Christmas Eve/Day traditions & menus

Just wondering what everyone has planned....

I'm thinking Prime Rib for the day...not sure for the Eve.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Just wondering what everyone has planned....

I'm thinking Prime Rib for the day...not sure for the Eve.

Christmas Eve was always our big time. My dad would roast a turkey for sandwiches, I'd make Swedish meatballs, and mom would make chilled boiled shrimp among other things and we would set out a Smorgasbord, invite friends and neighbors over in the early afternoon, then kick them out, clean up and open presents. After that it was off to our cousin's house for more food and presents, and then back home at about 3AM. We didn't do anything on Christmas Day.

Nowadays, it's Lobster at Chinn's for Christmas Eve, and the In-laws for Ham on Christmas Day. I miss having the turkey, I'll probably try to fit that in somewhere.

HI,

You may want to refer to this post

Thanks for that link...but I'd still be interested to hear what people are currently doing/cooking

Hi,

Information added to an existing thread does update it.

Regards,

I am thinking of making Italian instead of a turkey. Maybe lasagna, a green salad, garlic bread, and some anitpasti and other appetizers. I need something in addition to the lasagna but nothing you have to boil and assemble at the last minute. Everything has to be in baking dishes in the oven or kept warm in the crock pot to avoid last minute food fiascos.

Our family Christmas Eve is filled with tradition- a mishmash of Slovak and picky kids over the years, and god HELP you if you try to change any of it.

The nights starts with my father (the oldest man in the family) throwing walnuts in four corners, in the sign of the cross, which are then chased down and exchanged for a dollar bill by the four youngest people present. I just got knocked out of this by my husband last year. Jerk. Then we pass trays of nuts and apples. After that comes "cardboard" (I really don't know how to spell it, oplowtke?)- unleavened bread with honey. After that comes the absolute weirdest, most Charlie Brown Thanksgiving meal you can possibly imagine:

your choice of bean or mushroom soup

then
fried fish
mushroom paprikas and haluskis
spaghetti (???, so random)
french fries (which came about for a super-picky cousin)

Once my mom brought cheese ravioli instead of spaghetti and I thought my cousins were going to chase her out of the room with pitchforks and torches.

Like I said, totally random meal. I look forward to it all year long

With my family following Polish traditions, Christmas Eve has always been the big day, and also the day when we open our presents. Our traditional Christmas Eve menu has always been meatless. A typical spread would include: pickled herring, borscht (made on a meatless stock) served with porcini-stuffed uszka (Polish tortellini), fried fish, gołąbki (cabbage rolls) stuffed with rice or buckwheat and porcini, mashed potatoes, pierogi of various types (usually ruskie [potato and farmer's cheese], sauerkraut, and mushroom), sauerkraut cooked with lentils, dried fruit compote (served as a drink), and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.

We used to do the Polish traditional Christmas Eve too. I still have the pierogi & the mushroom soup & the Oplatek, but since I developed an allergy to fish I can't do the herring anymore (& I really miss it, my Mother used to get the milkers from the fishmonger & soak them for 3 days, then pickle them herself...smelly kitchen but delicious end result!) And we had the poppyseed roll, too. Although now I make poppyseed bread instead.

I had forgotten about the kompote! Do you have a recipe for it? That used to be my favorite part of the meal.

I guess I will be having a Polish Wigilia again this year (in my own fashion, that is). I always think I'm going to do something else, but I just can't give it up I guess.

We do Wigilia as well.

This year our big day will be Christmas Day. My inlaws and my parents are out of town so we're spending the eve alone. However on Christmas day, everyone will be back in town and will be celebrating with us over the feast I am cooking up:

**TENTATIVE FAMILY CHRISTMAS MENU for 14-16**
Appetizers:
- crab pouches
- brie & cranberry chutney en croute
- Cheese/sausage/fruit platter w/Crackers
- Gruyere, Chicken & Artichoke Dip
- Garlic Crostini
- Shrimp Cocktail Platter

Traditional Fare:
- Garlic Prime Rib Roast
- Pineapple Glazed Spiral Ham
- Steamed King Crab Legs
- Cranberry & Candied Walnut Spinach Salad
- Roasted Asparagus w/proscuitto
- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes w/beef gravy
- Wild Rice & Mushroom Pilaf
- Brown Sugar Carrots
- Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls

Non-Traditional Fare:
- Pork Wonton Soup
- Pancit/ Rice noodle dish
- Shumai or Potstickers
- Satay skewers: pork, shrimp & chicken

Desserts:
- Holiday Cheesecake
- Peppermint Truffle Brownie Bites
- Cranberry & Ginger Bars

Misc:
- Wine Bar
- Coffee & hot chocolate bar

Shrimp on the beach in Melaque, Mexico

foodie1 wrote:This year our big day will be Christmas Day. My inlaws and my parents are out of town so we're spending the eve alone. However on Christmas day, everyone will be back in town and will be celebrating with us over the feast I am cooking up:

Foodie I,
After reading your Thanksgiving menu and now your proposed Christmas list, I am left with no alternative but to ask that I be adopted into your family

Jyoti

Jyoti, you can go to Foodie 1's house. I think I'll head to that beach with dukesdad.

To me, it is not the Christmas Season until Santa magically jumps from pocket one to two.


Big but simple dinner on the eve with extended family. Early morning Christmas swag with the kids. If we have enough energy, late lunch at LTH.

-ramon

What about Christmas breakfast, everyone?

When I was growing up we had no set tradition except my Aunt Margie's sour cream/walnut coffee cake. But my daughter and I have our own tradition: Lund's Swedish Pancakes, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and lingonberry preserve with fresh orange juice. It is relatively light and can be enjoyed prior to a midday meal.

This year I am going to pretend to attempt the Feast of Seven Fishes common in many Sicilian homes on Christamas Eve. We are inviting the in-laws so hopefuly it goes well.


Appetizer
Crab dip
Baked Shrimp
Mussels in tomato broth

Soup
Cioppino

Salad
Grilled Tuna w/ Mixed Citrus Salad over Bib Lettuce

Pasta
Fettucini with a dill and smoked salmon sauce

Main
Roast Halibut with Zucchini and butter sauce
Broccoli sauted w/ garlic oil

Dessert
Gelatto rolled in crushed amarettini and a splash of amaretto

Last year I hosted and did a big Scandinavian smorgasbord -- a mix of Swedish and Danish foods -- on Christmas eve.

This year, my twin brother is hosting Christmas eve, so I'll just help out. (Although I will be bringing my cured leg of lamb that I've been posting about in the forum for the last few weeks. It's coming along nicely.)

My younger brother will be hosting a party on December 23.

And I will be hosting a Christmas morning brunch.

Here's what I'm making:

for hors-d'ouvres

Gravlax with mustard dill sauce
Prinzkorv (little Swedish cocktail sausages)
Shrimp mini-quiches
Mimosas and Bloody Marys

at the table:

Broiled Grapefruit halves

Cheddar cheese souffle
Roasted sweet potatoes with maple syrup glaze
Thick cut bacon

Two kinds of waffles: yeast-raised and gingerbread
Butterscotch pears
Ligonberry preserves

I just have to say that I am so loving this thread!

It's always interesting to me to see how other people celebrate the holidays...but especially at this time of year when family traditions & influences run so deep.

Sparky weighs in on the subject in his very first essay, ever (note the emphasis on food)

All together now:

AAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

That is so precious

OK, after killing this thread with cuteness, I figure I ought to be the one to resurrect it, as I have a conundrum.

We will be hosting Christmas for 5 adults and 3 kids. Bossywas apparently a bit narrow-chested, but I'd still like to use the small rib roast (I believe it's either a small 3-bone or a large 2-bone) she offered.

The question is, what do I serve along with so that all 8 of us carnivores are sated? I do have some plans from past Christmases:
Quail eggs with sesame salt and tobiko
Cheese Tray/crudites
Watercress and pomegranate salad
Roasted potatoes or Latkes, depending on how motivated I am
Popovers (which the 'spouse will make)
Pots de Creme a la Bracken
Cake in our Hansel and Gretel bundt pan

That's as far as I got...I need sides, I need meaty-type filling appetizers (don't think I want to do shrimp this year, but I might change my mind...)

Cocktail Meatballs!

No, they aren't exciting, but you can make them in your Crockpot and everyone loves them. (You can make meatballs from Bossy or use frozen pre cooked ones)

I like them on the sweet side with Bennett's Chili Sauce, Cranberry Jelly and a healthy shake of red pepper flakes.


Another easy meaty item is mixed salamis from Riviera.

You could make your potatoes more filling and still easy by making a simple Au Gratin. I made some that were simply heavy cream, garlic powder, and Gruyere layered and baked. They were sinfully rich, but simple and delicious. (And gluten free, which was a requirement for that day)

dvrstygrl wrote:This year I am going to pretend to attempt the Feast of Seven Fishes common in many Sicilian homes on Christamas Eve. We are inviting the in-laws so hopefuly it goes well.


Appetizer
Crab dip
Baked Shrimp
Mussels in tomato broth

Soup
Cioppino

Salad
Grilled Tuna w/ Mixed Citrus Salad over Bib Lettuce

Pasta
Fettucini with a dill and smoked salmon sauce

Main
Roast Halibut with Zucchini and butter sauce
Broccoli sauted w/ garlic oil

Dessert
Gelatto rolled in crushed amarettini and a splash of amaretto

If anybody has never experienced this feast that the Italian families put together on xmas eve, I say you have never lived. Of course, it has to do with the cooks preparing the meals, but if you have the fortune of getting together with a family that knows how to cook, you will await your xmas eve invitation every year like you waited for xmas morning when you were a kid. One of my favorite memories of one of these dinners I was invited to was easily one of the best fish dishes I had ever had up to that point of my life. Whitefish, spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Layered in a casserole dish like a lasagna. The mother would not tell me the secret until most of the other guests were gone.

It was MICROWAVED!!!
...and then the top was toasted in the broiler to finish it off.

Simple, plain, ultra fresh fish.
I sh*t you not, it was sublime.

I argued with her for at least half an hour that there was no way it was prepared in the microwave.

Menu roundup

Quail eggs with sesame salt and tobiko A big hit with the little kids, as usual...didn't have time to make garnishes, but they snarfed up the eggs anyway.

Cheese Tray/crudites Wedge of brie, a lovely cranberry Wensleydale, assorted sausages and homemade liver terrinewith pistachios (which tasted good but I need a thinner, taller pan)

Excellent cheese dip à la SIL with pretzels

Potato Chips and Tzaziki

Watercress and pomegranate salad Big hit, even with the munchkins.

Roasted potatoes or Latkes, Instead, I did halved roasted parslied potatoes, which were OK, somewhere between a baked and roasted potato. They were slow-cooked with the roast; I might have liked them better at a higher heat, but they got compliments from the family.

Green beans with sweet-and-sour onions I used the pearl-size red onions and added a big shot of wine at the end, delicioius.

Steamed peas

Popovers I actually made a pretty good Yorkshire pudding instead, causing my brother to whip out my recently-gifted copy of the I Hate to Cook Book and read "We who hate to cook have a respect bordering on awe for the Good Cooks Who Like to Cook - those...people who can, and do, cook a prime rib and a Yorkshire pudding in a one-oven stove..." eliciting a chuckle from the rest of my family,:D

Pots de Creme a la Bracken Stunningly good. Like ganache, served up in espresso cups. Took less than 5 minutes, not counting chilling time - I highly recommend it.

Cake in our Hansel and Gretel bundt pan With minor repairs using scavanged muffin tops, it looked OK, but nobody ate it. I tasted some of the scraps and it was no loss.

Assorted Christmas Cookies