The Christmas Table

I bought a new book called The Christmas Table by Diane Morgan and now I can't think of anything but what I want to serve for Christmas dinner.  Our guests have increased from 13 to anywhere between 21 and 25...and I love it!  I will definitely stick with the staples of my menu - turkey, oyster dressing and sweet potato casserole - but I am adding a few new dishes in this year.  Having referenced many of my cookbooks including my new favorite, The Christmas Table, I have come up with a couple menus that I think will be fantastic.

You must start off with something for Christmas morning, though.  After all the unwrapping and excitement, people will be hungry and all of these dishes can be made the day before and either baked or set out in the morning.

Christmas Morning Breakfast

Raspberry Almond Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Egg Casserole

Fresh Fruit

                                                                                

Muffins – Raspberry Almond, Chocolate Chip

There is a great brand muffin mix by Martha White.  All you need to do is add milk and mix.  I usually add sliced almonds to the raspberry mix and then sprinkle sanding sugar on top.  I will make the kids chocolate chip muffins because on holidays I really don’t care how many sweets they eat.

                                                                                

Egg Casserole

6 slices bread with crust

1 lb sausage/meat of some type, browned and drained

1 8 oz bag shredded cheese

6 eggs

2 c. milk

dash salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown sausage in pan.  Spray 9x13 dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cube bread & place on bottom of dish.  Sprinkle browned sausage over bread. Sprinkle cheese over sausage. Set aside.  Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over top of cheese.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next morning, take out and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

                                                                                

Fresh Fruit

I would recommend anything that doesn’t need slicing or cutting (bananas, oranges, berries)

For Christmas dinner I put together two different menus.  One for a family with kids and one for a larger group.

                                                                                

A Small Gathering, kid-friendly

Try this menu if you have a family with younger kids.  Until kids get older, they don't always enjoy the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce meal so make something elegant but with "normal" food.

Menu

Beef Tenderloin with Mom's Marinade

Roasted Asparagus

Arlene's Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

Scalloped Potatoes

Mixed Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Cheesecake or Pumpkin Pie (or both)

                                                                                

Beef Tenderloin with Mom's Marinade (serves 6 - 8)

1 4lb. beef ternderloin*

1 c. olive oil

1/4 c. worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 jar jamaican all-spice

1 bay leaf

Cut tenderloin in half if easier to handle.  Tie string widthwise down the length of the meat at 2 inch intervals.  Combine all ingredients (except beef) in a ziploc bag or shallow container and mix thoroughly.  Add beef and close container or bag.  Marinate 4 hours or overnight in refrigerator.  Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

Place tenderloin on rack in roasting pan.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 15 minutes.  reduce oven heat to 375 degrees and bake 25-30 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 120** degrees (medium rare) or until desired doneness.  Remove from oven, cover with tin foil and let stand 15 - 20 minutes before slicing (or longer, if needed).

*You can also use a less expensive, higher grade of meat for this recipe.  Costco and other stores sell nice top sirloin cuts that work well.  Just make sure you slice the meat thinly to serve.

**Meat will continue to cook after it has been removed from the oven so taking it out a bit sooner is always safer.

                                                                                

Roasted Asparagus (serves 6)

1 lbs. medium-size, fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place asparagus in single layer on foil lined baking sheet.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast approx. 15 minutes or until desired doneness.

• You can also add a quick hollandaise sauce to this to make it even better.  I recommend Knorr's Hollandaise Sauce .  Follow the direction on the package but you may want to add more milk for a thinner consistency.  Very good, though.

                                                                                

Arlene's Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole 

1 bag frozen broccoli florets

1 bag frozen cauliflower

1 can cream of mushroom

garlic salt

2 T. butter

4 slices, thinly sliced swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.  Cook 3/4 of a bag of broccoli until just tender.  Cook 1/2 of a bag of cauliflower until just tender.  Mix both and place in baking dish.  Spread cream of mushroom on broccoli-cauliflower mix and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Cut 2T. butter and then cut in half and place on top of mushroom soup.  Lay swiss cheese slices on casserole to cover.  Bake 30 - 40 minutes or until cheese is melted and center is hot.

                                                                                

Scalloped Potatoes (serves 6)

1/4 c. chopped onions, finely chopped

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

1 1/4 c. milk

3 medium potatoes

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel potatoes and slice thin.  Set aside.  Saute onions in butter until translucent about 5 minutes.  Add flour, salt and pepper and whisk together.  Immediately ass milk and whisk until smooth.  Cook and stir, occasionally, until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Layer (in greased 8x8 baking dish): 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 sauce.  Cover and bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Note:  Sometimes I double this recipe to make 4 layers instead of 2.  

                                                                                

Mixed Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

1 bag mixed greens (I like baby arugula or a romaine, raddicchio, and endive mix)

goat cheese

cranberries

walnuts

red onion

balsamic vinaigrette

                                                                                

Chantal's New York Style Cheesecake (I made this with my nieces once and it was so easy and delicious)

15 graham crackers, crushed

2 T. butter, melted

4 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese

1 1/2 c. white sugar

3/4 cup milk

4 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 T. vanilla extract

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.  In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.  In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, until just mixed. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

                                                                                

Tips

To prepare this meal, I suggest shopping for all your food on December 22 or 23.  That way you will have everything you need to get started on Christmas Eve (day).  If you write down everything you need to do in order it will make cooking everything MUCH easier.  Here's how I would do it:

12/22 or 23 - shop for all ingredients

12/24 - prepare and bake cheesecake, keep refrigerated

           marinate steak

           prepare scalloped potatoes but do not bake, refrigerate

           prepare & bake muffins

           prepare egg casserole and refrigerate

12/25 - bake scalloped potatoes until done; remove from oven and let sit

           remove steak from refrigerator to bring to room temperature

           prepare asparagus

           prepare broccoli cauliflower casserole

           broil steak then reduce heat

           add broccoli cauliflower casserole to oven with meat

           after 20 minutes add asparagus

           remove steak from oven and continue to cook vegetables, if need (adding scalloped potatoes to reheat)

           prepare salad while steak is resting and vegetables are in oven

                                                                                

           

Buffet Dinner for a Larger Crowd

Menu

Stuffed Dates

Crab Dip

Nuts, Olives, Marinated Mushrooms

Turkey

Lamb - compliments of my friend, Smita, so I don't have the recipe...yet

Herb Dressing

Oyster Dressing

Potatoes Au Gratin with Fresh Thyme and Parmesan

Sweet Potato Casserole

Brussel Sprouts

Haricot Verts with Garlic

Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Pie

Cheesecake

                                                                                

Stuffed Dates (from Mary B.)

15-20 dates (or you can buy a package of pitted dates)

8 oz. gorgonzola cheese (I used crumbled but you can buy the more expensive block)

small package of pecan pieced or halves

package of proscioutto, sliced lengthwise and in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  If dates are whole, slice lengthwise and pit.  Stuff dates with gorgonzola and pecan pieces.  Wrap tightly with proscioutto and place on greased, foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crispy.

                                                                                

Crab Dip

8oz. lump crab

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 T. minced garlic

3-4 drops Worcestershire sauce

2 T. white wine, plus more to moisten, plus more to drink

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix crab, cream cheese, garlic and Worcestershire together in bowl.  Add 2 T. white wine to moisten (add a little more at a time, if needed).  Bake for 25 – 35 minutes until bubbly on the sides and beginning to brown on top.

                                                                                

Potatoes Au Gratin with Fresh Thyme and Parmesan

3 c. heavy whipping cream

2 large clove garlic, finely minced

2 T. unsalted butter, room temp.

6 large red potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin

1 c. freshly grated parmesan

2 T. minced fresh thyme

grated nutmeg

white pepper

In a small saucepan, simmer cream with garlic for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Position rack in center oven and preheat to 325 degrees.  Generously butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Set aside.

Arrange a layer of potatoes in bottom of dish overlapping slightly to cover the entire area.  Sprinkle potatoes with 2 T. parmesan, a big pinch of the thyme, and a pinch of nutmeg and pepper.  Stir the cream and pour about ¼ cup on top.  Repeat layers until all the potatoes are used (approx. 3 layers).  Pour the remaing cream on top and sprinkle with remaining cream.  Cover with foil.  (Can be made ahead up to 2 hours.)

Bake approximately 1 ½ hours or until tender and milk is starting to absorb.  Uncover and bake about 30 minutes more until top is browning.

                                                                                

Brussel Sprouts

4 bags brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved (remove outer leaves)

Olive oil

¼ stick butter

Minced garlic

Salt (or garlic salt) and pepper

Heat enough oil to cover bottom of pan and butter over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and sauté until just golden.  Add enough brussel sprouts so they are in a single layer (cut side down) in pan and cook until just tender.  Stir, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until desired tenderness.  Repeat in batches adding more ingredients as needed.

                                                                                

Haricot Verts with Garlic

2 quarts water

1 1/4 t. salt, divided

1 1/2 lbs. haricots verts

4 t. butter

1/3 c. thinly sliced garlic

2 T. finely chopped shallots

1 t. chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Bring 2 quarts water and 1 t. salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/4 t. salt, beans, rosemary, and pepper; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

 Other Appetizer Suggestions

Chevre with Pistachio and Honey

12 oz. fresh chevre (goat cheese), room temp.

2 T. half and half

3 T. orange blossom honey

1/3 c.1/3 c. coarsely chopped salted, roasted pistachios

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Ina bowl, whisk goat cheese and half and half until smooth.  Spoon into a shallow grating dish and spread evenly.  bake until hot in center and firming up at edges (approx. 15 minutes).  Drizzle cheese with honey and srinkle pistachios on top.  Serve with crackers.

                                                                                

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Fig

Crostini rounds

goat cheese

fig preserves

chopped walnuts

Spread goat cheese on crostini.  Top with fig preserves and walnut pieces.

                                                                                

Crostini with Shrimp and Avocado

Crostini rounds

2 avocados

shrimp, cooked and deveined

Mash avocado and add a pinch of salt.  Spread crostini with avocado and top with shrimp.

                                                                                

Brie and Apple

1/2 stick melted butter

1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

2-3 green apples

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

small round of Brie cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toast bread slices on baking sheet until golden.  Remove rind from brie and slice into 1/4 inch thickness.  Slice green apples into thin slices.  Mix walnuts, brown sugar and butter together.  Top each slice of bread with a piece of brie, slice of apple and walnut mixture.  Place on baking sheet and bake just until cheese melts.