15 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 18 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 
Tyler Florence's Salt and Herb Crusted Prime Rib with roasted vegetables.

Ina's roasted cherry tomatoes, herb Yorkshire Pudding. Diane Morgan's version of David Lebovitz's Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Ina Garten's Lemon Curd and whipped cream. For Christmas Dinner.

 
Ours Christmas Eve won't be nearly that fancy, probably Chicken Parmesan

with gnocchi, Caesar salad, and the mandatory hummus with vegetables, cookies, and wine.

Christmas will be baked ham with mustard glaze, Pat's scalloped potatoes, simple green beans, sweet potatoes with maple butter, Angel biscuits, maybe Richard's Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip with rye bread cubes, and chocolate-mint cheesecake for dessert.

 
Two standing rib porkloin roasts w/ marmalade/marsala sauce,

roasted green beans w/ grated Parm (Tyler's), wild rice dish, homemade rolls, roasted butternut squash w/ sage & thyme, hot curried fruit compote, Walnut pie, pumplkin pies, chocolate amaretti torte, Ginger roll with Lemon cream filling. AND Cookies !

 
Christmas Eve din-din will be Roasted Salmon (wild Coho) with Smoked Paprika Glaze, green beans,

Atlanta Bread's sourdough bread "soup bowl" sliced, with Danish Lurpak slightly salted butter to sop up the delicious sauce that I'll double.

Appetizer will be large wild frozen pink Florida shrimp that I'll boil with a very good store-bought cocktail sauce for dipping.

Dessert will be key lime pie.

This will be for my dear friend Ang (sorry you won't be here too AngAlaska) who is flying in from Philly for a short visit on Christmas Eve.

Christmas dinner is at a very nice restaurant in Bradenton, her treat.

 
Oh all these menus sound just wonderful. I am feeling a bit sad and

need a good boost of Christmas Spirit. For various reasons I don't cook any of the holiday meals, we usually go to the home of in-laws or friends. Going to friends is great because they tell me to bring whatever I want and are always appreciative. Going to in-laws is more tricky. This year dear SIL (who doesn't cook at all) specifically told not to contribute anything to Christmas dinner just help her prepare. After that I can do all the cooking I want (while everyone else goes shopping, skiing, to the movies, plays games in the other room.....)

I really do have so much to be thankful for I need to focus on those things and stop feeling sorry for myself smileys/smile.gif

Merry Christams all! Can't wait to hear menu reviews......

 
I need an intervention from Joe, probably having too much food!

Seafood Salad
Caprese skewers
Salsa di Parmigiano
Grana and sausage platter:
Caponata/crostini
Pickled Asparagus spears
Kpinky Feta/pink peppercorns
Mexican/Taco dip
Olive Anchovy Focaccia
Baked clams
Calzones
mini mac and cheeses
faux zucchini crab cakes
Artichoke dip
Swiss and Bacon dip

Ham, Ravioli, string beans, glazed carrots scalloped potatoes,salad

 
Dobosh torte, red velvet cheesecake, Kentucky bourbon truffles

and we'll probably have grilled ham sandwiches, pot-stickers, coconut shrimp, hummus, brie, spinach salads, fresh broccoli and potato chips, just so it doesn't look like all we're eating are desserts!

Colleen

 
You're not alone - I'm ashamed to admit I'm not in the Christmas spirit whatsoever...

for also "various reasons" - I'm not in the mood to bake much.

I should appreciate what I do have, I know, and remember the reason for the season. It's just so stressful to try and do everything and make everyone happy. A roll of Ritz crackers and cheese dip sounds like Heaven to me right now!

 
Yes, you do!

From the department of redundancy department: If I were you I would consider eliminating either the mini mac 'n cheeses or the ravioli. I would drop either the focaccia or the calzones. Probably the calzones. And maybe drop either the clams or the seafood salad.

I might also skip the artichoke dip and the Mexican dip because those are things you see everywhere and the rest of your appetizers are so special. But if you have relatives who don't believe in Christmas without artichoke dip and Mexican dip (like mine) I understand.

Good luck. Lucky guests!

 
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