Hanukkah/Christmas...what are you making?

Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Whos would start singing!
They'd sing! And they'd sing! And they'd SING!
SING! SING! SING!

Those of you who know me well will know that for me to get home sick is a very, very, very rare thing. But for some reason, probably because it reminds me of the lead up to Christmas as a little girl, I WEEP now whenever I hear that. It's bad enough that I tend to watch that DVD every year in private because it's pretty much impossible to explain to DH why some bizarre cartoon reduces me to a blubbering wreck!!!

Anyway.... DH is insisting on turkey for xmas even though we've gone veg. So I'll roast a very small crown for him and my friend who is visiting, and there's a TOFURKY in the freezer for me (praise be to Whole Foods!!) I think it'll be a relatively standard roast dinner - potatoes, steamed veg, yorkshire puds.... But I'll add cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie to make it a bit more festive! 

Roasted turkey (second one this year, that's my personal limit), brussel sprouts sauteed with bacon and shallots and glazed with a red wine vinegar dressing, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole, and pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. 

Roasted turkey (second one this year, that's my personal limit), brussel sprouts sauteed with bacon and shallots and glazed with a red wine vinegar dressing, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole, and pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. 

Hoohooo, I am on my way!!!     Can you tell me how you make the dressing for your brussels?  Sounds good....

I'll be going home for Christmas. My grandad and mom do most of the cooking. They yell at you if you're not helping cook, but then if you help the get mad that they you are in their way and take over whatever it is my my sister or I am trying to help do.  So we either hide out, or find something else that we can look busy doing (like setting the table!)

The usually cook:
twice baked potatoes
steak or ham or turkey
dressing
my grandmother makes this jello salad stuff no one likes except for her
broccoli w/cheese
mac and cheese casserole
rolls

my grandmother makes this jello salad stuff no one likes except for her

   that's funny....

I'd better get in gear and think of something (vegetarian) for Christmas dinner this year.  Last year my hubby and MIL mad a nut loaf (I'm pretty sure that's what it was called) in a filo pastry shell.  It looked wonderful and smelled nice, but I didn't like it (not a huge nut fan!).

i'm spending Christmas Day with my estranged husband (long story), so not looking forward to it at all.
I think im going to roast a chicken he and i both hate turkey), and do brussels sprouts sliced up and sauteed in butter with bacon & onion, maybe a couple of chipolatas and some sort of potato.  And stay totally sober so i can GTF out of there as soon as dinner's over.

Sounds awkward..... oh well, you can always hit the pub once you head out, can't you?? 

  that's funny....

She always sets a slice of it at everyone's place on a fancy little plate.  No one touches it except my grandad, who takes 2 tiny bites, tells her how good it tastes, then kinda pokes around at it with his fork. 

Then we all get a long lecture on how good the jello salad stuff is and that someday when we are "grown up" we'll be able to appreciate it. The irony in this is that my mom and her brother are in their 50's, my sister is 17, I'm 24. I guess she'll have to wait a few more years for us to "grow up" 

 This happens every year, Christmas and Thanksgiving. For as long as I can remember.

I'd better get in gear and think of something (vegetarian) for Christmas dinner this year.  Last year my hubby and MIL mad a nut loaf (I'm pretty sure that's what it was called) in a filo pastry shell.  It looked wonderful and smelled nice, but I didn't like it (not a huge nut fan!).

I'm making this I think: http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=31978  We're trying it this weekend to test it out. 

I'm making this I think: http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=31978  We're trying it this weekend to test it out. 

That looks good, Yael.  I could sub oil for the eggs.  The nuts in this are more ground up so it might be easier to digest.  Let us know how it comes out!

Hoohooo, I am on my way!!!     Can you tell me how you make the dressing for your brussels?  Sounds good....

Yep.  I have always hated brussels, but braised these make it taste more like cabbage (which I love). 

4 oz. bacon (4 slices), chopped fine
2 shallots, sliced thin
1 lb. brussels, trimmed and halved through stem
1/2 cup water
salt
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
pepper

Cook the bacon and shallots together in a 12-inch skillet over med heat until the bacon is crisp and the shallots are browned, about 10 mins.  Transfer the mixture to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.  Then, add the brussels, water, and 1/2 tsp. salt to the skillet and increase the heat to med-high.  Cover and simmer until the brussels are bright green, about 9 mins.  Uncover and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the sprouts are tender, about 5 mins longer.  Off the heat, stire in the bacon mixture, butter, and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  If you like it as more of a sweet and sour dressing, you can add a pinch of brown sugar and stir through. 

Sounds really good....
This restaurant I used to work for made some heavenly sprouts that I was told were simmered in anchovy butter with a touch of brown sugar.  Sounds strange, but they tasted awesome, and I'm not a huge fan of sprouts (or anochovies... yuck!)  Anyway, I wouldn't know where to begin with that one, so I think I will try yours instead! 

After reading all these posts I have finally decided to get with the program and make a few bits. We are not hosting anything but thought it would be a nice gesture to bring some things.
For Xmas I am bringing mini latkes with homemade applesauce.
For Boxing Day, I am making string bean casserole (my first ever attempt) and I may make a cheese pineapple hedgehog as I borught one in today for our fuddle.
I may do cupcakes but depends how much time I have..
I was going to do spinach dip but not sure if anyone will eat it. My family and in laws arent the biggest fans of veggies 

I was going to do spinach dip but not sure if anyone will eat it. My family and in laws arent the biggest fans of veggies 

But spinach dip is mostly cheese!  Doesn't everyone like cheese??? 

But spinach dip is mostly cheese!  Doesn't everyone like cheese??? 

My boyfriend doesn't and I am  for all things real cheese. It's frustrating!