Holiday Menu Plans 2023...

[AuntJamelle]

Is anyone turning their thoughts to menu planning for various events during the BER months? I have! But I am by no means finished and I would love some inspiration from our wonderful community! I always learn so much from you all!

I know some folks only have one or two meals they really plan for - others may have quite a bit more. Some look forward to making the same favorites - others mix it up!

We can use this thread to post tentative menu plans for various events, discuss testing recipes and report progress on buying ahead on various non-perishables. Looking for a tried and true recipe of a certain type? Call it out! Also please, please, please share your cleverness on make ahead tricks for the recipes planned.

If someone posts a recipe on this thread I can copy/paste it into the category threads (Breakfast, Apps, Sides, etc.) already started in the Holiday Cooking board- if everyone is ok with that?

We can also post a link to this thread in the HHP, HGP and CC weeks that deal with menu planning.

What I have done for many years now is create one document that holds my plans for events running from Halloween to New Years Day. We have friends that always host a large trunk or treat/haunted woods walk party mid October. That event is typically the first "holiday" meal I need to be ready for.

What do you consider your first holiday meal to either contribute to or host? What do you have planned? I can't wait to hear what others are thinking!!!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Here are my current plans for our friend's Halloween party - it is a potluck, very casual so I try to have fun with it!

Halloween Party

• Halloween Eyeball Oreo Truffles (Make with DS!)
  • https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190769734209237977/
  • Make Ahead
    • Completely finished they should last 1-2 weeks in the fridge!!!
    • Undipped truffles will last 1-2 months in the freezer
• Pig Shots
  • https://www.greatgrubdelicioustreats.com/pig-shots-oven-baked/#recipe
  • Make Ahead
    • Completely assemble day before - keep in fridge overnight until time to bake and serve
    • OR assemble smoked sausage with bacon - freeze - then thaw overnight in silicon muffin cup pans and continue recipe
      

 

[halimer]

Excellent thread!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Oh, I am going to follow this with interest, what a wonderful idea.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Pig Shots??? They sound good!!!
We don’t entertain like we used to but we do munchie nights during the winter. When we did entertain I was (and still am) all about doing as much ahead a time as possible.
Our first and pretty much only holiday meal I’ll fix will be Christmas Eve.

 

[Lori K]

I'm still trying to pin down who will be where for the holidays, am I hosting or is someone else, if we can do an early Christmas all together (we live in the snow belt, and once it starts flying, I'm not keen to drive around the southern tip of Lake Michigan). But, this is starting to get my mind going on what needs to be done to get ready for the holidays.

 

[luludou]

Great thread. 1st step for me is emptying the freezer then I will start planning for Fall busy days and now I also have to plan a few casseroles for when we go to my parent's house as mom can't cook anymore

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I think we have got an idea of what we will be serving for Christmas. It will basically be the same as other years, cold meat and salads.
This year we are just changing the location. If the weather is fine and not too hot or raining we will be having a picnic by the lake. It was DB idea and we are happy to go with it even though it is not something we would normally think of.
The hardest part will be transporting the food in the cars and setting it all up. We will need to go a few days earlier and see where the best place to park is and if there are enough picnic tables available.
After lunch we will go back to Mum's for dessert and to open gifts.

I need to look at ideas for the other get togethers, our extended family Christmas in November, our pre Christmas family dinner and see what DH and I will be doing for Christmas Eve.

For here, I really need to clean out the freezer and get some prepped food in there. Chopped up pre cooked chicken breast, cooked taco mince and rice, frozen berries etc would all be handy.

We don’t entertain like we used to but we do munchie nights during the winter.

I am hoping to do a few casual dinners over the hotter Summer months, easy cheese and cracker types of nights. I would be interested to see what your "munchie" nights are about.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Munchie nights are nights when I don’t really cook a meal for dinner, we basically have “junk food” and/or appetizers and a nice bottle of wine. Basic staples of those nights are usually a shrimp cocktail and bacon wrapped dates stuffed with a pecan. I always have shrimp in the freezer and I buy a big box of stuffed dates in October to freeze. The rest depends on what is on hand- I’ll make nachos with left over chicken or steak, loaded tater tot’s or baked potatoes, steak bites, a couple of ribs or wings, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, just what ever I have around. I usually try some new recipe (like those pig shots). We graze the evening away. It’s a good way for me to use up odds and ends, a change from a regular dinner and cheaper than going out for happy hour.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Munchie nights are nights when I don’t really cook a meal for dinner, we basically have “junk food” and/or appetizers and a nice bottle of wine

What a great idea. I can certainly see the benefits in munchie nights.
Over the Summer we eat quite differently. We might have fruit salad and ice cream or waffles and fresh fruit for dinner. Some nights if it is really hot we will have cheese and crackers or just a very thick milkshake.
I will look at the menu plan and make a note to include more simple meals, there is no need to cook every night.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Munchie nights

We have always done this on Friday nights and called it "Fun Food Friday!" Or FFF's for short!

And I do want to have a general plan for certain types of recipes that would be easy/yummy to indulge in on such a night! Thank you for mentioning this! I have to add some notes to my planning document!

Sometimes our FFF's consist of a veggie/cheese/cracker tray with Homemade Veggie Dip - recipe at this link:

Appetizer & Snack Mix Recipes

This one was really good! A hit at Superbowl party earlier this year! Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Scampi Dip ½ c. roasted red bell peppers, diced, drained and patted dry 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 T Dijon 2 cups shredded cheese ½ c Parmesan 1.5 T onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced...

magicalholidayhome.com

Easy and quick to whip up with pantry/fridge staples!

 

[AuntJamelle]

For those that combine the HGP and HHP - what elements are you mixing and matching from each plan?

 

[farmerswife]

I use the HHP for the room order, I mostly follow fly lady’s basic plan with my own twist through the year. I use the HGP for the Christmas prep.

 

[mrskringle]

I'm actually thinking of switching gears this year for Christmas Eve. We usually have Lasagna using my husband's Grandmother's recipe. Everyone loves it and it is special because for one it's hers and also because we don't have it very often.

I'm considering doing lots of appetizers instead. Either way, my family has gluten, dairy. and nut allergies, so any large gathering is a bit tricky. If I let everyone bring something that they can eat to share, it will take the load off of me and be a nice change. We'll see if I break tradition or not...

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I'm considering doing lots of appetizers instead. Either way, my family has gluten, dairy. and nut allergies, so any large gathering is a bit tricky. If I let everyone bring something that they can eat to share, it will take the load off of me and be a nice change. We'll see if I break tradition or not...

They say that "a change is as good as a rest". I think it is a great idea.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Appetizers sound great to me but would not fly at all here Christmas Eve. Is there parts of your traditional meal you could fix now and freeze, such as your sauce to make life easier?
I found old English cheese for my cheese ball today. Doesn’t expire until next year. I’m guessing it’s not really cheese lol. Looking for rice Chex that has a long expiration date. All I’ve found is already expired. Not sure what’s up with that. Seems harder now to find anything with long expiration dates.

 

[AuntJamelle]

They say that "a change is as good as a rest".

LOVE that!

Seems harder now to find anything with long expiration dates.

Interesting!!! And worrisome! I have been able to purchase blocks of cream cheese that expire well past Thanksgiving - but I am really just getting started on my non-perishable grocery shopping for this holiday season.

my family has gluten, dairy. and nut allergies,

I feel your pain! Depending on the ones attending I have large meals to juggle Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Diabetic and Ulcer related dietary needs. It's possible. But planning is key for my sanity, for SURE!

I've been working more on Thanksgiving menu plans!

I have one of these cakelet pans:

https://tinyurl.com/bdcwp92f

I have never been sure what to make in it! But I found THIS idea for a Halloween cakelet pan and I am going to try and make it work for the pan I have!

https://www.meandannabellee.com/pimento-stuffed-tombstone/

The other things I will be responsible for bringing - as of right now - are:

• Sage Stuffing
  • Make Ahead
    • Bread cut into cubes and set out to dry on cooling racks for 3 days prior to Thanksgiving
    • All onions, celery, etc. pre chopped and held in doubled Ziploc freezer bag in fridge
    • Homemade chicken stock from freezer thawed in fridge, butter set out to soften the night before
• PW Mashed Potatoes
  • Make Ahead
    • Potatoes may be peeled and cut into smaller pieces, covered in water and held airtight in the fridge for up to 24 hours (longer and they start to break down - so doing this the night before works perfectly!)OR recipe may be prepared completely, cooled and frozen flat in large Ziploc freezer bags); Thaw overnight in fridge - reheat in microwave - potatoes will seem watery until they get hot enough - then will start to thicken up again. Hold warm in crockpot until serving.
• Cheesecake - Recipe TBD
  • Make Ahead
    • Make crust up to 3 days prior and hold in fridge
    • OR Entire cheesecake can be frozen
    • Pre chop chocolate for toppings if needed

 

[ejagno]

We are hosting ALL of the holidays here at our house. The kids have hosted all of the holidays for the past three years while our home was under construction so it's our turn to give them all a much needed break. I've scheduled vacation days around these events (Thanksgiving day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Day). Thanksgiving we will do the traditional smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, turkey gravy, ham, cranberry sauce, croissants, green bean casserole and sweet potato's. The kids will bring the beverages and desserts for all occasions. Christmas Eve is always a big chicken & sausage gumbo as well as a big seafood gumbo with rice, crackers and potato salad. Christmas day is prime rib, baked potatoes and bacon wrapped green beans. New Years is pork roast, beef roast, cabbage, black eye peas, rice, macaroni and cheese. Every single item on these menu's can be prepped (sliced, diced, seasoned, stuffed, wrapped) at the very least and/or cooked, vacuum sealed and put into the freezer or holiday food cabinet by October 1st for carefree easy holiday gatherings. Now to just get one of my freezers completely cleaned out for holiday food. LOL

 

[AuntJamelle]

Had a great idea yesterday! I always struggle with dessert for Christmas Eve because it is usually just DH, myself and DS. DH is not really a big dessert person and if I make a Chocolate Cake - which is one of the few foods that I've ever seen DS get really excited about - it is just way too much. Most of it gets tossed.

SO - it suddenly occurred to me that I might be able to freeze a chocolate cake - completely iced. Turns out...you can! The frosting itself actually helps protect the cake from drying out.

My plan? Make a full cake for Thanksgiving. Put icing between the layers as normal. Cut cake in half. Do an icing crumb coat on both halves - all sides - chill briefly - completely ice each half of the cake. Cut side included.

I'll freeze one half and the other half I'll take to Thanksgiving. Our family we go to for that meal always want me to bring a cheesecake - which is not a real favorite of DS. So this way he can have a dessert he really likes for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I think this will work! But I'm a little worried that icing the cut side of the cake might be a hassle - crumbs in the icing, etc. Has anyone else ever tried it?

 

[Myron's Mom]

I freeze chocolate cake all the time. It’s just the 2 of us and my husband is diabetic so we only need a piece every now and then. I slice and freeze as individual pieces.
I’ve not tried frosting the “raw” side of the cake. I would think if you dusted the raw side to remove all the lose crumbs and did a crumb coat it would be ok. Maybe try refrigerating the cake before you crumb coat it might help as the cake would be firmer to work with. Let us know how it works out.