Christmas dinner menu

[campermom]

Over the years I've done a traditional turkey (repeat Thanksgiving) one year, I've done Christmas lasagna, and I've done a ham.

What other entree ideas do you suggest? (And sides)

My total will be 15 (3 of which are my little kids)
An additional 6 will join us for dessert.

[phdmomma]

We've done soup (potato) and stew in the past. Typically family goes to the evening kids' service with us. So it all needs to be in the crockpot to be ready when folks come over. Maybe stew again this year? Although my oldest has decided that he is a vegetarian so not sure.

[mae0111]

We usually do a beef tenderloin, but that can be pricey. It's a very easy meal to make, and absolutely delicious.

[rere]

Our annual tradition is the that I make several appetizers, sausage balls, ham and cheese puffs, rye bread pizzas, vegetables tray, and a ham in one crockpot and turkey in another, while drinking wine. These can be made beforehand which allows me to participate in the day. I have the Christmas cookies and candy already made. It's really laid back. I got this from MIL, who enjoys the holiday. My mom does the entire turkey dinner and is usually stressed and tired and I'm just not into it.

[saraml13]

We usually do some type of beef roast for Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is a big extended family party. Usually there are multiple main dishes: ham, turkey breast, beef, sometimes pasta.

[mommyatty]

We always do Thanksgiving redux. But this year I am seriously pressing for sheet pan chicken fajitas. I want to just enjoy our day. I love to cook, but I’d rather play with the kids and their new toys.

[2chatter]

I don’t know about pricing, but we did Chinese last year and it was the BEST. If you host can it be a potluck? We do a Thanksgiving redux pot luck. This year I am going to have to have a discussion with DH’s family as if DD comes, I can either make the traditional dishes so she can have them or instruct them on how or we can have two of those items. If people won’t get on board and help divide the work I am spending my 40th cooking so DD can participate and I am not happy. Ugh.

I always vote for easy on Christmas.

[twinmomma]

We do a full prime rib dinner for 12 people. FIL buys the meat, since he insists on it, but DH and I took over the cooking and hosting when the kids were born.
I wish we could get away with appetizer/easy food. That's what my family always did growing up.

[sweetptater]

Dec 4, 2017 21:37:03 GMT -5 rere said:

Our annual tradition is the that I make several appetizers, sausage balls, ham and cheese puffs, rye bread pizzas, vegetables tray, and a ham in one crockpot and turkey in another, while drinking wine. These can be made beforehand which allows me to participate in the day. I have the Christmas cookies and candy already made. It's really laid back. I got this from MIL, who enjoys the holiday. My mom does the entire turkey dinner and is usually stressed and tired and I'm just not into it.

This is a great idea!

[sweetptater]

My mom insists on the traditional Thanksgiving-type meal, which I'm not a fan of. My MIL is much more open-minded. We've done lasagna/Italian food one year and a taco bar one year. So much less stress!

[librarychica]

I have done appetizer dinner like @rene before. That was fun. If we are home on Christmas Eve that is what I do. (We host whenever we are in town so it changes year to year.)

This year we are hosting Christmas Day. I usually do ham, some kind of potato (scalloped are my favorite with ham), glazed carrots, another veggie and some kind of bread. This year I’ve decided to switch it up and do a roast instead. I am thinking roasted Brussel sprouts and carrots, Cracker Barrel style green beans (in the crock pot with bacon — my DD1’s favorite), mashed potatoes, citrus salad and some kind of bread. My mom will bring the bread and deviled eggs.

[sudokufan]

We're doing ham this year, probably this recipe: www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/honey-baked-ham-the-real-thing-102699
It's our first time making it, so hopefully it turns out.

Sides will likely be my scalloped potatoes (no cheese, just butter, cream, shallots, potatoes and a few seasonings), green beans and mac&cheese.

New Years Eve we do a charcuterie type platter with water crackers and a baguette and just eat until we fall asleep :-)

[erinshelley21]

It varies with my family every year. Usually a honeybaked ham since none of us know how to cook a ham, but we've done chicken noodles before, cranberry pork tenderloin, and turkey.
FIL's is traditional Thanksgiving style meal. Literally just a repeat of Thanksgiving since Thanksgiving there includes a ham too.
MIL does roast beef.
DH's bonus family is where it varies and this is the one thing I enjoy about their Christmas get together. One year it was sandwiches that I made ham salad for. She said this year we are doing a taco bar. We did lasagna one year.

My preference is easy. December is busy and this time of year should be enjoyed and not dreaded.

[mustardseed2007]

ILs do prime rib. My side of the family normally does a brisket. So basically beef, lol.

[covergirl82]

We get together on Christmas Eve with DH's mom's side of the family. Our tradition is to do appetizers. Everyone brings one or two apps, or an app and a dessert. It works great. I usually bring something kid-friendly like crock-pot mac & cheese; last year I made loaded tater tots (the kids ate plain tater tots, but I had sour cream, bacon, chives, and cheese for anyone who wanted toppings).

For Christmas, my mom makes a similar meal as Thanksgiving - turkey breast, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, etc.

My manager at work does a taco bar, which is popular with her family. One of my friends makes lasagna, breadsticks, and salad.

[supertrooper1]

When I was a kid, our tradition was to go to my Grandma's house on Christmas Eve and we made pizza with all of my cousins. I miss that tradition, so I've kept it alive at home with just DS.

Christmas day is always turkey dinner at my parents house. I'd be willing to change it to ham or appetizers, but I doubt that will happen. For Christmas morning, DH's family comes over and I make this amazing apple French toast. ohsweetbasil.com/apple-french-toast-casserole/

[waverly]

Christmas for us is more traditional, so we usually do a turkey. When I was a kid, occasionally we would do different things. One year was homemade Egg Foo Young. One year was Italian themed, but I can't remember what we served. It wasn't spaghetti, more complicated than that maybe lasagna?

For several years, DH would do a southern BBQ for Thanksgiving. Smoked pulled pork (if temperature was low smoke on the gas grill, or for turkey start out with smoker then move to the oven), mac n cheese, potatoes, blueberry muffins etc.

My MIL usually does Crown Roast. Not my thing/ style, but it tastes good when she makes it.

[polecat8]

My family has been doing lamb for the past few years. Sometimes my mom will also make a ham or stuffed cabbage.
My FIL makes homemade pierogies with either potatoes or sauerkraut for our Xmas dinner with them. Xmas with the in-laws will be on Dec 26th this year.

DH is trying to come up with some special dinner for us since we stay home for Xmas eve. I think we threw something on the grill 2 years ago because it was 70 degrees on Xmas eve in PA. I can't remember what we did last year.

[186momx]

My mom does dinner and goes all out. Eve is roast, mashed potatoes, homemade noodles, and gravy which everyone loves. Christmas Day is ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy which my sister doesn't like so she causes drama every year. I wish my mom would just do something everyone likes to avoid it but she is stuck in her ways.

I normally don't go over for Christmas Eve as that is when traditionally DH's family always celebrated so I've left that to him but last year we went as he didn't want anything special and I wasn't going to cook just a regular dinner when I could eat a meal I love. Guessing the same will happen this year.

[katrine05]

We used to do a big French Canadian traditional "reveillon" after midnight mass. Full turkey dinner with tourtiere, stuffing, mashed potatoes, veggies, buns and desserts. That stopped when we were teenagers.

DH's aunt does the full turkey dinner on Christmas day. I do Christmas eve and either do the full dinner if my family wants it or something else. This year we're going to do fondu.

[HeartofCheese]

We usually do appetizers and leftover appetizers on CEve and CDay: ham, cream cheese, and pickle roll-ups; artichoke dip; spinach dip; queso; shrimp on top of cream cheese and cocktail sauce; cold veggie and/or fruit pizzas; and lox and capers on a baguette. Note the cream cheese theme. Apparently we (I) love cream cheese.

SIL is doing CDay dinner this year, but if she wasn't, I would probably do personal pan pizzas or some kind of pizza egg roll for the kids that they could have fun making with me.

ETA: We've also done soup in the past - usually seafood chowder - but the kids don't do soup yet in my family...

[kimberlybb]

We are hosting Christmas this year for DH’s family and I’m making ham. MIL gifted it or I would probably make something else. I will likely do traditional sides like potatoes, corn casserole, rolls, etc. I have some Christmas cookies but need something else too. Any tried and true non-pie dessert recipes? My family always does a lot of appetizers for dinner on Christmas Eve. We all munch while watching a Christmas movie. It was always one of my favorite nights as a kid and something I still really look forward to.

[mommyatty]

kimberlybb, I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was really good! www.yellowblissroad.com/cinnamon-apple-bundt-cake/

I have also made this chocolate bundt cake, and it was a hit. allrecipes.com/recipe/8472/chocolate-bundt-cake/

I love bundt cakes because they are super-easy, not too sweet, and seem to feed a bajillion people. Plus, I use DH’s late grandma’s bundt pan, which always makes me feel like that sweet lady is with us.

[kimberlybb]

Thanks mommyatty !! They both look really good! I love everything apple so I'm going to try that one. So much easier than an apple pie!