I've been trying to think about our menus for this Holiday Week since I'm hosting and having guests. I mean, FAMILY guests, and ones who want us to all relax and not feel stressed, but still... I have a built-in desire to impress even my own Mom and Dad (especially them), and to create happy memories of Christmas in the hearts of my children and husband. And include all the correct holiday traditions but not overdose on them, you know? And have it feel somewhat fancy and special, but not overly dramatic... so... no pressure.
:)
One thing that bugs me about having a "tradition" of serving a holiday meal to many, many guests -- because that was always my own family's tradition, both in Texas and in Florida -- is that at my own house we never have many, many guests. Serving a turkey AND a ham are truly overkill for a table of 6, two of whom are small-appetited kids. My solution to this:
Ham on Christmas Eve. Turkey/dressing on Christmas Day. BOOM.
Here's how I think this weekend is going to go.
Friday Dinner -- (21st, the day Mom and Dad arrive) -- Happy Hour, appetizers for dinner. Meaning: Cheeses and Crackers, maybe Smoked Salmon, and maybe some veggies. There's a neighborhood dessert party that I both want and don't want to attend, but will plan on attending (Shawn rightly said, "We have to go to these things, so that we continue to get invited to them." True.) Even though it's a Friday night after a LONG week and before a very busy long weekend. Anyway. We'll go for an hour-ish. I plan to take my Granny's Sand Tarts as my dessert contribution.
Saturday Dinner -- Undecided but my only two tasks for Saturday are 1) Pick up the Honey Baked Ham I pre-ordered, and 2) Get the rest of the Groceries for Christmas Eve/Day. The rest of the day I want to lay around reading and/or wrap the last of the gifts, and I hope that is OK with my family. Let's just assume we're going to order Chinese food and we'll see what happens. ;)
Sunday Dinner -- never mind, I don't know this yet. (Nor any breakfasts or lunches, you might have noticed.)
MONDAY Christmas Eve Dinner -- Honey Baked Ham! Homemade Mac and Cheese -- I may do two versions, one "regular" one that has become a weeknight standard (just milk, butter, salt, and sliced American cheese), and one fancy one, like this from The Kitchn, or maybe this one. I kinda want to do green bean casserole too....too much creamy rich food? Maybe too much. And a light (!) green salad because we must, for our health's sake.
Probably will have a cookie plate for dessert, with coffee so we can make it to Midnight Mass!
(Oh yes, I want to drag my family to Midnight Mass this year. I already have complaints so we will see what happens. I am ... not very hopeful, although I have to be there to sing. After eating loads of cheese. Awesome.)
Tuesday Christmas Morning Breakfast -- My tradition is to make crepes after all the presents have been opened. Usually I serve it with fruit salad, probably also leftover ham, and sometimes with Christmas punch.
Tuesday Christmas Dinner -- (presumably after eating a big breakfast, we won't need lunch) -- Turkey and Dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, Caesar salad, roasted broccoli/sweet potatoes. I think...? I don't know if it's fancy enough. I know. We'll serve Wine!
- Should we fry the turkey or roast it? (Fry it! Yum. Is that possible? Can I get enough peanut oil at Publix?)
- Should we postpone this dinner until Wednesday, actually, after my sister arrives?
I am clearly planning to have tons of energy for all this cooking! Hopefully some of it can be made ahead... and I know I will have help, if only I can ask for/accept it. Hard to do in my own kitchen, but it's more festive if we're ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
I love you, Mom and Dad, Kids and Sister and especially Husband! Forgive me in advance for my mood over those four days (just in case).
3 comments:
Sounds like a good plan. Crepes for Christmas day breakfast sounds so yummy.
We work on tweaking traditions too. There are some crockpot desserts I like to make on Christmas eve, but this year we are going to be with just my brother and his family and they don't eat sweets late. I think I'm going to make them on Sunday when we host my husband's family for dinner and football watching (Go Steelers!). We typically have a crab and tomato soup on Christmas eve, but I don't think I will have time to cook it because we are traveling that day. Trying to decide whether I should skip it, ask my brother to start it, or make it ahead of time to bring. Also, abandoned my Mamaw's tradition of holiday meals at 2pm.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and an enjoyable time with your family!
You so funny. lol. Yes, food is very stressful. We are rushing to Georgia on Friday for a Friday night celebration with my family. I'm taking a pound cake. When we get back on Sunday, my sisters in law will be here, so we'll have quesadillas that night. Spaghetti the next night. And I've made cake and bread for Christmas. Darryl's sisters are bringing ham, asparagus (Madison will be thrilled), and sweet potato casserole. And we have a fund-raiser Butter Braid for breakfast one morning. That's all I've got! Can't even consider that people might get hungry at other times!
Hey, did you hear our sweet kitty died from kidney failure? Only 5 years old. We are heartbroken. And a heartbroken Darryl is a very much struggling Darryl. We are picking up two new kitties in Newnan on Sunday that someone rescued. I think they are only about 3 months old. I hope they are great. We had such a great kitty before. Sadness.
How did it go??? Did you have enough energy? Did you make it to Midnight Mass en masse? And, most importantly, which mac and cheese did you choose?!?!?! Inquiring minds NEED to know!
Post a Comment