Christmas Eve dinner

[MinnesotaMike]

We are actually kicking around ideas for what will become our ongoing "traditional Christmas Eve dinner". Starting this year, our plan of going to my parents' house is going to change. It's mostly because we would prefer to go to our OWN church on Christmas Eve. Therefore, we will no longer be away from home on Christmas Eve. So...we want to come up with a meal that my wife can make every Christmas Eve from now on, for just our family. She leaning toward prime rib. As of right now, I don't have anything alternatives to suggest. Anyone have any ideas?

[Greetings !]

Prime Rib sounds perfect! Congratz for choosing a new way to celebrate!

Our day is so racy preparing for Christmas Eve at the in-laws, we get very little downtime. But we manage to always put-on a crockpot of potato soup. After the festivities, we get home in time to have a quiet cup of soup before heading to a late mass (just the two of us). That quiet moment - it is my most favorite tradition!

[JollyElfDC]

I personally would be to worried keeping an eye on a Prime Rib roast, but if your wife is comfortable with it I say go for it. :elf3:
If you want something easy I recommend a spiral cut ham. It's probably the easiest thing I've ever made.:santa2:

[SammieDsMom]

I have the same issue, but mine is during Thanksgiving..I figured since for weeks, we would be eating traditional fare, I would have a nontraditional dinner the night before...so we go Italian, with pasta alfredo, homemade bread, Parmesan chicken. This has become a fav in our house, especially since it is a twist on the norm!

[Chazz]

The last few years, we've celebrated Christmas Eve with my wife's aunts, uncles, and cousins at a big potluck dinner they have. Growing up, we always had a spaghetti dinner on Christmas Eve with my grandmother fixing all of the food. She's getting ready to turn 94, and she still has a spaghetti dinner every Christmas Eve with my parents.

[Greetings !]

I love the thought of a big italian dinner at Christmas Eve!

[ornamentmaven]

We have a big traditional Italian Christmas Eve. The italian tradition is to serve numerous fish and seafood items and just a little pasta thrown in for good luck! My husband's family used to serve this menu up AFTER midnight mass! Thank God we've done away with that part of the tradition!

[Chazz]

We have a big traditional Italian Christmas Eve. The italian tradition is to serve numerous fish and seafood items and just a little pasta thrown in for good luck! My husband's family used to serve this menu up AFTER midnight mass! Thank God we've done away with that part of the tradition!

That menu sounds great! Not a big fan of having dinner after midnight:)?

[MinnesotaMike]

My wife and I both cannot stand seafood of any kind. We're perfect for each other that way. YUK!!

[ethanparker]

Hey...I am new member to this forum.

[cujiine]

Christmas eve used to mean, for my family, left over night to clear out the fridge so that all of the food for Christmas Day could fit. We'd each get to go in and pick what we wanted and then after dinner, we'd rearrange the furniture so there was almost no furniture in the living room. We video taped everyone opening presents to send to family. Our always constant was Christmas Morning where we'd have scrambled eggs and biscuits with a spicy sausage gravy. The last few years, we've been doing that breakfast for Christmas Eve dinner just because we couldn't wait any longer.

[Merry Christmas Darling]

:angel: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" :angel:

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. ~Buddy Hackett

That means you'll learn to like seafood, Mike! ;)

[christmasloves]

Over the years, we've had takeaways for Christmas Eve dinner and this year I want to make something for mum and I. No chicken, turkey or gammon since we do have all those through christmas.... suggestions?

[Merry Christmas Darling]

STAINED GLASS SALAD OR JELL-O

Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 box orange Jello
1 box lime Jello
1 box cherry or strawberry Jello

Dissolve each of the above in 1 cup hot water and add 1/2 cup cold water to each(use three 8" x 8" glass dishes). Let set until firm.
Then take 1 box lemon Jello dissolved in 1 cup hot pineapple juice. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cool until creamy, partially set. Add 1 cup Cool Whip. Then add Jello cubes. Use 8x12 inch pan. Refrigerate.

When I made this, I think I remember using an angel food cake pan and serving it on a gorgeous pedestal cake plate.

Actually, it was prettier than the picture below because of the orange, green, and red Jell-O.

http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy27/DiademRose/Food/christmas_jelloatjoysofjellodotblogspotdotcom.jpg

There's another recipe somewhere that uses whipping cream instead of Cool Whip. I'm not a Cool Whip fan.

[Merry Christmas Darling]

Here's another version:

http://www.jellorecipes.net/Jello-Recipes/jello-recipes/broken-glass-jello-recipe.php

[stephmcuk]

we dont have a particular meal for xmas eve dinner...its usually something simple tho or a takeaway... which we hardly ever have and love.

christmas eve is always to hectic for us and we have to get ready for church

[Merry Christmas Darling]

we dont have a particular meal for xmas eve dinner...its usually something simple tho or a takeaway... which we hardly ever have and love.

christmas eve is always to hectic for us and we have to get ready for church

Is a takeaway something you buy at a restaurant and bring home?

[Merry Christmas Darling]

Over the years, we've had takeaways for Christmas Eve dinner and this year I want to make something for mum and I. No chicken, turkey or gammon since we do have all those through christmas.... suggestions?

Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen!

Easy Beer and Ketchup Meatballs

Ingredients
1 (28 ounce) bottle ketchup
24 fluid ounces beer
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 onion, chopped


1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.Place the beer and ketchup in a slow cooker on high setting and allow to simmer..
3.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic powder and onion, mixing well. Form mixture into meatballs about 3/4 inch in diameter. Place meatballs in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4.Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
5.Transfer meatballs to the slow cooker with the beer and ketchup and simmer for 3 hours; sauce will thicken.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-beer-and-ketchup-meatballs/detail.aspx

Cocktail Meatballs III

Ingredients
3 pounds ground beef
2 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
3 slices white bread
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 (28 ounce) bottle ketchup
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Remove the crusts from the white bread and tear into small bread crumbs. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine beef, soup mix, white bread crumbs and half-and-half cream. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls and arrange in 9x13 inch baking dishes (as many baking dishes as it takes or bake the meatballs in shifts).
3.Bake 10 to 15 minutes; or until browned.
4.In a slow cooker with the temperature set to high, mix together ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce temperature to low until you are ready to serve the meatballs.
5.Place the meatballs in the sauce and serve.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cocktail-meatballs-iii/detail.aspx

[stephmcuk]

Is a takeaway something you buy at a restaurant and bring home?

it can be but we order it over the phone and they deliver it to our house!!:christmastree::presents1:

[MinnesotaMike]

All we have on Christmas Eve is church, so that is the best time for us to have our nice, relaxing, BIG meal. Church is also always kind of early (around 4pm), so dinner is when we get home. On Christmas Day, we have WAY too many things going on, and places to go. A big dinner just isn't in the cards for us on Christmas Day.

[SammieDsMom]

We are going all out this year...we have somewhat the same during Thanksgiving...Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, both home made and out of a can, maybe a ham, gravy, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmellows, and alot of TUMS! :tree:

[Merry Christmas Darling]

We are going all out this year...we have somewhat the same during Thanksgiving...Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, both home made and out of a can, maybe a ham, gravy, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmellows, and alot of TUMS! :tree:

Are you doing this on Christmas Eve?

[MinnesotaMike]

Great...now I'm craving deviled eggs!! :elf3:

[MissChelseyClause]

We always just opt for a chinese take away as its a treat and some easy for my mum after prepping the veg for christmas day all day
:rudolph::rudolph::rudolph:

[MinnesotaMike]

Take away?.....veg??