Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

I am having Xmas Eve for the first time this year. Looking for ideas on what to make.

tia!

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Not at all!

Cheese, crackers, pepperoni, olive plate, pistachios, crudites

Salad

Butternut Squash soup

Vegetable lasagna
Spinach Pie
Mashed Potatoes
Roast Chicken
Prime Rib
Some other vegetable

Coffee
Tea
Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie
Some holiday cake (meaning I'll decorate it all cute for the holiday)

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

rough draft, have to get a few more types of fish in there!

on the table - sushi from our favorite place to pick on.

baccala in sauce
fried breaded baccala
fried shrimp
shrimp cocktail
shrimp and rice
breaded filet for the kids
stuffed clams
raw clams and oysters
cold seafood salad

fried cardone
plain salad with balsamic vineger

baked chestnuts
pasta di mandorla
assorted cookies

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Rough Guess - a lot of people actually do the cooking on Christmas Eve and we all gather at one persons house.

Appetizers:
Fried Shrimp
Fried Scallops
Baked Brie w/ Crackers
Cold Antipasta
Cold Seafood Salad

Dinner:
Calamari, Mussels, Scungeli in a red sauce
Baccala and Onions
Filet of Sole Florentina
Stuffed Shrimp
Baked Ham
Baked Turkey Breast
Sausage & Peppers
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Tortellini Alfredo

Sides:
Green Beans w Garlic & Oil
Braised Brussel Spouts w/ Red Pepper Flakes
Pineapple Casserole (for the ham)
Fried Cardone
Salad
Semolina Bread

Dessert:
Fruits & Nuts
Everyone's Christmas Cookies & Baked Breads

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Message edited 11/10/2009 10:22:42 AM.

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Baked clams
Cold antipast platter
Cheese platter, nuts, fresh fruit

Shrimp scampi
Sauteed lobster in white wine over linguini
Sauteed scallops in brown butter
Linquini with white clam sauce

Broccoli in garlic & oil
Ceasar salad

Homemade chocolate truffles (my brother's specialty)
Homemade cream puffs filled with custard or whipped cream
Caramel cheesecake (another one of my brother's)
Butter cookies, sugar cookies
Cappuccino & espresso
Assorted cordials

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

We have our Christmas dinner with my father, step mother, niece, friends, and siblings a week before and this is what we do:
Apps:
Shrimp Cocktail
Meat/Cheese/Bread Tray
Ham Rolls
Edible arrangement
Veggies and Dip

Dinner:
Deep Fried Turkey
Cheesy Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Salad
Rolls
Corn
Some form of a baked vegetable like squash or brussel sprouts

Dessert:
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Apple Pie
Fudge





We do Christmas at my Mom's so it's her menu but it's our year to host it for my late step-father's family so this is what we'll be doing at her house....

Apps:
Edible arrangement
Meat/Cheese Tray
Ham Rolls

Dinner:
Deep Fried Turkey
Meatballs
Cheesy potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Corn
Rolls
Salad

Dessert:
Apple Pie
Christmas Cookies
Fudge

You can see they're pretty similar so that helps, but I do try to throw in a new recipe every year that I like. I'm looking for a new one now for a nice side dish that's not a casserole

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Xmas eve we do all fish..

I hosted this year- but since my mom just had her kitchen redone, it will be at her house but I am making the main course.

Anyway- last year I had:

Apps:

Assorted cheeses & Italian bread
lump crabmeat & shrimp cocktail
clams oregenata

green salad

main course:
Spaghetti with fish sauce (red sauce with lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, mussels)

steamed mussels in white wine sauce

fried smelts (family tradition)

stringbeans with garlic

sauteed escarole

This year:

A little different- honestly, since I"m giving birth December 4th- will be pared down:

Apps:

assorted Italian cheeses, olives, etc. and Italian bread.

shrimp and lump crab cocktail

green salad

Main Course:
this is going to be a fish stew- it's absolutely the most AMAZING fish stew EVER.. sort of like a Ciopinno.. it takes pretty much all day to make and has everything in it- clams, shrimp, lobster, chunks of monk fish, scallops, etc- it's insanely good- we'll be serving this as the main along with..

spaghetti with garlic & oil

fried smelts (that darn family tradition)

baked clams or clams oregenata

sauteed escarole

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

the fish stew recipe:

Ingredients:

4 leeks halved and sliced
2 large shallots sliced fine
3 carrots chopped
3 cups yukon gold potatoes cubed (uncooked)
1 large can tomato puree
juice from large can of plum tomatoes (keep the tomatoes for something else) OR, if you like pieces of tomato in your soup, use one large can of diced tomatoes in their own juice
fresh rosemary (about 1-2 tsp chopped)
fresh thyme (about 1-2 tsp chopped)
fresh oregano (about 1-2 tsp chopped)
1 bay leaf
crushed red pepper (spice level to be determined by amount you choose)
dash of allspice
dash of cinnamon
tablespoon honey
2 cups white wine
2 cups vegetable broth
1 piece 2" thick pancetta
salt/pepper
2 dozen cherrystone clams
1 1/2 lb med shrimp cleaned
1 lb bay scallops
2 8" filets of scrod or other meaty fish


Clams:
boil 2-3 cups of cold water
add clams and cook 5 mins with lid on
uncover, stir and recover
cook 5-10 min more or until all open
transfer clams to bowl and set aside
strain broth through cheesecloth and reserve (@6 cups, add water if needed)
remove clams from shells and discard shells

Broth:
chop and saute pancetta until crisp
remove and reserve
in same pot, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil
saute leeks, shallots and carrots @ 5 mins or until transluscent
add 1-2 clove minced garlic
add bay, oregano, thyme, rosemary, crushed red pepper and cook stirring occasionally for 2 mins
deglaze with splash of white wine
put the stove on high and add potatoes, clam broth, veg stock, 1 1/2 cups white wine (or pour counting to five) honey, tomatoes, allspice and cinnamon.
simmer 30-40 mins
add clams, scallops, shrimp and fish
remove from heat and let sit for 8 hours or until completely cool
refrigerate and reheat to a gentle simmer to serve
sprinkle with fresh parsely and croutons.

can add heavy cream to make a creamier broth
also, chop clams/scallops/shrimp to your liking
use a light hand with allspice and cinnamon or will be overpowering

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

I cook all the major holidays, so I do Thanksgiving, Xmas eve, Xmas & New Year’s - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to cook and used to want to own a restaurant.

Xmas Eve I do the Italian Fish Fest

Appetizers:
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Cakes
Coconut Fried Shrimp
Then there’s this warm crab salad over toast points I make
Spinach & cheese in puff pastry pinwheels

Dinner is like a clam bake… LOL:
Steamed Lobster
Corn
Baked Potato
Cheese Biscuits
Herb salad with feta, walnuts, cranberry and orange vinaigrette

Desserts (these are for Xmas eve & Xmas!!) I go a little nuts here, everything is from scratch:
Chocolate custard cream pie in a graham cracker crust
Coconut custard cream pie in a brown sugar oatmeal crust
Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie pie in a chocolate cookie crust
Apple pie
Caramel Ice Cream pie in a brownie crust

Christmas Dinner

Appetizers:
Bacon wrapped spicy shrimp (because no one got enough fish the day before... )
Pigs in a blanket (for me!!)
Homemade veggie pizza with pesto & fresh mozzarella
Cheese/cracker/fruit plate
Baked Brie with cranberries

First Course:
Either carrot ginger soup or coconut pumpkin soup, trying out both recipes this weekend

Dinner – pretty much a repeat of thanksgiving dinner:
Roasted Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes
candied sweet potato fries
baked butternut squash
homemade apple sauce
veggies TBD

Desserts – everything from xmas eve, sometimes I’ll make a pumpkin pie if a lot went on xmas eve

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's

Christmas Eve (by my mom's house this year):

A full anitipasto with all the yummy Italian goodies
Fried Calamari
Stuffed Clams
Seafood Salad

Stuffed Shrimp
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Sausage
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

Desserts are varied

Christmas Day:

Antipasto

Prime Rib
Double Stuffed Potatoes
Glazed Carrots
Sauteed Asparagus

Cookies and Pastries

Re: Is it too early to post our Xmas/Mxas Eve menu's