Christmas Dinner - 2015

I know....it's early. But I have to order the crown roast and the coconut cake today, so I was working on my menu last night. The kids called and said they would be here on Dec 26th.

I'm going to do a lunch on Christmas around 1:00 or so and I think that will be our meal. And then do Christmas dinner on Saturday. I like the idea of a bit of relaxing on Christmas Day. There will be 7 of us, I think, for our lunch. Haven't decided what I'm going to make, other than some kind of quiche, a warm fruit salad, and mimosas. That's as far as I got. I know that Rick's mother is coming on both days.

I think there will be either 11 or 13 of us for our Christmas dinner on Saturday (and I'm really hoping it doesn't snow!):

Crown Roast of Pork with warm Old Farmhouse Chutney

Crock Pot Stuffing and Gravy

Potato Casserole with Bacon and Caramelized Onion (kind of like scalloped potatoes, but without all the cream and cheese)

Sweet Potato Casserole (chunked sweets with dried apricots and cherries, a bit of maple syrup, and a sprinkling of pecans)

Dried Corn 

Asparagus with Leeks

Creamed Onions

Apple and Dried Cherry Salad

Freezer Cabbage

Cranberry Relish (and a can of Ocean Spray jellied sauce because that's what Rick likes)

Iced Tea and Coffee

A few bottles of cranberry wine from our local winery

White Coconut Cake

Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake 

Assorted Christmas Cookies

Almond Brittle

Our Christmas dinner really never changes much at all. I started making the potato casserole a few years ago (because I do mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and wanted something different for Christmas and the casserole turned out to be a real hit with the family). Same with serving dried corn instead of the corn pudding that I make at Thanksgiving; Rick loves dried corn, so that gives him something he really likes. Our son loves creamed onions and our DIL loves the asparagus. I like the sweet potatoes because they're not loaded down with brown sugar and butter; the original recipe calls for mashing the sweet potatoes, but we like them better in chunks with the dried fruit (I may try it with chunks of butternut squash this year; it's not like we don't have a ton of squash from the garden!). 

The coconut cake is a standing tradition for my sister, brother and me. It's what to serve for Christmas dinner! However, Rick nor our DIL will touch coconut and they're both die-hard peanut butter fans, so I'm going with the peanut butter cheesecake this year for them. The cheesecake recipe is from Junior's Cheesecakes cookbook and uses a spongecake crust instead of the old graham cracker crust; I did a black cherry cheesecake last year and also tried a strawberry swirl cheesecake from the same book and everybody thought they were just wonderful. The grands love all kinds of cookies, although Caleb's favorite is peanut butter and Sarah's favorite is chocolate crinkles....I will have them on hand as well. Like their grandmother, they do not like cheesecake.   

What about you? What do you usually serve on Christmas? Is it a traditional dinner or do you like to mix it up a bit and serve something different from year to year? 

I used to make a prime rib with mashed potatoes, etc when DH was still here. Now it's just DD, me and of course, the furkids. I have no idea what will be on the menu but it won't be elaborate, that's for sure. Last year, DD and I had crab cakes and salad. It was really good. She loves those. I'll roast a bone in, skin on chicken breast for the kids. They love that so much. I have to find out if DD's BF will be joining us for dinner or not as that would change everything. He can't have gluten, dairy or chocolate so I'd have to build a menu he can have. 

I'm not sure what we're having but most likely prime rib! Not sure on the desserts/sides yet as we will be making Christmas candy and cookies the week of Christmas, I think.

There's just me and Hekitty this year, so I'm going to go very simple and do homemade cornbread dressing with pork chops baked on top, gravy, green beans, creamed corn, and winter mix with cheese sauce, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie.  That will feed me for four days with meat, and most of a week with veggies.  And about an hour and a half with pie  

Almost forgot Christmas Eve, when my friend, Suzanne, is coming over.  I'll do a grits casserole with ham, and applesauce baked with peach bits, apricots, and maraschino cherries and topped with brown sugar and cinnamon.  We'll watch "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol."

 

Good grief!  I had to edit that three times to get it understandable.  I've only slept about 4 hours, and it's showing!

Mamanyt1953 said:

 
There's just me and Hekitty this year, so I'm going to go very simple and do homemade cornbread dressing with pork chops baked on top, gravy, green beans, creamed corn, and winter mix with cheese sauce, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie.  That will feed me for four days with meat, and most of a week with veggies.  And about an hour and a half with pie

 

Almost forgot Christmas Eve, when my friend, Suzanne, is coming over.  I'll do a grits casserole with ham, and applesauce baked with peach bits, apricots, and maraschino cherries and topped with brown sugar and cinnamon.  We'll watch "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol."

 

Good grief!  I had to edit that three times to get it understandable.  I've only slept about 4 hours, and it's showing!

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You and Hekitty will be eating good this year. Is there a bit of pork chop with her name on it? 

That grits casserole sounds amazing. I LOVE grits!! 

Kat0121 said:

 
You and Hekitty will be eating good this year. Is there a bit of pork chop with her name on it? 

That grits casserole sounds amazing. I LOVE grits!! 

Click to expand...

The smallest chop will be cooked without seasoning.  That's our deal.  Not that she will eat it, but it will be there for her.  You never know.

The grits casserole is dead easy. 

1 C grits (long cooking if you can find it, but quick will do...just cook a bit longer than directions say)

4 C water

S & P to taste

1 stick butter

8oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

1/4 tsp garlic powder  (if you can find the garlic cheese rolls, use those instead of Velveeta and garlic powder)

4 eggs, beaten in a 1 c measuring cup

Milk, enough to add to eggs to make one cup total

Cubed ham, crumbled bacon or shredded chicken, cooked (optional)

Finely diced bell pepper & onion (optional)

Preheat oven to 350

Place water, salt, and pepper in large pot on stove, bring to a boil.  Add grits.  Cook according to package directions, stirring frequently. 

At the end of the cooking time, add the cheese and meat and veggies, if desired, stir well till cheese melts and blends.  Temper eggs with grits mixture, then add and stir well. Pour into greased 9x13 baking pan and bake x 45 minutes, or until set.  Allow to cook for about 5 minutes or so before serving.

This, along with the hot fruit dish, was a tradition at our house on Christmas Eve.  Mom always held an open house for friends, and served that along with pineapple iced tea, egg nog, and spiced hot cider.

On Christmas Day we go to my brother's house. For the past few years we have been having appetizers and desserts, since that is everyone's' favorite parts of the meal. :lol3: I know I have to bring a shrimp scampi dip, but not sure what else yet.