# Christmas dinner **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668 "2011-12-18T20:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/61 "2011-12-21T18:50:00Z")
Roast turkey, [stuffing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14420238&postcount=2) (ostentatiously NOT dressing, to flout my absent grandmother), mashed potatoes, and Costco rolls with butter. If it was just my husband and I, we would stop there, but we’re having his mother and my sister over, so we must include some vegetables, to wit, a green salad with tomato and croutons, and green beans cooked with butter and slivered almonds. Appetizers beforehand will be Wheat Thins and Kaukauna cheese, and a relish plate of black olives, gherkins, celery sticks and baby carrots. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/62 "2011-12-23T21:39:24Z")
For years our traditional Christmas dinner, since it’s just the 3 of us in the nuclear family, was popcorn shrimp, baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli. This year, though I’m going to try something different: Smoked chicken and pork tenderloin from [New Braunfels Smokehouse](http://www.nbsmokehouse.com/), Crash Hot Potatoes (I just read about them here and can’t wait to try them), maybe [Frog Eye Salad](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/frog-eye-salad/), and as a nod to tradition, steamed broccoli. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/63 "2011-12-23T23:52:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Once again… Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding. Same as every year, but since I only make it once a year it may as well be Christmas. > [@Jimson\_Jim](#): > > We normally have Standing Rib Roast with Yorkshire pudding and mashed potatoes and a veggie. Serious question: do you have two ovens? I only have one, plus a tiny toaster oven. I’m (attempting) making rib roast and popovers (Yorkshire pudding) and can’t figure out the timing. Do you pull your roast and let it sit for as long as it takes for the puddings to bake? They have to be the last thing prepared, and you can’t open the oven door during their baking, so I’ve heard. Won’t my roast get too cold as it waits for the popovers? Need help! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/64 "2011-12-24T00:08:08Z")
> [@Proudest\_Monkey](#): > > Do you pull your roast and let it sit for as long as it takes for the puddings to bake? I have a convection toaster oven that has come in handy on many an occasion; but it’s not needed for this. The roast needs to ‘rest’ for a while after it’s taken from the oven. So I take it out and put it on a platter. I remove the drippings, leaving a couple of tablespoons for the pud, and make the Yorkshire pudding in the same pan I cooked the meat in. When the bread is done, the roast is ready to carve. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/65 "2011-12-24T00:10:07Z")
I made the mistake of asking my daughter for ideas regarding Christmas dinner. She said stuffed cabbage. I was mistaken to ask her because she ALWAYS says stuffed cabbage, no matter what the occasion! So. We’re having stuffed cabbage on Christmas, but I have a bunch of appetizers and treats so it will still be special. So we’ve decided to make a standing rib roast using [Paula Deen’s recipe](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/foolproof-standing-rib-roast-recipe/index.html). To go with it, the “Crash Hot Potatoes” that **jasg** posted upthread. With salad and green beans. Will only be the 3 of us on Christmas and 2 on Eve, so I’m not going overboard. Will be a nice break after doing dinner for 12 on Thanksgiving and then I’ll be hosting next weekend for New Year’s Eve. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/66 "2011-12-24T00:51:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I have a convection toaster oven that has come in handy on many an occasion; but it’s not needed for this. > > The roast needs to ‘rest’ for a while after it’s taken from the oven. So I take it out and put it on a platter. I remove the drippings, leaving a couple of tablespoons for the pud, and make the Yorkshire pudding in the same pan I cooked the meat in. When the bread is done, the roast is ready to carve. I think I get it. The roast can rest for as long as the Yorkshire puddings take to cook. The pan of roasted veggies will go in on a lower rack and cook simultaneously. Twice-baked potatoes can go in the toaster oven to finish. Thanks for the help. And, by the way, inspiration. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/67 "2011-12-24T04:25:46Z")
My menu has changed: Porketta roast, smashed pesto potatoes, brussel sprouts and carrots sauteed with basalmic vinegar, sauted corn. Dessert is cannoli. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/68 "2011-12-24T04:37:40Z")
I got tired of having a big turkey dinner twice in a month, so I switched Christmas dinner to a seafood event. Lobster tails, crab legs, shrimp scampi. It is served with some form of roasted potatoes and a cucumber salsa I discovered a few years ago. After Christmas, I don’t eat butter again until the Super Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/69 "2011-12-25T02:36:52Z")
I am here to officially recommend **jasg’s** Crash Hot Potatoes! So easy, yet so good! (Oh, and Paula Deen’s no slouch, either; the rib roast was perfect.) Merry Christmas everyone and thank you so much **jasg**. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/70 "2011-12-25T03:21:55Z")
Christmas for me is usually visiting my mom, but she’s working this weekend, so we’re going to have a late Christmas in a couple of weeks. I’m off Friday through Monday. So I get a long weekend to drink booze, watch Netflix, surf the dope, and basically just do whatever the hell I want. Hell yes. Fajitas for Christmas dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/71 "2011-12-25T03:54:18Z")
It is hot here, so we had barbecued prawns (with classic Delia Smith cocktail sauce) and crayfish, a green salad with pomegranate dressing and hot potato salad with mustard and dill. Cherry pavlova for dessert. (Trying to work out how many serves I can eat before it is defined as gluttony. Figure at 38 weeks pregnant I deserve an extra slice!) ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/72 "2011-12-25T04:07:16Z")
My friend is taunting me!!! Are y’all gonna let this happen?!!! Saliva drips on the keys as I write… **John**? I dislike you a little because you’re not here cooking for me and **D** , okay?. Corksoaker. 🙂 Q PS: D and I wish you and the “Roomie” a peaceful holiday. Sounds like you have the eats all sewed up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/73 "2011-12-25T04:41:31Z")
Hey **Quasi**. Not to taunt you some more, but the SO is in the kitchen making red velvet cake for tomorrow. I’ve never had red velvet cake, so it will be a treat! I just have to figure out the logistics of the roast, the French onion soup, the Brussels sprouts, and the escargots with only two ovens. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/74 "2011-12-25T04:47:34Z")
**Grrrrrrrrr!** You better not EVER come down here (to Georgia), Dude!🙂 You. Will. STARVE!!! bwahaaaahhaaaaa!😉 Your friend, always Quasi PS: The man eats SNAILS, y’all!!! _ick_🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/75 "2011-12-25T05:03:46Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > The man eats SNAILS, y’all!!! _ick_🙂 _Schnecke_ Schnacks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/76 "2011-12-25T08:04:23Z")
As well as the usual dishes, my brother-in-law did a smoked salmon on the BBQ today for lunch. The weather was lovely, so we sat outside on the terrace all afternoon. Now we’re up to Christmas night leftovers and the Queen’s speech. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/77 "2011-12-25T11:54:00Z")
We made tamales for christmas eve, inspired by the tamale thread. It was my first time making them, based off of instructions from the internet. They were delicious but my technique could use some refinement. I also made a huge crock of black beans and baked pumpkin pies with sieved pumpkin I prepared and froze from a huge long island cheese squash I aquired last october. Despite my skepticism, they appear to have turned out fine! For christmas day, I’m doing eggs benedict/florentine and mimosas with raspberries rather than a big heavy meal. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/78 "2011-12-25T16:20:30Z")
This year I’m doing a rib roast, bacon wrapped shrimp, acorn squash, & roasted red potatoes. Strawberry pie for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/79 "2011-12-25T16:50:45Z")
We didn’t get sushi last night. After the movie, we arrived at the sushi place just as it closed. ☹ But we did get an Oregon marionberry pie from Shari’s that we’ll have tonight. Roomie made red velvet cake (alas, no green layer) last night, so we’ll have two desserts. The roast is 6-2/3 pounds. I’ll use a temperature probe of course, but I’m thinking of blasting it at 400º for 45 minutes, then reducing the heat to 325º for three hours or so. I’m hoping the brussels sprouts will fit in the oven with the roast, so that I can start them cooking. The Yorkshire pud needs high heat, and coincidentally so do the sprouts for caramelising. So I can have them both in a hot oven while the meat rests. I can do the French onion soup in the convection toaster oven. So logistically, things are looking OK. Except here’s the thing: The escargots also need an oven, and the temperatures for the other things are too high. Since they’re cooked in a pan, the oven is just to brown the tops. (Incidentally, I’ve never made them before. The recipe calls for parmesan cheese, but I don’t wanna. I’m thinking of fresh French bread crumbs.) So I might be able to put them in the oven with the pud and sprouts. Or better yet, put them in the cooler oven with the meat and sprouts, and we can eat them while the pudding cooks. The most difficult part will be the eating. SO can often not finish a rib-eye steak and a side or two. Sometimes I can’t either. This is going to be a bloody feast, and I don’t know how we’ll be able to eat a bit of everything. Not to mention the leftovers. This is the biggest roast yet. Well, I’ve seen prime rib in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. Maybe I can slice it up and freeze it. ( :dubious: ) There will be a bottle of wine with dinner, and glögi made with a bottle of wine and a bottle of port and at least a cup of vodka. I think Boxing Day will be spent recovering. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668/80 "2011-12-25T21:43:29Z")
Turkey, about as spot-on as I’ve ever done it - browned well and truly but not dried out - roast potatoes and parsnips, mashed swede, steamed brussells sprouts and carrots, two kinds of stuffing and pigs in blankets. We discovered about an hour before dinner that what we thought was a Christmas pudding in the cupboard was actually a chocolate steamed sponge, so Mrs M. rustled up a mincemeat-flavoured steamed pudding that was ready just in time and tasted Christmassy enough to pass muster. Oh, and my son learned to make Swiss roll in food tech class at school so we had a seriously chocolatey Yule log for those who didn’t was Christmas pud. We now have six days to recover before New Year’s Eve and our huge annual dinner party… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-dinner/606668.md?page=5)