Christmas Dinner 2009

Christmas Dinner 2009 what are you serving?

#1 Ron Johnson

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 04:39 PM

My tentative menu so far:

Oyster stew
Standing Rib Roast with bearnaise sauce
Potato and truffle Gratin
braised brussel sprouts with country ham
Cheese
assorted cookies

#2 Daisy

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 04:52 PM

No doubt the same as always, due to family full of people with food issues being unable to agree on anything but what we have every year. How I am related to this crew is a mystery.

Roast chicken
Green beans
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Salad
Dinner rolls from a very good bakery near my sister's house
Buche de Noel from the same bakery

I think I'd rather eat at Ron's house.

Sardines aren't for sissies.---Frank Bruni
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The mistake one makes is to react to what people post rather than to what they mean.---Dr. Johnson
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I want to be the girl with the most cake.

#3 Cathy

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 04:56 PM

cheese straws, chorizo, olives and caperberries with drinks

Julia Child's mussel cream soup

romaine, radicchio & endive with mustard shallot vinaigrette

Simca's lemon macaroon cake

You're only as good as your grease.

When working with high heat, the first contact between the cooking surface and the food must be respected.
-- Francis Mallman

#4 Ron Johnson

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 04:57 PM

QUOTE(Daisy @ Dec 22 2009, 11:52 AM)

come on over! (bring the rolls)

#5 Rail Paul

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 04:59 PM

Nice dinner, Ron. What time would you like me and my 20 guests to stop by?

Are you ctting the meat off the rib, and tying it back on for presentation and cooking effect?

Our dinner for 20 will be a chili rubbed beef tenderloin served with onions and mushrooms, quinoa with garlic and peppers, a pasta course of macaroni and cheese (mini-penne, chopped Hungarian sausage, four cheeses in a bechamel sauce), green salad from my sister, and desserts by Dee. My dad is handling the wines.

Appetizers from another sister will undoubtedly include several piped mousses on various puffed pastry, flatbreads, and crackers, probably with a prosecco.

My only complaint was that if they need to charge me $30 because they're robbing the duck to pay the boar they might as well give me a more substantial portion of flour, water, and bits of meat.

Orik, on the pasta price at Hearth in NYC

#6 Deb Van D

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:05 PM

QUOTE(Daisy @ Dec 22 2009, 11:52 AM)

I think I'd rather eat at Ron's house.

So would I.

Lex's cousin, a lovely and talented gal in so many ways, has one tragic flaw. She usually makes lasagna for Christmas dinner. Bad Lasagna with great, big chunks of carrot in it. We've tried staging a silent protest by leaving the pieces of carrot in a big pile to the side on our respective plates, but so far it doesn't seem to be working.

Using salt and pepper is a good, inexpensive way to put flavor in your food. Sandra Lee

#7 Daisy

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:08 PM

Carrots in lasagna are so wrong.

#8 GG Mora

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:09 PM

Cheeses & nuts

Bone-in center-cut pork roast, with roasted figs & cippolini
Fancy potato something-or-other
Asparagus hollandaise

Chocolate-chestnut charlotte

A Cooking Life.

#9 Ron Johnson

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:10 PM

QUOTE(Daisy @ Dec 22 2009, 12:08 PM)

Carrots in lasagna are so wrong.

wow. how did she even think of that?

#10 Rich

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:17 PM

Dinner for 15:

Cold Antipasto
Roasted Baby New Potatoes with Sour Cream & Alaskan Smoked Caviar
Lemony Egg Pasta Souffle
Crispy Salmon Fillet
Roasted Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Onions, Mushrooms & Black Olives with Bernaise
Mashed Potato Casserole
Broccoli Custard
Smothered Cauliflower
Crumb-Crusted Baked Mushrooms

Mini Espresso Cakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Pear & Cranberry Crisp
Coffee Ice Cream
French Vanilla Ice Cream

#11 Deb Van D

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:17 PM

QUOTE(Ron Johnson @ Dec 22 2009, 12:10 PM)

QUOTE(Daisy @ Dec 22 2009, 12:08 PM)

Carrots in lasagna are so wrong.

wow. how did she even think of that?

I'm not sure when the madness began. And the pieces are just so huge. Lex avoids cooked carrots in any form. I tolerate them in limited applications, but in lasagna it's just plain cruel. Last year there was a roast beef. I only got a little bit, but it took a long time to chew it, so I really didn't have time for more.

She is a crazy-good artist, but cooking isn't her long suit.

Using salt and pepper is a good, inexpensive way to put flavor in your food. Sandra Lee

#12 Daniel

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:22 PM

This year we are planning on 60 people or so..

Veggies & Dip
Caviar Pie
Marinated mushrooms
Crostinis
Shrimp Scampi
Chicken Liver Mousse
Cheese Plate

***
Herbed Standing Rib Roast.
Pecan Bourbon Crusted Ham
Manicotti
Ceasar Salad
Roasted Root Vegetables
Turnip Gratin
Broccoli Rabe
Soupy Polenta w/ spinach
Jello Mold

***

Chocolate Chiffon Cake Cookies
White & Black Chocolate Mousse Cake
Cheesecake
Greek Christmas Cookies
Ginger snaps
Coquito

Ason, I keep planets in orbit.

#13 Wilfrid

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:24 PM

I am thinking of pulled turkey this year. Braising and pulling the leg meat, I mean.

Eating the Apple 2011 here. Coming soon to Amazon and as an e-book.

New York dining and more
At the Sign of the Pink Pig

#14 Anthony Bonner

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 05:26 PM

bringing a poached salmon to the future in-laws for xmas eve. Baking Panettones, thumbprint cookies, and the Claudia Fleming Brownie Cookies for my fam on xmas day.

Why not mayo?

#15 Ron Johnson

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Posted 22 December 2009 - 06:00 PM

for those of you doing a standing rib roast, I highly recommend encrusting it with pickling spice. I learned this method watching that Great Chefs show back in the 90's. Any commercial pickling spice will do. if the chunks of spice are too big, I will sometimes crush it by placing in a bag and mashing down on it with a cast iron skillet, but this is rarely necessary. It really does a great job flavoring this cut of meat.