What's for X-Mas Eve Dinner?

[mrsboz]

I usually make a smorgasborg but this year I am thinking of making a typical turkey dinner. What are you guys making? Do you have any "hit" ideas? Mine last year was chili. I did a chili bar during appetizer time. Everyone raved about it.

 

[robinb]

Whoops, Christmas Eve not New years Eve! Lobster dinner at Old Towne Ale House. They run a special every Wednesday.

 

[pryncess527]

We always do a beef tenderloin on Christmas Eve.

 

[gofordrew]

We do traditional dinner on Thanksgiving. On Christmas eve the outer family gets together and we do several different appetizers. Everyone loves it

 

[disney world dreamer]

we do "snack night" on xmas eve and then bring the snacks back out for lunch on xmas.

things like... veggie "pizza", beer bread, chilli sauce/grape jelly meat balls, chicken wing dip, shrimp, cheese....

 

[brymolmom]

We don't do a real meal either....Appies. I can make most of them beforehand or just grab out of the frig. Everyone is plenty full by the end anyway and the kids have plenty of room for the cut-outs.

I usually do - meatballs in sauce (throw in the crockpot before heading to Mass), taco dip, veggie tray, cheese & crackers and shrimp with cocktail sauce plus cookies.

 

[threecrazykids]

We do a mix of things - appetizers, slider or finger sandwiches, always chili and oyster soup, and about 5 shrimp cocktail rings. The appetizer theme is always a huge success at Christmas (for our family).

 

[worm761]

Tradition in my family is to have sloppy joe's and Ballreich potato chips for Christmas Eve dinner. We do apps on New Year's Eve.

 

[tiggerluver12]

Here in Texas we do Mexican food night. Homemade tamales, beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, tortillas, enchiladas, salsa, etc. Yummy!!

 

[puffkin]

We usually have to work Christmas Eve until mid-afternoon (if it's a weekday). Then we rush home and get to the early (5pm) family service at church. Its usually only a 45 minute service or so and then we head over to the Chinese Buffet for dinner (we have a really nice one nearby). Some years we have my DH's family over so then we head back to our house for gifts and light snacks (they all have an open invitation to join us for church and Chinese too but rarely do). If we aren't seeing DH's family that night, after Chinese we usually drive around a little and look at lights before heading home to some Christmas movies and getting the kids to bed.

We do a traditional turkey dinner on Christmas Day with my family. My mom and aunts cook it. I usually get assigned something easy like rolls or a dessert

 

[scrapquitler]

I usually make a smorgasborg but this year I am thinking of making a typical turkey dinner. What are you guys making? Do you have any "hit" ideas? Mine last year was chili. I did a chili bar during appetizer time. Everyone raved about it.

We do a smorgasboard (usually there's a ham, lasagna, swedish meatballs, cold cut platter, salad, and some kind of veggie plus whatever else someone brings) and lots and lots of dips and finger foods (including buffalo wings, shrimp, veggies & dip, mini hot dogs, dips, etc) and tons of cookies and deserts.

 

[pjlla]

I would LOVE to do an evening of all appetizers! However, a few years ago my parents started joining us and my Dad would not be happy with no "real" meal for Christmas Eve.

We have a few limitations regarding our diets, so it really doesn't leave us a lot of choices for a "special" meal. DS is allergic to poultry so no chicken, duck, or turkey.... and because of his allergy I substitute lean pork for a lot of chicken recipes, so no pork for Christmas dinner. For health reasons I prefer to limit cured meats so no ham. DD is studying to be a marine biologist and hasn't eaten seafood for 10 years and I respect her standing on this, so no seafood. No one is particularly fond of big pasta dishes like lasagna. So we are down to pretty much just beef (or something exotic like alligator or ostrich I suppose!). For the last two years I've done a prime rib. Honestly, I don't love it but everyone else does and it really isn't terribly hard. I also do a twice baked potato (crowd favorite), a green salad, green vegetable and a special dinner roll. For dessert we do a small assortment of homemade cookies and squares. I hate baking, but DD enjoys it and it gives her an excuse to do a bit of baking.

Anyhow, I'll be following this thread closely.... I'd love to find something OTHER than the prime rib to make!.................P

 

[MomToOne]

We have a family gathering at my brother's each Christmas Eve. Our traditional dinner is seafood gumbo for the appetizer, followed by a huge prime rib ("roast beast" to our family in a nod to the Grinch Who Stole Christmas) and various sides. Afternoon "snack" is a hot crab dip. Dessert is usually pound cake and my brother's homemade chocolate truffles (yum!).

 

[ah1126]

Pizza! This has been the tradition in my family since I was born. Some years we pick it up, some years it's homemade, but always Pizza.

 

[pryncess527]

Anyhow, I'll be following this thread closely.... I'd love to find something OTHER than the prime rib to make!.................P

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/center-cut-tenderloin-roast-recipe.html

Easy and delicious! I think I'm going to make a hollandaise sauce to go with it this year too.

 

[puffkin]

If you want to do pasta, but not the normal lasagna/ziti type dishes, this is one of my favorite recipes EVER. It is restaurant quality in taste and beyond easy to make. Just dice up the ham and peppers beforehand and you can make two or 3 batches super fast if you have a lot of people. Serve with a salad, crusty bread and wine and don't tell your guests how easy it is

http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe/Main+Dishes/Brown+Butter+Tortellini+with+Spinach+%26+Ham/76808

 

[Scambone]

home made lasagna. My mom and grandpa makes 5 huge trays of it each year for each family to have one to eat. We open some presents, eat, then finish opening presents. I can't think of a year we ever did anything different.

 

[hockeygirl14]

We do finger food on Christmas eve and a full turkey dinner on Christmas day! It makes for an easy and relaxing Christmas eve

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Usually we have lentil soup with flat bread. Go to Midnight Mass. Then come home and eat tamales.

This year we are doing all empanadas--meat, chicken, spinach, cheese, apple, mincemeat (maybe), pineapple and pumpkin. Both fried and baked.

Christmas day this year will be for the Cajun and Creole side of the family--etouffe, turkey, rice, bread pudding, rum pecan tart and cookies.

 

[Lees3rwe]

We either do Chinese take out or appetizers.
Depends on how much stuff we all still have left to do that day.