Ideas for Christmas Eve Dinner

[ML]

I'm thinking Christmas Day we'll have steaks on the grill. Very ez... throw in a potato and open a bag of salad.

I'm looking for something equally as easy for Christmas Eve. It's just me, husband and the sunshine boys. Manster will be in S. Cal with his dad's family doing the Disneyland thing I was thinking ham, rolls and scallped potatoes. Any other suggestions? I've done lasagna to death. But maybe Mexican?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[mstang67chic]

Lasagna sounds good. You can make it ahead of time and just toss it in the oven a couple of hours before you want to eat.

I'm thinking for us on Christmas day (I think for once we will be able to enjoy the day at home.) I'm going to get a small ham and just toss it in the crock pot while we hit a movie. I usually do it with a can of Coke, some brown sugar and maybe some pineapple.....simple.

I forget if you live somewhere cold but how about a big pot of some sort of soup? Chili, potato soup, home made veggie, etc. Pretty easy and you could always make some rolls to go with it.

If there are others there, maybe one of the Chef Boyardee pizzas and everyone could help. You could always do more than one so there are various topping options. A little more labor intensive than the grill but everyone could get involved.

 

[DammitJanet]

We always do oyster stew on Xmas eve. It was a tradition that I brought from my childhood. Its very easy and we have it after we come back from looking at lights. When the boys were really tiny they wouldnt eat the stew so we gave them tomato soup but once they got into middle school age they moved over to the stew. Cory and Billy still do the stew. They still come do the lights too..lol. Normally Xmas dinner is ham and fixings but who knows this year.

 

[klmno]

I don't think I can help with this one but I'm responding because I miss miy and difficult child's tradition. We either had some turkey with a couple of traditional sides (not as much as on TG) on Christmas eve or I just made ham and rolls with a couple of sides or a pot of chilli- depending on what we were in the mood for. Then, on Christmas Day, we always had donuts in the morning while opening gifts, muchies- sausage balls and fondue, brie and crackers, etc, during the day and leftovers from the day before at dinner time. A lot of that was because being a single parent, difficult child was left by himself if I was in the kitchen and I wanted us to have more time together on Christmas Day.

We had steaks on the grill (my favorite) and crab legs (difficult child's favorite) for New Year's Day because we were tired of the holiday stuff by then and looked at it as something different and special to start the new year with.

 

[trinityroyal]

Usually for Christmas Eve, we do something fairly simple and easy. Choices in recent years have been:
- barbecued pork chops with steamed vegetables
- shrimp in tomato salsa and a tossed salad
- baked salmon with a tossed salad

 

[graceupongrace]

I like to make a big pot of soup -- homemade chicken noodle, turkey meatball, or, if I'm in a hurry, sausage and polenta. I make it ahead and we just rewarm it after Christmas Eve services at church.

We also have made fettucine alfredo (the heck with the calories -- it's Christmas!).

If you want to do Mexican, it's pretty easy to make a big pan of enchiladas ahead of time.

 

[ML]

Great ideas! I remember for years my mom used to make New England clam chowder on Christmas Eve. I may have to think about reviving that tradition.

 

[DammitJanet]

That would be good too! I think its a catholic thing. Fish only ya know. My dad was catholic.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

on Christmas Eve we always do finger food. The kids love it and we usually have several friends stop by after service or just to say hello.

We do egg rolls with homemade hot mustard (my aunt's "secret" recipe - nice and hot), cocktail meatballs (difficult child's fav), piggies (easy child's fav), baked brie, fruit and veggies with spicy and dill dip, and heated cheese balls (my mom's holiday traditional receipe). It's easy because you can do all the work a day or two ahead and just pop what needs to be heated in the oven when you feel like eating it.

We will be at my mom's for lunch on Christmas Eve, but will be back in time for Christmas Eve service and finger food night!

I'm doing one of those Costco spiral hams Christmas day with mashed pots and peas. That's really easy. We have a formal Christmas breakfast in the dining room with the good china, but Christmas dinner is served from the stove while we relax!

Steaks on the grill sound great!

Sharon