Whats for Dinner in this December 2014?

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:
Christmas Eve Dinner.... fish

Lobster / scallops / muscles / clams / shrimp / crab cakes /  mac and cheese.
Salmon / cod / lobster bisque....and crab cakes.... way way too much.

The food was eaten so fast, I was lucky to get some pics of it.

NormM wrote:Our Christmas Eve Dinner

Rib roast with baked new potatoes and cream horseradish sauce

Green beans with bacon vinaigrette

Shrimp Cocktail

Challah bread, (not the burnt one)

Deviled Eggs and raw veggies

bethk wrote:Oh, wow, Lore ~ I'm SO happy it turned out to be a winner for you.  Sometimes I'll read a recipe and think, "that sounds really good", but, since I've never personally made it, it could be awful.  But when I saw that recipe for curried seafood salad the ingredients seemed to go together so nicely.  I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

We had our Christmas Dinner with Lyn & Bill and 3 others.  Lyn & I had fun playing around with stuff all day....saw a cute folded napkin on the internet and decided to give it a try....we were like a couple kids making crafts!



I found Brussel sprouts on the stalk at Fresh Market.  OK, a bit pricier than the precut bagged but they were very fresh and tasty.



The standing rib roast Lyn THOUGHT weighed 15 pounds....well, turns out I was right the first time.  It weighed just shy of 8 lbs. but the price was $14.99/lb.  Apparently Fresh Market sells PRIME rib roasts for the holiday.  I've never purchased a grade better than 'choice' (and sometimes can only get 'select').  But it truly was a prime cut of beef.  Couldn't have been better.  It's on the table next to a tomato/fresh mozzarella/basil/basalmic salad.



Along with the Brussel sprouts we had green beans, mashed potatoes, plain & mushroom gravy and a gelatin salad.



We did an assortment of cookies/sweets for dessert.  Because of our guests we had sugar free, gluten free and regular cookies.  I had made some of the snowflake cookies to hang and we didn't want to use a tree on the platter so we adapted with a 'mug tree' out of Lyn's storage.  Hokey, I know, but we had fun with it anyway.

bethk wrote:Sounds like another fabulous meal at the house in New Jersey!  Aren't those pre-cut-off-the-bone rib roasts wonderful?  Just put it in the oven, check for temperature and let it rest.  Nothing to do with it but slice and eat.

It's great when I cook at Lyn's (she has a gorgous, big kitchen) ~ I get to do the cooking and still have one or two 'sous chefs' to help dish up at just the right moment.  When I was slicing the roast Carrol was dishing up the vegetables and Lyn was taking food to the table.  The meal was a true joint effort and it came together with perfect timing (and no glitches for a change).  That always gives me a real sense of accomplishment.

Lyn really does set a beautiful table.  She has wonderful holiday china and loves to go the extra mile with a lovely centerpiece and place cards.  She loved the idea of the folded tree napkins and immediately pulled out green and white napkins when I got there.  She wanted to get the iron and ironing board out but I convinced her they were fine without that extra effort!  LOL

bethk wrote:I wanted something comforting tonight.....decided to go to the store and get a fresh chicken to roast on the vertical roaster.  There was a nice organic one with a sale price that was cleaner looking (no yellow skin or cut skin) than I've seen in a while.  When I have a whole chicken I want the skin to be as flawless as possible ~ and NO missing or broken wings.  I do NOT want to roast an abused bird!

I've got some little fingerling potatoes to roast and some asparagus ((big, fat ones!)) I picked up when I saw it on sale at Fresh Market the other day.  Love the ones that are large enough to peel.

bethk wrote:Here's my vertical roasted chicken.....all the fat drains off and ends up in the pan below:



Dinner of roasted chicken ((MY wings)), roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus:

Niagara Visitor wrote:I just said goodnight to my dinner guests. Hubby's sister and boyfriend came from Toronto, so I also asked Robin who lived in my house for a few months before I sold it, and she comes with her beautiful yellow lab, called Mellow.  She's allowed to visit here in the building, but normally residents can only have a dog, max. weight 22 lbs.  Mellow is definitely more.  Once in a while I need a dog fix, and Mellow fits the bill.  

Oh, what did we have for dinner?  I made oven roasted potatoes, some carrots, some pickeral my son caught, did that in my grill pan.  I overcooked it a bit, but no one complained.  My sister had given me a care package yesterday of some of her delicious spanakopita, and two pieces of French Canadian tortierre, both delicious!

Niagara Visitor wrote:No more pets for me.  I see the people here in the building that take their little ankle biters (small dogs) out for a pee or whatever.  I like the fact that I can lock my door and leave for a couple of days without worrying about animals. I like big dogs, and if I feel I need to have more of a dog fix, I'll volunteer at the local animal shelter.  Don't want a cat either. I surely do not want to deal with a litter box in a condo. I know pets are company. Been there, done that with many of them.  I want independent living now.

P.S.  If I need a quick dog fix, I have a key to Robin and Mellow's place, I can take her for a walk any time.