What's on your 2007 Christmas menu?

Was there some sort of Ocean State connection going on?

must be!

are you joking about the cabinets, though?
Cos that's just weird. 

are you joking about the cabinets, though?
Cos that's just weird. 

No, that's what they call them! 

I have no idea! My m-i-l doesn't eat pork or shellfish and doesn't like turkey. Then one of our guests is a vegetarian and one can only eat Halal meat.

I have to come up with a menu that will please everyone, but won't break the bank, or leave me chained to the kitchen for days!

Any ideas for pleasing the lot??

No idea. We're at the inlaws and MIL hasn't discussed with me what she intends to serve. I expect she's waiting until I get there as she knows DH and I like to have...ummmm... 'input'! This is because if left to my FIL's desire, it'll all be overdone meat and veg!

I suspect it'll either be chicken or ham and the usual veg. I'd like to do cheesy potatoes if we can. No idea about dessert. I'll use this thread as a bit of inspiration if she lets me contribute any.

But I have visions of him busying himself so much in the kitchen (something he really likes to do) & overlooking that it's also about interacting with our guests...

Then appetizers are definitely a good idea.  He'll have no excuse to putter!

I'll be making a pie for my brother and I, while everyone else tucks into turkey.  It's a pretty easy (theoratecially) pie, with chicken style Quorn, white sauce, sage and cranberries, but I've never actually done it with cranberries before, I just thought it would be more christmassy than my usual fake-chicken-and leek.

But it's veggie and halal!  It will be served with (as usual), industrial quantities of my mum's roast potatoes, brocolli, brussels, and mashed parsnips which I will refuse to eat.

Pudding is Christmas pud and/or trifle, and in the evening we have cold cuts, christmas cake, nibbles, and loads of port!

Vicky

My family always had chili on Xmas Eve. I have since learned that this happened as a result of all being drunk and struggling to put toys together for all the kids..

I'll pass on that but we're having appetizers for Xmas Eve and perhaps potato bacon soup.

Christmas breakfast is pancakes, eggs and bacon.

Christmas dinner is turkey, stuffing, brussel sprouts with pancetta, roast potatoes, cheesy broccoli and homemade bread.  Dessert is homemade fruitcake, homemade date and pecan pudding and buche de noel for the boys.

Ugh. I'm struggling with a menu to be honest - not the whole menu so much, just the meat. Christmas Eve will definitely just be nibbles. Christmas is just us this year (by choice!! A duvet day extraordinaire!) and dh wants duck but I don't. Might do ham - Nigella did one that looked really tasty on last year's Christmas show.... Honey roasted parsnips, roast potatoes, and dh's famous brussels sprout stir fry (sliced really, really finely and stir fried with chestnuts and pancetta. Can't recall the sauce and I very much doubt he can either - should be interesting. 

Christmas is just us this year (by choice!! A duvet day extraordinaire!)

Im so jealous.

and dh's famous brussels sprout stir fry (sliced really, really finely and stir fried with chestnuts and pancetta.

i do my sprouts this way too, but no sauce... just the butter and oil they're fried in.

Can someone please explain the difference between goose and duck? I was thinking of trying something besides turkey this Christmas and was considering goose. I've never eaten goose before however I've experienced a few in my younger days 
Is it as fatty as duck? How is it prepared?

does anyone have a recipe for green beans and cheese, my hubbys only request and i dont want to mess it up lol ( i am good at that)


Lady Godiva, i know goose is very fatty, but is supposed to be nice, i have never cooked it before so sorry cant help you.

Whatever BarbaraG feeds us!   Once home we are having our usual... coke baked ham, canalones (lovely Catalan dish), coca for breakfast (think sweet flat bread with vaiations of fruits, creme anglais,  pine nuts) and lots of nibbles! 

Can someone please explain the difference between goose and duck? I was thinking of trying something besides turkey this Christmas and was considering goose. I've never eaten goose before however I've experienced a few in my younger days 
Is it as fatty as duck? How is it prepared?

I'm not really a fan of either duck or goose, so I'm sure someone else can answer this better. But I've had roast goose before. Google - there are lots of recipes. Try Delia?

Can someone please explain the difference between goose and duck? I was thinking of trying something besides turkey this Christmas and was considering goose. I've never eaten goose before however I've experienced a few in my younger days 
Is it as fatty as duck? How is it prepared?

Goose is prepared just like turkey - roasted at 350 with 25 mins per pound with the bum stuffed. I've never had it but I know it's rumoured to be very fatty. I'd probably love it. Duck is my favourite but when I do it, it never tastes as good as it does in France.... And a duck only feeds two!

does anyone have a recipe for green beans and cheese, my hubbys only request and i dont want to mess it up lol ( i am good at that)


Lady Godiva, i know goose is very fatty, but is supposed to be nice, i have never cooked it before so sorry cant help you.

I would do the following:

to fill up a large roasting dish:
3 packs of fresh green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-1/2 cups grated cheese (red leicester is good, or cheddar)
french fried onions (if you have or can find them)
salt and pepper

boil the beans until softened, then mix in a bowl with the soup and cheese, salt and pepper.  put this mixture in the dish and cover with the french fried onions.  bake at 190C for 25 min, cover if it starts to brown too much.

a substitute for the crunchy topping could be corn flakes?? then mix in some sauteed onions with the rest for the onion-y flavor?

YUM! Comfort food at its best....