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Post by mammajamma on Dec 13, 2016 3:23:13 GMT
Looking for ideas for an easy but a bit 'special' family meal for Christmas Eve. We go to Christmas Eve church service about 5 and I need to come home and eat almost immediately so it has to be easily reheated or slow cooking. The last 2 years, I picked up various tamales and I did refried beans, guacamole and a Orange & Jicama salad. I might do something similiar again but was looking for other ideas.
I'm feeding 3-4 adults and 2 small children so it must have something for everyone without me making special meals for the kids.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Dec 13, 2016 3:37:20 GMT
On Christmas Eve when I was growing up, our dinner was traditionally Polish sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and a Polish pastry whose name I can't spell (and whose name my family probably never got right in the first place). The sausage took a lot of the day to cook, but if you get a honeybaked ham or something similar, you could probably keep it warm in the crockpot while you're at church, and then eggs and hashbrowns are easy. Of course, this will be far less impressive if you routinely have breakfast for dinner.  |
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Post by cakediva on Dec 13, 2016 3:38:58 GMT
Our tradition is to order Chinese food!
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Post by candygurl on Dec 13, 2016 3:53:36 GMT
We do crockpot chili with bread and salad. Easy to make and clean up!
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Post by scrapmaven on Dec 13, 2016 3:57:58 GMT
How about a crockpot soup with a side of cheesy bread or grilled cheese sandwiches? You can cut the bread before you leave for church and then assemble and toast it as soon as you get home.
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grammanisi
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,741 
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Post by grammanisi on Dec 13, 2016 4:03:24 GMT
I make pork manhattans. I peel and dice the potatoes the day before. I cook a pork loin in the crockpot in chicken broth with onions and celery. Mash the potatoes, make a gravy and serve on italian bread. My grandkids love it.
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Post by nancydrew on Dec 13, 2016 4:56:15 GMT
I usually make lasagna ahead of time so I can easily reheat it whenever we want to eat.
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Post by phoenixcov on Dec 13, 2016 10:44:55 GMT
Cottage pie with cheese and crushed crisps on top of the mashed potatoes. Served with a glass of Adnams real ale.
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Post by monklady123 on Dec 13, 2016 10:52:38 GMT
Our xmas eve meal isn't a bit "special" so I'll probably be no help.  I buy various deli meats and cheeses, some nice sandwich rolls from the bakery, put out mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, etc., and everyone makes their own sandwich. In the past I've bought two or three salads also from the deli including potato salad, but this year I'm going to make that in my pressure cooker. SO much better and only a very short list of ingredients, unlike that deli salad. I might try another type of salad also, haven't decided yet. |
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Post by oliquig on Dec 13, 2016 11:21:56 GMT
We do chicken stew and dumplings, for that exact reason. The chicken stew simmers all afternoon, then when we get back from services my grandmother turns it back on. She makes the dumplings, adds the milk, and we eat 30 minutes after we get home.
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Post by Linda on Dec 13, 2016 13:01:13 GMT
ours isn't special either - we always get pizza on Christmas Eve. We do get it from the better (more expensive) pizza place which makes it a bit more of a treat but Christmas Eve pizza is a gift to ME (not having to cook).
My parents did two meals on Christmas Eve - hamburgers with fancy ice cream (shaped or a roll) for the kids and then after we went to bed they had steak stroganoff sandwiches and Black Velvets
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Post by lisa on Dec 13, 2016 13:09:50 GMT
We do a meat and cheese tray with rolls and different crackers. I also do a creamy wild rice soup in the slow cooker.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Dec 13, 2016 13:17:02 GMT
I'm voting lasagna or eggplant parmesan. Add a salad and good bread.
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Post by bdhudak on Dec 13, 2016 13:20:13 GMT
Boston Market catering- my cousin has used them and it worked great
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used2scrap
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,089
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Post by used2scrap on Dec 13, 2016 13:28:14 GMT
We do a variety of heavy finger foods, labor intensive up front, but "easy" in the sense most are made well ahead of time.
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gloryjoy
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,332
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Post by gloryjoy on Dec 13, 2016 13:32:46 GMT
I'm doing a spiral ham, hashbrown potatoe casserole, a salad of some sorts.
It's an easy enough meal to make, I can do most of it ahead of time. I want to spend time visiting with guests, not spend time in the kitchen.
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Post by katiejane on Dec 13, 2016 18:15:03 GMT
Ours is always sausagemeat plait, baked potatoes, cheese sauce and salad. Dessert is build your own ice cream sundaes. Easy meal that all my kids eat and I don't have to give it too much attention while it cooks. Also using the Holly pastry cutters the plait looks really festive.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Dec 13, 2016 18:20:07 GMT
We all spend Christmas Eve at my mom's house. Since we are all getting there at different times she doesn't have a sit down dinner. She likes to have things that are ready so we can just come and eat whenever we get there.
She likes to do soups, or chili or a ham that we can make sandwiches with.
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Post by kimpossible on Dec 13, 2016 18:27:40 GMT
I usually make lasagna ahead of time so I can easily reheat it whenever we want to eat. We do the same - if no lasagna, some other pasta dish. |
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Post by chirpingcricket on Dec 13, 2016 19:49:48 GMT
I don't actually get to make it on Christmas Eve because all of my Christmas Eves are sacrificed on the altar of my evil MIL's uncomfortable Christmas Eve gatherings, but I got my favorite easy Brunswick stew recipe from a 1990 or 1991 Southern Living "easy Christmas Eve menu" article. ROFL!!! I know, convoluted, right? So here's easy Brunswick stew: 1 large can Castleberry Brunswick stew Half package of tangy vinegar-style pulled pork, chopped fine (we prefer Cades Cove BBQ -- It costs $7-8 in the prepared meats section of the grocery store) Tiny can corn, drained Tiny can baby lima beans, drained 1/4 CUP barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's makes us happy) Combine in a pot and heat it up over medium low until piping hot. Serve with salad, soft honey wheat bread slices, or saltine crackers. Please note: This is not perfect, Georgia-style Brunswick stew. I don't know how to make that. This is also not the very tomato-based kind of soupy-style Brunswick stew that comes from Virginia. This is just a really good approximation of the Brunswick stew I grew up eating and loving in south Georgia. I no longer eat it with over-processed Wonderbread slabs. So it's healthier. I swear.  |
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