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What was your Christmas dinner?

April

Veteran

I guarantee you no one else had what we had.

First of all, we have one Chinese friend and two Korean friends staying in our barn. The Chinese friend has been with us for Christmas a few times, but I think the Korean friends had their first at-home American Christmas yesterday. So that part was delightful.

The night before, we had acknowledged Chanukah with brisket, latkes (frozen from Trader Joe's) and my favorite Jalapeno Spinach.

So for Christmas dinner, we hauled out a ton of leftovers and trucked them up to our barn:
vegetable chili with tofu
brisket
vegetarian shepherd's pie topped with mashed cauliflower
new boxes of frozen latkes, potato and cauliflower
the remains of the spinach.

I think no one had room for a sweet after all that hearty fare, but there is a box of Estonian ginger-snap style cookies (gift from our Estonian interior designer) and a Christmas tin of sugar-and-spice nuts (gift from my parents.)

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43 replies

Latest reply was from April

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Sounds amazing, April! I love how diverse and global your chosen family is, and you seem like such a welcoming host to all sorts of interesting people.

Between Christmas Eve and Christmas I had a feast planned, with shrimp, ham, smoked salmon (cooked in our own smoker), baguettes and a charcuterie board with various fruits, vegetables, and Cougar Gold cheese (an amazing sharp cheddar made at Washington State University). Plus lots of sweets.

Sadly, we had to rush my husband to the ER in the wee hours of Christmas Eve and spent all day Saturday there before he was admitted to the hospital with acute pancreatitis. We spent Christmas Day there, eating whatever we managed to scrounge since the hospital cafeteria (and everything else) was closed, and the type of all-day-at-home cooking I’d planned for was out of the question. Kevin is on a clear liquid diet, so his Christmas dinner was beef broth and cran-raspberry juice. Kiddo and I ended up with McDonald’s for lunch, and then packed up some of that great cheese with crackers, blueberries, and baby carrots to graze on through the evening.

We ended up listening to Christmas music, FaceTiming family, and playing a board game on the iPad in the hospital. Could have been worse.

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April

Veteran

My word, Jenn - your poor DH! My dad had pancreatitis years ago and it is one nasty painful thing.

Your feast sounds delish, though - deeply impressed by home-smoked salmon. And yes, that Cougar Gold cheese is so great. Comes in a can, folks! Cheese in a can! Real cheese, and real delish. https://creamery.wsu.edu/cougar-cheese/

Runcarla

Veteran

Traditional fare for the 4 of us. The ham was a particularly good one, I cooked it perfectly, and DH managed delicate shaved slices The pineapple, too, was at the perfect stage of ripeness, and sweet after grilling under the broiler. Desert was an assortment of cookies and chocolates (made in advance.)

#1 my plate
#2 peanut butter balls, fruit and nut clusters, traditional sugar cookies, holiday spice cookies, empire cakes

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Anonymous

I made a Middle Eastern chicken dish with red onions and pine nuts. It was truly delicious. Mr. Xtabay made Persian rice with tahdig, a must for any of our celebrations. And a Mediterranean-style salad to go with. For dessert, tres leches cake and pumpkin pie. We ate up a storm, and had a wonderful time! Then we went on a very long walk to work off all that food. Felt blessed, for sure.

kerry

Veteran

April, your eclectic dinner sounds delicious. I love eating like that!

Oh Jenn, I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. Not fun! Hope he’s recovering well and you can have a meal redo for the new year.

Runcarla, we love ham but reserve it for Easter. Yum!

My DH made it all and has done for the past 13 years - some years for 9, some for as few as 4 but always the same. We do an enormous bird for the number of people but we send family home with leftovers, eat lots of leftovers ourselves and then I make this …

https://damndelicious.net/2021.....t-pot-pie/

For several years I tried to make soup with leftover turkey and it always turned out decidedly uninspired. I was so happy when I made the above recipe last year and am looking forward to making it again this year in a couple of days.

My DH swore this year that we’re all going to Mandarin next year. Ha!

We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, maple glazed green beans, roasted acorn squash, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and rolls. For dessert it was a Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and sticky toffee pudding. This is the first year I didn’t eat too much and felt energized for cleaning up the kitchen after the grandparents went home. Woot!

Anonymous

Oh no Jenn! Hope he's recovering!

Our big meal was earlier in the week with FIL. We went for Japanese food. I had vegetable ramen, vegetable tempura, and avocado/zuchini sushi.

Yesterday mom cooked and made one dish meal- which DH said is like vegetarian chicken a la king. It has rice for the base, mixed veg., potatoes, veg. chicken, and cream of mushroom or celery soup. When I make it I add lots of rosemary and umami (mushroom) seasoning. Dessert was chocolate lava cakes (from a box). Coffee ice cream would have been a good addition- but didn't have. And I had a bit of impulse buy peanut butter whiskey.

We've also been eating a lemoncello cake made by a local restaurant this week

rachylou

Veteran

Lobster, prime rib, green beans, chinese-style eggplant, mashed potatoes, wild rice and 7 desserts!

… but Jenn, what kind of McD’s and did you use the mobile app? Omigosh. Hope y’all are taking it easy now!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Rachylou, hah! I got a quarter pounder and fries in the drive thru. Christmas Eve night I didn’t get home from the hospital until ten and Kiddo and I doordashed spicy ramen, baked mussels, and spam musubi (his favorite). I felt so bad about ordering at that time that I tipped just over 100%

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, Jenn --- I am so sorry. Huge hugs and kudos to you for dealing with it all with such good grace. That is not a fun way to spend the holiday. I hope DH is doing better now. He's had such a rough go of it. And you, too.

April, I love the sounds of your chosen family and your feasting!

We had our traditional turkey thighs with Old Bay spicing, Brussel sprouts (this time with toasted hazelnuts, lemon, dill, and mint), cranberry sauce, celeriac and potato mash. And macerated oranges and homemade cookies for dessert. It was a shared effort, and so were the dishes, since our machine has been broken since July.

Max wanted to get in on the action.

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Echo

Veteran

Jenn, what a shock and disruption! I am so sorry, but glad your Dh will be okay.

April, it is truly the company that matters, but your menu sounds fab!

We always do the same thing: Rare grilled roast, sliced very thin, twice baked potatoes, cauliflower casserole, a jello salad (recipe from Dh's family; I'd never heard of jello salads before I married him) and rolls. I also made an apple pie, a keto no-bake cheesecake, truffles and fudge.

April

Veteran

Echo, I am the spanner in the works around here, being a vegetarian who also eats keto. Sounds like you have someone in your crowd who is similarly difficult to feed.

My mother, whose heritage is English and Welsh, one year went full-on British with the meal and roasted a goose, followed by plum pudding and hard sauce from a jar.

Now, anyone who has ever roasted a goose will tell you it's just like a duck - it's all fat, so you start with an enormous bird and once all that fat renders, if you haven't burned your house down in a grease fire, everyone gets a tiny amount of meat.

I did not enjoy the food at that Christmas dinner but I do admire her spirit in trying something new. Not sure how she even found a goose in suburban Massachusetts, 1972.

Last night, the Korean friends wanted to know what's a traditional American Christmas dinner. I didn't quite know how to answer. Well, Italian-Americans do this, English folk do roast beef, some prefer ham, some do yet another turkey hard on the heels of Thanksgiving...

rachylou

Veteran

Jenn, I’ve been filling in in the bakeshop. It’s a tipped job and when I’m there, my base pay is switched and I get a share of the tips and boy… I just want to say, if someone is working DoorDash Christmas Eve, your tip was a profound blessing. That was super kind. Tipped jobs are pure misery as far as I’m concerned, lol.

Also: Gonna try chicken, red onion and pine nuts!

Also: I’m reminded roast goose with grapes, *that* is fabulous

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So the real benefit of being Canadian is that our Thanksgiving is Oct. 11 and we are fully ready for turkey again by Christmas!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Suz - my dishwasher is on the fritz too. Washes, but no heat. I do a pre-wash, then run through the washer - but have to run the tap on hot a few times during the cycle to ensure the water going to the machine is warm, if not hot! There is an 8 week wait list for the repairman to just look at it!

Hmmm. We always do ham at Christmas, prime rib for DS#2’s birthday on the 27th, and lamb on New Year’s Day. I’ll pick up a turkey on sale after the holidays - but mainly for all the great leftovers (including a stock with the carcass) and not so much the day-of meal!

Irina

Veteran

So sorry, Jenn! Wishing you DH fast recovery!

We had late lunch with DS, DIL and baby Gregory on the 24th.

I made a Russian dish - crepes stuffed with mashed potatoes & mushrooms, also pan fried sweet potatoes, made tzatziki and a salad. DH smoked trout before lunch. It’s been years since I made deviled eggs so it was time to do it
I also made a cake a day before. But my favorite desert was a chocolate salami I gave my DH as a gift Read the fine print

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Minaminu

Veteran

Jenn so sorry! What a stressful day! Hope hubby will recover soon and well.

Xmas lunch at the Minu's house included roast veggies (potatoes, parsnips, carrots, swedes) and stuffed yellow peppers for me. Mr Minu cooked his meat as well his brussel's sprouts!

Sloper

Veteran

On Christmas Eve, DH and I had pot pies (his beef, mine chicken) from Linn’s of Cambria - a swell Central Coast restaurant that ships their savory and sweet pies. And roast sweet potatoes.

Nothing special on Christmas Day - lots of grazing on misc. leftovers, cookies, and candy. My sister sent us a meat & cheese gift box, which DH sliced up and we ate with crackers & spicy mustards.

Jenn, I’m feeling the feels for you and Kevin.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

We went unconventional and ordered Chinese. Had the leftovers for lunch. It was nice, and low stress, which is what we needed.
Jenn- I hope that Kevin is doing better now. What terrible timing!

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Fun and interesting to read all the delicious menus! Jenn, I hope your hubby is recovering and perhaps able to eat a few items of your postponed feast.

April, your description of the goose made me laugh! Is the tradition due to ages old custom of raising your own goose?

We are having our Christmas meals on Thursday, having settled on that day to avoid traveling and taking my 95-year-old MIL out in the recent terrible weather. Even today it was supposed to be past us, but we had snow flurries, sleet, freezing drizzle and snow showers off and on.

Planned for ourselves, MIL, daughter, her husband and three children: brunch of egg and sausage casserole, frozen fruit cups and home made yeast caramel pecan rolls. Early supper of chili, cheese and crackers, guacamole and chips and jalapeño poppers. Perhaps cookies if I make some - hubby and I have eaten everything in that category in the past few days.

Sal

Veteran

We did Bbq lamb along with a variety of salads. Dessert was Steamed English fruit pudding with custard along with macerated strawberries and icecream.

Jenn- what a stressful and hard day after all you have been through.

April

Veteran

Khris - anyone who grew up in a Jewish family will tell you there is nothing more traditional than ordering Chinese on Christmas Day.

cjh, I honestly don't know where the Christmas goose came from but would guess you're correct based on this Christmas song
Christmas is coming
The goose is getting fat
Please to put a penny in the old man's hat...

Or tip your Door Dasher 100%.

I am loving hearing about these meals! LMA is with us until Friday and he wants some cooking lessons - you all are inspiring me.

Irina, you've given me a gift idea for my vegan sister!

nuancedream

Veteran

No traditional Christmas fare for us. I cooked a turkey breast while Mr. ND was in Arizona on vacation earlier this month so I'm done with turkey for a while. I made lemon Shrimp Scampi. It's quick and delicious over angel hair pasta, which is something we almost never eat. As a treat, I made some oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert.

Sisi

Veteran

My Christmas lunch menu:
Starters
Paté croutons
Olivier salad
Soft cheese balls filled with pear cream

First Course
Borage ravioli with walnuts sauce

Second Course
Roast-beef

Side dishes
Sauteed carrots
Sauteed veggie mix (peas, french beans, artichokes)
Celery fennel and artichokes salad

Dessert
Panettone (the traditional Milanese Christmas cake)
Lychees and tangerines

Sparkling white wine for the final toast

This year I summoned my courage and hosted Christmas. I ordered the first course at the deli and cooked only the side dishes, the other things were prepared by friends. For my minimal taste this is far too much but my friends insisted that Christmas is Christmas. Heh, Italians ...

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Jenn, I’m so sorry your holiday was spent that way! Sending many good vibes.

Christmas dinner was lovely for us. We spent the holiday in Quebec City with my stepson and his wife and her parents. Christmas eve dinner was at Le Continental (I went for the filet mignon for my first red meat in quite some time and it was fantastic!). Christmas Day dinner was at Bistro le Sam at Chateau Frontenac, and it was also outstanding. I got the seafood casserole.

We’re on our way back home now, driving. Starting tomorrow my diet is going to be back on a healthier track! We definitely indulged while we were away. A few photos below.

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L'Abeille

Veteran

We have always always had either a turkey or a goose on Christmas Day. But this year, due to dates of family travel, my nephew hosted us to a turkey dinner on Boxing Day. So on Christmas Day we had prime rib, with mashed potatoes and broccoli.

But Christmas Eve was our traditional: tourtiere (French Canadian meat pie) with various pickles, and a bûche de Noël (Yule log cake) for dessert.

AJ

Veteran

Jenn, so sorry to hear about your stressful time! Hope your belated holiday celebration was peaceful.

Thanksgiving is always stressful for me because the focus is on the meal, so I like to keep Christmas dinner simple and easy. We had glazed ham, Caesar salad with bacon, stuffing, steamed red potatoes and green beans, and garlic cheddar biscuits. For dessert, we had apple pie with whipped cream and pumpkin bars.

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April

Veteran

I'm gaining weight and my skin is breaking out just reading these posts.

We were supposed to do this on Christmas Day but since we didn't, yesterday was the day the Aprils made homemade gnocchi. Yes, we have the little ridged wooden paddles and yes, we got flour everywhere.

I made the dough and then stood back and coached while the men did the rolling.

Lazy genius idea: skip the pan of boiling water and put these directly into a hot skillet with butter and olive oil. Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, what could be bad...

An Italian friend had brought me fresh sage from her garden last August and I had frozen the individual leaves in anticipation of the Christmas Gnocchi. So we did it classic style: with brown butter and sage leaves.

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Cardiff girl

Veteran

All this food sounds wonderful!Exceptfor Jenn and the burger,so sorry about your husband,how miserable for him.l do hope that he recovers soon.
None of us are that keen on turkey so we usually have something else,this year we had crown of lamb with all the trimmings,pigs in blankets,roast potatoes,potatoes dauphinois,carrots,peas,braised red cabbage,stuffing and gravy.Then we had Nigellas Xmas cake,which is abit like tiramisu for pudding.l always cook a gammon on Christmas Eve.

Anonymous

Love the photos Janet!
*carries off gnocci and tiramisu thing*

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