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Thinking Outside the Christmas Meal Wrapped Box

DoctorShavegood

"A Boy Named Sue"
Growing up my family would make the same meals for both Christmas and Thanksgiving. It was Baked Turkey, Ham, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, Brown N Serve rolls and green bean casserole. I always said, "didn't we just have all that?" For the last 20 years I've made it a point to not do that....at all. Christmas is now a free spirit when it comes to meal choices. We've had Cajun boil'em and eat'em shrimp, BBQ of all types, lasagna, venison, hog, Mexican theme's. Last year my Brother boiled some crawfish.

I challenge you to try something different this year. It may mean that you will be bucking a tradition and cause a fight. Sometimes good things are worth fighting for. If you aren't hosting the Christmas meal, show up with a smoked brisket or a rack of lamb and see what happens.:laugh:

...will you take the challenge???
 

cleanshaved

I’m stumped
Traditional Christmas meal means a hot glazed ham for me.
One year I broke from the Christmas grove and had a Tapas type meals, this went on for a few hours, as we slowly grazed off the grill.

Christmas is summer here, so weather permitting may spark up the pit and smoke a brisket. As well as some other meats, yet to decide.
I asked the wife what she wanted and she said normal food, well that sounds like it's my licence to que..........
 
Traditional Christmas for me is turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and the rest. If we've had turkey at Thanksgiving, then prime rib has been substituted for good effect.
What I really want is duck...
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
Traditional Christmas for me is turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and the rest. If we've had turkey at Thanksgiving, then prime rib has been substituted for good effect.
What I really want is duck...
I just thought of the scene in the Christmas Story where the bring the duck out with the head still attached.
 

DoctorShavegood

"A Boy Named Sue"
Traditional Christmas for me is turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and the rest. If we've had turkey at Thanksgiving, then prime rib has been substituted for good effect.
What I really want is duck...

Now we're talking. Duck does sound good.

Last year at my wife's Christmas party. I can't stop thinking about it.

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Smoked a mess of game hens one year for Christmas. Grandmother wrinkled her nose and said it wasn't traditional, what's with the younger generation. Next time I looked her way a bare carcass was spinning on her plate and her fork was heading towards the platter of birds. Big hit, especially with the kids that each had their "own" bird.

Now I work odd shifts and usually on the holidays. The last couple years we've done a family Christmas breakfast. A few "normal" breakfast items are on the buffet, along with things like chili rellenos, or smoked pork loin, or ...
 
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Me, my wife and daughter do our meal Christmas Eve although it has evolved into it's own tradition from which we must not stray. Not at all close to an out-there meal but one that would not cut it with the Christmas day multitudes. Still a good day for bingeing on desserts.

dave
 
Me, my wife and daughter have evolved our own Christmas Eve tradition, because Christmas Day was always celebrated at my wife's parents -- always with Turkey, and the fixins. Our Christmas Eve started out as a big takeout Chinese meal eaten on the floor in front of the fireplace listening to the fantastic WBCN (Boston) Christmas Eve radio show. Sadly WBCN is no more, and the 75 lb German Shepard and multiple cats are much too eager to share in the feast. Now I make all chinese dishes myself, and we eat and watch non-traditional Christmas movies.

Recently, my mother-in-law is getting too old to put on a big Christmas feast, so my wife and I host it -- since we're also the only ones who can cook worth a damn. Because I also host Thanksgiving for my side of the family -- I refuse to have turkey. A few years ago (the first one) was a big beef rib roast which was awesome and ensured that I would keep the cooking tradition. Which is great, because I'd rather cook than travel, and also I want a GOOD Christmas dinner, not some supermarket-freezer-burned, over-cooked dry turkey, with boxed stuffing and potato buds that my wife's siblings are likely to make.

Last year I did a Pork Standing Rib Roast.
I think this year is going to be traditional English Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding.

I've threatened Barbecue, but that would likely cause conniptions, paroxysms and hysteria amongst everyone except the wife and daughter.
 
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simon1

Self Ignored by Vista
Since I took ham to Mom's about a week ago when we went up there for an early Thanksgiving dinner, and I did a smoked turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner at home...I think I'll do what we have done sometimes in the past for holiday meals.

LOBSTER!!! :clap::badger:

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DoctorShavegood

"A Boy Named Sue"
Since I took ham to Mom's about a week ago when we went up there for an early Thanksgiving dinner, and I did a smoked turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner at home...I think I'll do what we have done sometimes in the past for holiday meals.

LOBSTER!!! :clap::badger:

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Mike...I love you Man.
 

Intrigued

Bigfoot & Bagel aficionado.
Around the major holidays and only then, Meijer stocks CAB rib roast. They then put a sale price on them. That's what we ate for Thanksgiving. It is probably what we will eat for Christmas dinner.

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We won't see them again until Easter. :sad:

But then I'll have it again. :w00t:

That is a meal wrapped box I'm happy to stay in.
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MMMMM... Now I'm hungry.

We go completely different from Thanksgiving. My aunt hosts Thanksgiving and Mom and Dad host Christmas. They are both amazing cooks so there is never a question about food quality.

Christmas brunch always happens around 11-noon, after presents and such. Its always eggs benedict on english muffins with canadian bacon and LOTS of hollandaise. Of course we wrap it up with an orange pecan coffee cake and mimosas. We usually have my, my brother, his wife, mom, dad, one uncle, one aunt, and grandma. Sadly, Grandma won't be making it again...

Christmas dinner used to vary a bit, but mom has gotten into a groove with it. We have 25+ people at the house after brunch so a roast would have to be massive, and would be a pain to serve. She preps individual beef wellingtons a day or two ahead of time and keeps them in the fridge until its time to cook them. It is delicious and gives her time to enjoy the party! For sides we usually have a wild mushroom risotto, roasted veggies, rolls, gravy, and a side salad.

Oh, and cookies and ice cream cake and wine for dessert... Who am I kidding, the wine is the main course...
 
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