Re: What's your main dish this year?

NicksmomESQ · ‎08-19-2014

Our family tradition for Christmas Day dinner is Italian.I make a huge antipasto & garlic bread.My husband makes sauce from scratch with sausage & meatballs.We serve it over pasta.We have Italian pastries for dessert.

Blk&GoldFan · ‎11-08-2011

@3suwm5 Thank you for sharing. Will give this one a try!

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

OP here. Again, I want to thank you all for replying and sharing your Holiday meal plans. I enjoyed reading each and every one. Me, I still haven't decided what I'm going to have. Aaaaagh! I need to get on the stick!! I think the Honey Baked ham is not gonna happen. I would have to drive over an hour to get one and I don't see that happening now. Gotta put my thinking cap on today, and a make a decision and get my grocery list made...time's a wasting!

Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays!

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@pupwhipped wrote:
I know there are previous threads from prior years on this subject, but we are in the here and now of 2017. So let's celebrate it and share! What are you serving as your main dish this Holiday? I always do turkey for Thanksgiving, and then waffle around here and there for Christmas meat. I'm leaning towards just getting a Honey Baked Ham this year cause it's easy and good...to me, anyway. Last year I did a small prime rib and it was okay. Nothing to write home about. Years ago I would commonly do a crown roast pork but I'm just not into that anymore. I still cook enough for an army, but sadly now it's just me and my hubby. But we can eat leftovers till the cows come home.....and do!!!!!

Would love to hear what you are serving your dear family and friends this year. Happy Holidays to ALL of you!!!

@pupwhipped Cracked marinated crab with garlic baguette on Christmas Eve, cookies DD and I are baking this week for dessert, and Christmas Day is always Prime Rib with fresh horseradish sauce, twice stuffed potatoes, and a green vege, cant handle much more as the Prime Rib is what we focus on, lol, and sticky gingerbread with fresh whipped cream for dessert.

Toppers3 · ‎10-25-2016

I'm going to be making a bone-in turkey breast for us for Christmas Eve, and then we'll have the leftovers for Christmas.

I found a new green bean recipe that I'll be making for a side dish. It sounded interesting to me. It has bacon in it, dark brown sugar, and a little bit of dried red pepper for some zip. Anything with bacon in it, and "I'm there!"

We'll have a salad and either have mashed potatoes or stuffing for one of the other sides, and turkey gravy and cranberries, too.

I plan on doing a little baking in the next few days and will be baking some cookies.

I have a frozen mixed berry pie in the freezer that I plan on baking, too.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Standing rib roast, mashed potatoes,German style green beans, crescent rolls and key lime pie.

For Christmas eve we are having grilled shrimp,potato salad and salad when we get home from church. I grew up with the feast of the 7 fishes tradition , but it will just be DH & I and my brother & SIL so I'm not making all that fish!

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

ALWAYS leg of lamb.

Being raised in a Sicilian household, tradition dictates some form of pasta prior to the lamb. My aunt and uncle (now deceased) made ravioli the weekend after Thanksgiving. They painstakingly rolled out the dough, made two types of filling: one with cheese and one with ground pork and spinach. They were very small, not like the ginormous ones served in restaurants.

My other aunt made homemade bread and my mom and both sisters made cannoli shells the first weekend in December and then lined paper shopping bags with paper towels and put them in the basement where it was cool. (we were Chicagoans). A few hours before an afternoon feast, I made the filling of ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, finely chopped cherries and shaved chocolate. My aunt's speciality was a Sicilian cookie..cuccidati. A fig and nut filled cookie.

Sadly, they have all passed and the 1st cousins have moved to different states. We no longer do Christmas Eve 7 fishes or any holidays.

BUT, I have wonderful memories and that's good enough for now.

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

@IamMrsG wrote:
It's been a Crown Roast of Pork the last two years, so I'm reverting to Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Shallots, Bacon and Port this year.

Edited to fix a broken link.

@IamMrsG, I bit the bullet today and bought a 2 pound beef tenderloin. I think I will try this recipe that you posted. Any tips for me given my meat is smaller then the recipe calls for? Or, any tips in general other then I need to pray I don't scr*w up this precious and expensive piece of meat. HA!

Thanks for any thoughts.
pup

IamMrsG · ‎08-29-2010

@pupwhipped Is your tenderloin already cleaned of fat & silver skin? If not, you will definitely need to do that before you begin cooking.

This cut of meat can have ends quite a bit thinner than the center. If so, tuck them under and tie them so that the thickness is fairly consistent the length of the piece. This makes cooking more even throughout.

I suspect the biggest difference between your 2 lb. and my 4.5 lb. is in length. The circumference of mine is about the size of putting your forefingers and thumbs together to form a circle. From what I saw, it looked to be maybe 2 feet long. Don't worry about the length, but if your circumference is close to the same as mine, follow the cooking instructions in the recipe. Be sure to use a thermometer, though.

Here is a link to the recipe on Epicurious. For more information, there are reviews and comments that might help you. I'll help any other way I can. I want you and yours to enjoy your Christmas meal and for you to look like a culinary hero in the process.

Edited because the link didn't show.

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

Oh @IamMrsG, you are toooooo kind. I got a little tear in my eye reading your nice post. Thank you.

My tenderloin is trimmed. It is the center cut so pretty much even all the way down...it might be a tiny bit smaller in circumference then what you mentioned. I do have one of those thermometers that you place in the meat and then the unit with the temperature sits outside on the counter. I will be using it!!! I will also go to the site and see what tips others have shared. Maybe I should reduce the seasoning amounts a little with the smaller piece of beef? Can't wait to taste the port sauce with shallots. Sounds so yummy. I will also have horseradish sauce as Hubby would have a fit without it. The horseradish-e-ER the better for him. Ha!

Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope your Holiday dinner is the best ever.

pup