Christmas menu!

OMG french onion stuffed mushrooms!  That sounds like the best thing I have never eaten and must eat ASAP.  Thanks for the inspiration

DW also introduced me to the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve but as we are out drinking with friends in the afternoon we've limited it this year to some mussels and pasta!
Christmas day breakfast we are having a sausage and egg casserole (DW found some Lincolnshire sausage meat in the supermarket, rather than having to split lots of sausages!, shame it's not the Italian sausage!)
Christmas dinner is once again Nigella's aromatic ham, with roast potatoes, sprouts and chestnuts. Christmas pudding and brandy butter of course.
In the evening we go to my sister's (5 mins walk away so doesn't matter how much alcohol has been consumed....I'll have done wine, beer, whisky and port by this time!) where there's just a cold buffet...including a pork pie from local butcher.

Christmas Day at my in-laws will be traditional roast dinner with turkey and gammon and something veg or fish for MIL.  

Christmas Eve this year we have been inspired by the VeggieTales video of the 8 Polish Foods of Christmas though we aren't doing all 8.  Boiled potatoes, pierogi, kielbasa and stuffed papryka.  Not doing the pierogi from scratch though as the dough is a pain to work with and we have so many conveniently located Polski Skleps here in Coventry

Haven't given it a thought. I suppose DH will insist on the usual boring turkey. He usually cooks it so that's OK by me (although I find that I'm getting my mother's aversion to turkey -- indigestion  :P0)  No cake or mince pies because DH is not allowed dried fruit or nuts.  DS will probably make a trifle which will set off his IBS!  Heck, we should probably just have soup and saltines and have done with it!!

(DW found some Lincolnshire sausage meat in the supermarket, rather than having to split lots of sausages!, shame it's not the Italian sausage!)

All she really needs to do is tart it up with black pepper, fennel and a bit of chili powder, and it will be very close to the Italian version you're used to.  I do it all the time!  Fennel is the key! 

Haven't given it a thought. I suppose DH will insist on the usual boring turkey. He usually cooks it so that's OK by me (although I find that I'm getting my mother's aversion to turkey -- indigestion  :P0)  No cake or mince pies because DH is not allowed dried fruit or nuts.  DS will probably make a trifle which will set off his IBS!  Heck, we should probably just have soup and saltines and have done with it!!

Good grief! You're worse than the people at the nursing home! 

...DW found some Lincolnshire sausage meat in the supermarket, rather than having to split lots of sausages!, shame it's not the Italian sausage...

All she really needs to do is tart it up with black pepper, fennel and a bit of chili powder, and it will be very close to the Italian version you're used to.  I do it all the time!  Fennel is the key! 

Or you could buy Sainsburys Taste the Difference Sicilian style sausages which taste just like US-style Italian sausages.    (but you would have to split the casings off if you want the sausage meat free of them)

Most definitely a BIG well done for declining that invite. I'd have done the same thing. Being treated as an afterthought or second best is enough to make me stay away.

I'm not sure what we will be having Christmas Eve, but it will be the two of us. We'll be headed to hubby's brother's house for the family dinner and gift exchange on Christmas Day. It is usually a huge ham, lots of roasted veggies, mashed potatoes and a couple desserts.

All she really needs to do is tart it up with black pepper, fennel and a bit of chili powder, and it will be very close to the Italian version you're used to.  I do it all the time!  Fennel is the key! 

Thanks for that, I'll suggest this. I'm not actually "used to it" as I'm the Brit, but we've had it in the US and I did really like it.
We have some fresh fennel as well.

Okay, here's what I am planning:

Gamon (Nigella's American Ham) or a rib roast (will allow for leftovers and for pop-ins)
roasted potatoes
roasted carrots/parsnips/etc
scalloped corn
Brussels and bacon
lanttulaatikko

Hoping to whip up fudge (if we get a clear day before Christmas) and cookies.  I will make yeast rolls on Friday. We will also have the traditional candy tin and we've already been eating mince pies (screw the diet until after Boxing Day I guess). Not sure what I am making for starters.  We don't do Christmas pudding in this house as we don't like it.  I love turkey, but Mr O doesn't, so we never do a totally traditional Christmas anyway.  It's really basic recipes from the places I've called home.  I've been trying to talk Mr O into something more radical (lasagne which is what my very non-Italian family in the States have done for the past 15 years or so or BBQ, which is what my second "family" in Buffalo do for Christmas), but he wants traditional without having turkey.

That sounds delicious, Omphaloskepsis! The lanttulaatikko reminded me of my FIL's creamed swede which he always makes at Christmas. I forgot about that! It's one of my absolute faves.

Mmmm menus all sound amazing

I'm home -Christmas Eve we always go to a themed fancy dress party- so this year's theme is Hillbilly Christmas.  Still trying to figure out what to bring, but sure to eat well that night

Christmas day, it's my sisters and husbands and nephews and nieces and parents - full house! I've brought over some homemade (not by me, but homemade, nonetheless) mincemeat and little pie tins, so we'll have mince pies and apple turnovers in the morning with a bottle of Bailey's in our coffee
My older sister picked up a ham and lamb through her CSA, so we'll have one of those, scalloped potatoes and all kinds of other veg.  We'll be stuffed. My mom loves to cook and its just like cooking a Sunday roast really.  So good stuff! 

Good grief! You're worse than the people at the nursing home! 

Yeah! My cousin always invites us for Christmas morning quiches, coffee cakes, etc. but DH won't go anymore    So we'll just sit at home in our shawls. 

Thanks for that, I'll suggest this. I'm not actually "used to it" as I'm the Brit, but we've had it in the US and I did really like it.
We have some fresh fennel as well.

Just an FYI - you'll want to use fennel seed, not fresh fennel.

Yeah! My cousin always invites us for Christmas morning quiches, coffee cakes, etc. but DH won't go anymore    So we'll just sit at home in our shawls. 

Haha!

Just an FYI - you'll want to use fennel seed, not fresh fennel.

Ah ok.....thanks for that, I think we have some