For Christmas would you prefer...

[readyin07]

Pork tenderloin or lasagna?

My FIL, BIL, SIL and our little nephew will be in town this year. My parents always host Christmas, but because my mom just had her hip replaced she of course isn't up to hosting my extended family  (they are still doing something small with her BFF and my 2 cousins who don't really have any other family). So  I will be hosting Christmas dinner for the 5 of us adults and 4 kids.

I am not a natural hostess so this is not my favorite. I am not sure if they will come up here in the morning, but I do a nice breakfast for my family and I don't want to be stressing over cooking all day.

I have some pork tenderloins in my freezer right now and I could do that with salad and twice baked potatoes or just regular baked potatoes if I want to make less work for myself. I've made this recipe and it's good chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com/2012/03/pork-tenderloin-with-pan-sauce.html

Or I could just make lasagna and salad and garlic bread. My SIL is gluten free right now b/c she is pregnant but I could make her a separate small lasagna pretty easily. 

Appetizers would be the same for either meal - shrimp cocktail, spinach artichoke dip and chips and pigs in a blanket (b/c this is all my children will eat of dinner lol).

[readyin07]

Ooh. Dessert. I always make an éclair cake because it is ridiculously easy and can be made ahead. BUt since my SIL is gluten free no graham crackers for her. Any ideas on gluten free desserts? Can I just offer her ice cream? Is that awful?

[calamity]

I would do lasagna.

Your dessert sounds yummy and ice cream is good!

[wildrice]

I always would prefer lasagna over pork tenderloin. Really, I prefer it over most things.

[winecat]

Lasagna!

In the holiday food thread from a while ago I posted about a chocolate pate recipe. It's naturally GF, super easy, and can be made ahead.

[CurlyQ284]

I'm making lasagna this year, but I make pork tenderloin fairly frequently cause my H loves the recipe I use so it's not a special occasion thing.

[yourmother]

Lasagna!!!

[penguingrrl]

Definitely lasagna! Although I actively dislike pork, so my opinion may be irrelevant.

[ally]

I would prefer pork tenderloin.  My mom ruined me for lasagna, as I was forced to eat it as a child.  

[lilac05]

I’d like either one. I’d make the pork, so you only have to make one dish.

As far as dessert, I’d probably ask SIL if there’s anything she’d like...as long as she’s usually reasonable. It would suck to make something specifically so she could eat it and then find out she can’t/won’t/doesn’t eat it anyway.

[cville]

LASAGNA.

I'm biased as a vegetarian who always has Italian food for Christmas, though.

[abs]

Pork.

But I hate lasagna.

I don't think you are going to get unbiased opinions.

[mrssandro]

Meh to the Pork

Yum to the lasagna

[shauni27]

Huh, I will be one of the dissenters and say Pork Tenderloin. While not my favorite cut of meat, I love pork in just about all forms and lasagna for me is more labor intensive.

My favorite way to make pork loin/tenderloin is the sear it on the stove with salt and pepper and then make a glaze for it of: apricot preserve, dijon mustard, garlic and rosemary. Pour or brush it over the loin and roast until cooked.

I like it with roasted potatoes but would always love a twice baked (or regular baked) potato. Throw in a green and you are good to go, maybe some rolls if you wanted.

I freaking love eclair cake. Could you try finding GF graham crackers?

[Deleted]

I would do Lasagna. And personally, would just make the whole thing Gluten Free, why make any more work for yourself, and I say this as someone who made 2 separate lasagnas last weekend for the exact reason. The reason I'm saying not to bother making two, is that on Saturday night my whole family ate the regular lasagna and I ate gluten free. They wanted leftovers the next day and all I had left was the gluten free, they had that and had no idea it was any different from the one they ate the night before LOL

[esdreturns]

I make both prime rib and lasagna for Christmas so I say lasagna for sure!

[mcsangel2]

Pork tenderloin, but I like both.

[whitemerlot]

Pork. It seems fancier to me.

[marcyiam]

Lasagna. Yum.

[meowmaps]

Lasagna.

My mom's making baked ziti and sausage and peppers. I can't wait!

[minionkevin]

I love lasagna so that gets my vote.

[shopgirl07]

Whichever one you like to make the best and you feel most confident with.

[greysgirl]

I would pick lasagna

[dexteroni]

All things equal, I would prefer lasagna. But it sounds like the pork will be much less work, plus you won't have to make a separate entree for your SIL. So in your case, I would make the pork.

With the shrimp and hot dog appetizers, that's kind of an animal-heavy menu IMO, so I would add a veggie appetizer. Even a simple veggie tray with ranch dip would be fine. And maybe the kids who will only eat pigs in a blanket will have a carrot or two, lol.

[jinkies]

I would prefer pork. In fact, that's often what we have on Christmas, so it feels more special and christmas-y to me. Also feels more considerate to your SIL.

[waverly]

I like them both, but I think little kids like lasagna better. Don't do what my H did one year and put a green spice (maybe it was basil, I can't remember now) in it and ruin it for the children ha ha. Nothing green!

[cabbagecabbage]

Not knowing your cooking, pork. The best lasagna beats the best pork but most pork tenderloin is enjoyable while lasagna has so many variables and I've had many that disappointed. Also. if I was gluten free, I would not want a gf version.

[melsbels]

I vote lasagna!

I’m doing a short rib lasagna, mostly because I can make it ahead of time. I’m going to cook the short ribs on the 23rd, and assemble the lasagna on the 24th. We usually do steaks but I wanted to something a bit more special because my FIL is flying across the country to see us on Christmas Day, and I want to have a special meal ready for him.

[notreal]

lasagna, I have really good recipe that uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta it's delish...

just kidding.

Lasagna sounds yummier, but Pork tenderloin seems easier to me.

But a good Gluten free lasagna swap is to put the ricotta.mixture in a thin slice of zucchini or eggplant and make little rolls

[tacokick]

Pork tenderloin would be easier! But it is my I don’t feel like cooking go-to and we have it at least twice a month so it doesn’t seem very special to me.