LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Dec 20, 2016 8:31:18 GMT -5
How do we not have a Christmas thread yet? What's everybody doing?
I'll be back with my plans, but things officially start tonight with the turkey going into the drink.
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GumTurkeyles
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$10 down, $10 a month, don't you be a turkey
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Dec 20, 2016 9:40:11 GMT -5
My mom requested that I make mussel chowder (I use them instead of clams, as they're slightly sweeter). So, a christmas soup!
Not sure of what else I'll make yet, but nothing too complex. Maybe a mac and cheese or other gratin.
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Post by pairesta on Dec 20, 2016 10:13:09 GMT -5
Christmas Eve:
Octopus Luciana
Clams Oreganato
Venetian-Style Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Spaghetti with Lobster
Christmas Day:
Gnocchi with Blue Cheese Sauce
Bacon-Wrapped Beef Filet on the Rotisserie
Swiss Chard Custards
Stewed Red Cabbage
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 10:15:55 GMT -5
My Christmas is all about drinking too much champagne during the hours-long present bonanza in the morning, so I'm never interested in cooking a big meal. Back when we still insisted on having another turkey (so soon after Thanksgiving?? WHY?  ), I actually moved the feast to Christmas Eve so as not to have to do anything on Christmas Day. Last year I finally came to my senses and put the kibosh on turkey. I still made something pretty fancy (a pork roast with burnt orange caramel sauce), but this year? There will be no fancy. NONE AT ALL. Heh. Anyway, with Christmas Eve a Saturday, our traditional pasta night, and with our last few months being full of Saturdays when we were on-the-go, we've decided to hew to the Saturday tradition instead of the holiday one. So instead of the trappings of a roasted-meats-and-all-the-sides, we're doing a baked homemade mac & cheese. And probably multiple bottles of wine. Christmas morning's traditional foodstuff is the sour cream coffee cake from the Baked cookbook with the chocolate cinnamon swirl. In the past I've also done pigs in blankets with sausage from the farm market, but this year I'm just going to cook up a mountain of bacon for all our protein needs. That all will be paired with several bottles of champagne, as mentioned above. Christmas dinner will be Marcella Hazan's drunken pork shoulder, wherein a hunk of pork will be braised in red wine. We'll have roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes, and it will be mindlessly easy and low-effort, because that's what Christmas when you have no children, no family, and no guests should be like, right? |
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Post by pairesta on Dec 20, 2016 10:16:19 GMT -5
With free weekends I've been doing "mini Christmas" dinners. Sunday I made a Cajun-style Christmas dinner.
Crab Boules with Remoulade
Roasted Chicken (it was supposed to be capon but backed down for expense reasons)
Purple Hull Beans with Bacon
Cajun Style Stuffed butternut
I winged the stuffed squash. I'd had an enormous butternut kicking around the pantry since Halloween and decided to have it for the dinner. Cut it in half and roasted it, then, while it was roasting, sauteed the Cajun Trinity with some sausage. Scooped the roasted flesh out, mixed it with that trinity and sausage, and corn bread bread crumbs, then back into the oven. I loved it; it could have been the main all by itself.
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 10:17:23 GMT -5
Christmas Day: Gnocchi with Blue Cheese Sauce Bacon-Wrapped Beef Filet on the Rotisserie Swiss Chard Custards Stewed Red Cabbage On second thought, that's what I'm having on Christmas Day, too. Because I'm going to spend Christmas with the badger family. |
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Dec 20, 2016 10:41:10 GMT -5
Ahhhhh, I love seeing everyone's different holiday traditions like this!
Generally, Christmas Eve features the same spread from DiPasquale's Italian deli in Baltimore every year, and Christmas Day changes every year, but the main course always revolves around seafood. People tend to find that very weird, because I guess they expect us to have some kind of special meal we always have and we don't, but I honestly enjoy it.
Christmas Eve:
-Italian bread
-Italian olive assortment
-Wedge of sharp provolone
-Marinated long-stemmed artichoke hearts
-Roasted red peppers
-Spicy soppressata
-Prosciutto
-Panettone
-Fresh oranges
-Dried figs and dates
So yeah, we basically make ourselves little antipasto plates and nibble all night between opening gifts. Plus, wine! So much wine. One Christmas Eve I overdid it on the wine and then I drank too much anisette with my dad and I had to work at a convenience store that sold fried chicken the next morning and long story short, I've never been more hungover in my life. It got me some good tips, though. I think the customers thought I was sick and felt sorry for me.
This year for Christmas Day I'm taking advantage of the 6(!) fresh black truffles we scored over the summer by thawing one out and grating it into some softened butter, then using it to baste lobster tails while they cook on the grill.
I'm thinking I'll just do some breadsticks or baked potatoes to allow the lobster to shine, and make a roasted-garlic caesar salad to go on the side, or possibly some roasted asparagus. I still have to figure it out. It's gonna be awesome, though.
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GumTurkeyles
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$10 down, $10 a month, don't you be a turkey
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Dec 20, 2016 11:04:59 GMT -5
With free weekends I've been doing "mini Christmas" dinners. Sunday I made a Cajun-style Christmas dinner. Crab Boules with Remoulade Roasted Chicken (it was supposed to be capon but backed down for expense reasons) Purple Hull Beans with Bacon Cajun Style Stuffed butternut I winged the stuffed squash. I'd had an enormous butternut kicking around the pantry since Halloween and decided to have it for the dinner. Cut it in half and roasted it, then, while it was roasting, sauteed the Cajun Trinity with some sausage. Scooped the roasted flesh out, mixed it with that trinity and sausage, and corn bread bread crumbs, then back into the oven. I loved it; it could have been the main all by itself. Holy shit I want crab boules! I looked it up, and a recipe appears in cooking light. I find it funny that they can call something with a beurre blanc "light". Also bread/carbs. Also deviled crab. |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Dec 20, 2016 11:08:19 GMT -5
I'm jealous of how all y'alls Christmas dinners/grazing troughs differ so completely from your Thanksgivings. In short, our families' Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner are almost exactly the same. EXCEPT, Christmas dinner is better, because I cook everything. Yet, I probably enjoy Thanksgiving more, because I don't.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Dec 20, 2016 11:34:07 GMT -5
Christmas Eve we typically go out to a steakhouse because my MIL is not nearly enough of a food lover to want to cook two big meals. Which is generally pretty good, anyway. Christmas morning I'm in charge of breakfast - this year, DIY breakfast biscuit sandwiches (biscuits, eggs, cheese, sausage, bacon) and (semi-homemade) cinnamon rolls (with cream cheese icing). And maybe some fruit.
Christmas dinner I'm contributing garlic cheddar mashed potatoes again and I imagine the rest of the meal will be fairly traditional - ham or turkey, corn souffle, rolls, that sort of thing.
I also might take along some pecan brittle if I find myself with the time and urge to make it.
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 12:01:05 GMT -5
I'm jealous of how all y'alls Christmas dinners/grazing troughs differ so completely from your Thanksgivings. In short, our families' Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner are almost exactly the same. EXCEPT, Christmas dinner is better, because I cook everything. Yet, I probably enjoy Thanksgiving more, because I don't. Up until last year our Christmas was a carbon copy of Thanksgiving. With no difference at all, because I cooked both.  I can't believe it took me so long to realize that there wasn't a law dictating that it would be done that way. I was also impressed by how well Hugs and Boomer took my break from tradition. If they miss the turkey, they're both doing an admirable job of keeping it to themselves. (I think whatever turkeylonging they have is outweighed by how glad they are to not have to listen to my whining about it.) |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 12:01:54 GMT -5
Pedantic Editor Type -- okay, your mention of corn souffle has me wondering if maybe I want to put in a teensy bit of effort on Christmas? 
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Dec 20, 2016 12:31:01 GMT -5
Pedantic Editor Type -- okay, your mention of corn souffle has me wondering if maybe I want to put in a teensy bit of effort on Christmas? The corn souffle I mention is basically several cans and boxes and scoops of mayo mixed together and baked for awhile and then topped with cheese. It's not a LOT of effort. |
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Post by pairesta on Dec 20, 2016 13:08:49 GMT -5
With free weekends I've been doing "mini Christmas" dinners. Sunday I made a Cajun-style Christmas dinner. Crab Boules with Remoulade Roasted Chicken (it was supposed to be capon but backed down for expense reasons) Purple Hull Beans with Bacon Cajun Style Stuffed butternut I winged the stuffed squash. I'd had an enormous butternut kicking around the pantry since Halloween and decided to have it for the dinner. Cut it in half and roasted it, then, while it was roasting, sauteed the Cajun Trinity with some sausage. Scooped the roasted flesh out, mixed it with that trinity and sausage, and corn bread bread crumbs, then back into the oven. I loved it; it could have been the main all by itself. Holy shit I want crab boules! I looked it up, and a recipe appears in cooking light. I find it funny that they can call something with a beurre blanc "light". Also bread/carbs. Also deviled crab. "Boules" appears to be a common term to apply to different things. This is more or less a fritter with cornmeal as the binder. |
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Post by pairesta on Dec 20, 2016 13:10:32 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble.
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GumTurkeyles
AV Clubber
$10 down, $10 a month, don't you be a turkey
Posts: 3,065
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Dec 20, 2016 13:20:34 GMT -5
Holy shit I want crab boules! I looked it up, and a recipe appears in cooking light. I find it funny that they can call something with a beurre blanc "light". Also bread/carbs. Also deviled crab. "Boules" appears to be a common term to apply to different things. This is more or less a fritter with cornmeal as the binder. Ahh. I'm used to it being a round loaf of bread. And several places in New England (especially ski resorts) will have boules of soup; usually (white) clam chowder or chili. Nothing too wet. I'm going to make up my own thing in the next few weeks. Maybe lobster bisque in homemade boules. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 13:27:56 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble. I am constantly amazed when modern-day people talk about roasting goose. I feel like it's something that solely exists in, like, A Christmas Carol. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Dec 20, 2016 13:35:29 GMT -5
I saw goose at the supermarket on Sunday. But I've never heard of any Americans actually doing it.
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Dec 20, 2016 13:54:20 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble. My grandpa roasted a goose once on Thanksgiving just for fun (he still did a turkey, too) and it was honestly just kind of okay. It was like a bigger duck, only without the nice layer of fat on the breast that makes duck so delicious. Very meaty, but not terribly flavorful. |
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Post by pairesta on Dec 20, 2016 13:57:31 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble. I am constantly amazed when modern-day people talk about roasting goose. I feel like it's something that solely exists in, like, A Christmas Carol. That's totally why I want to do it. On a similar note, I've been fascinated with the idea of "roast beast' forever from The Grinch. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Dec 20, 2016 13:59:31 GMT -5
That's totally why I want to do it. On a similar note, I've been fascinated with the idea of "roast beast' forever from The Grinch. OMG, I'm not even that much of a Grinch fan, but I've also loooong wanted to have roast beast! |
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LazBro
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Posts: 10,278
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Post by LazBro on Dec 20, 2016 14:12:27 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble. P'shaw. My prime rib will top $200. (Though it's a shared cost.) |
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Post by Ben Grimm on Dec 20, 2016 18:44:47 GMT -5
On the International Cooking Traditions article over at TOC last week, some Brits started talking about roast goose, so I'll repeat my question here for everyone: anyone ever do it? I'm kind of fascinated with it now that I nailed duck down. But nobody else in my family supports the idea, and $75 is an awful big gamble. We've done it several times, but it's basically just a big duck, with an absolute ton of grease. I don't think it's really worth the difference in price, but YMMV. My father likes doing it. |
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Post by Floyd Diabolical Barber on Dec 20, 2016 23:35:51 GMT -5
My girlfriend is doing a bunch of seafood this year for Christmas, New Years, and such, and I totally approve. We have picked up some jumbo shrimp, scallops, two kinds of crab legs, and she told me the other day she got a couple of lobster tails, and we have some nice steaks to go with it. (And it's all for us BWAAAHAHAHAHA!) I think we are doing a steam pot with shrimp, scallops, crab legs, corn on the cob, and new potatoes for one meal, and streak and lobster for another. We have some crab dip, and some spinach and artichoke dip for snacks, and some other goodies floating around.
Years ago, our neighbors invited my parents and I over for Christmas goose. I remember it being like duck. Not bad, but not especially memorable. That is the only time I've had goose.
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Dec 22, 2016 9:32:56 GMT -5
I'm still being too lazy to actually put together my shopping list and properly plan, but here's what I'm on the hook for:
Prime Rib - roasted (not smoked, I wussed out) with garlic, herbs and shallots. Typically I just do a little oil and rub the goodness on, but I saw a recipe in which the roast was literally blanketed in garlic-herb butter, and I'm thinking I might have to try it.
Turkey - smoked, and I'm doing a cajun rub this year.
Mashed Potatoes - I'm doing my agonizing holiday whippers with riced Yukon golds, butter and toasted fenugreek
Dressing - haven't picked a recipe, but it'll be pretty straightforward with sweet Italian sausage, mirepoix, bread, chicken stock, granny smith apples
Turkey Gravy
Horseradish Sauce - last year I grated fresh horseradish and was so underwhelmed I ended up working in some prepared stuff anyway. This year I'm just sticking with the prepared horseradish
I might add one or two things after cataloguing what everyone else has promised to bring. Like, I don't think we have any form of corn on the docket yet, and obviously that won't do.
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Post by 🔪 silly buns on Dec 22, 2016 11:04:11 GMT -5
Shepard's pie with lamb and rosemary
Pot roast - spicy mustard, garlic cloves, Worcester sauce, soy sauce, possibly a layer of butter
Green beans with garlic, butter, salt, pepper
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LazBro
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Posts: 10,278
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Post by LazBro on Dec 22, 2016 11:14:08 GMT -5
Shepard's pie with lamb and rosemary Pot roast - spicy mustard, garlic cloves, Worcester sauce, soy sauce, possibly a layer of butter Green beans with garlic, butter, salt, pepper Shepard's pie is such a good idea for big family gatherings. It's so delicious and so easy to make in mass quantities. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Dec 22, 2016 11:19:38 GMT -5
Shepard's pie with lamb and rosemary Pot roast - spicy mustard, garlic cloves, Worcester sauce, soy sauce, possibly a layer of butter Green beans with garlic, butter, salt, pepper What time should I show up? I'll bring mashed potatoes, screw my family  |
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Dec 23, 2016 9:49:59 GMT -5
Finally reconciled everyone's list, and indeed no one is bringing corn or green bean casserole, which happen to be two of my favorites, so I'm going to do those too.
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Post by Not a real doctor on Dec 24, 2016 19:44:12 GMT -5
Smoked a chicken, roasted Brussels sprouts, and made a quick Mac & cheese for dinner tonight.
Mom's doing dinner tomorrow, we're going to contribute another round of mixed roasted veggies and a double layer super-chocolate ganache cake.
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), I actually moved the feast to Christmas Eve so as not to have to do anything on Christmas Day. Last year I finally came to my senses and put the kibosh on turkey. I still made something pretty fancy (a pork roast with burnt orange caramel sauce), but this year? There will be no fancy. NONE AT ALL. Heh.
