Christmas Meat

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

It may be just me, but while I like the individual components of your dinner, they don't make sense to me together. Mashed potatoes and gravy with pasta? I'm confused by your sides. Plus you have potato wedges as an appetizer. None of it sounds bad at all! I just don't understand it together as a dinner menu. I would get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy at the very least and then I guess add meatballs in sauce. Or do a small ham or turkey breast and keep the mashed potatoes I guess.

 

[jo-jo]

I'm in the ham camp. It's already cooked. Depending on how crowded your oven is, you can warm in oven or crock pot. Your sides will go well with it.

 

[mjkacmom]

It may be just me, but while I like the individual components of your dinner, they don't make sense to me together. Mashed potatoes and gravy with pasta? I'm confused by your sides. Plus you have potato wedges as an appetizer. None of it sounds bad at all! I just don't understand it together as a dinner menu. I would get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy at the very least and then I guess add meatballs in sauce. Or do a small ham or turkey breast and keep the mashed potatoes I guess.

You are right, if the main dish is stuffed shells, base everything around that, a nice green salad, crusty bread, maybe some meatballs, sausage, brasciole, broccoli rabe, rice balls, baccala salad, charcuterie board (with a variety of cheeses, nuts, fruit besides meat).

 

[anniemae]

I would not do a meat, but if you must, then a ham is the easiest.

Honestly, I would stick with the Italian theme. Do two types of shells, like a pp suggested. One with ricotta cheese one meat stuffed. Tons of recipes online. My mother did this frequently and it was so good. Get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy. Add a salad. Done. There really is no need to cook a separate meat meal for a few guests when you can just build on what you have planned.

 

[Skywalker3]

Small turkey breast and/or small ham. Your dishes sound yummy!

 

[kanerf]

I would go over to Honeybaked Ham and get a small piece of ham or turkey breast. All you have to do is heat it up.

 

[DisneyHardin]

It may be just me, but while I like the individual components of your dinner, they don't make sense to me together. Mashed potatoes and gravy with pasta? I'm confused by your sides. Plus you have potato wedges as an appetizer. None of it sounds bad at all! I just don't understand it together as a dinner menu. I would get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy at the very least and then I guess add meatballs in sauce. Or do a small ham or turkey breast and keep the mashed potatoes I guess.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Southernmiss]

You are right, if the main dish is stuffed shells, base everything around that, a nice green salad, crusty bread, maybe some meatballs, sausage, brasciole, broccoli rabe, rice balls, baccala salad, charcuterie board (with a variety of cheeses, nuts, fruit besides meat).

This.

 

[a1tinkfans]

It may be just me, but while I like the individual components of your dinner, they don't make sense to me together. Mashed potatoes and gravy with pasta? I'm confused by your sides. Plus you have potato wedges as an appetizer. None of it sounds bad at all! I just don't understand it together as a dinner menu. I would get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy at the very least and then I guess add meatballs in sauce. Or do a small ham or turkey breast and keep the mashed potatoes I guess.

Agree.

 

[fly girl]

No question, Honeybaked Ham!!

We don't even heat it up because we prefer it cold. Of course, that likely isn't the norm, but there's nothing to reheating it. Easy as it gets.

 

[TwoMisfits]

It may be just me, but while I like the individual components of your dinner, they don't make sense to me together. Mashed potatoes and gravy with pasta? I'm confused by your sides. Plus you have potato wedges as an appetizer. None of it sounds bad at all! I just don't understand it together as a dinner menu. I would get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy at the very least and then I guess add meatballs in sauce. Or do a small ham or turkey breast and keep the mashed potatoes I guess.

Not the OP, but I'm betting certain family members want mac and cheese and won't eat the mashed potatoes...and others want the stuffed shells and won't touch them either...and then others want the gluten-free carb of the mash with some veg...I doubt folks will be putting all the items on their plates - it's more a "Disney buffet" set up...

Meatballs go with all 3 options...thus I picked them over chopped ham, which would go with the mac and cheese, but not with the shells...

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I agree with HoneyBaked Ham to go with some of the sides you have listed. If you decide to serve meatballs, which would also be a good idea, I'd make them homemade or find somewhere that I could buy them homemade. No one in my family will eat the frozen meatballs that you can buy in most grocery stores. They remind me of the "hamburgers" we were served in elementary & middle school.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Not the OP, but I'm betting certain family members want mac and cheese and won't eat the mashed potatoes...and others want the stuffed shells and won't touch them either...and then others want the gluten-free carb of the mash with some veg...I doubt folks will be putting all the items on their plates - it's more a "Disney buffet" set up...

Meatballs go with all 3 options...thus I picked them over chopped ham, which would go with the mac and cheese, but not with the shells...

I understand what you're saying and that makes a little more sense. But none of it goes together as a meal to me. But I'm not the OP (obviously) and they know their family so if this hits all their family faves then that totally works for them and who cares what I think about a cohesive menu. And I mean that seriously.

 

[disneychrista]

I think it admirable that you want to accommodate your meat eating guests. Honestly, I don't think you need to. Just like if you are a meat eater I don't think you need to go to extremes to accommodate non-meat eaters.

 

[Donnainnj]

If you don't want a lot of left over meat Filet Mignon. Otherwise spiral ham is very easy.

 

[leebee]

I'd go with meatballs in sauce, and I'd skip the mashed potatoes and gravy- the menu is pretty carb-heavy (and how are you going to make good gravy if you don't have meat drippings?). Last year was the easiest Christmas dinner ever. I got a bag of frozen stuffed shells from Sam's, covered it with sauce, added cheese, and baked it down. We had garlic knots and salad to go with it. I pondered either meatballs or rotisserie chicken, but in the end we just went with the stuffed shells. I thought I made a LOT but there were hardly any leftovers!

 

[Kimkimba]

Not the OP, but I'm betting certain family members want mac and cheese and won't eat the mashed potatoes...and others want the stuffed shells and won't touch them either...and then others want the gluten-free carb of the mash with some veg...I doubt folks will be putting all the items on their plates - it's more a "Disney buffet" set up...

Meatballs go with all 3 options...thus I picked them over chopped ham, which would go with the mac and cheese, but not with the shells...

You are correct! We have some picky eaters (myself included). I think we’ve decided to get a pot of meatballs from Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza - easy and no extra worry for me.
I already went to the store today and have the ingredients for everything else. I’ll just have to pick up fruit/vegetable tray.

 

[sk!mom]

I do Prime Rib for Christmas. Pricey but easy and delicious. Just needs a good dry rub and thermometer.

 

[ronandannette]

I think it admirable that you want to accommodate your meat eating guests. Honestly, I don't think you need to. Just like if you are a meat eater I don't think you need to go to extremes to accommodate non-meat eaters.

No, she doesn't need to; guests generally happily eat whatever they're served. (Crazy DIS in-laws notwithstanding. )

It is a very nice gesture; I always try to have something for everybody when I host and I always ask about their dietary restrictions and/or preferences. With vegetarians or vegans though, many would not consider cooking meat if it's a matter of conscience for them and I would never expect them to.

 

[RedAngie]

Reindeer?