12/19/07

Planning Christmas dinner- and other things

I love Christmas, but I don't love to spend it with family. Strange huh? I think after years of being a nomad and having the holiday by myself I don't like to share it with others. That and when I was a kid I was trotted all over hell and back on Christmas to see my Grandparents. That said, now I have a 3 yr old with 3 grandparents (my husbands father passed away about 18mos. ago) so there has to be some family involvement. This year is the first year I am allowing the whole family to be at my house on Christmas Eve, but only from noon to 8pm. I told everyone at 8 they have to get out. They have to be to my house because I am not going to trot my sons butt around on the holiday.

So, Christmas Eve dinner is up to me (like Thanksgiving is too). Here is my menu.

1) I have a ham. Shank, bone in, NOT spiral cut. (spiral cut tends to make the ham dry IMHO) I think I am going to make a coating of graham crackers, brown sugar, butter and whiskey to coat it. Makes a nice crust. I don't like fruit on my pork, so all sorts of glazes are out.

2) Green beans. NOT the casserole with mushroom soup because my Mr. hates fungus. Just plain green beans. Maybe some almonds. And butter.

3) Roasted carrots because my Dad likes them

4) Mashed potatoes. At least I think mashed, maybe roasted with onions,rosemary, garlic and lemons. That is still up in the air. IF I make mashed potatoes than I also need to make country gravy.

5.) Cranberry sauce.

6) Biscuits. Because they go great with ham. Because I like them. Because I need something else and I don't want to have to bake bread.

7.) Apple Pie for desert.

So that is my Christmas Eve dinner for 6. Or 5 1/2 if you want to get picky.

1 comment:

Alana in Canada said...

Very, very nice. Our plans are not quite so elaborate--but I love that you're taking the time to throw almonds in with the green beans and stuff like that. It is what makes a holiday festive. (Except I'd get cranky if I had to fuss too much. And that's not festive. But I do love the fuss--when someone else is doing the fussing.)