Help me I need ideas for my family Xmas meal

[CakePoet]

If mcduff1979 is like me, none American and if he is British, he doesnt have idea that Mc& Cheese is the best thing ever.

I know it is a beloved American holiday food, but for the Brits I have in the family and the Swedes I have, it has no place as fine dining, it a last resort dinner when you have nothing else.

So yes it would solve the problem with over eating since no one would eat it and it wouldnt suit our idea of holidays.

 

[CakePoet]

Here are some links to recipes I have made in the past for Christmas Uk style. I had to dig out an old hard disk to find the links.

BBC Food - Recipes - Creamed Brussels sprouts

BBC Food - Recipes - Sage and onion stuffing

BBC Food - Recipes - Maple-roast parsnips

Bubble & squeak cakes | BBC Good Food

Sadly I couldnt find the recipes for two fat ladies bubble and squeaks cakes. I am still going through my British cookbook to find something more to eat.

 

[GotGarlic]

If mcduff1979 is like me, none American and if he is British, he doesnt have idea that Mc& Cheese is the best thing ever.

I know it is a beloved American holiday food, but for the Brits I have in the family and the Swedes I have, it has no place as fine dining, it a last resort dinner when you have nothing else.

So yes it would solve the problem with over eating since no one would eat it and it wouldnt suit our idea of holidays.

America is a really big, diverse place, despite what Addie thinks Mac & cheese is pretty popular in the South, but I've never known it as holiday food. Nor in the Midwest, where I grew up.

 

[GotGarlic]

however this year I have more kids here than just my 2 who will eat anything, so my question is does anyone have any ideas to brighten up the veg side of the dinner which I know need a bit of help this year.

I want to do carrots, sweet potato, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, sweetcorn.

the only recipe I have under control is the red cabbage recipe so that's sorted.

Hi, Tom. Honestly, I think four meats and eight vegetable dishes is overkill, but here are a few ideas for you:

- this takes care of broccoli and cauliflower in one dish - http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/broccoli-cauliflower-casserole/

- kids tend to like sweet foods, so this might be popular, and if you have carrots, you really don't need sweet potatoes also - http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/contest-winning-glazed-carrot-coins

- an easy way to deal with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts is to roast them together. Toss chopped veg with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced herbs and roast at high heat. You can do this in advance and reheat the day of serving. I like to drizzle them with balsamic vinegar when they come out of the oven. The tartness helps counter the richness of the rest of the meal.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For our Christmas feast, we wanted everyone to enjoy the Holyday and so did away with cooking. for a month before, we would purchase favorite cold cuts and sliced cheeses, with rolls, different kinds of bread, condiments, olives, pickles, and suitable raw vegges. Everyone go to graze all day and into the evening. There might be a pie or two, or cookies, monkey bread, whatever I was in the mood to make, that was pre-made a day or two before, for desert. No big cooking chores, and very few dishes. We used paper plates and paper cups. Oh, and I made home made egg nog the night before as well, to enjoy on Christmas ever, and Christmas day.

The Kids loved it. They got to create their own sandwiches and plates, and I didn't have to cook all day. The only thing wrong with this plan is that I can't take credit for it. That's the way DW's family did it. I thought it was a great idea and adopted it, albeit with my own spin, of course.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CakePoet]

GotGarlic: All American friends I have and they are not all from the South thinks that Mac& Cheese is the best thing ever and should be serve at wedding, funeral, Christmas and I been on few forums over the years and people find my utterly odd for not liking it at all. You will now be my special friend, since you are the first who dont think it holiday food! *huggles* Can I keep you?


Cheif Longwind of the North, you just made a Smörgåsbord, that what we do for parties sometimes.

 

[GotGarlic]

GotGarlic: All American friends I have and they are not all from the South thinks that Mac& Cheese is the best thing ever and should be serve at wedding, funeral, Christmas and I been on few forums over the years and people find my utterly odd for not liking it at all. You will now be my special friend, since you are the first who dont think it holiday food! *huggles* Can I keep you?

Cheif Longwind of the North, you just made a Smörgåsbord, that what we do for parties sometimes.

I'm happy to be your friend, CakePoet

 

[CakePoet]

GotGarlic, if you ever get to Copenhagen, you are welcome for fika.. Yeah I live closer to the Danish capitol and its airport then Stockholm.


By the way, sausage rolls.
https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/big-sausage-rolls

 

[CakePoet]

Oh, I found this, it sounds yummy

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/carrot-orange-and-chervil-salad

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/parsnips-shallots-puff-pastry

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/three-root-boulangere

 

[Dawgluver]

GotGarlic: All American friends I have and they are not all from the South thinks that Mac& Cheese is the best thing ever and should be serve at wedding, funeral, Christmas and I been on few forums over the years and people find my utterly odd for not liking it at all. You will now be my special friend, since you are the first who dont think it holiday food! *huggles* Can I keep you?


Cheif Longwind of the North, you just made a Smörgåsbord, that what we do for parties sometimes.

Mac and cheese is not a holiday food for me either. Can't stand the stuff. And I too live in the midwestern US. Husband's family is from out east, and I've never seen mac and cheese on their holiday tables either.

 

[CakePoet]

Dawgluver: Yay another special friend! *hugs*

 

[Dawgluver]

Dawgluver: Yay another special friend! *hugs*

Hugs back! We can have our own secret club!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Mac and cheese is not a holiday food for me either. Can't stand the stuff. And I too live in the midwestern US. Husband's family is from out east, and I've never seen mac and cheese on their holiday tables either.

I love a really good mac and cheese, but not for a Holiday meal. mac and cheese is made to be eaten alongside corned beef, or with hot dogs, on a day that needs something to ease the day into evening.

For your holiday pork, might I suggest a pork tenderloin, with the rib bones still attached, and frenched. Make into a crown roast with a sage, bread dressing baked o top the the roast., or a fruity topping such as apples, or cherries.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CraigC]

Being a staple in Soul Food, I imagine mac and cheese will be on quite a few tables for T-Day.

 

[GotGarlic]

Being a staple in Soul Food, I imagine mac and cheese will be on quite a few tables for T-Day.

Possibly, but if a food is popular on a holiday for a segment of the population primarily located in a certain region of the country, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's common nationwide. Having a homemade tamale party at holiday time is common among Latinos, but I wouldn't say it's a popular American holiday dish.

This is a pretty interesting read: http://www.foodtimeline.org/thanks.html

 

[CraigC]

I always thought that African-Americans were located all over this country. How about immigrants that adopted the turkey but serve cultural cuisine with it? A generalized statement, as if fact, that mac and cheese isn't for holidays is being indifferent to other folks that make up the population of this country. IMO.

 

[GotGarlic]

I always thought that African-Americans were located all over this country. How about immigrants that adopted the turkey but serve cultural cuisine with it? A generalized statement, as if fact, that mac and cheese isn't for holidays is being indifferent to other folks that make up the population of this country. IMO.

They are, but there tend to be higher populations in certain areas. People in different parts of the country and from different ethnic groups obviously have different tastes and sometimes use some different ingredients and/or techniques.

All I'm saying is that I don't think macaroni and cheese is one of the most popular dishes that Americans as a whole have with a holiday meal. Some do, most don't. You're free to disagree, of course.

 

[GotGarlic]

Too late to edit the above, but that's why I said "primarily located." In the 2010 census, though, 55 percent of the people who identified as African-American lived in the South and in 2015, 6.5 percent of the population of California identified as African-American. In the upper Midwest and Plains states, African-Americans comprise less than 10 percent of the population.

 

[CakePoet]

Unless people write human on the sensus, that was most my friends do , even the one with higher melanin count then me and live in USA:

 

[GotGarlic]

Unless people write human on the sensus, that was most my friends do , even the one with higher melanin count then me and live in USA:

Well, then, I guess nothing can be trusted ever and there's no sense reading or watching anything because someone thinks it's a lie.

I have never heard of anyone doing that, but I suppose as a Swedish citizen, you somehow know more about my country than I do. Okey dokey.