Christmas Menu
- Thread starter mAlice
- Start date
lucky_bee
RBF expert
Just made mine 
Smoked Duck with a cherry compote (smoked or roasted, depending on the weather and if we can use the smoker
)
Scalloped Potatoes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic glaze
Popovers
Gingerbread cheesecake for dessert
edit to add: no feast of 7 Fishes this year as it's just me and the guy, but on Christmas eve, I will make some seafood Spaghetti with shrimp and mussles and a light tomato sauce
Smoked Duck with a cherry compote (smoked or roasted, depending on the weather and if we can use the smoker
)Scalloped Potatoes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic glaze
Popovers
Gingerbread cheesecake for dessert
edit to add: no feast of 7 Fishes this year as it's just me and the guy, but on Christmas eve, I will make some seafood Spaghetti with shrimp and mussles and a light tomato sauce
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mAlice
professional daydreamer
Just made mine
Smoked Duck with a cherry compote (smoked or roasted, depending on the weather and if we can use the smoker
Scalloped Potatoes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic glaze
Popovers
Gingerbread cheesecake for dessert
edit to add: no feast of 7 Fishes this year as it's just me and the guy, but on Christmas eve, I will make some seafood Spaghetti with shrimp and mussles and a light tomato sauce
Are your popovers like yorkshire pudding?
Probably nothing. Food is commonplace with us now and it's hard to be festive with it. Maybe we'll do grilled steaks and shrimp or something.
lucky_bee
RBF expert
I've never made them totally by myself before, but yes. It's the same batter.
Popovers = smaller, buttered individual tins.
YP = cooked in beef fat, sometimes in a large baking dish, sometimes small ramekins...your preference.
mAlice
professional daydreamer
I've never had either, just read about YP, and saw it compare to popovers, only bland. I may give it a go some day.
lucky_bee
RBF expert
I found a lot of recipes with cheesy add ins and crumbled bacon...I wanted to try my hand at plain ones first. I may still mix in a little sharp cheddar. My other issue is my guy cant have any red meat right now so I have no yummy beef drippings. They're both meant to be served with some kind of drippy, saucey meat like prime rib or with gravy. They soak up all that yum
mAlice
professional daydreamer
I found a lot of recipes with cheesy add ins and crumbled bacon...I wanted to try my hand at plain ones first. I may still mix in a little sharp cheddar. My other issue is my guy cant have any red meat right now so I have no yummy beef drippings. They're both meant to be served with some kind of drippy, saucey meat like prime rib or with gravy. They soak up all that yum
Speaking of cheesy, I've only recently started making mac and cheese. I think I've just about perfected it! My grandson loves mac and cheese, and I hate him eating processed foods like box mac and cheese, so I had to learn.
lucky_bee
RBF expert
Do share! I too have recently found a great recipe but I'm not so excited that it uses cambells cheddar soup as an ingredient...I really try not to use those things. But I did make it and wow, it did taste amazing! But it will definitely be a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of dish.
mAlice
professional daydreamer
Mac and Cheese
Preheat oven to 400*
2 cups milk
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP ap flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 block of shredded cheddar (about 2 cups, loose)
Microwave 2 cups milk at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Whisk in 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, stir in 16 oz package of elbow macaroni (or preferred pasta. I used bow ties last time).
Pour mixture into a lightly greased baking dish, top with extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
I’ve also added bread crumbs and butter to the top before baking, for some extra crunchy pieces. I’ve added smoked chopped pork chops to make it a complete meal (adding a side, of course). This is a basic recipe that you can work from. It’s quick and easy.
Oh, and this is all approximate. There's really no fast rules to measurements for mac and cheese.
I make it more often with cooler weather.
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luvmygdaughters
Well-Known Member
We usually do lunch meat and veggie trays as we have several family members popping in and out at various times. THis is simple and no one has to worry about being late. I also make cream of crab soup and deviled eggs, daughters make potato salad, macaroni salad. I was thinking of making some jambalaya this year in the crockpot, but, daughters shot that idea down since we have few more younger children than we had before.
Well you all will have to talk a lot about your holiday meals so I can live vicariously through you. Now that we're moving to civilized digs, I might be more motivated to do a nice Christmas meal.
Give everyone a big hug, look into their eyes & tell them how much they mean to you.
Your Italian is showing.
nobody really
I need a nap
a marriage proposal is on my menu.
Congratulations!
mAlice
professional daydreamer
luvmygdaughters
Well-Known Member
Congrats!I prefer 1/2 sharp cheddar and 1/2 Gruyere, but will sometimes use 1/3 cheddar, 1/3 Gruyere and a 1/3 (Parmesan and Romano). Top with Panko for some extra crunch.