Christmas Menus

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post, most of our Christmas Guests this year are staying overnight so I have several meals to menu plan for.

My theme this year is “keep it simple” so that everyone (including me) can relax and enjoy just being together.

CHRISTMAS EVE

At this stage, I’m not sure what time people will arrive but I’m planning on them all being here for Tea.

I’m going to buy precooked chickens and serve with a couple of salads (probably similar salads to what we’ll have for Christmas Lunch).

I haven’t planned any “dessert” but thought we’d do a “sweet supper” of Christmas nibblies (slices, chocolates etc) later in the night.  There just isn’t enough stomach room for all the Christmas Goodies when the day actually comes.

CHRISTMAS DAY BREAKFAST

Pancakes cooked on the bbq.

pancake-breakfast

Thoughts on toppings at this stage include:

yoghurt

fruit

maple syrup

lemon & sugar

Any thoughts on yummy stuff to have on pancakes?

CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH

I thought a bbq would be simplest (save cooking and slicing meat).  To make it “special” I’m having a “things on sticks” theme.  Oh, and Farmboy is getting a new bbq/outdoor kitchen for Christmas (we’ve already bought it - not to assemble it).

bbq-kofta

Meat:

Chicken Kebabs

Lamb Koftas

Prawn Kebabs

Marinated Beef/Vegie Kebabs

Possibly a few sausages for the kids (most will eat the chicken kebabs though)

Salads:

Potato Salad

Noodle Salad

Tosssed Salad

Coleslaw

Other:

Bread rolls

A few dipping sauces - sweet chilli for prawn kebabs, tzatziki for lamb koftas, tomato sauce

Dessert:

Mini pavlovas served with choice of fruit salad or mixed berries (in a “serve yourself” style)

mini_pav

Having said that, today I bought a Christmas Family Circle magazine with a yummy ice cream cake on the cover and contemplating making that!

Maybe we’ll have both????

CHRISTMAS DINNER/TEA

Christmas Night is one of those differences between Farmboy’s family and mine.  My family have ALWAYS served an evening Christmas meal (even if it’s simply leftovers).  Farmboy’s family tend not to eat it.  In fact, the Christmas before we got married, we spent lunch with my family and tea with his.  His parents didn’t even bother to come home from their lunch and we didn’t end up eating.  It’s the first Christmas where I actually went to bed hungry (not knowing I was meant to “stuff myself silly” at lunch time).

Soooooo, last time we had Christmas with his family (some of them), I suggested we do a cheese/antipasto/dip style platters.  That worked really well.  We included things like carrot sticks and fruit.  It was pretty simple to do and people could just “pick” as they wanted to throughout the evening.

cheese_platter

And that should pretty much fill everyone up I’m thinking.
What are your Christmas Day Favourites?
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7 comments:

  1. Harriet Archer (aka Jodi), 7. November 2011, 21:09

    If you want a really easy peasy marinade to fancy up the chicken on sticks…

    http://marionskitchen.com.au/wordpress/food-range/marions-kitchen-satay-sticks/

    Everything’s in the box, marinade and satay sauce as well - the marinade-y stuff doesn’t smell fabulous when it first goes on but mmm mmm mmm it is soooooo good. The bloke doesn’t like satay, but loved the sticks without the peanut sauce.

    Our Christmas Lunch is a bit free range, as it depends on whether the bloke is working or not - he’s coming off nightshift this year, so he’ll have a sleep in the morning and we’ll do a latish lunch. Normally we have a BBQ or cold meat and seafood. I haven’t really thought about this year yet! I have two kids birthdays to get through!

     
  2. Kath Lockett, 7. November 2011, 23:28

    I want ALL of yours - they’re my favourites!

    Oh and chocolate. Always. Anytime. Forever. :)

     
  3. Lynette, 8. November 2011, 21:05

    Kids like nuttela style spread on pancakes if you wish to indulge even more…too many choices can also end up messy and more to clean up..

    Just an idea with the pavlovas.. you could make up mini meringues and use as the basis for a layered pav in a glass idea…. makes the meringues go further… just a suggestion though as it may not fit into your scheme…

    if we are on our own for tea, I usually do similar with some hot things like frozen spring rolls and little pies, pasties…. and lots of fruit to compensate for the filling lunch.. and ginger beer to drink..

    I really hope your guests are helping you out with food etc as thats an awful lot of food…. hoping you have a spare frig…. !!

    Think i will pop by yours around lunchtime and stay all night too.. sounds so much fun..

    We are yet to discuss Christmas this year… we are in denial so far and usually dont work it out till early December… I am over it already.. youngest son said he already has everything he wants so that really inspires me to buy for him doesnt it…. he is the easy one to please though.. its the oldest one who is harder to buy for..

    thanks for the inspiration..

    L

     
  4. susan hamilton, 9. November 2011, 0:30

    I just love holiday dinners. It is always a great time at my families house on holidays. We pretty much stick to the same menu every year. But we go all out with every fixin you could think.

     
  5. admin, 9. November 2011, 11:52

    Jodi - they look great but I’m thinking of buying them ready-made. Simpler still! :)

    Kath - definitely chocolate! Always! Gonna make and buy some treats for the “girls” on Christmas Eve while the blokes are off doing their “man-thing” and the kids are (hopefully) asleep.

    Lynette - Great ideas. Thanks. Fridge space could get interesting, I know. We do have a bar fridge and a car fridge so I’m hoping we can get it all to fit. At least things like kebabs don’t take up a lot of room. As for buying for teenage boys - a very tough gig. Mine wants a pair of Tigers (some trendy shoe) and a nerf gun. This has been about the most forthcoming he has EVER been when it comes to gifts. He likes to be surprised though so he doesn’t like giving too many ideas as he knows that’s what I’ll go out and get. itunes gift cards are always a hit with him too. I think he’s also like a new phone but he knows there is buckley’s chance of that happening (he got one last year).

    Susan - sounds like fun. For some reason, I can’t get the link to your blog to work. Not sure if it’s a problem my end or yours.

     
  6. Katrina, 10. November 2011, 9:12

    I’m coming to your place for Christmas :-)
    I’m in the middle of trying to work out what we are going to do as it looks like my parents will be going to my sisters in the Barossa (we can’t go due to Heidi’s and Andrew’s work committments around that time of year) my BIL and his family want to do Christmas before then so they don’t have to deal with the parents on Christmas day.
    And to be honest putting up with my inlaws on that day is something I can do without because as a rule…they manage to say several rude and insulting things to me or about me, say horrid things about my girls either eating too much or not enough and comment on their lack of fitness (my kids would be fitter than 98% of people in this town) and then make insulting comments about the kids future jobs (Heidi good enough to be a waitress, hmmm Tash…..I guess she can just do some manual work somewhere - let’s ignore the fact that one there is nothing wrong with those jobs and two my kids are looking at going to Uni and studying) sorry about that….I’ve had one of those weeks and I must have needed to blow off some steam….argh I know you understand as you’ve heard me before
    Okay…back on track…a friend in the next town has suggested we go to their place for the day…their kids are younger but they all get along well….she has said if weather is nice we’ll go to the beach if not there’s the house and the shed…..so food….definately pre cooked and finger food is the way to go….or things that are half done and only need to be put together at the last moment….think I might pinch some of your ideas and start cruising online to find other ideas

     
  7. admin, 10. November 2011, 10:05

    I think your plan to have Christmas with friends is a great one Kat. One year I wasn’t up to dealing with extended family so we packed up the camper and took off for Christmas. We had a lovely time! I love the beach at Christmas! :)

     

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