So, what should I cook for my Christmas dinner?

Cafe Society
1

And please include recipes!

See, I went to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving, so I’m staying here for Christmas. I’m getting a tree tomorrow, so I can at least feel festive, maybe. But I’ll be here with just me, and I’d like to make something good - and different from what I’d normally cook.

I’ve got no super aversions to food - I don’t like coconut, though, so if a recipe includes that, then some way to replace it would be ideal. I also don’t really want to cook a turkey breast or the like. I mean, I like turkey, but there was so much at Thanksgiving that I’m still turkeyed out. I wouldn’t mind doing a decent beef roast or something - but I don’t really know how to do one.

I don’t mind doing prep work, but I don’t currently own a blender or food processor (although I’m going to check them out tomorrow…so I may have one then).

And ideally, it’ll be something with leftovers that either freeze well or can be made into other stuff for lunch for a couple of days.

2

Ooh, and I forgot to add, if you give me a recipe, including the right type of pan I’ll need - I need to buy some more pots and pans as my old ones were mostly wearing out, so I only moved the essential ones when I came up here. I’m perfectly happy to shop for new ones though!

3

Don’t forget to bake some fresh-baked Christmas cookies, too.

I prefer Double-Stuf Oreos.

4

This is my menu, maybe it will provide some sort of inspiration:

steamed crab legs
steamed, chilled asaparagus with artichoke dip
twice-baked potatoes
homemade bread (my mom is bringing it, she has a bread-maker)
creme’ brule’e
cranberry martinis

I have recipes for the potatoes, dip, and martinis, if you request!

5

Fruit Loops. Guaranteed to make the dinner memorable. :smiley:

Recipies are on the side of the box.

6

Forget the recipie, can you just set another place at the table and I’ll buy the plane ticket?

4 clusters of crab legs for me please. I’ll bring pie.

7

I’m doing either a rack of lamb or a small prime rib. Recipe: rub roast with garlic, salt and cracked black pepper, and roast it at 325 in a baking pan until it registers 140 degrees on a meat thermometer. Turn on the broiler for a few minutes at the very end it you’d like it a little browner.

Accompaniments:

Potatoes gratin -

Slice peeled russets paper thin on a mandolin, and layer them in a buttered casserole dish, inserting minced garlic, salt and pepper, and chips of butter between each layer. At the end, pour cream into the dish until it almost covers the taters, then scatter chips of butter across the top. Bake for one hour at 325 until very tender throughout and brown on top.

Fresh string beans in a small amount of fresh tomato and onion sauce seasoned with thyme. This goes particularly nice with the creamy potato dish, because the tomatoes and cream contrast deliciously.

Homemade vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

8

Order an extra-large pizza, half pepperoni and italian suasage, and half canadian bacon and pineapple from The Pizza Joint. I’ve already checked, and they are open Christmas day.

That’s what Mrs. Six and I plan to do, anyway, because spending a lot of time cooking detracts from what we’re meant to be doing Christmas: Watching three movies in a row at the discount movie theater.

Of course, if you’re into the whole “tree and stockings and spending time with family” thing, this might not be the best way to go. Obviously, you’ll need two or three pizzas. :smiley:

9

My husband and I have started a tradition of making Boeuf Bourguignonne the day after Christmas. If we were home on Christmas Day it would definitely be our Christmas dinner.

We use a recipe based on the Joy of Cooking (1997 ed.) version:

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless beef chuck or bottom round, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups dry red wine (use Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
2 Tb chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt

2 Tb bacon fat
2 Tb all-purpose flour

8 oz mushrooms, wiped clean & quartered
2 medium onions chopped

flour & butter or Wondra flour

Combine the first 12 ingredients (beef thru salt) in a large bowl and mix well. Cover & refrigerate several hours. (I let it marinate around 18 hours. I make the marinade before bed, and cook the next day around 3pm).

Remove the beef from the marinade & ppat dry. Strain the marinade and keep both the chunks and the liquid.

In a large Dutch oven (I use a 6(?) quart cast iron Dutch oven), melt the bacon fat over medium high heat & brown the beef in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon as the chunks brown. About 5 minutes per batch.
After all meat is browned & removed from the pan, stir in the marinated vegetables, additional chopped onion, and 2 Tb flour. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Stir in the liquid from the marinade, making sure to scrape up any stuck-on bits. Add the meat. Bring to a boil.
Cover & reduce heat to low, and cook until the meat is fork tender. About 2 hours, up to 3 hours.

Add the mushrooms, cover and cook until tender, around 20 minutes.

Add salt & pepper to taste, then thicken with kneaded butter, flour paste or Wondra flour. We like ours fairly thick.

We serve with fresh hot buttered bread & more of the wine we used for the marinade. Usually Beaujolais Nouveau because we often have some bottles leftover from Thanksgiving.