What is your traditional Christmas Dinner?

[BR™]

What does everyone usually eat for Christmas eve and Christmas day?

[Acura]

We have something different every year. I'm not into traditonal dinners. Last year we had prime rib, the year before salmon steaks, this year it will be pork roast. I like to keep him guessing.

[Linda Lou]

Being of Polish descent, (and I don't want to hear one joke, it IS Christmas), we have ham, turkey , and a variety of Polish dishes, like stuffed cabbage rolls, Kluski (home-made noodles which are then fried with bacon and onion), Babka, and Kielbasa, along with various Christmas cookies made from recipes that were from my great-great Grandmother!

Oh, and then we have a special after-drink called Krupnik, that's made with whiskey, honey, oranges, ect. Delicious!!

[Jasmine46]

We don't really have any traditions, either. It depends on if we are home or visiting relatives.

Linda, that Polish stuff sounds good, except the cabbage and Kielbasa. I would love to try the Krupnik, though!

[Linda Lou]

Jasmine,

Trust me.
You would LOVE the Krupnik.

Two drinks and your on your Doopa. (Polish for heiney.)

[Jasmine46]

I haven't been on my Doopa for a while. Can you let me have the Krupnik recipe?

[Linda Lou]

I don't make the stuff, my mother does, but I'll look up the recipe then send it too you. Doesn't seem too difficult, if you've ever made any kind of alcoholic drink before.

Sorry about your Doopa.

[BR™]

Even though my father was Italian, he was never crazy about fish so on Christmas Eve we would have Italian coldcuts, antipastos, salads and meat bread (and still do). On Christmas day we normally have Roast Beef. But always a macaroni (a noodle) before the meat (Lasagna, stuff shells, etc)

Then all week we feast on leftovers. Yum Yum!

[missitaly]

We are doing lasagne, garlic bread, salad, chicken marsala, and a host of other things (all homemade). We don't do the 7 fishes with my family as I think that Italian tradition is more common on the east coast. I have to spend Xmas Eve with my weird in-law's, so I don't overindulge until I get together with my family (they are normal! lol).

Jennifer

[sugar_rae]

my family just has fun stuff on xmas eve, like cheese and crackers, antipasto kinds of things, and rib roast on xmas day. my mother mentioned a ham on xmas eve, in the rotisserie, that sounds kinda good :) we never have family over, and its nice and casual. sometimes we change what we eat on easter ,but xmas day has always been rib roast :) (and the doggie gets the bone ;)

[crlywhtdog]

LindaLou:
Count me in for wanting the recipe for Krupnik...if it's got liquor in it, it's got my name on it. Thanks...I'll be checking back and looking for your post.
Maria

[BR™]

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Linda Lou:
Being of Polish descent, (and I don't want to hear one joke, it IS Christmas), we have ham, turkey , and a variety of Polish dishes, like stuffed cabbage rolls, Kluski (home-made noodles which are then fried with bacon and onion), Babka, and Kielbasa, along with various Christmas cookies made from recipes that were from my great-great Grandmother!

Oh, and then we have a special after-drink called Krupnik, that's made with whiskey, honey, oranges, ect. Delicious!!
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Oh Linda.....can I come over. I love Kielbasa but I haven't had it in years and years.......oh and Krupnik sounds like it might sent BR™ for a looper!! hehehe

[GENERAL™]

We do the huge Italian fish dinner on Christmas eve... clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp, Calamari, Octopus (pulpo), etc... some of it is not very appealing to me, but overall, its very good, and its tradition.

Manga!

[Linda Lou]

I have been turning my house upside down looking for that Krupnik recipe--my mother's going to get it to me. If anyone wants it, just PM me and I will send it to you. It has to age for a little while, so it's nothing you can just make and glug down right away. It's worth the wait though.

BR: Of course you can come over for Kielbasa!! We offer "fresh" (the best kind) and smoked. Just remembered, we also have something called Lazy Pierogi--anyone ever hear of it? It is excellent--spiral noodles with sauerkraut and bacon and mushrooms. I got that recipe, very easy and good.
Oh and BR, that Krupnik would definately get you looped! You usually don't find out how looped till you try to stand.

No wonder Polish people usually have weight problems. There I said it.

[LA-CAgirl3]

Linda Lou ~ I want your dinner, too. Sounds fabulous.

We have no exact traditional meal but I am very partial to Honeybaked Ham. It tastes good and is easy. Usually cook a turkey, as well. Two fabulous features.

[princess77]

well, we are having prime rib on christmas eve, with salads and potato

and on christmas we're having; turkey, ham, stuffin, mash. tatoes, salads, rolls, green been cas., broc. rice cass., deviled eggs, deserts!!!!!

i am probably leaving some things out, lol dont know the whole menu..
but the idea of it.

gonna be stuffed and misserable!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

[Lexy]

My mouth is watering reading about all this good food.

My mom always makes ham and roast beef. As far as the rest of the dinner, everyone who attends brings a couple of dishes, so the menu changes from year to year. It's never anything really formal though... just simple, good food.

[crlywhtdog]

Christmas Eve is the traditional Italian dinner of 7 fishes and I'll also be making spaghetti w/oil and garlic, asparagus and a caesar salad.

Christmas Day dinner will start off with an antipasta and stuffed breads and then a first course of manicotti. After a short break we'll have a filet mignon roast, garlic mashed potatoes, stringbeans almondine and a winter salad with apples, walnuts, raisins and almonds topped with a maple syrup dressing that DD makes. Wish me luck with the filet mignon, I never made it as a roast before. Desserts both days will be home made struffuli (honey balls), Italian Cheesecake, MinceMeat pie, pastries and expresso coffee with anisette.

Tutto viene al pranzo della tabella…e aspetta. (Everyone come to the table, dinner is ready)

Buon Natale tutto. (Merry Christmas everyone)
Maria

[Linda Lou]

Maria,
I am ready with fork in hand!
Your dinner sounds wonderful, and I would gladly trade all of my Kielbasa AND Krupnik for that Filet Mignon.

Not a big meat eater, but all bets are off when it's Filet. Good luck with the roast.
Hey, what's stuffed breads? Better not be something gross, involving cow's brains and stuff! Bleck!

[Barbi]

For the first time in over 30 years, we will be at home this Christmas--I am making a meatloaf, serving homemade pie for dessert. These are my husband's very favorite foods--he'll be so happy that we are not plowing through another turkey!

[Linda Lou]

Barbi,

Meatloaf could work. One of my husband's favorites as well.

What kinda pie??

[Novalee]

Barbi, this could be the start of some whole new memories for you! And, my hubby hates turkey! lol

[crlywhtdog]

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Linda Lou:
Maria,
Hey, what's stuffed breads? Better not be something gross, involving cow's brains and stuff! Bleck!
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lindalou:
lol...nope, nothing as exotic as cow's brains. We have a wonderful Italian store nearby and they sell breads stuffed with all kinds of wonderful things...eggplant, pepperoni, black olives, ham and swiss, etc. They're a bit pricy but every bite is worth it!
Maria

[Novalee]

I wish we could all bring our meals to a common place and share!

I'm making a pineapple glazed ham, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green bean bundles, buttermilk biscuits, ambrosia, and gingerbread cake with rum cream.

[Linda Lou]

Maria,
Now THAT sounds good! Novalee, you're dishes, scrumptious as well.

Maybe I'm thinking of sweet breads???
I know there is something like that term using cow's brains and I think I'm making myself queasy. You'll have to excuse me for a couple of minutes.


Okay. I'm better now.

[hellokitty]

Linda - is this the krupnik recipe? This might be to super fast version!

SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwww.globalgourmet.com/destinations/poland/krupnik.html

[Novalee]

hellokitty, it sure sounds like it would be good!

[Putbeds]

I'm going to my sister's for Christmas and we'll have Lasagna with Meatballs and all the rest. Good stuff. --- VIVA LA RAZA -Eddie Guerrero 1967-2005

[Tara2]

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missitaly:
We are doing lasagne, garlic bread, salad, chicken marsala, and a host of other things (all homemade). We don't do the 7 fishes with my family as I think that Italian tradition is more common on the east coast. I have to spend Xmas Eve with my weird in-law's, so I don't overindulge until I get together with my family (they are normal! lol).

Jennifer
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I do the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve. We also do lasagne and chicken and a lot of other things Christmas Day.

[Mandy]

We do a variation on the seafood for Christmas Eve. We have linguini with crab sauce and fried smelts and calamari.

On Christmas Day we feast on my Mom's homemade ravioli and sauce with lots of meatballs, sausage and a big stuffed brasciole. (I hope I spelled that right.) LOL! Then we have her Ricotta Pie and pizzelles for dessert.

[Linda Lou]

Kitty,
Thank you for the web address, I did check it out, and it DOES look a like a very quick version, but I've never heard of it being made with anything other than Whiskey, Triple Sec, Orange Curaco, spices, ect..

I'm getting the recipe from my sister tommorrow. This one isn't as quick, but you don't have to let it set all that long, maybe a week. I've tried others, but this is the best.

[GENERAL™]

Sorry to threadjack, BR™, but check out this cool Santa Claus site...

SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwww.santasez.sig-ad.com/

You can make Santa do whatever you want! Some of my faves include "drink a beer" and "decorate the tree"

Ok, carry on with dinner : )

[BR™]

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GENERAL™:
Sorry to threadjack, BR™, but check out this cool Santa Claus site...

SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwww.santasez.sig-ad.com/

You can make Santa do whatever you want! Some of my faves include "drink a beer" and "decorate the tree"

Ok, carry on with dinner : )
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It's ok GENERAL™!!

The site is very funny..........I made Santa apply lipstick!!!! ; )

[hellokitty]

Christmas is always at my aunt's - always have a ham, but I don't remember anything else. We're Filipino, so I think most of it will be Filipino food, and I'm not a fan of lots of that food, so maybe that's why I never remember!!

If/when I ever start hosting Christmas Eve/Day, I'm going to try to incorporate the Filipino dishes that I do like, with other kinds of foods. But I'd like it to become tradition.

[hellokitty]

LindaLou - all that darn talk about kielbasa and pierogis got me in the mood for them. So thats what I had for dinner. All processed, of course, but still did the job! mmmm Sauerkraut, brown sugar, kielbasa... and two pierogies. YUM-O!

[Linda Lou]

Kitty,
Just please tell me that you didn't put the brown sugar on either the kielbasa or the pierogies??

[hellokitty]

Linda, didnt even know to eat kielbasa w/sauerkraut. Always ate it w/sauteed onions and peppers. Then my recently married friend told me of her way to make kielbasa w/the sauerkraut. She put the brown sugar on the sauerkraut to balance out the sour...(the kraut was canned...please don't ban me!)

[Linda Lou]

Kitty,
Sounds just a little sacreligious, most Poles are usually purists, but, Nah, it's all good.

I love your idea of cooking Kielbasa with peppers and onions though I normally cook Italian Sausage that way, but I'll have to try this too.

[hellokitty]

LL - shhhh! Don't tell the Poles of my meal. But it was deeee-licious, cannot wait for lunch today!! ;)

The peppers and onions idea is my mom's - that is the only way I ever knew how to cook kielbasa til I saw my roommate make it w/sauerkraut! Weird, right??

I'd also like to mention that last year, for my birthday, my friend gave me an apron - but my other friend who was there when I opened the gift noticed that it had a few pockets along the bottom, along w/screenprints of a watering can, flower pot, and flowers. Turns out this is a gardener's apron. The friend who gave it to me just thought it was a kitchen apron w/flowers (clueless!!)..so anyways...I used my gardener's apron in the kitchen!! Just thought it was funny because she had good intentions but it was totally the wrong industry...but the apron was still just as functional.

[Cubsfan]

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Linda Lou:
Being of Polish descent, (and I don't want to hear one joke, it IS Christmas), we have ham, turkey , and a variety of Polish dishes, like stuffed cabbage rolls, Kluski (home-made noodles which are then fried with bacon and onion), Babka, and Kielbasa, along with various Christmas cookies made from recipes that were from my great-great Grandmother!

Oh, and then we have a special after-drink called Krupnik, that's made with whiskey, honey, oranges, ect. Delicious!!
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I'm half-Polish myself on my father's side. Also I was born and still live in the Chicago area. It has the highest Polish population outside of Warsaw. :)

Cubsfan

My biscuits are burning-Yosemite Sam

[Cubsfan]

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BR™:
What does everyone usually eat for Christmas eve and Christmas day?
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Ding Dongs and Taco Sauce. Oh wait that's Zippy the pinhead's miracle diet. I don't have any specific meal that I eat.

Cubsfan

My biscuits are burning-Yosemite Sam

[Linda Lou]

Cubsfan,
You've never been to Buffalo, have you?? LOL!!

My father was originally from Wisconsin, lots of Polish people there as well. In fact, must've picked up accent from my father, even though I've never been there, people are always asking me if I'm from there.

Kitty,
(I'm whispering) Your secret's safe with me. Like your ingenuity about the apron. Could see where a gardening apron could come in handy in the kitchen, what with all the pockets and all.

[BR™]

How could I forget traditional Christmas breakfast........pannetone with a little butter dunked in coffee!! And now I have left overs for all week!!

[Linda Lou]

Oh my gosh, BR!
Someone gave us a Pannetone, something I never had before.

I've been eating that sucker all week. Just like it toasted with some butter.
It is wonderful. (Love raisins, husband hates, works out great, more for me.)


Gonna have to REALLY start working out again!!

[BR™]

OMG!! Linda, I can't believe you never had it before.

It is yummy and yes will have to do extra pilates for 2006!!!!

[Linda Lou]

BR,

We usually, when we're going to eat that type of thing, have the Polish version of Pannetone, called Platcek.

I was amazed how similar it is in taste. I only wish I could stretch far enough to do Pilates. Watch all the shows on the Q, think I would get a cramp if I tried it.;)

[hellokitty]

I don't like raisins, but I love how pannetone is presented in its packaging! I've seen cooking shows where one slices it and turns it into French bread, and another cubes it for bread pudding. Heck, I'd eat it both ways even w/the raisins!

[Cubsfan]

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Linda Lou:
Cubsfan,
You've never been to Buffalo, have you?? LOL!!

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My Grandmother was originally from Buffalo. :)

Cubsfan

I toil not on thee Sabbath-Homer Simpson

[BR™]

No more food!!!! Must not eat today!!!! Must do pilates and run around the block!!!! hahahahaha

[hellokitty]

LOL, BR! I agree! Although it's hard, with the chocolates still lingering around...I'm trying to plan my dinner now so that I have a plan and don't go buying and eating everything once I'm home from work!

[kitten4762]

yum, this is making me hungry. We always eat a big ole southern Christmas meal with Turkey, baked ham, fresh cranberries, dressing & gravy, mac and cheese, green beans and potatoes, broccoli casserole, deviled eggs, rolls. Then we turn around and travel to my brother's the next day and have his famous fried turkey, cranberries, layered salad, squash casserole, hash brown casserole, rolls and birthday cake made for the baby Jesus. God I've gotta start my diet!