2016 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Menu

[CWS4322]

Congrats, jennyema and wife-to-be!!

Congrats! Sounds like the perfect setting for a Smörgåsbord. Cold table for when people are arriving, hot table dishes in the crockpot, and then a dessert table. Easy, if you start 3-4 days in advance and have a spare fridge.

 

[CakePoet]

In Sweden smörgåsbord now a days a table filled with stuff to make a sandwich, at Christmas the buffet is called gående bord, walking table , you walk to the table and get warm and cold dishes.

CWS: I post the recipe to night.

 

[Kayelle]

Jenny...congrats!!

Katy.......so good to see you again!!

For Christmas day, we'll all be at my older son's house and the Souschef and I will be bringing four roasted ducks for the main course like we did last year. They were great fun to prepare and just delicious!!!

Smokeydoke, here's the recipe for the best roast duck you'll ever eat!
http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/02/11/the-best-way-to-roast-a-duck-hello-crispy-skin/

 

[buckytom]

Congrats, Jenny.

Everyone's meals sound great, especially mofet and Andy.

I just found out that my Mom and eldest sister and her family will be coming to stay with us from Christmas Eve to the day after Christmas, plus we will be having other family and friends over for meals throughout the weekend. I'm thrilled that my Mom can finally come to see our new house. With my father becoming ill then eventually passing away this past year, my parents weren't able to make it up to our house. And ever since, Mom hasn't wanted to leave her house much, but the fact that she agreed to stay a few days is wonderful for all of our family.

Still, that means feeding 8 to 10 (or more) people for 3 days. Probably 15 on Christmas day.


So far all I know is fish on Christmas eve, and ham on Christmas day. The rest is being worked out.

 

[Andy M.]

Sorry about your dad, BT. It'll be great to have mom with you for the holidays.

 

[erehweslefox]

d the Souschef and I will be bringing four roasted ducks for the main course like we did last year. They were great fun to prepare and just delicious!!!

Smokeydoke, here's the recipe for the best roast duck you'll ever eat!
The Best Way to Roast a Duck (Hello, Crispy Skin!) | The Hungry Mouse

That looks awesome. I roasted a Duck here for a pre-thanksgiving dinner party just so I'd have duck fat for my Turkey.

This year it looks like we won't be able, due to work restraints, to be able to get up to my parent's place for Xmas. I am thinking about roasting a goose, with apples and walnuts.

Got a good medieval recipe.


TBS

 

[Smokeydoke]

Thank you Kayelle!

 

[Whiskadoodle]

We have a rather large family. Christmas Day we are having 2 turkeys, a full size ham, and at least one vegetarian dish. The veggie dish is not just another side dish. One year I made a wild rice casserole. We are roasting one of the turkeys, and the request is to bring it already carved up. We did that with one when we hosted Thanksgiving. A little drippings added and it warmed up nicely and was flavorful.

Not sure if we are having Christmas eve dinner or are going to Jr's. Probably won't know until mid week.

 

[buckytom]

Sorry about your dad, BT. It'll be great to have mom with you for the holidays.

Thanks, Andy. I miss him terribly.

But yes, we're very excited that Mom will be here. I just found out that 5 more relatives (possibly 9) will be staying over. My wife is starting to freak out.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks, Andy. I miss him terribly.

But yes, we're very excited that Mom will be here. I just found out that 5 more relatives (possibly 9) will be staying over. My wife is starting to freak out.

Can you rent an RV and park it in the yard?

 

[Kayelle]

Bucky, I'm so glad your Mom will be with all of you. I remember well how very tough that first Christmas is as a widow. Light a special candle for his place at the table, that gesture meant so much to me that year. It will be hectic with all those house guests, but you'll be making memories! Excellent idea about the RV GG.

Fox and Smokydoke, here's a picture of another duck I did with that recipe. I get a full cup of duck fat from every one I've roasted. Yum Yum Yum

 

[msmofet]

Bucky, I'm so glad your Mom will be with all of you. I remember well how very tough that first Christmas is as a widow. Light a special candle for his place at the table, that gesture meant so much to me that year. It will be hectic with all those house guests, but you'll be making memories! Excellent idea about the RV GG.

Fox and Smokydoke, here's a picture of another duck I did with that recipe. I get a full cup of duck fat from every one I've roasted. Yum Yum Yum

That looks beautiful K. Makes me wish I liked duck.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks MsM. I sure don't like wild duck.

 

[buckytom]

Can you rent an RV and park it in the yard?

That is an excellent idea if it comes to that. We have a guest bedroom for 2, but Mom will stay in the fireplace room (main living room) so she doesn't have to do the stairs.
The rest will be split up on aerobeds and couches in the library and the office off the formal living room. But that's it. I was joking about tents in the backyard with some of my nieces and nephews, but an RV would actually work if anyone else shows up, or for future parties. Thanks, GG

Bucky, I'm so glad your Mom will be with all of you. I remember well how very tough that first Christmas is as a widow. Light a special candle for his place at the table, that gesture meant so much to me that year. It will be hectic with all those house guests, but you'll be making memories! Excellent idea about the RV GG.

Fox and Smokydoke, here's a picture of another duck I did with that recipe. I get a full cup of duck fat from every one I've roasted. Yum Yum Yum

Thanks K-L. Yes, during grace, I will mention that we should keep in mind all of those who have passed, especially Dad. My Dad always said that during grace on special occasions.


And Wow! That is one beautiful duck. I'm drooling.

 

[GotGarlic]

That is an excellent idea if it comes to that. We have a guest bedroom for 2, but Mom will stay in the fireplace room (main living room) so she doesn't have to do the stairs.
The rest will be split up on aerobeds and couches in the library and the office off the formal living room. But that's it. I was joking about tents in the backyard with some of my nieces and nephews, but an RV would actually work if anyone else shows up, or for future parties. Thanks, GG

Glad to be of help! A few years ago, a bunch of my family met up at my brother's rental house on lower Lake Michigan. DH and I rented an RV the week before and drove up to the top of the mitten - really, to the ring finger lol - and back, staying in state parks. Then we stayed in the RV parked in the driveway. It was nice having some private space to retreat to - and our own bathroom

Another time, I slept in my dad's pop-up camper when he had a full house for a family event. It works

 

[medtran49]

We have decided to do a reverse sear on a nice prime rib Craig picked up yesterday. We'll have Emeril's mushroom bread pudding as 1 side, rest TBD.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Thanks, Andy. I miss him terribly.

But yes, we're very excited that Mom will be here. I just found out that 5 more relatives (possibly 9) will be staying over. My wife is starting to freak out.

I'll be thinking of you and your family this Christmas, BT. The first Christmas is a really tough one, the rest are just hard.

I thought you said your new home is huge. If nine people are staying over, that makes it only a dozen to put under one roof. When we had our kids' graduation parties, between our relatives and the kids' friends, we managed 14 on one of the nights. Beds, air mattresses, sofa, and three of Loverly's guy friends on the family room floor...right outside OUR bedroom door.

 

[erehweslefox]

Fox and Smokydoke, here's a picture of another duck I did with that recipe. I get a full cup of duck fat from every one I've roasted. Yum Yum Yum

FINE looking duck Kayelle. Yeah roasting a duck, pretty much trashes your oven. I can't imagine what a goose would do. However, having a big ole jar of duck fat is a Good Thing.

I used it to baste my turkey this year, first big bird I've done, and first I've done without brineing. It was a fresh farm turkey, and only available on Wednesday, so I decided to cross my fingers, baste the heck out of it with fat of duck, and spices of Some Import Carefully Decided Upon.

Also, a quite liberal amount of fat from Sir Before Thanksgiving Duck was used in the stuffing, and roasting the potatoes, where duck fat excels.

A judge I will not name in the midwest is being a, excuse my language, Dick. He is making Beloved Wife appear in court for a case she is trying early the day after Xmas, knowing full well it means she has to get on a red-eye plane 12/26. He doesn't like fancy out of state lawyers in his little puddle, and is trying to get her not to appear.

So I'm thinking of hanging out in our place, spending the day cooking up a Xmas goose and sides, and dealing with family over new years. That way we can get to bed early, and I can get her to the airport.

I figure if a judge is going all Scrooge on us, I can go Charles Dickens on the Xmas dinner, and have it early in the day, Victorian Style. Hopefully he will be visited by ghosts of Christmas.

And the oven is already trashed from Thanksgiving and pre-Thanksgiving duck; I mean not in 'gonna start a fire' level, but in not as clean as I want. So 'gonna have to clean it out anyhow.

My thinking, and friends let me know if I'm thinking clearly, my only real option here is a Christmas Goose. Nothing else makes sense.

TBS

 

[Addie]

FINE looking duck Kayelle. Yeah roasting a duck, pretty much trashes your oven. I can't imagine what a goose would do. However, having a big ole jar of duck fat is a Good Thing.

I used it to baste my turkey this year, first big bird I've done, and first I've done without brineing. It was a fresh farm turkey, and only available on Wednesday, so I decided to cross my fingers, baste the heck out of it with fat of duck, and spices of Some Import Carefully Decided Upon.

Also, a quite liberal amount of fat from Sir Before Thanksgiving Duck was used in the stuffing, and roasting the potatoes, where duck fat excels.

A judge I will not name in the midwest is being a, excuse my language, Dick. He is making Beloved Wife appear in court for a case she is trying early the day after Xmas, knowing full well it means she has to get on a red-eye plane 12/26. He doesn't like fancy out of state lawyers in his little puddle, and is trying to get her not to appear.

So I'm thinking of hanging out in our place, spending the day cooking up a Xmas goose and sides, and dealing with family over new years. That way we can get to bed early, and I can get her to the airport.

I figure if a judge is going all Scrooge on us, I can go Charles Dickens on the Xmas dinner, and have it early in the day, Victorian Style. Hopefully he will be visited by ghosts of Christmas.

And the oven is already trashed from Thanksgiving and pre-Thanksgiving duck; I mean not in 'gonna start a fire' level, but in not as clean as I want. So 'gonna have to clean it out anyhow.

My thinking, and friends let me know if I'm thinking clearly, my only real option here is a Christmas Goose. Nothing else makes sense.

TBS

Sounds like you have the right frame of mind for goose. Go for it!

 

[erehweslefox]

Sounds like you have the right frame of mind for goose. Go for it!

Change of heart, Beef Wellington.

we have had a lot of poultry this month already, and the local farm has a beef loin sale.

TBS