Please help me with my Christmas Day Dinner - Italian theme!

[Wendy31]

Hi! Last year, kind DISers helped with our Christmas Day dinner when we were serving a crown rib roast. This year, I'm hoping for some help again!

People to be present at dinner - DH, me, our kids, my parents, & DH's parents

My objective is still to serve a really nice, elegant meal but with less time spent in the kitchen! Last year, DH & I spent ALL of Christmas Day in the kitchen, & I kinda wanted to avoid that, if possible.

So, here's what we're thinking for our menu:

Appetizers - Prosciutto-wrapped Pears & Red Pepper Crostini

Soup - Vegetarian Minestrone

Salad - a version of the Saltwater Cowboy Salad from the Saltwater Cowboy's Restaurant in St. Augustine, FL (It's a green salad w/ thinly sliced apples, walnuts, raisins, & celery w/ a raspberry-yogurt vinaigrette dressing.)

Main - Lasagna, Green Bean Almondine, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, & Cranberry Chutney

Desserts - Gingerbread Trifle, Coconut Cake, & Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake w/ Ganache

I plan to serve the above in "courses" - so, I'm a little worried about how I'm going to finish the green bean almondine while we're supposed to be eating the soup & salad...

Notes & Things to Ponder -

* I know lasagna isn't really "elegant" but I thought it's something we could do the night before... plus, my kids really like lasagna.

* I didn't want just a square of lasagna on the plates; hence, I added green bean almondine & the sweet potato gnocchi (recipe provided by another DISer in the "what sides to serve w/ ham" thread!). Plus, I really couldn't have Christmas dinner w/o sweet potatoes!

* However, do the main course items really "go together"?

* I kinda wanted to do tiramisu for dessert but I can't find a good (easy! simple!) recipe.

* Oh! And I need bread!! What to do for bread? Since I'm serving in courses, do I need enough bread to go w/ the soup, salad, & main courses or do I serve nice crackers w/ the soup?

So, what does everyone think? Does our menu look okay? Do the items go together nicely? Is lasagna too casual?

Comments, suggestions, advice always welcome!!!

And thank you so much for reading & commenting!!

Edited to add - I'm a southern girl, but we like Italian! But I also considered a traditional southern menu, coastal, or coastal Italian... it's just so hard to decide!

 

[Liberty Belle]

As soon as I read your appetizers, I knew it was time for me to bow out. I can't help you - sounds like you don't need any help. I'm sure it will be lovely!

 

[Wendy31]

As soon as I read your appetizers, I knew it was time for me to bow out. I can't help you - sounds like you don't need any help. I'm sure it will be lovely!

Haha! Thanks, Liberty Belle! I'll let you in on a secret, w/ the exception of the gingerbread trifle, I've never made any of the menu items before! I figure - it can't be too hard, right? Although... my mom has always said that I always bite off more than I can chew!

And that's why I need any & all comments! To make sure I'm thinking sanely!!

 

[Pakey]

That's a lot of food, considering how heavy lasagna is. My family is Italian and we wouldn't have gnocci on the same plate with the lasagna. I'd skip and just do the green beans. Not sure about the cranberry chutney either, not with lasagna.

I would never put elegant and lasagna in the same sentence. My mom's lasagna is amazing; she even grinds her own meat and spends forever on her sauce but it's a mess to serve. Have you thought about something like manicotti instead? It's prettier on the plate. Both are very time consuming to make but can be made ahead.

Can't help you on the tiramisu. I buy mine from a local Italian deli.

I'm not sure I'd do the bread since you are doing a crostini appetizer. The meal is pretty heavy on carbs already; everyone will be full by the time you serve the main course.

 

[mjkacmom]

That's a lot of food, considering how heavy lasagna is. My family is Italian and we wouldn't have gnocci on the same plate with the lasagna. I'd skip and just do the green beans. Not sure about the cranberry chutney either, not with lasagna.

I would never put elegant and lasagna in the same sentence. My mom's lasagna is amazing; she even grinds her own meat and spends forever on her sauce but it's a mess to serve. Have you thought about something like manicotti instead? It's prettier on the plate. Both are very time consuming to make but can be made ahead.

Can't help you on the tiramisu. I buy mine from a local Italian deli.

I'm not sure I'd do the bread since you are doing a crostini appetizer. The meal is pretty heavy on carbs already; everyone will be full by the time you serve the main course.

I agree - too much! Have the bread on the table for the whole meal, no need for crackers, and if you want to be really traditional, serve the salad after the main meal (and I agree manicotti would be nicer - my mom used to make the crepes herself, but we have so many local places who make home made manicotti, it's not worth it to make it at home). I wouldn't do 2 pastas, and you don't need a veggie, because of the salad. If you wanted another entree, I'd pick a meat dish that didn't have a red sauce (chicken savoy, veal picatta...) How about picking up some canolli's?

 

[antmaril]

I agree with the others, no need for the gnocci with lasagna. We would never serve those two together. I would have a nice crusty bread on the table (or garlic bread) I don't think the chutney goes with lasagna either. The green beans are fine, however the salad might be enough (especially since you are serving soup).

I think you can make this meal easier on yourself - cut back a little. Sorry I don't have a recipe for tiramisu. If this were my meal, I would get cannollis from the local Italian bakery, along with some Italian cookies.

Good luck - I'm sure it will be delicious no matter what you decide.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Disney Doll]

See below bolded

Hi! Last year, kind DISers helped with our Christmas Day dinner when we were serving a crown rib roast. This year, I'm hoping for some help again!

People to be present at dinner - DH, me, our kids, my parents, & DH's parents

My objective is still to serve a really nice, elegant meal but with less time spent in the kitchen! Last year, DH & I spent ALL of Christmas Day in the kitchen, & I kinda wanted to avoid that, if possible.

So, here's what we're thinking for our menu:

Appetizers - Prosciutto-wrapped Pears & Red Pepper Crostini good

Soup - Vegetarian Minestrone good

Salad - a version of the Saltwater Cowboy Salad from the Saltwater Cowboy's Restaurant in St. Augustine, FL (It's a green salad w/ thinly sliced apples, walnuts, raisins, & celery w/ a raspberry-yogurt vinaigrette dressing.) good, but do you need soup AND salad????

Main - Lasagna good , Green Bean Almondine good, Sweet Potato Gnocchi another starch like laagna not really a side so I probably wouldn't do this, & Cranberry Chutney doesn't go with anything so I'd get rid of it

Desserts - Gingerbread Trifle, Coconut Cake, & Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake w/ Ganache good

I plan to serve the above in "courses" - so, I'm a little worried about how I'm going to finish the green bean almondine while we're supposed to be eating the soup & salad... can you do an easier green bean recipe that could be done before and not need any "last minute" prepping?

Notes & Things to Ponder -

* I know lasagna isn't really "elegant" but I thought it's something we could do the night before... plus, my kids really like lasagna. lasagna is good though

* I didn't want just a square of lasagna on the plates; hence, I added green bean almondine & the sweet potato gnocchi (recipe provided by another DISer in the "what sides to serve w/ ham" thread!). Plus, I really couldn't have Christmas dinner w/o sweet potatoes! well, sweet potatoes don't really go with the rest of it IMHO

* However, do the main course items really "go together"? not all...see above

* I kinda wanted to do tiramisu for dessert but I can't find a good (easy! simple!) recipe. try sparkpeople.com. they have some good recipes

* Oh! And I need bread!! What to do for bread? Since I'm serving in courses, do I need enough bread to go w/ the soup, salad, & main courses or do I serve nice crackers w/ the soup? I'd do a nice crusty Italian loaf for the whole shebang...get a couple of loaves so if the bread goes quickly you have more

So, what does everyone think? Does our menu look okay? Do the items go together nicely? some do, some don't Is lasagna too casual? no

Comments, suggestions, advice always welcome!!!

And thank you so much for reading & commenting!!

Edited to add - I'm a southern girl, but we like Italian! But I also considered a traditional southern menu, coastal, or coastal Italian... it's just so hard to decide!

 

[Wendy31]

Thanks, everyone!

I know! I know! I don't much think the sweet potatoes go w/ the rest either! But I'm not sure I can do Christmas dinner w/o sweet potatoes... and, when I saw the recipe for sweet potato gnocchi, I was like, "Aha!! Italian sweet potatoes!!" And, since they're sweet potatoes & not white potatoes, I'm thinking it's not as "carby"... maybe?

Plus, the gnocchi is something that needs to be served immediately... so I'm not sure how to get it finished while we're eating soup & salad. Along w/ the green beans!

Ay yi yi!! I don't know what to do!

I'm *thisclose* to doing away w/ the sweet potato gnocchi... but I'm afraid my very southern grandfather will be turning over in his grave if I don't have sweet potatoes for Christmas dinner!

Edited to add: And all of ya'll who have local Italian bakeries are killing me!! LOL! I wouldn't know the 1st place to get fresh cannolli's here... but, if I could, that would be so yummy!!

 

[Disney Doll]

How about swet potatoe pie for one of your desserts?

 

[MariDisney]

If sweet potatoes are the most important thing, how about a sweet potato lasagna? Less authentically Italian, but it could work for you:

http://savour-fare.com/2009/03/26/sweetpotatolasagna/

 

[liamsaunt]

I definitely would not serve the gnocchi with the lasagna. That is just too much. Choose one or the other--it will be easier on you also!

I would omit the cranberry chutney, especially if you choose the lasagana over the gnocchi. It does not match.

For the green beans, you can cook them in advance and then hold them in ice water. When it is time to serve, reheat for a couple of minutes in a saute pan with some butter and then toss in a handful of toasted almonds at the end.

Final thought: your salad sounds very delicious, but I don't think I would serve a raspberry-yogurt dressing with an Italian meal.

 

[Wendy31]

Okay!

I've given up on sweet potato gnocchi! (In addition to it not going well w/ lasagna - which I was fully prepared to ignore - I just wasn't figuring out how we were going to cook it to serve immediately while we're eating soup & salad...)

But, how about...

Instead of vegetarian minestrone (drumroll please!) - Creamy Sweet Potato & Rosemary Soup!

The recipe is courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis, one of my favorite Italian chefs from the Food Network! Plus, it has marscapone cheese in it, & my DH adores the way Giada says "marscapone"!

So, I get my sweet potatoes in a soup. This soup looks easier (& more inexpensive) than the minestrone. And we don't have to labor over gnocchi!

Does that work better?

(And I'm still thinking about the salad...)

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes...the soup sounds better than the gnocchi.
Good idea.

 

[Polyluvr]

It sounds fantastic