post off: what do you cook for your holiday dinner?
This may be hard to believe, but I don’t know what to cook for Christmas. It’s going to be a small dinner, just a few people, so we want to keep it simple. Last year, it was just Chad and me on the 25th — I cooked a simple lemon roast chicken (from Jamie’s Dinners) and we went out the movies. It was lovely! This year, we’ll be up at our country house, hoping to lure others to join us. Strangely, I don’t think my turkey craving was completely satisfied at Thanksgiving, so I may just roast a small bird. Ideally what ever we make will yield lots of leftovers that we can freeze and enjoy when the baby comes (six weeks!). When I was growing up, my Italian grandparents would often make lasagna. And when I lived in London a couple holiday seasons, I thoroughly enjoyed a pot roast with Yorkshire pudding (there’s a a menu and recipes in Domino for this I may try). I want to start a tradition, one that our growing family will be able to look forward to year after year. Tell me what your traditions are — Do you still go to relatives or do the cooking yourself? What’s on the menu? Links to recipes you love would be appreciated! — Angela M.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
We have generally the same traditional fare as we do Thanksgiving Day, except we add the option of ham…
Also, since I spend Christmas eve at my Italian cousins’ house, there’s always a big seafood spread!
December 19th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Well, I did the Hanukah thing, so it was a few weeks ago. We did it very casually, for the main course brought in a great deli platter, so I only made the starters, sides, and desserts. For starters, roasted spiced mixed nuts, cheeses and bread, veggies with a carrot and ginger dip (tastes like the salad dressing you get at Japanese restaurants, yum!) and gougeres (cheese puffs). For sides latkes and home made roasted applesauce. For dessert, I molded chocolates in the shape of Hanukah gelt, and made a few different kinds of cookies. Man, no wonder I’m still exhausted ; >
December 20th, 2007 at 5:41 am
Our christmas food traditions lie mostly with christmas eve and christmas morning. Christmas eve is, without fail, a scallop and snow pean dish from Gourmet that mum has been making since the early 70s. After that we open our christmas even present (always a new pair of PJs). Christmas morning is fruit-shaped marzipan, an excess of smoked salmon, buttery croissants, scrambled eggs and strong coffee.
Christmas dinner varies from year to year - we did lamb for a long time and this year we’re leaning towards roast beef. We don’t seem too married to that menu (as long as my sister makes her sage glazed carrots) but we never, ever, ever mess with the christmas eve and christmas morning meals. We haven’t in over 30 years…
December 20th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Since I do a semi-american Thanksgiving, I’ll do a quasi-italian Xmas: prosciutto e melone, bruschetta, ravioli con la panna, insalata and panettone for dessert.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:21 am
We go to my parents’ and we usually have Turkey or Ham. But that Lemon chicken sounds amazing.
This year I’m hoping to start a breakfast tradition of freshly baked chocolate croissants from Trader Joes.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
it has become tradition for me to cook a salt crust with pork tenderloin instead of beef
December 20th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
honey baked ham + scalloped potatoes + a million other sides + pumpkin cheesecake
December 20th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Christmas dinner was usually turkey. Not because we adored turkey or anything, but because Dad’s Christmas present from his employer was a turkey. We have on occasion done ham (which Dad prefers), goose (this did not work well as noone in the family has much experience with waterfowl… was still good, but technique needs much work), or smoked turkey (vast improvement on plain). The more important tradition was staying up for a late dinner of appetizers and sampling wine or harder alcohol on New Year’s Eve. Think 50’s cocktail party food and you won’t be far off.
My partner’s family has a much stricter tradition of ham on Christmas Eve, and a standing rib roast on Christmas Day. Very British, very practical since there’s massive leftovers for sandwiches and snacks.
December 20th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I made braised short ribs last year (from a Chanukah article in Martha Stewart Living, recipe entitled “Suki’s short ribs” that is oddly not on the website)–very simple and I’d be glad to share the recipe–and they were a big hit. What I liked most was I made them a day ahead (recommended). I served them with maple sugar sweet potatoes (a Real Simple recipe from Fresh Direct website) peas with bacon and fresh herbs (I adapted from a MSL recipe–only used mint–, on the website) and (broiled) red onions with raspberry vinegar (served room temp), a recipe I had written down long ago–they are sweet and always a big hit. The only thing I had to cook at the last minute were the peas, so my small kitchen wasn’t overwhelmed at the last minute.
Merry Christmas!
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:18 am
For Chrismas Eve I am planning on making Peking Duck.
This seems insanely complicated as the duck (s) need to be hung up
from the shower rod for 6 hours until they dry out completely.
I also need to try and get the wrappers, I am not a fan of flour tortillas as some recipes suggest.
Chrismas dinner for 14. Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding (made in a huge pan) baked potato, haricot verts (trader joes frozen, they are great) horseradish whipped cream.
Desert, peppermint ice cream cake with a chocolate ganache icing,
recipe from epicurious.
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 am
oh, I forgot the drink.
Cava brut sparkling wine with pomagranate soda and a few pomagranate seeds sprinkled on top.
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 am
oh, I forgot the drink.
Cava brut sparkling wine with pomagranate soda and a few pomagranate seeds sprinkled on top.
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 am
oh, I forgot the drink.
Cava brut sparkling wine with pomagranate soda and a few pomagranate seeds sprinkled on top.
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Holly, I want to come to your house! I love that menu. I’ve done a pomagranate champagne drink before — using a syrup from Dean & DeLuca. it makes a pretty swirl in the glass as mixes. So festive!
December 25th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
different varieties of mexican food. we are texan, but not tex-mexican. the food is always a diffferent combination. tonight it was slow roasted pork Carnitas, garlic shrimp, homemade salsa, margaritas, tamales and corn. YUM!
my dad also makes his famous christmas enchiladas- spinach and mushroom enchiladas with a few red peppers in a white cheese sauce.