Christmas Menu - I'd love some input!

[Kim Shook]

Here’s my proposed menu for Christmas Eve – 50+ guests, open house.  I’d like to know if you all think it is missing anything:

 

Slow Cooker Italian Beef with rolls, horseradish, Provolone cheese and sautéed onions and red peppers

 

Smoked turkey breast with rolls, mayo and lettuce

 

Ham with rolls and mustard

 

Fruit Salad

 

Macaroni Salad

 

Mixed Green Salad w/ two dressings

 

And all of my usual sweets. 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

(I couldn't find another thread that seemed to fit this question, but if I've missed it, just tack me onto it!)

[Deryn]

I am sure that whatever you want to serve will be delicious and sufficient but, since it is Christmas Eve, what about a 'seafood' roll or salad or a shrimp with cocktail sauce platter perhaps?

Edited November 23, 2015 by Deryn (log)

[gfweb]

Looks great. Can I come?

 

I love a big plate of roasted vegetables for stuff like this. Mushrooms, beets, potatoes, sprouts etc. Easy prep in advance then a few min to warm up.

[gulfporter]

In my family, Christmas Eve is the Feast of the Seven Fishes.  So I too suggest at least one seafood item.  Perhaps cold grilled shrimp with a chimmichurri sauce?  It's one of my go-to make-ahead dishes for buffets.   Or if you're looking for the colors of the season, take a large peeled steamed chilled shrimp, wrap it around a grape tomato and a basil leave and secure with a toothpick.  Easy finger food and the red and green make a nice presentation.  

[Lisa Shock]

Any vegetarians or vegans attending? Maybe bake some falafel patties to be eaten on the rolls?

[ChocoMom]

Our family is full of munchie-lovers.  The must-haves are :

 

Stuffed mushrooms

crackers/pretzels/bagel chips and dips

ricotta boats

Sometimes, I add in smoked salmon with a dill-cream cheese on toasted pumpernickle

 

The latest dip I just tried involves merging the flavors you'd find in a Martha's Vineyard salad. So, I started with a couple blocks of cream cheese for the base. Added in 1 TB of local honey and mixed it well. Added in 6oz of crumbled bleu cheese, 2-3TB finely chopped red onion, roughly 1/2 c chopped dried cherries. Now, you can add in pine nuts- which is classic. But, those yummy little candied walnut pieces are SO DELICIOUS! 1/3 to 1/2 c works just fine. 

You can form it, and chill it however you'd li And if you save a few chopped cherries, and chop up a bit of fresh parsley, to sprinkle or lightly pat on the outside, it looks incredibly festive!  And the flavors all together like that...are amazing.

 

I did the "fancy roast beet" last year, and they want it again this year. It's done in a slow-cooker - with pearl onions, sundried tomatoes in olive oil, mushrooms; and about an hour before serving, add in black olives and artichoke hearts.  I served it with olive-oil-garlic-rosemary new potatoes, sour dough rolls, and Martha's Vineyard salad.   The only issue with doing it this year is..our butcher can't take our cattle in until December 19th, so, I won't get the beef back until after New Year's.  =(    So...we may end up with turkey, as I still have 5 left to butcher. 

[kayb]

I have done, with some success, a wild rice-based salad with a citrus-honey-balsamic viniagrette and lots of fresh and dried fruits -- clementine sections, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, etc., and pecans or almonds.

 

Agree on a seafood salad or some sort of seafood dish.

 

Sounds like much fun to be had by all!

[Alex]

Another salad with an acidic base, to cut through all the richness of most of the other dishes. Maybe a "coarse cut" non-creamy slaw with red and green cabbage, apple, jicama, and sweet onion.

[andiesenji]

Sweet potato fries with  dipping sauces.  (maple mustard and  chili lime mayo.

[Darienne]

I'm with those above who asked for another salad.  Otherwise it sounds wonderful.  And ambitious.  And yes, I'd love to come. :wub:

[liuzhou]

Another vote for something from the sea. Smoked salmon is an essential at Christmas in my circle.

[Kim Shook]

Working on all this!  Love the responses.  I was at Costco tonight and saw some nice looking smoked salmon that wasn't too expensive (other things are just out of range for 50+ guests).  I had forgotten to put assorted cheeses on the list.  We don't have any vegetarians anymore (the 2 nieces that were got pregnant and that put paid to vegetarianism  ).  So there's plenty of protein.

 

Jessica just emailed me and told me that she's planning on making this delicious sounding fennel/apple salad, so that's another salad.  

 

And here is an open invitation to anyone who finds themselves in the vicinity of Richmond VA on Christmas Eve to come on over!

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Your menu sounds wonderful, Kim, and I join those who wish they were among your lucky guests. 

 

I agree with those who suggested another lighter dish like roasted veggies (or grilled if weather permits and you have someone interested and able to do the grilling). Vegans/vegetarians can make a killer sandwich with some roasted zucchini, eggplant, onion, red, green or yellow peppers, tomato, mushrooms or asparagus, with or without some of that provolone. As a meat eater, if I found grilled veggies on a sandwich buffet, I'd add them to my smoked turkey or Italian beef sandwich with relish. They taste good at room temp and will hold well on an open house buffet.

 

I know many think that a crudites platter with a good dip is mundane, but it's appreciated by folks who are trying to keep from packing on the pounds during the holidays. You can also up the ante within your budget with special components like radicchio, Belgian endive, blanched asparagus, daikon sticks, cremini mushrooms, special tomatoes, jicama, and not just sticking to the same old celery and carrot sticks. I still like multi-colored bell pepper sticks on there, along with broccoli florets, no matter who thinks they are pedestrian.

 

A lemon tahini dip is great with fresh veggies, but requires a small container for each guest and could be messy, so with a party of your size, I wouldn't go there. Hummus would work for your crowd.

 

I have made a lighter version of Knorr spinach dip with 4% fat  cottage cheese and their dehydrated vegetable soup mix that is great with a crudites platter. Mine contained cottage cheese whirred up in the blender until very smooth and refrigerated overnight to hydrate the dry veggie soup mix stirred in after blending  with the other ingredients . No mayo or sour cream in my version. This recipe was popularized by great cooks in Eastern Star and shared with me by them. I used to include chopped canned water chestnuts too, but I've sworn off after experiencing fresh water chestnuts. The canned ones added a lot before the fresh ruined it for me. Now I would go with chopped fresh jicama if I couldn't find fresh water chestnuts. Everyone seems to use Greek yogurt (with mayo, which is the worst fat culprit) to "lighten" it now, but I can't speak to that since I never tried it. Just be sure to heed the instruction to squeeze the frozen thawed spinach as dry as possible if you try it. Here's the link to the original full-fat version from Knorr:

 

http://www.knorr.com/recipes/detail/9278/1/knorr-spinach-dip

 

You're very smart to aim for everything do-ahead with a come-and-go crowd of this size. I'm also very glad you feel up to hosting it! 

[kayb]

One more thought. One of my favorite condiments with turkey sandwiches is the old standby Southern "curry dip" -- mayo, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, pressed garlic, chili sauce, white pepper. It really does marvelous things for turkey, and it's a good dip for fresh veggies as well.

 

 

ETA the Worchestershire. Can't leave that out.

Edited November 24, 2015 by kayb (log)

[Smithy]

One more thought. One of my favorite condiments with turkey sandwiches is the old standby Southern "curry dip" -- mayo, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, pressed garlic, chili sauce, white pepper. It really does marvelous things for turkey, and it's a good dip for fresh veggies as well.

 

 

ETA the Worchestershire. Can't leave that out.

 

Somehow, despite my family's southern roots, this never came up in our household. Thanks!  I've added this to my list of things to try.  

[kayb]

Somehow, despite my family's southern roots, this never came up in our household. Thanks!  I've added this to my list of things to try.  

I grew up in the South, but never heard of this until I moved to Arkansas. Perhaps it's an Arkansas thing. The recipe I posted comes from the grandmother of an Arkansas friend. I thought it was weird when I first tried it, but it's really pretty good. Addictive on carrot sticks. And turkey sandwiches.

[kbjesq]

On 11/24/2015 at 11:10 AM, Smithy said:

 

Somehow, despite my family's southern roots, this never came up in our household. Thanks!  I've added this to my list of things to try.  

 

This sounds like a version of Mississippi Comeback Sauce, which is indeed delicious, addictive and versatile.  The New York Times wrote an article on the sauce's history: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/dining/revival-for-a-sauce-that-never-left.html?referer=

[kayb]

Similar to Comeback Sauce, although I never had Comeback Sauce with curry powder in it. My go-to recipe for comeback sauce, which is a necessity with ham croquettes or any kind of fish cakes, is here.

 

[kbjesq]

3 hours ago, kayb said:

Similar to Comeback Sauce, although I never had Comeback Sauce with curry powder in it. My go-to recipe for comeback sauce, which is a necessity with ham croquettes or any kind of fish cakes, is here.

 

Thanks for the link.  I think that I will make this recipe for Christmas morning poached eggs "Benedict" -- poached eggs served on crab cakes with Comeback Sauce and toasted English muffins on the side. (I guess the only thing in common with a true "Benedict" at this point is the poached eggs).  Actually, the thought of this sauce got my mouth watering so I just whipped up a small batch and used it on my sandwich -- toasted wheat bread, grilled eggplant and baby spinach.  I'd forgotten how much I love this sauce.  Thanks for reminding me

[kayb]

I am now well and truly set for Christmas. Today, I secured a full half-pound of American hackleback sturgeon caviar, harvested from the White River in Arkansas near Georgetown, which is near where the White comes down out of the mountains, quits being a trout stream, and becomes a broad, sluggish Delta channel home to spoonbill catfish, buffalo, gar and sturgeon.

 

Jesse George at George's Fish Market in Marvell, AR (Marvell is also noteworthy for being the home of Levon Helm, if you're interested) has been selling Arkansas caviar for more than 40 years. He ships about 5,000 pounds a year, down from a high of 10,000 only because it's hard to get seasonal help to process it during the short window it's available -- from a week or so before Thanksgiving to a week or so after New Year's. Most of what he sells goes either to one of the big domestic caviar marketers or to restaurants who have been buying from him for ages. But some he sells out the back door of his market to people like me, who just show up.

 

I took a chance and drove down today, because I knew fishing had been good the past few sunny, calm, mild days and nights, and that weather was moving in that might change that. It's about an hour and a half from where I live, and I had a stop I needed to make in between, anyway. Fortunately, I caught him at the market. I had a choice of paddlefish (spoonbill cat) or hackleback. I chose hackleback, at $10.75 an ounce, vs. paddlefish, at $7.50, after Mr. George kindly let me taste each. 

 

I hadn't gotten halfway home before I was wishing I'd gone ahead and bought a pound.

 

I will start off Christmas with latkes, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, and caviar. With prosecco. Christmas dinner mid-afternoon for the fam will include deviled eggs and caviar. And there will be caviar and prosecco again for breakfast on New Year's Day.

 

[Jaymes]

I guess it's just our family but nowhere did I see any suggestion of soup for Christmas Eve.  When I was growing up, it was always oyster stew, made by my father, and his mother before him.  When I had my own children, I tried to continue the tradition but my kids weren't really fans.  That meant they ate what they had to, and then I finished off the rest of it -- savoring every slurp of the buttery, creamy, fattening broth.  Tasted great, but not so great for me. So I decided to come up with another soup.  Went with Julia Child's luxurious cream of mushroom for a few years but it's a lot of work.  With all of the hectic activities of Christmas Eve including, in our family, Midnight Mass, finally decided to settle in with something that was a lot less work.  That was about thirty years ago.  And, to this day, everyone in our family, kids, grandkids, everybody, continues the tradition with Bacon Potato Chowder.

 

When I'm hosting a big crowd, serve the soup in a crockpot.  I have a collection of Christmas mugs, and everybody ladles the soup into the mugs, easy for eating while standing around.

 

So, that would be my one suggestion to you for Christmas Eve - maybe consider adding a soup?

 

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by Jaymes (log)

[blue_dolphin]

17 minutes ago, Jaymes said:

When I'm hosting a big crowd, serve the soup in a crockpot.  I have a collection of Christmas mugs, and everybody ladles the soup into the mugs, easy for eating while standing around.

 

I usually avoid serving soups at buffet-style parties as it can mean balancing both a plate AND a cup or bowl for the soup, plus the need to put out forks AND spoons but when I have done it, the soup has been a hit.  And I absolutely love the idea of using a collection of Christmas mugs for the soup.   

[Jaymes]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

I usually avoid serving soups at buffet-style parties as it can mean balancing both a plate AND a cup or bowl for the soup, plus the need to put out forks AND spoons but when I have done it, the soup has been a hit.  And I absolutely love the idea of using a collection of Christmas mugs for the soup.   

 

I really love serving soups at buffets, but you do have to be creative.  I've served soups that you just have to sip, so don't need spoons - really spicy soups (both hot and cold) in shot glasses, cool creamy soups in pitchers and you pour it into those squat plastic cups, and then just sip.

 

Regarding the hot soups served for large crowds, I've done this for up to 100 people.  I don't have that many Christmas mugs (have about two dozen), so rent some plain white ones. And stack the spoons into another mug, so they don't take up a lot of space on the buffet table.  I've found that few guests try to eat the soup at the same time as the rest of the meal, so no "balancing both a plate and a cup or bowl."  They usually have the soup by itself as a starter. They walk around with the mug and soup, and then go get the rest of the meal.

 

I dunno.  But it's always a big hit, and very well-received.  I do this with chili, too.  In fact, some of my kids now have two soups - the Potato Bacon Chowder, and chili - as their traditional Christmas Eve meals.

 

Haven't had oyster stew on Christmas Eve in a very long time, but remember it with considerable nostalgia.  Right up there with Mama bundling us all up against the cold, and hurrying out the door to get to Midnight Mass on time.  We were usually late anyway, although Dad said that it was okay as long as we beat the Mansuetti's - another big family like ours, that also seemed to have issues with promptness.

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by Jaymes (log)

[Norm Matthews]

My DIL, Cassie, her sister, aunt, and I don"t know who else, are all coming over this afternoon to keep their family tradition of making tamales for Christmas.

 

[Jaymes]

4 hours ago, Norm Matthews said:

My DIL, Cassie, her sister, aunt, and I don"t know who else, are all coming over this afternoon to keep their family tradition of making tamales for Christmas.

 

A Christmas tamalada - one of my favorite things on the planet.  I thought about mentioning tamales right after reading the initial post.  They're a pretty indispensable part of the holiday for lots of folks, including us.  But it's definitely cultural and regional. 

 

Could be a fun conversation starter but, if they're not accustomed to it, folks might just think it's weird.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2015 by Jaymes (log)