The Christmas Dinner Thread (2021)

So Gents, what are your plans this year for the Christmas Dinner

Here in the backwoods of Snowy North Idaho (over 2 feet in 1 week) we are going to be making something different for us..

We usually go
Turkey
Ham
Lasagna
In that order of frequency

This year we are making a mess of Stuffed Shells with Ricotta still debating the addition of Italian Sausage :p

Thinking some kind of Shrimp as an appetizer

Shan is pulling out an old school Pecan Pie recipe for dessert..


What about at your home ??


A Very Merry Christmas to all

Ham is the Standard for Christmas in our house. Plus stuffing and taters and ???

I just got notice that I get the day off so it should be a merry one.

Christmas Day.

Turkey, potatos, probably mashed, stuffing, cranberry sauce, brussels, peas, gravy then Christmas pud with brandy sauce.

Boxing day the same to use up some of the taters, brussels etc.

Between Crimbo and New Year, Turkey a la king, turkey curry, turkey pie, chicken pie made with turkey.

OMG, there only two of us so why does she want such a big turkey.

I might hide some ham in the back of the fridge so she doesn't see it.

Mind you, I have loads of beer and vodka as well as liquers so I probably won't really care what I eat, staying upright in the chair might be my biggest concern.

It will be a white Christmas here having a foot of snow on the ground. The boss is making the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. We are having the wife's Nephew and his 2 dogs over to dinner which should please our 22 year old cat no end. Nice and quiet, just the way I like it. A very Merry Christmas to all. May your day be filled with peace and joy.

Bob

Haven’t seen the grandboys for a while thanks to COVID, so we are getting together for a fairly traditional Christmas dinner - turkey, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts (with LOTS of bacon so the boys will eat them), ham (daughter has already claimed the ham bone for pea soup), a couple of fruit pies and a bunch of other stuff. Our plan is to package all the leftovers up and give them away so we can take off for the cottage on Boxing Day with no extra stuff.

Tradition!

Attachment 338088

With us it is traditional to have Chinese food at New Years.

Bob

Leaving for a ski trip tomorrow so Christmas dinner is tonight. I'm braising a big pork shoulder with Calvados, apple cider, apples, and onions. Scalloped potatoes, baby carrots, and cranberry sauce. In the oven now.
Mt. Bachelor has a 40inch base, 9 inches in last 24 hours, a few tomorrow, heavy expected for Christmas day... Should be pleasant.

Venison Barbacoa is what I am told and whatever side dishes and desserts get included.

We usually do king crab, shrimp and a steak for the DiL.
But, this year the cheapest we found king crab was $40 per pound. One store wanted $70 per pound. Screw that.

So this year is shrimp, bacon wrapped filets, mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn, Jello and pecan pie.
That should hold us.

$70 a lb for King crab, is it that good or bad season?

Last 2 years I have boned and stuffed a turkey, hard to beat.
This year gonna give it a few hours cold smoke just to try it out.
Also roast pork and lamb. Ham on the bone.
Cauliflower in cheese sauce, roast veggies.
Brandy trifle, pavlova, cream.
Always way too much to eat, but there are random turn ups so no one goes hungry that's for sure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rolodave

We usually do king crab, shrimp and a steak for the DiL.
But, this year the cheapest we found king crab was $40 per pound. One store wanted $70 per pound. Screw that.

So this year is shrimp, bacon wrapped filets, mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn, Jello and pecan pie.
That should hold us.

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Dave, try putting a little Wasabi into your mash potatoes when you make them.

Bob

I’m going out, but was asked to bring the Turkey. It’s brining now and will smoked. I’m also bringing apples and Carmel dip.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grazor

$70 a lb for King crab, is it that good or bad season?

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It is usually around $25.

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I have the best Christmas dinner of all! my brother makes everything. :) hehehe.

Normally roast beef on a bun tonight and turkey, ham, and all the trimmings tomorrow.
Last minute mass cancellations due to Covid had me decide to save the roast and switch to a crowned pork rib roast instead. Smoked for 3 hours then 15 minutes at 500. Turned out pretty tasty for a cheaper cut, specially when frenched up all fancy like.
Attachment 338097
Merry Christmas men.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

Dave, try putting a little Wasabi into your mash potatoes when you make them.

Bob

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An interesting thought.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 32t

An interesting thought.

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Alas, for nought. Like Mike, the virus has struck my son so Christmas dinner is now on hold. Bummer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rolodave

Alas, for nought. Like Mike, the virus has struck my son so Christmas dinner is now on hold. Bummer.

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Our Christmas dinner is on hold too.
My son in law was diagnosed with Covid on Wednesday
My Christmas wish is that everyone has a very mild case and is up and running real soon.

Pete <:-}

I hope your families get over the virus soon with no complications, what a crappy time of the year to get it eh?

Yep everything is crazy, prime filet was 22.95 a pound 18 months ago, it was 37.95 yesterday
But we will be having ham today with all the trimmings at my daughters. We’re off the hook for the big dinners now. Tomorrow s steaks , just the 2 of us, but not before I go for a ride on the scoot, 75 today and almost the same for tomorrow

I am having some veggie lattice thing .

My other half being Chinese is cooking everything Chinese style.
A duck is boiling and a Turkey is roasting but she has added her spice's.
As always I am looking forward to her Broccoli, lightly boiled then fried with spice's.

Currently enjoying ,cheese, olives, & nuts :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Yep everything is crazy, prime filet was 22.95 a pound 18 months ago, it was 37.95 yesterday
But we will be having ham today with all the trimmings at my daughters. We’re off the hook for the big dinners now. Tomorrow s steaks , just the 2 of us, but not before I go for a ride on the scoot, 75 today and almost the same for tomorrow

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Groceries are getting outrageous and from what I've been reading it's going to get worse.

It's a shame that when the prices go up, they usually stay up.

I haven't looked but I'm willing to bet that whatever you're paying in the States right now, Canada pays more because I noticed that when I go to the States food is a lot cheaper. I like Kroger when I am in the States, and Bush's beans.

In the US anyway historically if you keep the price of food and gas down the average person will not complain.

They have not been doing a good job lately.

Attachment 338122

Christmas dinner.

Smoked chuck roast.
Smoked and braised carrots n onions
Green beans
Cooked cabbage, with apple cider vinager, mustard sauce

Roast finished out @ 208°f. Smoked 4.5 hrs, covered and braised another 5.5 hrs.

I pulled a bunch of the roast, and mixed it into the cabbage. Just priming up for the new years pork roast.

Attachment 338123

Attachment 338124

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JOB15

I am having some veggie lattice thing .

My other half being Chinese is cooking everything Chinese style.
A duck is boiling and a Turkey is roasting but she has added her spice's.
As always I am looking forward to her Broccoli, lightly boiled then fried with spice's.

Currently enjoying ,cheese, olives, & nuts :)

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Your'e so lucky. My friend has a Thai wife and before I came to Canada he would ring and invite me for dinner often.
I loved her Thai cooking and would usually have my coat on and car keys in my hand before he even hung up he phone.

Big change for us this year. No Ham.
The kids were here thismorning for presents then left and said they were not coming back for diner. So the wife and I order Chinese for diner. I enjoyed mine but she was not happy with hers. I think she was more mad at the kids to enjoy hers. Oh well, looks like I will be having Chinese for lunch tomorrow in the truck.

Merry Christmas, friends!

Just like the movie.
Chinese turkey.
Attachment 338125

And I? I reheated last night's split-pea and vegetable soup (itself, a thawed container from two months ago). I figured it would be better to save the $20-$30 for the Chinese food. Oh, I'll spend it elsewhere, rest assured.

Merry Xmas!

We do a huge family gathering at my sister-in-law's house Christmas Eve with usually 35 people. My wife's family is all from Bronx NY so it's a big Italian feast. I make chicken parmigiana from a recipe from Carmine's in Manhattan...for 35 so it is the better part of a week in the making. We (daughter and I) make everything from scratch down to the marinara and the bread crumbs so it is labor intensive. I spent 3 hours yesterday just frying up the cutlets. Needless to say we let someone else cook and are happy to pay them on Christmas day. A few years ago we decided we would copy the A Christmas Story idea and we have whole Hong Kong style duck every year. We even seem to always get the same waitress. It is as much a Christmas tradition for us now as anything else.

We kept it fairly simple, between the heavy snow, and our friends having to hit the ER twice this week and having to pass on dinner..
Crazy times, went in, sent home with meds for Kidney Infection, went back told he had Non Covid Pneumonia, two days later, he has covid ..

We did the stuffed shells, homemade bread, green beans, lots of wine hehehe

We just didn't have the energy to do the Pecan Pie

Shan made a meat sauce, and our neighbor happened to bring some of her Garlic bulbs down as a thank you for plowing them out, SO GOOD !!!

https://i.imgur.com/PuLMvV8.jpg

Spent most of today plowing everyone out, got over 15 inches overnight, and are expecting another 10-12" tonight

View as I am leaving our driveway at about 9:30 am

https://i.imgur.com/LHfsZOc.jpg


Remi is not really happy about her back yard LOL, we are trying to keep a path open for her back there

https://i.imgur.com/V0oKCK2.jpg


Yeppers we are having a WHITE Christmas !!

Between the leftovers and the overnight snow, you can treat yourself to a well-earned "Plowman's Lunch" tomorrow.

Was a hazy foggy above zero Christmas for us. Roads weren’t too bad luckily so most of todays gusts arrived.
Turkey and ham and the trimmings.
Attachment 338126
Smoked for 4 hrs, then brought up to crisp things up on the outside for an hr or so.
Got good use out of the kamado this season.
Attachment 338127
Quick shot as we were bringing things out.
Cheers.hope y’all had a belly full, and a good Christmas.

Rib roast, choice and not prime because well, $75 vs $130. A few hours at 275 until internal temp was 120. I wanted a nice medium to make sure it was nice and tender. Then overnight in fridge, and then 500 degrees for 20 minutes. Spent the previous 3 days making demi-glace from some ribs I bought for the purpose. Made tacos with the good meat from them. But back to Christmas, so the roast, demi-glace, Yorkshire pudding, jasmine rice, and fresh asparagus cooked in butter and port. Beaujolais in the glass. Desert was tiramisu accompanied by a tawny port.

Attachment 338135Attachment 338136