Christmas menu ideas!! Help???

[SweetRain]

This year is my first official attempt to cook for christmas... *scared* lol! My parents are going to be gone for the holidays so I'm going to try to cook for my siblings. Any easy recipe ideas you could give to a newbie at this?? Thanks! ^.^

[nebula]

Have you thought of browsing the "Cooking" forum on the Board? Don't know if anyone posted stuff there, but it's worth a shot.

Anyway, there's a website I posted several years ago that might have ideas?

http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/

[ears]

You may find a ham allot easier than a turkey. We like ours with brown sugar and pineapple.

[joi]

Had you thought to prepare the same dishes you usually have for Christmas?

ears idea of a ham being more easy than turkey is right on.

I am finding that many people are drifting away from the traditional dishes and are going with what ever they want.

One couple we know said they were going to have chili for Thanksgiving. Not my idea of a meal for that day, but to each his own! ; )

[Guest shiloh357]

This year is my first official attempt to cook for christmas... *scared* lol! My parents are going to be gone for the holidays so I'm going to try to cook for my siblings. Any easy recipe ideas you could give to a newbie at this?? Thanks! ^.^

Well, since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, we are resorting to something that takes less work than a full traditional Christmas meal. It is just too much to get up go to church and then come home and fix a big Christmas dinner.

We are roasting a ham that has been pre-sliced and pre cooked. Just heat and serve. We wil be having green beans, corn, and steamed broccoli and those crescent rolls from Pillsbury. We also bought a pie for dessert. All of that is very easy to fix. Just heat/steam and serve. We are also using Chinette paper plates and plasticware so clean up will be easier. It is just so much easier given how Christmas falls this year.

[nebula]

My SIL and bro liked their Thanksgiving brined turkey so much, they are doing it again for Christmas, complete with traditional Thanksgiving fare.

[ayin jade]

Altho I am a huge fan of turkey, perhaps a roasted bit of beef or pork might be easier? Ham is always a good option and festive too when prepared with pineapple and cloves. Consider some dishes you can prepare beforehand like the "traditional" green bean casserole. Make it the day or two before.

Or if you really want to keep things easy, order a premade meal from a grocery store or boston market or someplace like that.

[Floatingaxe]

How about a nice roast chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables with a salad? You can't go wrong with that! Here's a nice recipe for a special, simple dessert that my mother made many times for company over the years to many compliments:

Dump Cake

Ingredients:

2 pkg Golden cake mix -or- 1 pkg double layer mix

1 can crushed pineapple

1 can cherry pie filling

butter

walnuts, crushed

Method:

Place cherry filling in bottom of greased 9x13-in. pan. Drain pineapple well and spread over cherries. DUMP cake mix (yes, the dry cake mix!) on top of fruit and smooth out evenly. Place small dabs of butter over all. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until done. Cool. This doesn't slice well, but spoon portions onto plate or bowl and serve warm with ice cream---yummy!

[Guest LadyC]

i am NOT a fan of ham or turkey. my preferred holiday meal includes a pork loin roast and potatoes, hot buttered rolls, that sort of thing.

for those who want to graze before the big meal, try this... combine one jar of chili sauce with one can of cranberry sauce (not the kind with whole berries, get the jellied cranberry sauce.) add a bag of italian style meatballs and let it simmer. i know it sounds nasty, but it really is a very tasty and festive hors d'oevre.

[ears]

i am NOT a fan of ham or turkey. my preferred holiday meal includes a pork loin roast and potatoes, hot buttered rolls, that sort of thing.

for those who want to graze before the big meal, try this... combine one jar of chili sauce with one can of cranberry sauce (not the kind with whole berries, get the jellied cranberry sauce.) add a bag of italian style meatballs and let it simmer. i know it sounds nasty, but it really is a very tasty and festive hors d'oevre.

Never thought to try the cranberry sauce, always use the grape jelly, sounds great for the holidays.