Help me cook Xmas dinner!

[SandraC]

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE! I am touched by all your wonderful advice on XMas dinner cooking this year! I feel like you are all in my kitchen with helping hands! xoxoxoxoxox

Today I am going to to Loblaws and maybe No Frills to see what sort of turkeys they have, I like the idea of the no-bone stuffed bird. But $4.49! WOW! I think I would end up paying $100! But dh and I love the idea, I am definately going to take a look! We like left overs!

I live in a townhouse, it's pretty big for a townhouse, but I have an L-shaped living/dinning room with a TREE! I would like to do a sit-down dinner but not certain about the room. We all agreed that whatever time I set for dinner is the time people arrive, if they are late ~ too bad! It might sound cruel, but we started with rule a while ago and it works great! No 'fashionable late' folks and everything runs smooth, the host(ess) has no worries with this rule either.

I am going to inventory my deep freezer right now and make my list! And check it twice! LOL!

SIL is bringing a wonderful turnip casserole! It's sooooo good!

MIL will bring a dessert, but I bought two already, Bread and Butter Pudding and Mississauga Mud Pie, so chocolate and gooey is covered, I'll let her bring something fruity.

BIL will bring wine.

I do the rest!

What do you think so far:

Turkey
stuffing
cranberries (in a can)
gravy
sour cream/cream cheese mashed potatoes
scalloped potatoes (I like two choices and they are easy)
turnip casserole
yams
peas
green beans
rolls

What am I missing? THANKS! xoxoxoxoxxo SaNdRa

 

[sammi]

Yummmm Sandra! Sounds like a really nice dinner is going to happen at your house! I don't think you've forgotten anything! It's also so nice (and easy) when you planned out and "set" the rules for your dinner.....kinda like pre-planning your day at WDW right? LOL Everything will go very smoothly for you on Christmas Day when you have a plan set. Also the de-boned turkey's that I saw averaged about $35.00 each and you're not paying for all the bones either ......so less waste too.

Sandra the turnip casserole sounds delicious......do you think you could get the recipe and post it here for me? I would love to try it as I love turnip!

Good luck with your shopping today and your dinner!

 

[cottontail]

Hi Sammi:

Do you put all this sliced meat back in the roasting pan, or in foil. Do you add any kind of gravy or just the sliced turkey and pieces of lettuce. Do you warm for about 20 min at 300degrees.
Thanks,

Deb.

 

[sammi]

Hi Deb! When I did the turkey like that I sliced the meat and put it all into plastic Tupperware (plastic) type containers, then layered the lettuce in between, and then put it in the fridge overnight. Christmas day I put the meat in the oven in a foil tray and covered it tightly with foil. I think I took all of the lettuce out before heating (it's been a few years since I did this). As for as how long...hmmmmmm I'd say around 300F or 350F and just keep checking it to see how warm the middle of the pan is getting.Yes you could add a bit of broth or gravy too just to help keep it moist. I know the meat turned out really nice and you know how dry white meat can get. I got a lot of nice comments about it.

Good luck with your "bird" LOL

 

[CindyAnn]

Hi Sandra. Your menu looks delicious so far. I was just going to suggest that you go with fresh cranberries. I promise that it's dead simple to make cranberry jelly, and the recipe is right on the bag. I'm guessing you would probably need two bags for your crowd. I always make it two or three days in advance and then refrigerate it. As far as I remember you just need the fresh cranberries, water, and sugar, + maybe lemon juice?

Also, does your family go in for any nibbles before the meal as people are arriving? Just a thought. I really like the President's Choice cream cheese & smoked salmon ring which just needs to be thawed and served with crackers.

I'm glad you posted this - you've got me thinking about it, too.

 

[cottontail]

Hi everyone:

Don't forget about the wdw xmas parade on t.v. at l0.00 on christmas day. At least that is what is said in the hamilton spectator in the specials section. Enjoy,

Deb.

 

[TimNDansMom]

Hi! I'm so glad that everyone posted their ideas here. I am actually starting to feel motivated instead of overwhelmed about Christmas Day. I am definitely going to make some changes this year. I really like the idea of an early dinner. It will be an adjustment for my family~they all tend to be "fashionably late" too, Sandra LOL~but I'm going to tell them dinner is now at an earlier and designated time.

I agree with CindyAnn about the fresh cranberries. I usually use the canned ones when it's just us, but my Mom always brings the fresh ones over for Christmas and they ARE delicious!.

The past few years I have played "Martha Stewart" and had a big spread of Christmas baking, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and a punch for everyone to snack on during the day. Of course, when it's time for dinner everyone is already stuffed.

Since we are leaving for our WDW trip on Boxing Day, I don't want to be overly tired or stuffed for the long drive, so I've decided to serve dinner at lunch time, or shortly after. That means no (or not many) snacks are required~that means less work for me! We can have dessert (usually a pie and Christmas pudding)/coffee/tea in the late afternoon and by then all the dinner dishes will be done and put away. Dan and Tim can help with this!

I bought a President's Choice pre-stuffed yesterday~a little cheaper than the butterball~so that's one thing off my list!

I'm planning to get as much done as possible the day before because I want to watch the xmas parade, too!

 

[SandraC]

Everyone has been so helpful here! THANK YOU ALL!

I think I will make fresh cranberries this year!

I bought my turkeyS, yes plural! I had to buy two turkeys! I went to four stores this weekend and NOTHING was big enough. We have BIG eaters and we NEED leftovers! So I bought two pre-stuffed, cook from frozen turkeys. I'll cook one on Saturday and one on Sunday before Christmas. I hope the stuffing lasts. I have bought a cook-from-frozen bird before, but not stuffed. I cheated and bought a book of Stove Top Stuffing too, just in case I need it. I have my desserts, most veggies, all the beverages (except wine/beer), we did a dry-run of setting the table yesterday since yesterday is when the tree went up and I could better see seating in the dining/living room! EXCELLENT NEWS ~ I can do a sit-down meal! It will be tight, but it will work! I have one more shopping day before I cook to pick up the freshest stuff (carrots, potatoes, rolls etc.,.).

We will eat at 3pm, so they'll all arrive at 3pm. Big feast! Followed by desserts, tea, coffee. Then we will take down the tables and push the dinner room table to the back wall giving us lots of room to move around and open gifts. I will set up drinks, more coffee and tea on the dinner room table and it's SERVE YOURSELF DRINKS! After gifts I will put out a few after dinner munchies, I have Ovation mints and other mints, cheese ball with crackers, I will make chocolate truffles this week and I am making biscotti as I type right now (MY KITCHEN SMELLS LOVELY!). I figure one savory snack (cheese balls and crackers), one chocolate snack (truffles) and one fancy cookie snack (coffee/choc/cinnamon biscotti) with tea and coffee will do. They will all leave around 7:30 pm (ish, give or take 30 minutes). I can tidy up the kitchen and get the dishwasher going and THEN my family and I will sit down and watch the DISNEY CHRISTMAS PARADE ON TAPE!

 

[sammi]

WOW Sandra!!!! That sounds fantastic.....what a wonderful dinner you've planned!

What time should me and my family be there for????LOL

I think you've got everything planned and you'll do just fine. I can't wait to hear how it goes......Merry Christmas to you and your family!........Cindy!

 

[TimNDansMom]

Ditto that~WOW, Sandra!!! Have a wonderful Christmas Day!

I'm interested in your coffee/choc/cinnamon biscotti. Is that all in one recipe? I make plain almond and a choc/almond biscotti and your's sounds very interesting. Could you post the recipe? Thanks a million!