Holiday Meals

[PrincessFiona]

What do you guys cook for your Thanksgiving/Christmas (if you celebrate it) meals?

We always had Turkey/stuffing/cranberry sauce etc for both meals at my house when I was a kid. Thomas hates turkey though and so he has really put his foot down that he can only tolerate it once a year.

I'm up for some suggestions about alternatives to Turkey...what do you guys eat? :yum:

kris

We eat Pork or Beef Tenderloin, in creme sauce. (For Christmas) It is excellent!

[Michele]

my mom used to always make a fresh ham for christmas....it's hard to find, sometimes you have to ask the grocery store to special order it...most hams are salt/honey cured. anyway, to cook it you just slice garlic and stick it in the ham all over....salt and pepper the outside and bake fat up. I don't know all of the specifics like temp and time, but probably 325 for 20 min/pound. I think it has to sit covered before slicing.

[Michele]

found this recipe online with a search for "fresh ham"

it doesn't taste like ham (because it isn't cured)....it tastes more like pork



ROAST FRESH HAM

1 fresh ham
1 clove garlic, cut up (or garlic powder)
Salt & pepper
4 sliced onions
2 sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, cut in pieces
Caraway seeds (opt.)
1 bay leaf
1 c. water
1 c. dry wine
3 whole cloves
Score ham. Rub garlic, salt and pepper on all sides well. Put onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf and cloves on bottom of pan. Add water. Lay ham, skin side down, on vegetables.

Roast uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Baste frequently with pan juice and wine. Turn meat skin side up and roast until done.

Roasting time is about 4 1/2 hours for a 5 pound ham, from the time the meat is put in the oven. Roasting time is 25 minutes per pound, or roast to 185 degrees on a meat thermometer. Baste often with pan juices and wine. Serve with gravy or with raisin sauce made with pan juices.

[DCJenn]

Thanksgiving:

turkey, mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, oyster stuffing, my sweet potato/apple thing, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls, green peas, and apple and pumpkin pies.

Christmas Eve:

steak fondue, salad, crusty french bread and Christmas cookies

Christmas Day:

Whatever mom wants to make- NOT turkey and NOT chili (a tradition of my dad's family that she HATES)- she's done duck, pork tenderloin, stuffed Cornish Game Hens- whatever she's in the mood for- and since she's cooking, I'm ok with that!

[PrincessFiona]

Hey, Jenn....You're about to be mom! What will Stoli say that HIS mom made him for Christmas dinner? :yum:

kris

[PrincessFiona]

Fondue

I've just decided what we're having for Christmas, Jenn...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU


It has been AGES since I've made fondue. I like to make three different batches....a boiling wine broth for meat fondue, cheese for the bread (yummy) and chocolate one for desert.

Now I'm going to start finding my recipes....and FONDUE is our new Christmas tradition!

Kris

[DCJenn]

Stoli will say, "and then they dragged me to my grandparent's house, every freakin' year."