OT- Holiday dinner

[DSNY4ever]

We are hosting Christmas Dinner at our house for the first time this year and I am trying to figure out what I want to make so I was curious- what does your family serve for your holiday dinner- turkey? ham? lamb? tofurkey?... What side dishes do you have? And most importantly- what desserts?!?!

I thought it would be fun to hear everyone's traditions and maybe it will help me make some decisions.

Sorry this has nothing to do with the podcast, but the community board scares me a little

 

[Kimberle]

We do Christmas (Eve) Italian style:

Fried Shrimp, scallops, calamarie
Bacallava (sp???)
Calazones (fried)
salad
Chick Pea soup
veggie (whatever is fresh)
Christmas cookies
don't remember the name, those little fried dough balls covered w/ honey

It's the ONE meal each year EVERYONE shows up for!

 

[SusanWasHere]

We do Fondue in my family. Not the cheese or chocolate - the oil. We usually have a couple of different fondue pots going - one for the beef and the other for the shrimp and even lobster tails. It's a very nice holiday meal bc it goes nice and slow always at least 1 hour. The meat takes a few minutes to cook and you're only doing a few pieces at a time. Not like a traditional meal where you prep for hours and then eat in 10 minutes, lol! Along with the fondue we always have beef flavored rice, salad, fruit cocktail, and then mix up a few different dips to put in the ramikins that really complement the meat. Also it feels so festive bc you have the flames on underneath the pots, the oil is bubbling, the tree is on, it's just very cozy! I can't wait for it this year!!!

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Turkey, dressing, mashed potato, turnip, candied yams, fresh bread (cranberry walnut and other specialties), peas; desserts are usually a berried sweet of some sort, dainties (baking) and we make a show of lighting a figgy pudding. My dad is a Dairy Queen fan and has apparently already bought an Christmas ice cream cake for our dessert this year...not my first choice, but I'm sure it will be tasty!

 

[mainegal]

Turkey, sausage cornbread stuffing, white mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmellows on top, peas, cranberry sauce, gravy.

Mom would buy dinner rolls and put them on top of the fridge to get them out of the way. We would remember them after the meal was over.

Dessert, Mrs. Smith's pumpkin pie. Sure, my last name is Smith, but the pie came in a box from the grovery store.

To make the meal easier on you, try asking your guests to bring the side dishes.

Have fun!

 

[ADP]

We're hosting Christmas dinner this year. We have a very large Italian family. Here is our tentative menu

Appatizers (before dinner)
Assorted Cheese Balls with Crackers
Spinach Dip with Assorted Vegetables
Celerey stalks filled with Cream Cheese & Black Olive Mixture

Main Dishes:
Wedding Soup
Lasagna
Ham

Side Dishes:
Scalloped Potato
Green Bean Cassarole
Cranberry Sauce
Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinegar
Assorted Breads - Garlic Bread & Dinner Rolls with Butter

Dessert
New York Style Cheescake with Cherry Topping
German Chocolate Cake
Assorted Cookies
Spamoni Ice Cream/Gelato
Roasted Chestnuts

Beverages
Red & White Wine
Cranberry & Sprite Punch
Assorted Sodas
Bottled Water

 

[mainegal]

Oh, Aaron!
I want to come to your house to Christmas! Pleeeaaase....

 

[daneenm]

We do our big meal on Christmas Eve...

• Green Salad v/ vinaigrette
• Garlic Bread
• Lasagne
• Sausage and peppers
• Meatballs
• Braciole

• Cannoli
• Sfogliatelle
• Pizzelle


Then on Christmas Day, we do heavy hors d' oeuvers...

• Pizza butter (tomato and cheese spread toasted on baguette slices
• Guacamole and Chips
• Tamales
• fresh veggies
• Clementine mandarin oranges

• Ice cream
• Christmas Cookies

 

[dustyraye]

When we were kids, we had a big crowd of cousins and a traditional turkey dinner (think Thanksgiving), plus a lasagna, because Dad doesn't eat turkey. Now it's a smaller group, and we've given up on the turkey - there's no point in making 2 entrees when it is only 6-8 people.

Here's our Christmas Day menu:

Appetizers:
Cheese & crackers
Hummus & chips

Dinner:
Roasted beef tenderloin
Roasted veggies - carrots, parsnips, potatoes
Champ (mashed potatoes with scallions)
Gravy
Mashed Turnips (Mom's favorite - yuck!)
Green beans

Dessert:
Varies - usually pies (pumpkin, apple, and/or pecan) and cookies

And, yes, that's 2 kids of potatoes. We're Irish.


Christmas Eve is more casual, and less people. Mom usually makes some kind of comfort food from when we were kids, like a meat pie or pasta with meatballs & sausage.

 

[DSNY4ever]

WOW! Everyone's dinners sound so different and soooo delicious. Thank you for sharing- I have gotten lots of ideas...but mostly this just made me very hungry

 

[TSWJan78]

We have a huge family to the point were sitting down at a table is not going to happen so we have a buffet and if you can find a seat it is yours. The idea of gathering around the table for Christmas dinner is foriegn to me. That being said we always have Lasagna, Meatballs, Calzone, Ham, Shrimp Cocktail and what ever others deiced to bring as it is a potluck style.

 

[alebisi]

We do Christmas (Eve) Italian style:

Fried Shrimp, scallops, calamarie
Bacallava (sp???)
Calazones (fried)
salad
Chick Pea soup
veggie (whatever is fresh)
Christmas cookies
don't remember the name, those little fried dough balls covered w/ honey

It's the ONE meal each year EVERYONE shows up for!

That's funny we do our Christmas dinner the american way (we have lived 10 years in SouthAmerica that's why I think).
We eat Turkey ( I loveeeeeeeee turkey), mashed potatoes, rise, russian salad, waldorf salad. And a Chocolate cake, on top it has a funny little house made with waffers!