Your ideal Christmas dinner!

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  • AlexandraFindsHerself1971
    AlexandraFindsHerself1971 Posts: 3,106 Member
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    My family does not have a big Christmas dinner tradition. When I was little and my grandparents were still alive, they had about 25-30 people at Christmas and everyone gave presents to everyone else, so of course opening presents one at a time took all day. (In order, youngest to oldest, one present at a time. Door prize for whoever has the last present.) So the food was a buffet. Hot soup, cold cuts and sandwich makings, cookies and various appetizer type munchies. If it wasn't your turn and no one was about to open a gift of yours, you could wander in and nosh a bit, as much or as little as you wanted.

    After they passed away, my mother started having her family Christmas on Christmas Eve, as my biosister is a nurse and often worked Christmas morning/day while single. For that we usually had hot roast beef sandwiches Italian style, with chips and various cookies/fudge/candies, and that's been the go-to for that.

    Within my nuclear family, it has varied. My favorite year was the year we did fondue. We might do that again this year if I can get good chairs for the three of us (3 bad backs), and do a broth fondue instead of an oil fondue, because of the calories and grease.

  • vcwalden1
    vcwalden1 Posts: 2 Member
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    I usually have Christmas dinner the first week of December - I visit my son and his family at Thanksgiving and we have an informal dinner before I come home. We very rarely have turkey for either meal. So this year I'll be staying home. I love roasted turkey breast so I think that is what I'll make. Probably will make roasted vegetables and pumpkin pudding to go with it. Gotta make cranberry orange sauce. This will give me lunches/dinners for the rest of the week.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,426 Member
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    We do our bigger meal Christmas eve: real bone in ham, no glaze, real mashed potatoes, carrot and rutabaga mash, a green bean dish, stuffed mushrooms and if I am feeling it, sagey stuffing with turkey gravy just for the stuffing and potatoes, dinner rolls. Pickled Beets, mustard, and couple kinds of pickles on the table. Usually a nice sauvignon blanc for the husband and I.

    Christmas day I do a full veggie tray with dip, a meat, cheese and cracker tray, some fruit and of course leftovers. We stay home for Christmas so this works for us.
  • thelastnightingale
    thelastnightingale Posts: 725 Member
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    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Guys, is only September so why are you thinking in Christmas already!!!

    I'm only thinking about the food. I'm always thinking about food. If I didn't love food so much, I wouldn't be on MFP! ;)

    Don't worry, I won't think about anything else until December. Presents will be last-minute, shipped in a panic via Amazon Prime.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,984 Member
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    I definitely wouldn't do a bird or a roast if I were on my own. Maybe a ham, which freezes well and works great in soups and casseroles, or fried with eggs and waffles for a weekend breakfast. If I could find a stand-alone turkey liver or two, I'd make our traditional holiday liver "pate" (it's not firm or congealed); not sure if I would bother if I had to buy a pound of chicken livers -- even I can't eat that much pate, although it's great left-over spread on toast or a turkey sandwich.

    Definitely would have mashed potatoes. Then probably a couple simple veggie sides, like roasted brussels sprouts and carrots.

    If I didn't do a ham, I'd have sausage stuffing (maybe look for a vegan sausage, since I wouldn't have to cater to other people -- no, obvs I'm not vegan since I would consider a ham, but I eat a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals) and/or broccoli-corn-cheese casserole for a more substantial main dish.
    thelastnightingale wrote: »
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Guys, is only September so why are you thinking in Christmas already!!!

    I'm only thinking about the food. I'm always thinking about food. If I didn't love food so much, I wouldn't be on MFP! ;)

    Don't worry, I won't think about anything else until December. Presents will be last-minute, shipped in a panic via Amazon Prime.

    Actually, this year, if I do Thanksgiving alone (U.S. Thanksgiving, end of November) (no travelling or hosting, minimal energy and time outlay), I'm thinking I might just maybe possibly do all the gift-shopping online that weekend and be done. It could happen, right? I'm not just dreaming impossible dreams, am I?
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
    edited September 2020
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    Christmas alone would really suck. It's the one holiday that's completely about family, for me...

    Anyway, I'd probably roast a turkey breast, fry a few sausages and make braised sour cabbage on the side. I've already cooked all those, successfully, so I wouldn't risk being stuck with a ruined first attempt at a dish.

    +1 on Christmas eve being the real party, Christmas day is more like "leftovers and clean-up day".
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
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    Two different answers depending on the circumstances:

    If I am having Christmas Dinner with my greater family, then I'm all in for a traditional turkey dinner. Roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, string beans, cranberry. Gingerbread with whipped cream for dessert.

    If alone, an opulent charcuterie would be my preference. Lots of cheeses/cheese spreads, prosciutto, jellies, crackers, nuts, grapes, veggies/dip, etc.

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