What's for Christmas Dinner?

Originally Posted by menagerie mama

Mind sharing the recipe?

Click to expand...

It's not really a formal recipe that I use. I've watched my father do it for many, many years. He makes a large batch for Christmas Eve, and I'll try to cut it in 1/2 for just the two of us. I'll share the main recipe, or the large batch.

2 small containers of "fresh" oysters (or 1 tall container) (We don't get real fresh oysters here in Colorado!)
1 stick of real butter (margerine cannot be substituted)
1 gallon whole milk
Spices to taste:
Black Pepper
Lawry's (or other brand) Seasoning Salt
Onion Powder or Salt
Celery Salt

Sautee the oysters with the liquid in the butter, just until the oysters curl. Put entire sauteed mixture into the milk in a large pan. Add a bit of all of the seasonings. Don't overdo it with the seasonings, you can always add more later. Heat over medium heat to just a simmer. Don't let it simmer very long, or you will bake the milk to the bottom of the pan! Cover, and heat over warm to low heat. The longer you can let it cook gently, the more infused the "broth" will be with flavor. Serve with crackers.

I was just looking at the Food Network's recipes for Oyster Stew, and both Emeril and Paula Deen add Cayenne to it for more of a kick. You can also add onions and celery if you'd like instead of using the seasonings for the flavor.

Well Christmas Eve for me will be spent working!

For Christmas breakfast we're having the works - Bacon, Eggs, Mushrooms, Ham, Croissants, Tomatoes, Hash Browns, Black pudding, Onions - you name it!

For Christmas Lunch it's Ham, Turkey, Lamb, Chicken, Potatoes, Veges etc etc. For pudding it's raspberries, ice-cream, cream and a few puddings my Nana is making!

For Christmas dinner it's where everybody brings a plate and we have all sorts from steak to curried eggs and then Nanas famous trifile and lamingtons and stuff.

I have three christmas meals at three different houses

Thanks, it sounds sooo yummy, I can't wait to make it!!!! But, I always have questions....I like to cook but I'm far from being Emerill! Any certain kind of oysters? And what seasoning tastes the best? I would prefer to use real onions, so I just sub the onion salt? And what do you mean by "curl?" Is that a cooking term or do they actually curl up? Thanks, I'll get it sooner or later. By the way my stomach is growling now!!!!

I can't think of anything more revolting than eating fish in the holiday season - it's bad enough at any other time.

I don't remember the last time I roasted a turkey, but I'm doing so this year. We'll have stuffing and mashed potatoes and veg (I'll see what looks nice) and gravy and cranberry. If there were going to be a large crowd, I'd do ham, too, but it'll just be Rob and me and Rob Jr, plus perhaps one or two "orphans" -- Jr has several friends who don't have family here and aren't going home, so may need to be gathered into the fold. Dessert will likely be mince tarts, and perhaps zabaglione. We got away from the heavy traditional Christmas pudding and such years ago, and have favoured something fairly light, but festive.

Originally Posted by menagerie mama

Thanks, it sounds sooo yummy, I can't wait to make it!!!! But, I always have questions....I like to cook but I'm far from being Emerill!

Any certain kind of oysters? And what seasoning tastes the best? I would prefer to use real onions, so I just sub the onion salt? And what do you mean by "curl?" Is that a cooking term or do they actually curl up?

Thanks, I'll get it sooner or later. By the way my stomach is growling now!!!!

Click to expand...

Oyster Stew is really easy to make, so no worries. You don't have to be Emeril to make it, and make it really yummy!

For the oysters we just get what's available in the seafood section of the grocery. No flavors, just plain oysters. (I think I've seen canned oysters in various sauces, which you don't want.)

The seasoning I'm used to is Pepper, Seasoning Salt, Onion Powder, & Celery Salt. I've never had it with the Cayenne, but I suppose the Seasoning Salt has a little bit of a kick. If you're using real onions leave out the onion seasoning. Just taste it, and if you think it needs something put more in. It seemed like Dad would always add a little more Pepper, and I would always add in more Celery Salt. LOL

The edges of the oysters will physically curl up when they are cooked. The come into the pan kinda gooey and slimey, and when the edges begine to curl up they are ready for the next step.

Thank you, I am drooling!!!! I'll let you know how it goes. As for my family, I have informed them I am bringing a surprise. I know they'll love it!

There are going to be a whole 3 people for christmas this year, so for breakfast we are making our own and then meeting at the house of choice.

Traditional Christmas Lunch: Roast Turkey (with cranberry sauce), Corn, Beans, Potato & Pumpkin and then Fruit Cake with Brandy Custard for dessert.

As well as nuts, crackers, olives & riccotta cheese dip for snacks before and after. I cant remember having tasted riccotta cheese so I am hoping its nice.. is it??

Dinner on Christmas night is usually left overs because we are usually all still full from lunch! lol.

Well the first thing I do is break out my elastic waist pants!!
Christmas eve always at s-i-l's with all sorts of appetizers.
Christmas morning is church so I will have premade a breakfast/brunch casserole (with eggs, cheese, sausage, bread etc) and champagne and OJ!!!
We will have an earlier dinner (the packer game is on at 4:00)
Ham, cheesy hashbrown casserole, rolls, christmas cookies (and other stuff to be figured out!!) The day after christmas we will most likely grill out as we have lots of brats and burgers in the freezer!!!
Let the eating begin!!!!

We're having turkey and all the trimmings (stuffing, mashed tators, carrots, gravy). For dessert it'll be no-bake strawberry-rhubarb cheesecake. It's my grandmothers receipe and we make it every year. I suspect we'll have that around 2ish, then later on for supper it'll be leftovers, most likely turkey sandwiches!

I don't remember the whole menu, dh offered to plan and cook! I know he's making a turkey breast, and stuffing muffins (a rachael ray recipe) not sure what else...I am, however, in charge of breakfast and snacks

I am thinking our usual devilled eggs, crabstuffed mushrooms, cream cheese and kalamata olive mix stuffed celery sticks, and some sugar free proscuitto.

we have pretty mucgh the same thing for christmas that we have for thanksgiving except for one thing. we don't have turkey we have ham

Originally Posted by Chester&Piper

For dessert it'll be no-bake strawberry-rhubarb cheesecake. It's my grandmothers receipe and we make it every year.

Click to expand...

Um....YUM!!!! recipe?? hehe

Pat, how do you make devilled eggs?

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Pat, how do you make devilled eggs?

Click to expand...

I am sure I do not have the best recipe, I just hard boil eggs, let them cool, peel, cut in half, remove the cooked yolk, mash with dry mustard to taste, salt and pepper and mayonaise, put the mixture back into the egg halves, sprinkle the top with paprika and enjoy

Oh they are what we call Curried Eggs, with or without the curry!

Even the thread title made my mouth water...I LOVE Christmas dinner!!

It's always really really hot and humid on Christmas Day here so we tend to try and keep things a little lighter, but still traditional. Christmas lunch is a much bigger deal in our family than dinner, which is a time when we're all usually stuffed full and traipsing off to some relatives or other for another feast!

We ALWAYS have: roast chicken and roast turkey, a beautiful cured leg of ham that my Mum does, roast potatoes, home made gravy, and lots of vegies. Occasionally if there's lots of family we have beef or lamb as well. We have Christmas pudding with custard or ice cream, Christmas crackers (before the meal of course so we can wear the hats and tell the lame jokes) and then tea or coffee.

And then we roll ourselves away from the table for an afternoon nap!

Every now and then we have a BBQ for christmas - considering of course it is Summer during Christmas!

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Every now and then we have a BBQ for christmas - considering of course it is Summer during Christmas!

Click to expand...

Yeah we usually have a BBQ for Christmas dinner depending on who's house it's at....with of course the traditional Backyard Test Cricket match to go along with it!

LOL awesome! I'd so much rather be outside enjoying the day then stuck inside in the freezing cold!