Christmas Dinner

Hosting Christmas for my large extended family has been my pleasure and joy for nearly two decades. Often the festivities begin early in the morning with family members arriving, one after the other, each weighed down with offerings of gifts and food.  Soon the coffee is brewed and poured, the Danish is cut and served, and a frenzy of gift opening commences. (This was especially true when the kids were very young.)  After the last present is opened, my husband Asaf and his team of reluctant young workers madly dash about cleaning up all the paper and ribbon, sorting and stacking the gifts, and gathering all the empty coffee cups, as my mom, my two sisters, my brother-in-law Tony (chef extraordinaire and expert with a knife), and I start covering the large table in the dining area with an ample spread of cold cuts, rolls, toppings, and condiments, as well as a variety of salads, pickled and raw vegetables, chips, dips, and drinks.  Notably, during this hectic period, my father likes to stand right in the middle of this kitchen chaos, silently letting us know that he is eager for his turkey sandwich and coleslaw.  (He's just going to have to wait a few minutes -- we are going as fast as we can!)

Lunch is then followed by gift inspection and assembly (last year a gigantic remote-controlled flying clown-fish dominated my living room all day long!), games, chatter, and free flowing champagne for some, and a bit of napping for others.  Capping off the afternoon with a white elephant exchange is a family tradition that always results in a lot of laughter and often some tears -- particularly when someone steals your awesome Ghirardelli assorted hot cocoa beverage kit, and in its place you are left with a poem about your mother's feet!

So, while our Christmas dinner is always festive family meal, it is marked by simplicity out of necessity.  A very good cut of meat that needs little attention while roasting in the oven, surrounded by a few simple sides, most of which can easily be prepared the night before, works well for us.  Here's what we have planned for this year.

Christmas Dinner Menu - 2013

Baby Romaine Lettuce Salad with Blue Cheese and Radish

Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb with Pan Gravy

Honey-Glazed Chicken Drumettes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Olive Oil Green Beans

Tomatoes with Fresh Mint

Burgundy Mushrooms  

Kir Royale

Sparkling Cider
Sparkling Water

Chocolate Truffles

Fresh Strawberries

Homemade Cookies Galore

Christmas Spiced Coffee

Eggnog with Fresh Whipped Cream

Our Tasty Thanksgiving Menu - 2013

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday.  And this year the crisp Autumn weather and the anticipation good company gathering over a delicious meal promises to bring family and close friends together at my home to celebrate the gratitude we all feel for the many blessings in our lives.

I've been tinkering with recipe ideas and conferring with family members for weeks, but I think the menu is solid now.  First, there will be no Tofurkey at our Thanksgiving table (sorry!), but the bird will be fresh (not frozen), humanely treated, and later brined, stuffed, and (hopefully) cooked to perfection.  And there will be an abundance of seasonal vegetables and fruits, either served simply or converted into casseroles, stews, compotes, soups, salads, pies and even beverages.

Our Tasty Thanksgiving Menu - 2013

Butternut Squash Soup

Winter Root Salad

Roast Turkey, Bread Stuffing with Giblets (my Dad's favorite), and Pan Gravy

Vegetarian Bread Dressing

Au Gratin Potatoes made with Gruyere and Creme Fraiche

Roasted Cauliflower with Hazelnuts
Parmesan Mushroom Caps

Flash Cooked Fresh Asparagus and Fresh Baby Carrots, with Cracked Pepper

Stuffed Artichoke Hearts

Grilled Eggplant with Fresh Ricotta and Feta Cheeses

Spicy Corn Casserole

Molded Cranberry Salad with Quince and Sour Cherries

Crunchy Baguettes

Winter Sangria (Spanish Red Wine & Seasonal Fruit served over Big Ice Cubes)

Champagne

Beer from Around the World

Sparkling Cider
Sparkling Water

Lisa's Famous "Eat on the Road" Apple Pie

Tony's Awesome Banana Cream Pie

Wendy's Dazzling Pumpkin Torte

Coffee

Limoncello

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!