Share your holiday menus here

[hamster]

Particularly Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but if you're a neurotic planner who has NYE/NYD planned too, knock yourself out.

And to bring this full circle: 

[mbcdefg]

We go to Christmas Eve Mass with my family, and then we order pizza or have homemade appetizers back at Mom's house afterward. She hasn't mentioned what she wants us to eat. If I were hosting I'd want to make prime rib.

We also go to Mom's house for breakfast and gifts on Christmas Morning. Basic breakfast fare ... eggs, bacon, sausage, frozen hash browns, loads of coffee. Whatever my sister might make, like cinnamon buns. I brought quiche last year. It's just me and MH, Mom, Sis and maybe her boyfriend, and Brother (sans the new GF that I haven't met yet; although he might bring his roommate's dog, lol.)

Other assorted appetizers and basic meals (ham or turkey, Italian food, etc.) when we visit extended family on and after Christmas Day. Nothing in particular stands out. 

I worked out the menu for our annual Christmas party yesterday. I know there's a lot here, but I like to have options - people will probably bring stuff (especially desserts), we start at 6 pm so it needs to be hearty, and I will make some game-time decisions in the grocery store based on the prices:

Vegetable tray with hummus
Potato chips, pretzels, Tostitos with onion dip and salsa
Cheese plate with crackers, fig spread, apples/grapes, bread
Cranberry goat cheese log with crackers
Shrimp cocktail platter (I may skip this)
Prosciutto and gruyere pinwheels
Chicken enchilada roll-ups
Chili sauce/grape jelly meatballs in the crockpot
Caprese skewers
Deviled eggs (I may skip this)
Stuffed mushrooms/zucchini
Pigs in a blanket
Mini quiche (frozen)
Spanakopita (frozen)
Bruschetta
Sausage- and/or goat cheese-stuffed mini peppers
Stuffed grape leaves from the Whole Foods buffet (I may skip this)
Macaroni and cheese
Pulled pork sliders (Mom is bringing)
Noodle salad (Aunt is bringing)

I go easy on desserts since people always bring stuff: just brownies and cheesecake-stuffed strawberries.

Drinks: juice boxes, bottled water, soda, beer, wine, coffee, maybe hot cocoa if I feel like it (I did a hot cocoa bar in 2013 but only two or three kids were interested in it)


ETA: New Year's has been just me and MH the past couple of years. We make a few appetizers and drink bubbly at midnight and watch The Honeymooners marathon.

[Pom]

My nieces and sister come to our house but we all cook the Christmas Day menu. This was just discussed today, lol.

Christmas Eve- STILL TBD. I kind of want to do heavy apps and then we have left overs for pre-meal on Christmas Day. We often do Italian like Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread but I think apps is a nice change.

Proposed: Veggie Tray and Dill Dip, Pickles, Olives, Deviled Eggs, Cheese & Meat Display, Sausage Balls, Hot Crab Dip, Bacon Wrapped, Bleu Cheese Stuffed Dates. Mini Dessert Tray

Christmas Day Breakfast- Migas, Fruit Salad.

Christmas Day
Glazed Ham-Niece 1
Garlic Mashed Potatoes-Niece 1
Corn dish?-Niece 2
Sweet potatoes souffle- Mr. P
Green Beans, Garlic and Olive Oil-Niece 2
Stuffing, Sage Sausage, Dried Cherries Me
Peppermint Ice Cream and Chocolate Dessert...tbd. Me

ETA: Christmas Day Tamales...I almost forgot and Nieces would be sad.

[gardengal]

Xmas dinner:

Smoked lamb
Charred carrots w harissa & yogurt sauce
Pilaf w currants & almonds

Bake well tart to finish

We are skewing Anglo-Indian this year

[MNH2013]

For Christmas at my moms we are frying a turkey, I'm making cranberry sauce and an appetizer. Not sure what everyone else is bringing as they do things last minute.

For IL's we are having pork roast made like walking tacos with all the fixings. H is frying a turkey breast.

For NYE we usually switch between all apps and ordering Chinese. not sure which will be this year.

[Deleted]

We are hosting Xmas dinner an I plan on making beef rib roast, crab stuffed mushrooms, Brazilian cheese bread, roasted veggies and either scalloped or mashed potatoes. On top of this, each family member usually brings a dish of Asian food or dessert.

[raangoli]

Christmas Eve will be dinner out. Woo!

Then Christmas day is just MH and I visiting my parents. So it's really just like any other day. And sort of sad really. I hate this time of year because everyone gets split in different directions and it doesn't feel special.

I didn't answer the question though - I went to Debbie Downer mode. The answer is: I have no clue.

[boiler717]

Christmas Eve is apps, salad, lasagna, and bread. Birthday cake for Jesus.
Christmas Day is beouf bourguignon, egg noodles, and cranberry orange layer cake
NYE, hmm maybe apps? Could be discharge day. NYD whatever people bring us

[winnied]

Xmas Eve is heavy apps and such:

Pigs in a blanket (don't judge)
Caramelized onion dip with crudites
3 or 4 cheeses with grapes and crackers
Antipasto platter

Xmas morning:

Vanilla bean scones
Spinach strata
Bacon/sausage
Fresh fruit
Mimosas and coffee

Xmas dinner:

Roast leg of lamb
Roasted potatoes with rosemary and onion
Roast brussel sprouts with pancetta
dinner rolls/compound butter
Pecan pie

[mbcdefg]

Dec 15, 2015 15:41:01 GMT -5 winnied said:

Pigs in a blanket (don't judge)

I make these every year for the Christmas party, and my mom follows me around the kitchen until I take them out of the oven.

What do you wrap yours with? I used to do canned crescent rolls or biscuits, then I started using puff pastry and people were practically inhaling them. 

[winnied]

Dec 15, 2015 15:47:40 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Dec 15, 2015 15:41:01 GMT -5 winnied said:

Pigs in a blanket (don't judge)

I make these every year for the Christmas party, and my mom follows me around the kitchen until I take them out of the oven.

What do you wrap yours with? I used to do canned crescent rolls or biscuits, then I started using puff pastry and people were practically inhaling them. 

I'm extra lazy and buy the pre-made ones that are wrapped in puff pastry. I love them both equally, because butter.

[moolarkey]

Christmas eve - 6 adults and we're not in to fancy.

Shrimp cocktail tray
meat & cheese plate( 3 types of salamis, 3 kinds of cracks/breads, several flavors of boursin cheese).
various olives (garlic stuffed, etc)
possibly some deviled eggs just cause they all love them.

Pulled pork w/various BBQ sauces
crock pot mac & cheese
green beans cooked w/bacon and some onion

Christmas cookies

Christmas day is just H and me. We'll probably do leftovers for lunch, I'll either put a beef roast in and have mashed potatoes & gravy or we'll do a pasta and salad.

Before we do anything else, when every first arrives we'll sing happy birthday to our grandson (12/24 is his birthday and he'll be 4) and we'll have cake. Everyone will just take small pieces since we'll have dinner not long after that.



Wine, some kind of Christmas cocktail, hot chocolate

[ESF]

Just H and I for Christmas eve. We are making this

www.marthastewart.com/343284/linguine-with-clams-in-pepper-broth

Salad and bread. Chestnut pudding for dessert.

Christmas morning we are making Monte Cristo sandwiches and blood orange mimosas.

Christmas day we are going somewhere, I have no idea what is on the menu. I'm making cupcakes.

No idea what we're doing for NYE/NYD. Probably staying home because we're hosting a holiday party on the 2nd, and I will have to cook a lot. The menu is about 75% finalized.

Still need to work in a couple more apps, plus I have to decide on the cookie assortment for dessert. Here's the so far menu:

Mini roast beef sandwiches with horseradish cranberry sauce and arugula
Kabocha squash fritters with some kind of sauce to dip them in
Brandade
Polenta squares topped with ricotta and pistachio mint pesto
Cheese and crackers. I want to make homemade crackers. H says I am insane.
Pickled vegetables

[Deleted]

Ham
sliced turkey
rolls and bread for sandwiches
relish tray
meatballs
2 kinds of soup
baked beans
salad
mac and cheese
cookies, fudge
other assorted deserts 

[cajunmom]

This is what's planned so far. An additional side and dessert will probably be added.

Turkey (H is spatchcocking it. Look it up, lol)
Ham (my sister is doing this b/c she doesn't like turkey)
deviled eggs
mashed potatoes
sweet potato casserole
stuffed bell peppers
sauteed rainbow carrots
rolls

cherry pie
cheesecake

[magdala]

We hold an open house on Christmas eve from 4 pm to 12 am. About 50 people show up for some part of the day.

Mulled cider with brandy
Sriacha cashews
Deviled eggs
Chicken wings
Goat cheese empanadas with salsa bobos
Tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole
Cheese tray

Vegetarian minestrone
Killer bread
Spiced orange pot roast
Sesame cucumber salad
Spinach pear salad
Roasted root vegetables
Macaroni and cheese

Snickerdoodles
Russian Teacakes
Butter spritz
Chocolate chip, peanut butter pretzel cookies

[crashgizmo]

We're doing Christmas Eve with my parents and brother:

Apps: pull apart garlic bread and shrimp cocktail

Dinner: Prime Rib with homemade horseradish sauce, grilled asparagus, and muffin tin potatoes au gratin

Drinks: Christmas martinis, tons of wine, homemade pomegranate vodka drinks

Christmas day we are all going to my grandma's and I know she's doing a turkey. I am making brussels sprouts for that, and I think that's it.

[hamster]

Dec 15, 2015 17:58:21 GMT -5 ESF said:

Christmas morning we are making Monte Cristo sandwiches and blood orange mimosas

Well this is going on my menu! Probably NYD. Because there's no better way to start the new year than with 8 am booze and powdered sugar.