Celebrations and Holidays

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Alix

Alix

Everymom
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Joined
May 10, 2002
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Location
Edmonton, Alberta
OK, I was sort of pondering this and would like to hear from folks on every continent if we could.

What is your Ultimate Celebration meal?

For us, its what we serve at Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter, we alter a few things but the basics are:

Brined turkey - stuffed
Potatoes - roast or mashed
Cooked veggie - whatever is in season
Coleslaw - Joe's version
Decadent dessert - cheesecake if I have some time to prep and pie if I don't

There are always lots of OTHER dishes that we add in but these are the bare bones.
 
Roast Turkey (deep, golden crispy skin yet moist meat falling apart off the bone. Lots of drippings for gravy.)
Relish Tray (Black Olives, Gherkins, Pickled Watermelon Rind.)
Scalloped Corn (corn casserole - a 40 year tradition.)
Candied Yams (with melted marshmallow and pecan topping.)
Hot Crescent Rolls (dripping with butter.)
Warm Apple Pie (with a slice of melted Cheddar Cheese and scoop of Cinnamon Ice Cream.)

I get really hungry just thinking about this!!! :)
 
Last edited:
Usually for holidays we cook some variation of this for the holidays depending on the amount of people that are going to be there and the holiday. For example Easter we dont cook as much as we would for Christmas.
- Ham/ deep fried turkey
- baked macaroni
- baked beans
- dirty rice
- cornbread dressing
- patato salad
- sweet potato pie
- cressent rolls
- yams
-veggies
 
Alix, your choice of wording made me think. For a holiday celebration, we do as many others do. Thanksgiving dinner is the symbolic holiday dinner for us.

roast turkey
gravy
dressing
rice pilaf
baked butternut squash
creamed onions
pecan pie
pumpkin pie
ice cream
apple cider

On the other hand, when it's not a holiday, we often celebrate a special occasion with:

standing rib roast with gravy
or filet mignon with Béarnaise sauce
baked potatoes with sour cream, bacon and butter
steamed asparagus
bottle of red wine
dessert of the moment

Either of the above followed by a lot of groaning and time on the sofa with belt loosened.
 
We always start our holiday dinners with a green salad. Does anyone else do that? I just feel there's just something about all that rich food that calls for a green salad at the start. I often use the layered green salad recipe that can be made the day before the event. If anyone wants the recipe, I'd be happy to post it.
 
Meals that I generally cook for family celebrations or feasts are a combination of some of the following:

Apps:
Marinated Mushrooms
Olives
Nuts
I try and not put much out to keep them hungry.The food tastes better that way!

Proteins;
Standing Rib Roast with horseradish cream
Roast Turkey
Pork Crown Roast (stuffed)
Butterfled Grilled leg of Lamb

Salads;
Watermelon or Strawberry with red onion watercress and poppy seed dressing.
Cornbread panzanella
Bay Shrimp with mixed greens and thousand island
Avacado halves stuffed with Shrimp salsa.

Veggies;
Green beans Almondine
Asparagas
Mixed Veg Medleys

Carbs:
Potato au Gratin with leek
Baked Mac n Cheese
Many combinations of Mashed potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with onions

Desserts are most often brought by guests.

I usually keep it simple so I am stuck in the kitchen the entire time.More complicated dishes are usually kept to smaller dinner parties.
 
Kayelle, we have green salad nearly every night so for us the salad at a "celebration" is a bit different. Its always light though. We do, spinach with strawberries and red onion vinaigrette, dad's coleslaw (lemon dressing), committee salad (red wine vinaigrette) and others that I can't think of at the moment. I'm with you on salads needing to be light in view of the heavy "feasting".

Andy, I reread my post and have to say that we "celebrate" with a menu very similar to yours. Standing rib is a HUGE favorite in our house. You can't serve it for just any old thing though, and you MUST accompany it with some special sides. Our menu looks much like yours, asparagus and broccoli tend to be our veggies of choice.

4meandthem, can I come feast with you? YUM!
 
Alix said:
Kayelle, we have green salad nearly every night so for us the salad at a "celebration" is a bit different. Its always light though. We do, spinach with strawberries and red onion vinaigrette, dad's coleslaw (lemon dressing), committee salad (red wine vinaigrette) and others that I can't think of at the moment. I'm with you on salads needing to be light in view of the heavy "feasting".

Andy, I reread my post and have to say that we "celebrate" with a menu very similar to yours. Standing rib is a HUGE favorite in our house. You can't serve it for just any old thing though, and you MUST accompany it with some special sides. Our menu looks much like yours, asparagus and broccoli tend to be our veggies of choice.

4meandthem, can I come feast with you? YUM!
Click to expand...

I don't cook all of these at once!
Depending on the occasion and company I pick 1-2 from each catagory.
 
Our daughter now makes thanksgiving she lets me bring a turkey breast but prefers ham. New Years is mine as its' my birthday so it's prime rib crusted with panko,parsley salt and pepper, garlic mashed potatoes, a spinache and arugula saldad with candied walnuts and either pears or apples, artichokes with parsley and garlic. Hot rolls and deserts.
kadesma
 
As mentioned before, I pick out a cookbook, preferably a new one:) from another Country/Culture. I "read" the cookbook and pick out what sounds to me like a 6-7 course meal. From Apps to dessert.

I then shop for all the shelf stable ingredients at least a month before and slowly build up from there. Then I spend a couple of days prepping. On the day in question, I put it all together.

It's about time for me to pick out a cookbook...:chef:
 
Kayelle said:
We always start our holiday dinners with a green salad. Does anyone else do that? I just feel there's just something about all that rich food that calls for a green salad at the start. I often use the layered green salad recipe that can be made the day before the event. If anyone wants the recipe, I'd be happy to post it.
Click to expand...

We always have a green salad with my husband's "garlic dressing of doom". It's a green goddess dressing with extra garlic. We also use it as dip for crudités. It's very popular.
 
Well first off I am so ready for Thanksgiving, your menus have me me very hungry..We have basically the same as most,,roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, green bean, corn, cranberry sauce, hot rolls, pumpkin pie and tropical carrot cake...too many sides to name .
 
Time to give this a bump. I'm thinking some of you are planning for your Thanksgiving about now. I'd love to see some more feasts.
 
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