Holiday Menus and Recipes 2013

[wawa]

Share as you figure them out...

I'm all drooly just thinking of them all.

pixy0stix, sticky?

[EloiseWeenie]

Since I already had the blog open,
apple pie leftofspoon.blogspot.com/2011/09/lost-things-and-secret-apple-pie.html
corn pudding leftofspoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/baby-and-corn-pudding.html
my favorite Christmas cookies ever leftofspoon.blogspot.com/2011/12/sprinkle-snakes.html

[msmerymac]

I love this butternut squash gratin as a side: allrecipes.com/recipe/merritts-butternut-squash-gratin/

(CEP enough for you?)

Another hit is cooking couscous in half water, half apple juice, with a sprinkle of salt and cinnamon. As soon as it's done, add dried fruit of your choice - apples, raisins, golden raisins, cranberries. Serve room temp as a grain salad/side and top with chopped walnuts or almonds.

This is something that's awesome to make at some point in October or November. I get tiny sugar pumpkins and make individual meals with them:
www.marthastewart.com/348891/pumpkin-stuffed-everything-good

[redheadbaker]

I'm mobile, so can't C&P links, but search Epicurious.com for "cider brined and glazed turkey" -- it is fantastic! Even mother, who hates turkey, loved this.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[wawa]

Sept 26, 2013 10:55:34 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

I'm mobile, so can't C&P links, but search Epicurious.com for "cider brined and glazed turkey" -- it is fantastic! Even mother, who hates turkey, loved this.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cider-Brined-and-Glazed-Turkey-233148

This does look good.  

I need to find out from my mom how much of the rest of the family is expected to attend.  I'd love to have an excuse to make two small turkeys instead of one biggish one so we can try new stuff. 

[cattledogkisses]

I'll have to ask my mom if she's put together her thanksgiving menu yet. She plans a multi-course meal, with each course paired with a different wine.

[redheadbaker]

Sept 26, 2013 11:05:30 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

I'll have to ask my mom if she's put together her thanksgiving menu yet. She plans a multi-course meal, with each course paired with a different wine.

Can I eat at your mom's house? I haven't hosted T Day since moving into an apartment, and my mom hasn't changed up the menu since I was born. And I even offer to bring a dish! But she says I don't need to "go to the trouble."

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[mouse]

I usually make this for dessert because at that point I want something that looks like more effort than it was and it's delicious: www.marthastewart.com/356150/pear-and-sour-cherry-flat-pie

I'm veggie so our mains are usually either quiche, mac and cheese or feta tart (http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/flaky-feta-tart-10000001932457/). But I'm always on the lookout for more ideas.

I make a variation of dried cherry and cranberry sauce with ginger and a splash of orange juice. I make it up as I go along, so it's different every year.

Eta: I also make savory sweet potatoes. Make a slurry of olive oil, garlic, rosemary and salt in the processor/bullet/blender. Pour it over sweet potato medallions and roast. My in-laws request that we bring it every year.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Sept 26, 2013 11:03:50 GMT -5 wawa said:

Sept 26, 2013 10:55:34 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

I'm mobile, so can't C&P links, but search Epicurious.com for "cider brined and glazed turkey" -- it is fantastic! Even mother, who hates turkey, loved this.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cider-Brined-and-Glazed-Turkey-233148

This does look good.  

I need to find out from my mom how much of the rest of the family is expected to attend.  I'd love to have an excuse to make two small turkeys instead of one biggish one so we can try new stuff. 

I'm pretty sure this is the turkey I'm making.

I'm also toying with twice baked sweet potatoes. But I'm not sure how feasible that is.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using proboards

[secretlyevil]

pixy0stix - did you forget to stick? PLEASE AND THANK YOU!Eleventy!

[pixy0stix]

Sept 27, 2013 12:14:37 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

pixy0stix - did you forget to stick? PLEASE AND THANK YOU!Eleventy!

I put it in the sticky thread with the recommendations. I'll stick it separately though.

[Deleted]

I'm just coming in to say that I'm really bitter bc I lost out on all holidays this year. My brother is on call on xmas so they are hosting and my other brother is hosting thanksgiving, which is fine bc I think his new wife really wants to "show off" which I understand (my mom offered to bring sides and she was like "no I will do it" and I think my mom was kind of insulted bc she thought she was being helpful, but in reality my SIL enjoys cooking so I think she is really excited to host). so fine. SIL for thanksgiving is very into pinterest so there will be lots of pinterest type foods lol but it should still be good.

SIL for christmas does not cook but also loves pinterest, so I'm sure like the place settings will be really cool but I have no idea about the food. She point blank told my mom she wont be cooking because its too stressful (she doesn't cook anyway). So I'm not sure what the plan is....

I LOVE TO COOK for holidays so I'm kind of sad that I got completely bumped.

so I'm going to lurk in this thread and seethe with jealousy. sigh. NEXT YEAR.

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 26, 2013 11:18:28 GMT -5 mouse said:

I usually make this for dessert because at that point I want something that looks like more effort than it was and it's delicious: www.marthastewart.com/356150/pear-and-sour-cherry-flat-pie

I'm veggie so our mains are usually either quiche, mac and cheese or feta tart (http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/flaky-feta-tart-10000001932457/). But I'm always on the lookout for more ideas.

I make a variation of dried cherry and cranberry sauce with ginger and a splash of orange juice. I make it up as I go along, so it's different every year.

Eta: I also make savory sweet potatoes. Make a slurry of olive oil, garlic, rosemary and salt in the processor/bullet/blender. Pour it over sweet potato medallions and roast. My in-laws request that we bring it every year.

I need this in my mouth. 

[winnied]

Thanksgiving Menu:

Appetizers:
Spiced Nuts - a la Union Square Cafe
Baked Brie

Main:
Roast Turkey - brined  - Crate & Barrel brine, the rest is PW's
Mashed Potatoes 
Sweet Potato Casserole 
Stuffing 
Cranberry Sauce 
Vegetable TBD
Rolls 
Compound Butter (garlic & herb and/or honey/cinnamon)
Gravy

Dessert:
Pumpkin Tart
Pear/Caramel Ice Cream (Annie's Eats)

[icechalk]

We live on the Gulf Coast so we have a seafood twist on pretty much everything

Oyster dressing

Shrimp and mirliton casserole or a seafood eggplant casserole


Are 2 of my favorites!

Other dishes generally pretty standard

Crudités
Green beans
Turkey- sometimes roasted sometimes fried
Sweet potato casserole - my MILs is divine
Mashed potatoes made w Boursin
Gravy
Yeast rolls
Homemade cranberry sauce

For the past few years I have made a fabulous bourbon chocolate pecan.

We also like a pumpkin dip served with nilla wafers and graham crackers.

[LoveTrains]

I make this sausage cornbread stuffing/dressing every year.

allrecipes.com/recipe/awesome-sausage-apple-and-cranberry-stuffing/
I just use bagged cornbread stuffing mix as a base. I do also add more chicken broth and I omit the turkey liver.

[bimbi284]

This will be our first foray into the holidays since H and I have gone vegan. My mom is FREAKING out about it..."but...what are you going to EAT?!?!?!"

So I've been gathering some ideas, keeping in mind that we're also Puerto Rican, so some dishes aren't your traditional holiday fare in the U.S. In no particular order, and without having actually thought about it much more than finding potential recipes:

karma-free-cooking.com/2007/11/26/sweet-potato-flan/

The font in this one is atrocious, but good ideas:http://www.thelilfoxes.com/2012/11/14/have-mercy-a-grateful-vegan-thanksgiving/

karma-free-cooking.com/2009/12/02/tofu-chon/

karma-free-cooking.com/2009/02/06/mamis-tembleque/

www.vegkitchen.com/tips/vegetarian-thanksgiving/

veganricans.blogspot.com/2008/11/vegan-mofongo-w-fried-tempeh.html

glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/02/vegan-scalloped-potatoes.html

[lilibet]

We did this to the turkey last year and it was amazing www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

I also really liked this www.annies-eats.com/2010/11/10/sweet-potatoes-with-sage-butter-crumb-topping/

[munkii]

bimbi284, We always make tamales for Thanksgiving (Mexi-veggie signing in), which makes me ask if you could do some kind of twist on pasteles? I know making them takes forever, but it might be worth it.

Here are a couple recipes I found (one with tofu, one with tsp)

www.glutenfreebakingbear.com/2012/12/vegan-gluten-free-puerto-rican-pasteles.html

karma-free-cooking.com/2009/12/23/pasteles-in-banana-leaves/

[bimbi284]

Sept 28, 2013 16:24:39 GMT -5 munkii said:

bimbi284, We always make tamales for Thanksgiving (Mexi-veggie signing in), which makes me ask if you could do some kind of twist on pasteles? I know making them takes forever, but it might be worth it.

Here are a couple recipes I found (one with tofu, one with tsp)

www.glutenfreebakingbear.com/2012/12/vegan-gluten-free-puerto-rican-pasteles.html

karma-free-cooking.com/2009/12/23/pasteles-in-banana-leaves/

Munkii, thanks! Yes, I've seen the karma-free recipe and considered it, but I'm a bad Puerto Rican and actually don't like pasteles...like AT ALL (I love tamales though!). My family makes fun of me for this, but I'm just not a yautía fan in general. I'm not opposed to trying my own version of them though, maybe trying a different tuber? If nothing else, this has gotten some wheels turning in my brain, so gracias for that! . 

[DirtySouth]

We're hosting Thanksgiving.  In addition to turkey, we're having:

Crockpot pumpkin lattes, but adding bourbon to the recipe
getcrocked.com/2012/10/10/crock-pot-pumpkin-latte/


Creamed collards
www.bonappetit.com/recipe/creamed-collard-greens


Cornbread stuffing with sweet potato and squash
www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cornbread-stuffing-with-sweet-potato-squash-10000001932584/


Mashed potatoes.  No recipe, but I mash them with butter, sour cream, cream cheese (I feel fatter just typing this out, lol), minced roasted garlic, salt, pepper, a splash of milk.  I don't measure and do it all to taste.

Roasted asparagus.  I just toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, and roast at 350 for about 20 min.

Of course pumpkin pie.  I'll have my dad bring a rum cake, which is literally the only thing he knows how to bake or cook (because it's so good it's the only thing he has ever been willing to learn lol)

[ChillyMcFreeze]

Those creamed collards look to die for. And I am so down with adding bourbon to a pumpkin spice latte. YUM.

[pugz]

ooh loving this thread! We are going to my aunt's for Thanksgiving for smoked turkey, mmmmm but will need to bring a side. We are going to host a small Christmas Eve dinner with my parents. Might do a small turkey since dh's company gives us an $18 gift certificate for a butterball turkey every year.

[DirtySouth]

This was our spread when we hosted Christmas 2012.



The beef tenderloin is easy and melts in your mouth.
allrecipes.com/recipe/fabulous-beef-tenderloin/detail.aspx


Mashed potatoes are what I posted above and are yum.

Glazed carrots - Boil baby carrots until thoroughly cooked.  In a saute pan brown butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup (just all to taste), and then mix the carrots in.

I have no idea what the yellow stuff is.  Maybe squash casserole?  I don't remember!  The cranberries were made by someone else, as were all of the desserts.

OH, and I can't forget the hot buttered rum.  I'd never had this before and it was delicious.  Rich and I could only drink a few sips, but really delicious.
getcrocked.com/2011/09/19/crock-pot-hot-buttered-rum/

[ChillyMcFreeze]

We do prime rib and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas. It is so amazing. Someone always fails to bring the cream of crap green bean casserole for thanksgiving, so we usually have that on Christmas too.

[SusanBAnthony]

I am so glad this thread exists, you guys. Seriously.

We are hosting thanksgiving and Christmas. Tday will be low key (probably just us) but Christmas is going to be both of our whole families, 2/3rds of which will be house guests.

[boiler717]

I'm ISO of a great corn pudding recipe. There is a place near us that does a jalapeño corn creme brûlée that I'm trying to recreate.

Here's TG:

Apps/lunch
Meat and cheese plate
Marinated olives
Some sort of homemade cracker or cheese straw
Stuff mushrooms
Veggies + BLT dip
Some sort if cranberry champagne cocktail

Dinner
Turkey (I brine and then roast covered in a riesling and butter soaked cheese cloth)
Cornbread dressing
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Butternut squash gratin with leeks and goat cheese (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-Gratin-with-Goat-Cheese-and-Hazelnuts-240412)
TBD corn dish
Sautéed Brussel sprouts with pancetta
Green beans with almonds and roasted red peppers (maybe delete this but the kids like it)
Whiskey glazed carrots
Parker house rolls with herb garlic butter and cinnamon butter
Usually do a Pinot noir with dinner, not sure which one. Maybe Artesa.

Desserts
Caramel apple crisp (http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/91824/best-ever-caramel-apple-crisp)
Pumpkin pie
Chocolate hazelnut tart

Edit - forgot cranberry sauce for dinner!

[boiler717]

Cocktail holiday party

Sparkling cranberry sangria
Wine + beer
Shrimp cocktail
Stuffed mushrooms
Chicken skewers with peanut sauce
Meatballs (grape jelly + chili sauce)
Mini grilled cheese
Tomato artichoke soup shooters
Veggies + BLT dip
Meat and cheese tray
Sliced nuts
Marinated olives?
Brownies
Assorted Christmas cookies
Big bowl of Angie's kettle corn


And the highlight, my famous hot chocolate bar -- huge batch of homemade hot chocolate, two kinds of Bailey's, peppermint schnapps, whipped cream, marshmallows, peppermint stir sticks, crushed peppermint, red and green sprinkles

[boiler717]

Christmas

Christmas Day:
Beouf bourguignon
Homemade egg noodles
Cranberry orange cake (http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/layer-cakes/cranberry-layer-cake/)

Mom's side:
Various apps, whatever people bring
Italian beef with pepperoncini and ciabatta rolls (similar to this m.foodnetwork.com/recipes/567098)
Mac and cheese
Green beans
Potato salad
Whatever other sides/desserts people bring

Dad's side:
Lasagna (usually one veggie with white sauce and two traditional)
Caesar salad
Garlic bread
Whatever apps/desserts people bring

[boiler717]

NYE dinner (last thing I host until the Super Bowl!)

Cheese fondue -- usually a traditional and beer cheddar

Prime rib
Mashed potatoes
Roasted asparagus with balsamic

Individual triple chocolate brownie skillets with homemade ice cream (probably salted caramel)
(http://m.foodnetwork.com/recipes/645327)

And then I don't cook for a month