Christmas Dinner

[SeaCat]

So what was it this year? How was it?

For us this year it was a bit different but oh so good. We visited with my parents and my mother decided to make one of my favorite dishes, one she knew I haven't had in years. We had Hassen Pfeffer. (Rabbit in a Sour Cream and Pepper Corn Gravy.) This was served with PotatoeDumplings and Red Cabbage. All washed down with Ybor Pilsner. (A beer brewed in Melbourne.)

What made this meal even better was the company. You see when we showed up at my parents place my father rather hesitantly asked me if I minded their having another person over to share the meal. He quicly went on to explain that this guy was a disabled combat vet who lived alone in the park. He had in the past year lost both his wife and his mother. I shrugged and told my father that it was his place and he could invite anyone he chose to dinner. (For some reason my father keeps thinking I'm going to react like my siblings. I'm working hard to break him of that.)

Dinner was an absolutely incredible feast of flavors. Nothing could have been better.

So how was yours?

Cat

 

[Guest]

So what was it this year? How was it?

For us this year it was a bit different but oh so good. We visited with my parents and my mother decided to make one of my favorite dishes, one she knew I haven't had in years. We had Hassen Pfeffer. (Rabbit in a Sour Cream and Pepper Corn Gravy.) This was served with PotatoeDumplings and Red Cabbage. All washed down with Ybor Pilsner. (A beer brewed in Melbourne.)

What made this meal even better was the company. You see when we showed up at my parents place my father rather hesitantly asked me if I minded their having another person over to share the meal. He quicly went on to explain that this guy was a disabled combat vet who lived alone in the park. He had in the past year lost both his wife and his mother. I shrugged and told my father that it was his place and he could invite anyone he chose to dinner. (For some reason my father keeps thinking I'm going to react like my siblings. I'm working hard to break him of that.)

Dinner was an absolutely incredible feast of flavors. Nothing could have been better.

So how was yours?

Cat

Lovely, thanks. Yours sounded wonderful, too.

We had ham and trimmings with my parents, my hubby's dad, and my sis and her husband - that was Sunday.

But today? We had a typical Thanksgiving sort of dinner with just the four of us. Kids helped make various parts of the meal. Daughter made the green bean casserole with the crispy onion topping, young son made the pumpkin pie, hubby carved a splendid turkey, I made homemade rolls from scratch -

Yum. I'm liking Christmas.

 

[English Lady]

Ours was fairly traditional for Britain apart from one thing -we had chicken instead of Turkey as no one likes Turkey.

So we had Chicken, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes (done in goose fat), sprouts, carrot and turnip, braised red cabbage, sage & onion stuffing, a sausage wrapped in bacon and gravy and cranberry Jelly.

Then for afters we had

Christmas Pudding and white sauce. I made the christmas pudding and it was blummin' gorgeous even if i do say so myself.

At tea we had cold meats and salads, cheese and crackers and such then a slice of my home made Christmas Cake Yum.

 

[Just-Legal]

We had pub Christmas Dinner, as always I ate too much and nearly exploded hehe. Turkey, roast potatos, mash, gorgeous roast parsnips, carrots, Yorkshire Pudding, stuffing and LOTS of gravy *g*

 

[Lisa Denton]

So what was it this year? How was it?

For us this year it was a bit different but oh so good. We visited with my parents and my mother decided to make one of my favorite dishes, one she knew I haven't had in years. We had Hassen Pfeffer. (Rabbit in a Sour Cream and Pepper Corn Gravy.) This was served with PotatoeDumplings and Red Cabbage. All washed down with Ybor Pilsner. (A beer brewed in Melbourne.)

What made this meal even better was the company. You see when we showed up at my parents place my father rather hesitantly asked me if I minded their having another person over to share the meal. He quicly went on to explain that this guy was a disabled combat vet who lived alone in the park. He had in the past year lost both his wife and his mother. I shrugged and told my father that it was his place and he could invite anyone he chose to dinner. (For some reason my father keeps thinking I'm going to react like my siblings. I'm working hard to break him of that.)

Dinner was an absolutely incredible feast of flavors. Nothing could have been better.

So how was yours?

Cat

Non-traditional but nice. Fried chicken with all the trimmings, and in case someone wanted different, chopped roast on huge sourdough buns. Lots of deserts, pies, brownies, cookies.

A couple years ago at a christmas at my brothers I was introduced to "Mary, a friend of X and X" and this was a beautiful day out on the lakehouse deck, several large patio tables and people mingling after the meal.

"Mary" was a fun, cheerful, highly intelligent woman of maybe thirtysomething. She talked of her years as a flight attendant as if she no longer did that but remembered it fondly, the trips, peoples she had met and stuff.

She would often enter the conversations with a related story, sometimes succesfully with a funny or amusing related tidbit. Sometimes she would stumble with her words, look a little confused, and then return to her cheerful self as someone would step in and pick up the coversation.

After Mary and X and X left I asked my sister-in-law about her, seems she had been suffering from alzhiemers for quite a while, she had very little family and it was progressing to the stage she needed help in case she forgot where she was or was going, so she was staying the holidays with X and X, old friends.

I was aghast, why hadn't we been told, we could have said something in-advertantly to hurt her feelings, but sis-in-law said it was Mary's request to just be a regular person, not a "cripple" or "poor sad thing."

Sis-in-law got a thank you note from Mary and passed it on to me after my interest. Seems Mary had a great time, loved being "normal" with a bunch of normal people who knew nothing of her slight disability, sharing a wonderful meal and hours of conversations and mingling.

What she said at the end of the note that she enjoyed the most was a woderful christmas gift to me as well, as I remember giving her a look and a smile at the time. She said one of the first times she stumbled on her words, forgetting what she had been telling us and just giggled and said "oh hell, I forget the rest" that as she looked around the table we were all grinning with her as if to say "yea, it happens to us all sometimes."

 

[oggbashan]

We went to a local restaurant.

My daughter and son-in-law, his parents and our one-year-and-a-day-old granddaughter squeezed into a tight space.

We were met with a glass of sherry. The meal was vegetable soup, melon balls, lemon sorbet, turkey with the traditional trimmings, christmas pudding or orange cheese-cake followed by coffee and mints.

The granddaughter tried almost everything. She showed her disapproval of sprouts and lemon sorbet but found that orange cheesecake was great for finger painting on the bare table.

It was a stress-free meal unlike the normal family Christmases with Mum tearing her hair out in the kitchen and daughters "helping".

The granddaughter behaved very well. Three hours in a restaurant is a long time when you are only one-year-and-a-day-old. She smiled at the staff and the other customers, ate almost everything and only complained briefly towards the end when she was very tired but determined not to miss out on anything happening around her. She waved goodbye as other customers left and hugged one of the waitresses. She then went home and slept for two hours, as did the in-laws who had had several drinks during the meal. I was driving so I waited to open a local beer when I got home.

Granddaughter's birthday party on the 24th and Christmas Day. It's not surprising that she slept late this morning. Today she's off to see her cousin born one day after her (i.e. Christmas Day 2006) and another family party.

Og and wife are going for a quiet walk on a beach in the sunshine, and back home this evening for more local beer. I'm avoiding the Morris Dancing festival in the next town.

Og

 

[sutherngent985]

I was alone so I didn't do too much. I had a nice rib eye steak and some mashed potatoes, with popcorn and home made cookies (thanks honey) for desert.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

My parrents and I went over to my mother's sister's house to eat with my Aunt, Uncle, their two daughters, the one's fience and my mother's mother.

I couldn't tell you much of what we ate. I don't like most food, so I didn't pay much attention to them. There was some Italian Wedding Soup (had some of that), beef and carrots (had some beef), bread (had some of that), cougal(?) (didn't have that), some veggies (never eat those, or anything else on this list), pie of some kind, this stuff in a big baking dish that I don't know what it was or what was in it, and carrot cake.

It was a nice day out. We all enjoyed ourselves, and my uncle got me hooked on the Nintendo Wii bowling game. Now I need to buy one of my own...

 

[adetaildiva]

With the in-laws, late night Christmas Eve: A meal with my in-laws will always be interesting (think recipies created by a woman who doesn't cook regularly), this year being no exception. We were asked to bring hubby's famous King Ranch Chicken Casserole (made from scratch) & in-laws would do side dishes. Got there & found out that "side dishes" were ham (?!?), dressing (doctored Stove Top), mashed potatoes (Country Crock pre-made mixed with instant potato flakes), broccoli/rice/cheese casserole & sugar beets. Hubby's perfect homemade pecan pie topped it off. Ate some of all so as to keep family peace. King Ranch & beets were my favs. Didn't do any pie, don't like pecans.

Breakfast with Mom, Christmas Day: My mom, ever the over-achiever, had breakfast casserole (click here - hope this works), mini pigs-in-a-blanket & biscuits with gravy ready to go when we got there. All family comfort foods. Had to eat quick so my nieces (2.5 & 6.5) could open presents.

Late lunch with Dad, Christmas Day: Step-mom's just 2 days out of the hospital so my aunt, sister & sister-in-law took over the preparations. Dressing with chicken mixed in, ham, from scratch mac-n-cheese, candied sweet potatoes, pea salad, fruit salad, green beans, sugar beets & crescent rolls. Pumpkin pie, another of hubby's pecan pies, & other assorted desserts made by S-I-L that I don't have a clue what were. Too stuffed to eat anything else.

Prob'ly won't have anything to eat today except a Slim Fast bar or 2 & a LOT of water.

 

[cloudy]

It was just my mom, stepdad, me and spidey for xmas dinner, so we had two-inch thick filets grilled outside. Beyond delicious. Also fresh frozen limas, apple salad, and potatos au gratin - coconut cream pie for dessert.

 

[glynndah]

It was just the four of us for Christmas dinner; my husband, my son, my mother-in-law and me. We watched DVDs (Wooster and Jeeves) and dined on roast chicken we raised ourselves, assorted side dishes and creme brulee my son made.

 

[rgraham666]

My sister and her husband laid out a big table of noshes; shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon, Portuguese sausage, chicken fingers, fresh veggies and dip, roast dates stuffed with Brie wrapped in bacon, cheese tray with crackers and tons of baked goods. (They're both professional bakers. )

I liked it. No pressure like a traditional Christmas dinner. And they gave me three days worth of leftovers.

 

[SeaCat]

My sister and her husband laid out a big table of noshes; shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon, Portuguese sausage, chicken fingers, fresh veggies and dip, roast dates stuffed with Brie wrapped in bacon, cheese tray with crackers and tons of baked goods. (They're both professional bakers. )

I liked it. No pressure like a traditional Christmas dinner. And they gave me three days worth of leftovers.

Ahhh leftovers. You have to love them. This year for the first time we didn't bring any hoe. (Boo Hiss.)

Because of this tonight we are having something a bit different. I cubed up some lean beef this morning and tossed it in some Teriyaki Marinade. I also cubed up some Onions and Bell Peppers as well as some Bacon.

This evening I wrapped the cubes of beef in the bacon strips, skewered them, and started them cooking. When they were almost done I pulled them off the grill, removed them from the skewers and re-skewered them with the veggies. Tasty.

I still haven't decided what to make for New Years. (Im thinking a Garlic and Butter Glazed Duck. Yes this can be done, you just have to know how to do it)

Cat

 

[cloudy]

Ahhh leftovers. You have to love them. This year for the first time we didn't bring any hoe. (Boo Hiss.)

Because of this tonight we are having something a bit different. I cubed up some lean beef this morning and tossed it in some Teriyaki Marinade. I also cubed up some Onions and Bell Peppers as well as some Bacon.

This evening I wrapped the cubes of beef in the bacon strips, skewered them, and started them cooking. When they were almost done I pulled them off the grill, removed them from the skewers and re-skewered them with the veggies. Tasty.

I still haven't decided what to make for New Years. (Im thinking a Garlic and Butter Glazed Duck. Yes this can be done, you just have to know how to do it)

Cat

What???? No black-eyed peas and greens????

 

[SeaCat]

What???? No black-eyed peas and greens????

Nope, I'm saving that for the Fourth of July.

Although tomorrow we'll be having Beans and Rice. (You don't want to be downwind.)

Cat

 

[SensualCealy]

My family, Christmas eve at a restaurant we had turkey, gravy, mashed taters, broccoli, and dressing with drinks and a tossed garden salad and for dessert- garlic bread they forgot to bring out with the salad!

We (all 20) came back to my place to open gifts, all the grandkids get gifts and mom insists that we each still get a gift as much as we insist she and dad still get a gift. So I made up a huge tray of sweets from my week of baking which went over quite well.

Christmas morning, (close to noon) we had pancakes and sausages for breakfast, then at 3 my parents and hubby's parents came for turkey dinner.
My father in law cooked the turkey and brought it with the dressing and gravy- there is a reason he use to own two restaurants! lol
With the turkey we had mashed potatoes, turnip, carrots, peas, (hubby's dad is fussy when it comes to veggies) dressing, gravy, cranberries (whole and jelly) and freshly baked rolls right from the oven - from scratch! (forgot to buy some!) Then added to the sweets tray from the night before and sat and relaxed with a hot cup of tea while we opened our cards.

Yesterday hubby made egg mcmuffins for breakfast then we munched through the afternoon on snacky stuff, cheese and crackers, spinach and pumpernickle bread etc. then Lasagna for supper- Im still full!

Tonight, hot turkey sandwiches then the rest goes in the freezer!
C

 

[buxxxom]

For breakfast: biscuits of all sorts of varieties, ham, bacon, sausage, and plain for adding apple butter and/or jelly. I make a huge batch and send home with them when they come to see what Santa brought our kids.

For lunch: deep fried a turkey and took it to in-laws. It is delicious, pity there are no leftovers for casseroles, sandwiches, etc. I may have to get hubby to cook another one just for that purpose. It joined on the table stuffing/dressing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, corn, rolls, and ham.

For supper: made a huge pot of chicken and dumplings (I had the stock and meat already prepared, just added dumplings), another pan of dressing, more cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, and assorted sweets that had been made throughout the week. My family enjoyed it.

 

[ladydrace]

24th of December, we went to my sister's and had a traditional Danish Cristmas eve.
After a lot of cheerful chatting amongst ourselves, amidst the wonderful wafting of smells from the kitchen, we sat down and ate our hearts out. Roast pork and roast duck. Boiled potatoes, sugar roasted potatoes, red cabbage, crisps and gravy... oh boy, the gravy. I would have eaten it with a spoon out of the bowl if I didn't have the last shred of self respect.

For dessert a non-traditional helping of home made soft-ice. Sister and her family doesn't like the cold rice with almonds and hot cherry sauce we usually have. But it was great anyway.

Then we brought out the mountain of gifts. Oh boy. 4 kids and close to 200 presents. Some people *cough* grandma *cough* have a little problem with self restraint when it comes to the grandkids.

So we fought our way through the mountain with a surprisingly small amount of chaos. And then my sister seemed to be suffering from the delusion that we were hungry and brought in mountains of home made candy, chocolate, jellybeans, cookies, cake, biscuits, fruit and coffee. Oy.

Needless to say, it got a bit windy when we got home.... ahem...

the 25th, we went to my moms for a christmas lunch. Everybody were pretty tired and didn't eat much, so we got to take home a mountain of leftovers. Mmmm. So today we have been eating sausage, ham, bacon, boiled eggs and toast. Mmmmm.