Christmas In July Week One

[Lana]

Week One (July 1-9) - AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TABLE/IN YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN - holiday foods, traditional foods in your family/from your culture or country of origin, gingerbread, cookies, menus, fancy drink recipes, table décor and kitchen decorating...anything and everything to do with food and how to prepare it and serve it.


Hope you don't mind I brought this out for its own thread. There was a post listing the 4 weeks and I thought everybody liked the suggestions so .....

 

[AuntJamelle]

Well if there is one thing I love talking about, it's FOOD!

:elf:

I think that one thing I'd like to do this year and in coming years is strengthen my main course skills at the holidays! I still get anxious over cooking a turkey, or a ham, etc.

Looking ahead at Christmas 2016, it will be DH and DS and I on our own this year and I'm planning to make the table setting something a little special for our Christmas Eve, Christmas Brunch and Christmas Day meals - more details on that soon!

I've been looking over my cookie recipes and lining up my list for baking this year. I usually make and freeze the dough, but this year I am going to make, bake and freeze the cookies - at least for those kinds that I can which is about half of my recipes.

I've also been working on my master menu plan - I have a document I re-save and tweak each year which lists all my menus for each holiday event from Halloween thru to New Years Day.

I also created a Master Grocery List in a spreadsheet - populated with info on the recipes that are ALWAYS made each year - and then I just tweak it as needed for anything new being tried, etc. Saves me a ton of time! I have a section for non-perishable and for perishable and last year I even plugged in all the groceries I needed for freezer cooking sessions and that was so helpful too.

This year I want to have about 25-30 "meals" in the freezers by the end of October - then I can spread out the use of those over November and December. If I make a casserole, I'll split it in half before freezing and we'll eat that recipe once in Nov and once in Dec. At least, that's the plan!

Soooo much more to say on this, but I'll give someone else a turn! What are you guys thinking/planning when it comes for all of this right now?

 

[cmerth]

Oh, making a master grocery list (including freezer meals) is such an awesome idea. I wasnt sure what I was going to do today... Now I know.

This year I am going to follow the plan and making my cookies ahead of time and freeze them.

I have a deep freezer now.... it is going to save my life and lots of time this coming holiday season.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Nice planing AJ! The master shopping list and menu will make a huge difference!

 

[Minta]

For the last several years we have done the 7 fishes dinner on Christmas Eve. Its a lot of work and in the past I have had more help, with new jobs and some family members having moved out of state I do not have as much help anymore. This year I have been discussing changing Christmas Eve dinner with the family and so far everyone seems to be on board. I am thinking of doing a Ham for Christmas Eve and a beef roast for Christmas or vice versa.

I am planning on making small and large loaves of banana, pumpkin spice, orange cranberry and applesauce bread either in Nov or beginning of Dec and freezing them. Some to have on hand for the holidays and some to be given away as gifts.

Another gift I am going to make is chicken jerky. I will mostly likely make that the weekend before Christmas.

I do my cookie baking the week of Christmas and usually spend 2 to 3 days doing nothing but baking cookies. So during the beginning of Dec I am going to do a few make ahead meals that I can just take out of the freezer and either throw in the oven or into a crockpot for dinner on those days that I am baking cookies.

 

[luludou]

I'd like some ready to-go meals for the month of november, december, which is when we are the most busy.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I am changing it up a bit this year as far as menus for Christmas since it will just be the 3 of us.

Christmas Eve:

Lasagna (Freezer Meal) - We almost never have lasagna so this will be nice treat for us!
Cheesy Garlic Bread (Freezer) This is a freezer cooking staple for me and easy to do!
Frozen Oreo Pudding Cake (Made day before - New recipe but I don't see how we can go wrong - lol)

Christmas Brunch:

Biscuits and PW Sausage Gravy (I use Half and Half in place of most of the milk!)
Bacon Mushroom Quiche
PW Cinnamon Rolls (Freezer)
Scrambled Eggs for DS
Snowman Donuts
Fresh Fruit
OJ

Christmas Day Dinner:

PW Pot Roast with Carrots, Potatoes, Etc.
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Rhodes Dinner Rolls

Dessert is something I'm still deciding on but I think a pie is best for us since it will only be DH and I eating it most likely.

Right now I'm thinking of trying Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

http://flavorite.net/2015/06/05/lemon-cream-cheese-pie/

I have a Hazelnut Blueberry Mango sauce I canned last summer that should go with it really well!

 

[tanya]

I have a master shopping list- I re-check it every January when I am packing away Christmas- I just add/ delete as needed. If ideas change or plans change.

I start stocking items in October- things that will not go bad as if possible I try to avoid a large food shop til mid/ late January. I still pick up fresh items as needed.

Our Christmas meals tend to be different to most of you- it is the middle of Summer here so heavy meals are not really right for us. Most years we have gone out for Christmas lunch to a big hotel until 2 years ago DS then 9 pulled the plug. He wanted to stay home for Christmas. To be honest I was not really sure- but he talked me into it. We had been going out since I was about 16! Im pretty sure that we will stay home again. I have found that I quite like it- no rush and we can do things at our own pace- not be set to a hotel schedule.

Christmas Breakfast- Croissants, fresh fruit (mango, strawberry, watermelon, blueberries). Chocolate- no idea why but DS insists that there is chocolate for breakfast on Christmas morning??? Cookies- again not sure why but DS likes them on Christmas for breakfast. Probably an English style shortbread. These will stay out to be snacked upon throughout the day. I will probably do a breakfast casserole type thing for one (just me! as DS is not a fan)- something quite small and not heavy or too filling.

Late lunch/ early dinner whatever it is.... will be a selection of cold meats, rolls, salad, smoked salmon and fresh seafood, plus some dips, cheese and chips. Dessert is undecided as yet. Traditionally it is Christmas plum pudding but DS and I decided last year that neither of us really liked it so we did chocolate mousse instead! Not sure yet for this year.

Evening- cups of tea with chocolate and more shortbread- maybe a sandwich of left overs if anyone is hungry!

Christmas Eve is up for negotiation as yet- some years we have had takeout, some years I have done a picnic on the floor others it has been dips and snacks served as self serve from the coffee table. Whatever it is it will be relaxed and easy...I usually pick up salads, fresh items and seafood in the morning. I try to be back no later than 1 pm then STAY home!(or at east out of the shops and out of the car). Last year DS had the local kids swimming in the pool for the afternoon. Some years we have gone to the beach for an afternoon swim/ relax. Going to the beach counts as staying home as it is just across the road.

 

[Lana]

My Christmas Eve menu and Christmas Day menu stays the same. When I talk of changing it people say no.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Dessert is something I'm still deciding on but I think a pie is best for us since it will only be DH and I eating it most likely.
Right now I'm thinking of trying Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
http://flavorite.net/2015/06/05/lemon-cream-cheese-pie/
!

I made this pie today. It is excellent. It was in the 90s so I used whole graham crackers to line a 9x11 dish for the crust. I'll be making this again and again. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GrammaDeb]

Mmm...the pie sounds delicious!

Our Christmas breakfast & dinner never change either. Change is not allowed.

Breakfast - Dried beef gravy over Pillsbury biscuits, juice
Lunch - Finger snacks: crackers & cheeses, chips & veggies & dips, pickles & olives
Dinner - Baked ham, mashed potatoes & gravy, candied yams, green beans w/bacon, green salad, red jello salad, dinner rolls, fruitcake (I have a delicious carrot fruitcake recipe), apple & pecan pies

This year instead of trying to bake lots of different cookies, I'll bake & freeze breads (banana, cranberry, orange, etc) with a couple favorite cookies. I don't have Christmas dishes...I wish I did.

 

[AuntJamelle]

So glad to hear that pie is a winner!

As I mentioned before, I'm planning on making our table setting a little special this year.
For Christmas Eve I'm planning to spread the table with a red plaid tablecloth I have and use some white plates with raised snowflakes on the rims. I may even break out the gold chargers!

For Christmas Brunch, I'll leave the plaid cloth on and switch to holiday themed paper plates.

For Christmas Day Dinner I'm torn between using a fancier tablecloth I have that is cream/gold with formal looking holiday design or just using the plaid again. I would use the snowflake plates again and I also have some smaller red glass plates that would work well for dessert.

Need to decide on some sort of centerpiece for the dining table for the season - but I will more than likely be making use of a large glass hurricane I picked up at a garage sale this year. Probably will set it in the middle of a small wreath that I've decorated.

What do you guys do to make your Christmas table settings special?

 

[Minta]

Normally for our table we have a red table cloth and a green one. I will use one on Christmas Eve and One for Christmas Day. I have a 12 setting set of Christmas dishes .. they are white with red and green ribbon and berries on the edges. Usually for the center piece I place a single red taper candle in a candle holder that I won and is very very similar to my Christmas Dishes. I always wanted to do more but never did, maybe this year will be the year I change that.

 

[tanya]

Christmas breakfast- we usually eat outside. We can see the ocean and is is a really nice way to start the day. I have plastic Christmas place mats and I just use paper or plastic Christmas plates that I pick up at the Reject Shop (like your Dollar Tree). I have Christmas glasses for juice and a Christmas coffee cup for me. I have a couple of red Christmas platters that I will use for fruit and matching small candy dishes to use of chocolates!

Christmas Late Lunch- I have a set of Christmas Dishes. I have used a lovely white lace table cloth that was my Mums with a red plain cloth underneath- it looked very festive with the red coming through the lace but unfortunately the pups thought it was great fun to attack it! I had visions of the entire table setting ending up on the floor! So I will probably use gold place-mats and napkins- this looks really pretty with my Christmas dishes. I will have a small set of gold baubles in the centre of the table in a glass bowl and will use candles/ tealights to add to the setting.

 

[GrammaDeb]

I usually focus entirely on Christmas presents and baking, so I never give much thought to dishes or table settings. Christmas has always been at Mother's house, and her dining table is nowhere big enough for the crowd we usually have, so it has been paper plates on TV trays and laps wherever one can find a seat. The table has been reserved for the little ones. I don't anticipate company this year - maybe sister & bil, hopefully Mother, and DH of course - it's time to get creative and gather some festive ideas.

 

[luludou]

I'm like GrammaDeb the focus is always on everything BUT the table setting, maybe this year would be a nice change.

I use red, green, gold checkered tablecloth and that's it.

 

[DahliaDoll]

Greetings!

I'm enjoying this thread.

With DDs grown and having their own families, Christmas traditions are greatly changed. Last Christmas, we were in Nebraska with DD#2 and DSonIL. This year, we may be in Alaska with DD#1 and family. DD#2 is going to Germany to be with her in-laws.

When we are home for Christmas, our tradition has been to have our large Christmas meal on Christmas Eve before church. We usually have ham, yams (not candied), layered salad, green bean casserole, home made rye rolls. Other possibilities are pear-cottage cheese Jell-O or red cinnamon Jell-O. We usually have Christmas cookies for dessert.

DH makes a sausage and egg dish for Christmas breakfast that we serve casually as we open gifts around the tree.

Christmas dinner involves left overs and one or more of the Jell-O salads that we didn't have for Christmas Eve.

My Christmas table centerpiece usually gets moved aside to make room for the food dishes. It is a wreath with a candle. I like to have a battery-operated candle so that it will automatically turn on in the evening.

I have a set of Christmas dishes that I enjoy using. It has poinsettias around the rims. Also matching stemware and coffee mugs.

 

[Miss JoDee]

This year we will be spending Christmas in New Hampshire--my 60th birthday is the 27th and I told may family that I wanted to celebrate Christmas and my birthday at DS's house. DS is very excited and has already made accommodations for us. We will be staying at his boss's (Senior Pastor) house who will be out of town.

I am not sure how much I will be doing here. I really enjoy the festivities so will most likely do the norm. I will be going to a Christmas Eve service in NH and just might treat myself to a new Christmas outfit. I haven't bought new clothes for Christmas in years, I just wear pull something from the closet.

I do have Christmas dishes. They are snowmen so I have them out by December 1st. and we use them into January. My kitchen decor is Snowmen but if I ever find Gingerbread dish I just might change the theme sending the snowmen out the door. Nice thing about snowmen is you can keep them up until Feb is you choose. We do not have a table that will fit everyone around it so it is a buffet style meal. We are very chilled because DH works for UPS and is exhausted from the pre-holiday work. Long hours put in helping Santa get all gifts where they belong.

 

[halimer]

Hmmm!

Christmas Eve we usually go out - someone had better invite us - or Chinese food - last year at the sushi place was good.

On Christmas morning I make biscuits with sausage gravy, scrambled eggs and bacon.

For Christmas dinner we go to friends who usually serve goose, ham, duck, mashed potatoes and a vegetable. I usually bake a pie for dessert - pecan or chocolate.

And of course for Hanukkah it's always latkes (potato pancakes), bagels and lox, etc.

 

[DahliaDoll]

I like to make a variety of cookies for Christmas. I make them ahead and freeze.

I wrote up all my cookie baking tips that I developed over the years. I could post it here if anyone is interested. Those of you that do a lot of baking probably have your techniques down pat, but I had a learning curve. Trying to do all the baking in one or two days just didn't work for me.