Author Topic: Christmas Menu  (Read 6438 times)

shedrinkzcoffee

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Christmas Menu
« on: December 18, 2015, 09:22:43 AM »
What are you all making for Christmas (or Christmas Eve) dinner? 

We are actually staying home for Christmas so it will just be the 4 of us for the first time ever!  I am so excited!!!  (but still need to figure out what I want to make)


Offline greyhoundgirl

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2015, 10:44:41 AM »
Still thinking about this.  We eat out Christmas Eve, usually for a late lunch, due to it being my b-day.  I usually pick Mexican and now even more so because it's fairly easy to stay gluten-free that way.  Christmas Eve evening, for the first time ever I have ordered a Chick Fil A nugget tray for my family, and will pick up some grilled ones for myself.  We'll eat this with snacky foods that night, I think.  We have gone to Christmas Eve church for years now and I want to change things up and stay home and maybe play games.

Christmas Day, we've gotten away from a traditional meal the past few years and just done something that sounded good.  We've had ham, meat loaf, etc... .  This year, I think we're leaning toward meat balls or meat loaf.  One child requested lasagna but I'm not a huge fan and don't have that "perfect" gluten-free recipe yet (I would go veggies/meat but they wouldn't appreciate that).  With meat balls or meat loaf, we'll have mashed potatoes and whatever sides sound good closer to time, as well as some desserts.  I think I may make a cheesecake.

Offline Rooney

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2015, 01:41:02 PM »
We only have company on Christmas Eve and it is a late morning and early to mid afternoon kinda thing.  That leaves me with a "what kind of food to have" dilemma.  Do I fix a breakfast type food like some kind of a breakfast casserole?  (which PLEASE if you have any super easy recipes for one that can be made the day before, please share!)  Or......should it be a lunch-ish type food.  Whatever I make, I just set it out buffet style so they can eat if they want, but don't have to due to the time of day it is.  If I chose lunch type food, I was going to go with a couple of easy baked pastas and some sides.  Breakfast type food route, been thinking cranberry coconut muffins and I had seen where you can make mini omelets in muffin tins (has anyone tried this and it worked?)   I am so undecided that I may just end up making (and buying) a bunch of different treats and setting them out so people can snack if they want.  That might be easier.

shedrinkzcoffee

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2015, 02:56:27 PM »
We only have company on Christmas Eve and it is a late morning and early to mid afternoon kinda thing.  That leaves me with a "what kind of food to have" dilemma.  Do I fix a breakfast type food like some kind of a breakfast casserole?  (which PLEASE if you have any super easy recipes for one that can be made the day before, please share!)  Or......should it be a lunch-ish type food.  Whatever I make, I just set it out buffet style so they can eat if they want, but don't have to due to the time of day it is.  If I chose lunch type food, I was going to go with a couple of easy baked pastas and some sides.  Breakfast type food route, been thinking cranberry coconut muffins and I had seen where you can make mini omelets in muffin tins (has anyone tried this and it worked?)   I am so undecided that I may just end up making (and buying) a bunch of different treats and setting them out so people can snack if they want.  That might be easier.

Lindsay, I always make crockpot breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. 

Spray the crockpot with non-stick spray.  Layer shredded hashbrowns, shredded cheddar cheese and diced ham. I usually do 2 big layers.  Mix a dozen eggs with a little milk and pour over the layers (I add a can of diced green chiles to the eggs when I whisk them up).  Turn on low and let it cook all night.  I usually start mine at about 10pm or so.

Let me know if you try it.  We absolutely love it!  So easy and ready when I wake up!

Offline greyhoundgirl

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2015, 04:09:16 PM »
We only have company on Christmas Eve and it is a late morning and early to mid afternoon kinda thing.  That leaves me with a "what kind of food to have" dilemma.  Do I fix a breakfast type food like some kind of a breakfast casserole?  (which PLEASE if you have any super easy recipes for one that can be made the day before, please share!)  Or......should it be a lunch-ish type food.  Whatever I make, I just set it out buffet style so they can eat if they want, but don't have to due to the time of day it is.  If I chose lunch type food, I was going to go with a couple of easy baked pastas and some sides.  Breakfast type food route, been thinking cranberry coconut muffins and I had seen where you can make mini omelets in muffin tins (has anyone tried this and it worked?)   I am so undecided that I may just end up making (and buying) a bunch of different treats and setting them out so people can snack if they want.  That might be easier.

I have done the mini omelets in muffin pans and they worked great!  I used a thin slice of ham to line the cups, then chopped the veggies and put them in, sprinkled cheese on top, then topped with the egg mixture and baked.

Offline Rooney

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2015, 05:10:46 PM »
We only have company on Christmas Eve and it is a late morning and early to mid afternoon kinda thing.  That leaves me with a "what kind of food to have" dilemma.  Do I fix a breakfast type food like some kind of a breakfast casserole?  (which PLEASE if you have any super easy recipes for one that can be made the day before, please share!)  Or......should it be a lunch-ish type food.  Whatever I make, I just set it out buffet style so they can eat if they want, but don't have to due to the time of day it is.  If I chose lunch type food, I was going to go with a couple of easy baked pastas and some sides.  Breakfast type food route, been thinking cranberry coconut muffins and I had seen where you can make mini omelets in muffin tins (has anyone tried this and it worked?)   I am so undecided that I may just end up making (and buying) a bunch of different treats and setting them out so people can snack if they want.  That might be easier.

Lindsay, I always make crockpot breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. 

Spray the crockpot with non-stick spray.  Layer shredded hashbrowns, shredded cheddar cheese and diced ham. I usually do 2 big layers.  Mix a dozen eggs with a little milk and pour over the layers (I add a can of diced green chiles to the eggs when I whisk them up).  Turn on low and let it cook all night.  I usually start mine at about 10pm or so.

Let me know if you try it.  We absolutely love it!  So easy and ready when I wake up!

Guess who never purchased a crockpot? :P

We only have company on Christmas Eve and it is a late morning and early to mid afternoon kinda thing.  That leaves me with a "what kind of food to have" dilemma.  Do I fix a breakfast type food like some kind of a breakfast casserole?  (which PLEASE if you have any super easy recipes for one that can be made the day before, please share!)  Or......should it be a lunch-ish type food.  Whatever I make, I just set it out buffet style so they can eat if they want, but don't have to due to the time of day it is.  If I chose lunch type food, I was going to go with a couple of easy baked pastas and some sides.  Breakfast type food route, been thinking cranberry coconut muffins and I had seen where you can make mini omelets in muffin tins (has anyone tried this and it worked?)   I am so undecided that I may just end up making (and buying) a bunch of different treats and setting them out so people can snack if they want.  That might be easier.

I have done the mini omelets in muffin pans and they worked great!  I used a thin slice of ham to line the cups, then chopped the veggies and put them in, sprinkled cheese on top, then topped with the egg mixture and baked.

Thank you! You got me looking around and I found how to make turkey bacon and egg and cheese cups.  Super easy.  I think I have decided to make up several different kinds of pancakes on the griddle the night before, refrigerate and reheat.   Then do these bacon egg cups.  I had seen them on The Encouraging Homeschool Moms youtube and she used the ham to line the pans too, I believe.  We just aren't pork eaters.  So glad to have that decision made.  I do well cooking for my kids, but am no chef so cooking for company kind of intimidates me. ;)

Offline pamgonzo

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2015, 05:53:30 PM »
We are our family of five only for Christmas eve and Christmas day.

We go to early mass on Christmas eve followed by a big dinner.  Turkey and the trimmings like Thanksgiving. (I don't get to make Thanksgiving dinner, so we do that since it is a favorite of most here.)  After dinner we do a large drive through lights display that is at our minor league baseball park, followed by coming home to watch "A Christmas Story".

I do the crockpot casserole on Christmas morning as well!  We do hashbrowns, cheese, maybe some onion and green pepper and then soy chorizo from Trader Joe's in ours before the egg mix.  I usually complement with some kind of sweet bread or roll, fruit, and maybe sausages even though there is meat in the casserole.
For dinner we do Mexican with homemade refried beans, rice, and use up leftovers from both Christmas Eve's dinner and Christmas breakfast.

Looking forward to it already!!
Love hearing what all of your traditions and ideas are!
Pam
Living in West Michigan and loving life!
Wife of 32 years
At home Mom to 3 grown sons ages 29, 25, 22 and  daughter in love aged 25

Offline Alice

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2015, 06:25:34 PM »
We always do a big Christmas dinner and so we'll probably just do that again. We will invite my parents and my hubby's mom (his dad passed away 5 years ago) and maybe my brother. We'll dive into the freezer again this year since my budget won't allow a lot of extras. We'll make due like we always do. My youngest daughter thinks we always do cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning but I think I have only done that twice. I might consider this but I was thinking of breakfast casserole do maybe I'll do both! I don't know what side dishes I will do yet so I'll see what I have in the house as we get closer to the day.

We won't do any presents again this year but we will go to church together. My oldest daughter, the teacher, is going to Mexico with a friend so she'll be absent almost the entire Christmas break. It should be a nice quiet time charge our batteries.  Wait, not for me, I still have to work!  >:(

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shedrinkzcoffee

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2015, 12:39:52 AM »
Well, I think I have decided on having chicken breasts (not sure how I plan on cooking them) and then having traditional type sides.. dressing, mashed potatoes, veggies, maybe some homemade rolls or just regular homemade bread.  Just need to plan a dessert.  I have some cherry pie filling canned so I may make a pie or cobbler.


Offline Cheryl

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2015, 05:54:00 AM »
All of these ideas sound good.  We're going to my parents' house for our big meal on Christmas day.

We're having turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, green beans, and other vegetable sides.  We always have snack type foods too for the ones who may have already eaten somewhere else.  These are things like cheese balls, crackers, sausage balls, mini ham sandwiches, etc.  We usually have pie for dessert, chocolate or sweet potato.  Sometimes my mother makes a peppermint cake.  She's been doing this all my life. :)
Cheryl in Alabama
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Offline 4kidsmom

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2015, 07:49:42 AM »
I love hearing about other people's food traditions.  ;D

Christmas Eve we are going to my in-laws home.  We don't have a set menu for that.  I need to talk to MIL and figure out what we're doing and who's doing what.

Christmas morning, we will have German pancakes for breakfast, along with  sausages, eggnog and fruit.  The German pancakes are my husband's family tradition.  We will probably eat around 10ish.

Since we will be having more of a brunch than breakfast, I probably won't really make lunch--I'll have sandwich fixings for those who want something light before Christmas dinner.

Christmas dinner will be just the 6 of us.  I am planning on: ham with raisin sauce, au gratin potatoes, dilly lime carrots, roasted broccoli and garlic, Christmas jello (red, white and green layered jello), and walnut cheese spinach salad.  I'll put the Christmas jello in individual cups and the walnut cheese spinach salad in salad bowls.  The rest can go on the dinner plates.  I make a chocolate Yule log every year. Usually I make it the first Sunday in December--we have it for dessert after watching our church's Christmas Devotional, broadcast on TV/internet.  I didn't get around to making it then this year due to a very busy Saturday the day before, so I'll make it for our Christmas dessert.    We will probably eat a bit early--around 4:30 or so. 

Merilee

Offline MissMandy

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2015, 07:51:41 AM »
We are hosting a brunch on Christmas Eve morning for Grimm's 2nd birthday (yep, you read that right...our dog has a birthday party!) with light breakfast bites and a mimosa bar.  Christmas Eve will be with Jean's family, and they always do a pasta and seafood meal.  I'm not a big fan of seafood, so I tend to eat plain, cold pasta pathetically ;D. Christmas morning is just Jean and I, so probably a pretty standard breakfast of eggs and toast, then we head over to my parents' house for a late afternoon Christmas meal which may or may not include my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces (not sure what time they will arrive).  Usually mom does a rib roast, but I don't think she was able to get one this year, so we'll likely have a turkey breast with mashed potatoes, baked apples, green beans, and stuffing.  Yum!

Mandy, wife to Jean, furmama to Irish Wolfhound Grimmauld (Grimm), living in the mountains of Virginia.  Childless by circumstance and loving it! ♥

Offline Alice

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2015, 08:00:59 AM »
Happy Birthday, Grimm! You are sharing your birthday with my mom and brother!

On Saturday we had their birthday breakfast and we always go out to a restaurant. As we sat there, we realized that there were really FIVE of us celebrating birthdays within about 4 weeks of each other! We keep adding people to the family and we're seeing a lot more winter birthdays!

Mandi, is rib roast hard to find? Hadn't realized that. Could it go by another name? I want to have one of those in the worst way but I think the prices are simply too high for my budget.

Alice
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Offline MissMandy

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2015, 08:28:13 AM »
Happy Birthday, Grimm! You are sharing your birthday with my mom and brother!

On Saturday we had their birthday breakfast and we always go out to a restaurant. As we sat there, we realized that there were really FIVE of us celebrating birthdays within about 4 weeks of each other! We keep adding people to the family and we're seeing a lot more winter birthdays!

Mandi, is rib roast hard to find? Hadn't realized that. Could it go by another name? I want to have one of those in the worst way but I think the prices are simply too high for my budget.

Alice

Thanks for the Happy Birthday wishes!  I'll pass them on to Grimm ;D

As for the rib roast, she likes to get a smaller one from Aldi, but apparently they only get ONE shipment, and the cashier said that they were gone in about two hours this year.  The ones from our local grocery store are much too large just for our small group and they end up waaaaaaay out of our price range as well.

Mandy, wife to Jean, furmama to Irish Wolfhound Grimmauld (Grimm), living in the mountains of Virginia.  Childless by circumstance and loving it! ♥

shedrinkzcoffee

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Re: Christmas Menu
« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2015, 03:51:50 PM »
Happy Birthday to Grimmauld!!!!