What's For Dinner?: Christmas Edition

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, Just Jack said:

 

Sounds like my grandparents' house.  I think it was around 30 if everyone could make it, and they usually did, for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Our running joke was for Christmas they should give every family a set time to arrive.  You would come in through the garage to the kitchen and fix your plate. Then into the dining room to eat.  After eating, into the living room to get your present, then out the front door.  If you wanted to hang out and visit, well do that outside or in the unheated garage. 

That sounds like a great “grandparents’ house”. The base camp for an entire family! 

 

Our DIL is one of SIX daughters. Her parents have a big place that can accommodate them all with spouses and kids, plus all their dogs. We were there Christmas Eve immediately before Covid was “known”. They have a routine with a dinner/party at her parents Christmas Eve, then Christmas morning at a sister’s with everyone in their holiday PJ’s. It’s huge and it’s festive and it’s awesome! I’m happy for them, and we will get by with just the wife and my mom on Christmas Day. 

[Just Jack]

28 minutes ago, Augie said:

That sounds like a great “grandparents’ house”. The base camp for an entire family! 

 

Our DIL is one of SIX daughters. Her parents have a big place that can accommodate them all with spouses and kids, plus all their dogs. We were there Christmas Eve immediately before Covid was “known”. They have a routine with a dinner/party at her parents Christmas Eve, then Christmas morning at a sister’s with everyone in their holiday PJ’s. It’s huge and it’s festive and it’s awesome! I’m happy for them, and we will get by with just the wife and my mom on Christmas Day. 

 

My wife has 8 siblings.  Their routine I like to call "mass confusion".  They won't start planning until 2 days before a holiday, or any other occasion, gathering.  

 

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, Just Jack said:

 

My wife has 8 siblings.  Their routine I like to call "mass confusion".  They won't start planning until 2 days before a holiday, or any other occasion, gathering.  

 

 

I can’t imagine that much family! 

 

My dad had one brother who married late in life and never had kids. My mom was an only child. My wife has enough cousins to fill Yankee Stadium. It was very confusing for the first 37 years, and continues to confound me as their kids weddings happen these days. I don’t know who goes with who, but I smile and nod a lot without guessing at names unless I’m absolutely sure. 

 

Funny thing is DIL, one of six girls from huge family, had an event with the wife’s family. After a couple hours she had it down better than I did after decades. Either I’m an idiot (probably a leading factor) or big families develop those skills. I’ve always been HORRIBLE with names. Two sisters, I got that…..

[CookieG]

On 12/20/2021 at 11:21 AM, Gugny said:

I'll be making lasagna.  I found this recipe years ago and it is absolutely killer.  I don't deviate from it at all and it's the best lasagna I've ever had.

 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/

 

Probably gonna keep it very simple and just have some Eye-Talian bread.  I don't even think I'll do salad.

 

My family has never had any tradition with regard to a Christmas meal.  I just think this is nice comfort food for this crap weather and I'm really looking forward to making it.

 

Interested to know what others are having.  

 

Whachoo got??

for Christmas Eve, its this.

 

 

We did it last year and it came out great.  My oldest will do the sauce and meatballs on Thursday and we'll put it together on Friday.

 

We used the Binging with Babish recipe., except 1) I braise the meat for the meatballs, not grind it; and 2) I don't make my own rigatoni...that's insane.

 

On Xmas day, the traditional ham and pierogis.  My gram's cheese pierogi recipe.

 

In 2 days I'll eat more than in a normal week, I think.

 

 

[teef]

12 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

i grew up in Rochester but don’t remember this place. Is it new?

 

I remember one of our favorite Italian places was Mario’s in Brighton. I just tried googling it, and it may have closed down? 

it's newer within the last 10 years...maybe 6.  it's off university ave, in a good location where you cant walk to three head brewery after, or another nice restaurant/bar around the corner called nosh.  i think it started in gates, opened the location off university, then closed the location in gates.

 

the mario's in brighton has closed down.  the original location on east ave was great, and the mario's in brighton was solid, but towards the end it was very meh.  the sunday brunches were hard core, but beyond that it started to lose its charm.  the land was bought, the building torn down, and after years of fighting with the town and wegmans, a whole foods is being build in its place.   i don't think the family has anything to do with the restaurant business anymore.  they own a popular chain of car washes, and built a water front condo complex in webster where another restaurant they owned was located.  my understanding is they have real estate in parts of the south as well.  they've done ok for themselves.  

[Wacka]

We used to go to my mother's parents for Christmas Eve. With 8 aunts and uncles, their spouses, and cousins, at least 30 people (us cousins spanned about 20 years in age). One year  Santa came and handed out presents.  All my relatives were there, so it wasn't one of them. I asked my parents and they didn't know either. Might have been one of my Grandfather's neighbors or friends.

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, Wacka said:

We used to go to my mother's parents for Christmas Eve. With 8 aunts and uncles, their spouses, and cousins, at least 30 people (us cousins spanned about 20 years in age). One year  Santa came and handed out presents.  All my relatives were there, so it wasn't one of them. I asked my parents and they didn't know either. Might have been one of my Grandfather's neighbors or friends.

 

This was our annual Christmas Eve routine for decades.  I also have 8 aunts and uncles and about 17,983 cousins.

 

It's sad to see those traditions die when the grandparents do.

 

One of my cousins and his wife have been having annual Christmas parties, but they're not the same.  They also invite their friends and it just becomes a party for them and far less about family.  I never go.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

3 hours ago, teef said:

it's newer within the last 10 years...maybe 6.  it's off university ave, in a good location where you cant walk to three head brewery after, or another nice restaurant/bar around the corner called nosh.  i think it started in gates, opened the location off university, then closed the location in gates.

 

the mario's in brighton has closed down.  the original location on east ave was great, and the mario's in brighton was solid, but towards the end it was very meh.  the sunday brunches were hard core, but beyond that it started to lose its charm.  the land was bought, the building torn down, and after years of fighting with the town and wegmans, a whole foods is being build in its place.   i don't think the family has anything to do with the restaurant business anymore.  they own a popular chain of car washes, and built a water front condo complex in webster where another restaurant they owned was located.  my understanding is they have real estate in parts of the south as well.  they've done ok for themselves.  

thanks for the update! I have fond memories of the Mario’s on East Ave. went to church out near there as a kid, and we would often go there on Sundays afterwards. 

[muppy]

14 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I can’t imagine that much family! 

 

My dad had one brother who married late in life and never had kids. My mom was an only child. My wife has enough cousins to fill Yankee Stadium. It was very confusing for the first 37 years, and continues to confound me as their kids weddings happen these days. I don’t know who goes with who, but I smile and nod a lot without guessing at names unless I’m absolutely sure. 

 

Funny thing is DIL, one of six girls from huge family, had an event with the wife’s family. After a couple hours she had it down better than I did after decades. Either I’m an idiot (probably a leading factor) or big families develop those skills. I’ve always been HORRIBLE with names. Two sisters, I got that…..

hubby has 52 First Cousins

 

I had ONE.

 

true story

[Johnny Hammersticks]

This will be the third Christmas since my kids were born that we’ll be staying in Vermont for Xmas Eve.  We used to go back home to Auburn for Xmas eve, but now that the kids are older (8 & 12) we like them to wake up an open gifts at home on Christmas morn.

 

Got my 6 pound prime rib ready to go for Xmas eve.  Keep it simple with a good au jus, some creamy horseradish sauce, baked potatoes, and some steamed asparagus.  Wife will make some desserts I’m sure, and she usually does a charcuterie tray for everyone to snack on.  I’ll get a few pounds of shrimp also to do chilled shrimp and cocktail sauce.  A couple bottles of Evan Williams egg nog to sip on.  I love me some Christmas 🎄 

[Bad Things]

On 12/21/2021 at 6:21 AM, Gugny said:

I'll be making lasagna.  I found this recipe years ago and it is absolutely killer.  I don't deviate from it at all and it's the best lasagna I've ever had.

 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/

 

 

 

On 12/21/2021 at 5:46 PM, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

My wife makes this same recipe for her lasagna.
 

But lasagna for Christmas? This is radical. 

 

After seeing both of your posts, I copied the link to the lasagna recipe and sent it to my wife.  She already makes a FANTASTIC lasagna, but I thought that maybe we could try a new recipe.  The reviews for it are impressive!

 

When she read the recipe, she immediately said it looked familiar, and went off looking for her old one.

 

Sure enough, she came back from the kitchen with an old, worn out printed out recipe.

It's the exact same one that you guys shared, same website, but was printed out in 2010!  

 

With all the recipes out there, I think it's pretty cool that at least three of us in this thread, not only use the same recipe, but agree that it's the best.

 

Anyway, I hope you all have a great Christmas break!

Edited December 23, 2021 by Bad Things

[Gugny]

1 minute ago, Bad Things said:

 

 

After seeing both of your posts, I copied the link to the lasagna recipe and sent it to my wife.  She already makes a FANTASTIC lasagna, but I maybe we could try a new recipe.

When she read the recipe, she immediately said it looks like it could be the same recipe.

 

Sure enough, she came back from the kitchen with an old, worn out printed out recipe.

The thing is... it's the exact same one that you guys shared, but hers said it was printed out in 2010!  

 

With all the recipes out there, I think it's pretty cool that at least three of us in this thread, not only use the same recipe, but agree that it's the best.

 

Anyway, I hope you all have a great Christmas break!

 

This is AMAZING!!!  Super cool.

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

[Bad Things]

For the first few years after moving to New Zealand, the wife and I tried to carry on with traditional northern hemisphere Christmas foods.

However, after 4-5 years, we finally admitted to ourselves that those heavy foods do not go well in the summery southern hemisphere Christmas. 

 

So, instead of Turkey and Ham from the oven, it will be grilled seafood and meat on the barbie.  (Snapper, prawns, steaks, sausages and burgers.)

All of the local farms have honesty boxes and stalls at the end of their driveways, so we’ve loaded up with fresh berries, fruit and veg.  Even some sweetcorn is already being harvested!

 

That said, Merry Christmas to all my Bills brothers and sister scattered around the world!

[PromoTheRobot]

Going to make pot roast with roasted carrots and potatoes, salad and homemade bread.

[sherpa]

We were married in San Francisco, and our tradition for the year's since is a Cioppino recipe from that area that I've made for years.

This year, for the first time, the shell fish isn't available in our area of Virginia, so I'm leaving the choice to others.

I'm just providing a cherry tomato wrapped in prosciutto and a bay leaf appetizer.

Tomato and basil from our greenhouse.

[Gugny]

3 minutes ago, sherpa said:

We were married in San Francisco, and our tradition for the year's since is a Cioppino recipe from that area that I've made for years.

This year, for the first time, the shell fish isn't available in our area of Virginia, so I'm leaving the choice to others.

I'm just providing a cherry tomato wrapped in prosciutto and a bay leaf appetizer.

Tomato and basil from our greenhouse.

 

That sound delicious.

[sherpa]

21 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

That sound delicious.

 

It's easy. Wrap the cherry tomato in a small strip of prosciutto, get the basil on and hold it all together with a small toothpick, which also serves as the serving entity.

Drizzle a little olive oil or balsamic, depending on taste, over the top and your done.

I'll miss the cioppino, but the seafood selection just isn't available this year.

Next year.

[muppy]

@sherpa

 

one of my bills GF posted a querie into easy healthy recipes for a potluck. Im going to pass this on to her.

 

My reply was chilled shrimp and cocktail sauce. Its easy, delicious and no leftovers. a few sliced lemons for garnish. I like yours too

 

m

Edited December 23, 2021 by muppy

[Jauronimo]

For Xmas eve potluck I have some boudin shumai and I'll be making some smoked pork belly steamed buns (bao).

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

For Xmas eve potluck I have some boudin shumai and I'll be making some smoked pork belly steamed buns (bao).

Yum. I have really been into making dumplings this year (your ordinary Chinese pork ones), including ‘making my own dough. Have made some that have come out restaurant quality. I haven’t upped my game to your level though! 

On 12/21/2021 at 11:52 PM, CookieG said:

for Christmas Eve, its this.

 

 

We did it last year and it came out great.  My oldest will do the sauce and meatballs on Thursday and we'll put it together on Friday.

 

We used the Binging with Babish recipe., except 1) I braise the meat for the meatballs, not grind it; and 2) I don't make my own rigatoni...that's insane.

 

On Xmas day, the traditional ham and pierogis.  My gram's cheese pierogi recipe.

 

In 2 days I'll eat more than in a normal week, I think.

 

 

i saw this movie in the theater years ago, and the audience was audibly groaning with hunger during the dinner scene.