help me with my christmas eve menu?

[Ohio12]

in-law family (7 adults and 3 children) are coming over on Christmas eve. They will have eaten sandwiches at MIL's, then we will all go to church and be back at my house to open a few presents around 7:30. I am serving Christmas cookies and coffee. (probably wine for me:lol:) MIL is bringing chex mix and nuts. I was thinking maybe artichoke dip? should I also do shrimp cocktail or is that going overbaord? a cheese ball? if so, where do you get a good one? any suggestions are more than welcome.

[Tonia]

Here are a few things I'm making for our small party -

 

little smokies wrapped in crescent rolls (for the kids :D )

chips and dip

veggies and dip

cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella balls on little skewers

shrimp cocktail

 

as for a cheese ball - here's an easy recipe. Gotta love Allrecipes :D

[Danestress]

We come home from church around 7:00, so I want to serve a meal that requires very little preperation that night.

 

So far, I am planning this:

 

A big smoked salmon with crackers, capers, onion, sour cream

 

Artichoke wontons

 

Roast beef rollups with horseradish

 

Maybe some kind of nice green salad

 

MIL will bring dessert and my mother will bring wine.

[Ohio12]

We come home from church around 7:00, so I want to serve a meal that requires very little preperation that night.

 

So far, I am planning this:

 

A big smoked salmon with crackers, capers, onion, sour cream

 

Artichoke wontons

 

Roast beef rollups with horseradish

 

Maybe some kind of nice green salad

 

MIL will bring dessert and my mother will bring wine.

 

yours sounds freaking FANTASTIC. dh's side of the family wouldn't eat half of that though. I could eat all the salmon myself though!

[lmrich]

We have a giant brunch around 1:00 so after church about 7:00 we come home and have white chili (already made and in the freezer, I will just pop it in the crockpot), sandwiches with the leftover ham, fruit, and veggies.

 

As a kid we always had fondue, but that doesn't work well for a crowd.

 

Have a Merry Christmas!

[Laurel]

We do lobster stew and apple pie, but that's probably not what you're looking for.

 

Cheese Ball Recipe

 

Cream Cheese

Cheddar, grated

Bleu Cheese, crumbled

Chopped chives and garlic

 

Mix together three equal parts of cream cheese - one with cheddar, one with bleu cheese, one with chives and garlic. Roll into a ball - gently. Cover with chopped nuts, or with kalamata olives, parsley, and roasted red peppers for more color. Serve with crackers.

[Parrothead]

in-law family (7 adults and 3 children) are coming over on Christmas eve. They will have eaten sandwiches at MIL's, then we will all go to church and be back at my house to open a few presents around 7:30. I am serving Christmas cookies and coffee. (probably wine for me:lol:) MIL is bringing chex mix and nuts. I was thinking maybe artichoke dip? should I also do shrimp cocktail or is that going overbaord? a cheese ball? if so, where do you get a good one? any suggestions are more than welcome.

Are the sandwiches the big sub sandwich kind or something like pb&j? What time are they eating the sandwich meal?

 

If people are going to be just looking for nibbles, a dip or a cheese ball will round out your menu nicely.

 

If everyone is starving because all they had at 4 p.m. is a pb&j or bologna sandwich you might want to try adding a dip or cheese ball along with maybe some cream cheese and ham pinwheels, or even the makings for sub sandwiches.

[Ohio12]

We do lobster stew and apple pie, but that's probably not what you're looking for.

 

Cheese Ball Recipe

 

Cream Cheese

Cheddar, grated

Bleu Cheese, crumbled

Chopped chives and garlic

 

Mix together three equal parts of cream cheese - one with cheddar, one with bleu cheese, one with chives and garlic. Roll into a ball - gently. Cover with chopped nuts, or with kalamata olives, parsley, and roasted red peppers for more color. Serve with crackers.

 

could I get the lobster stew recipe for future reference?

[Laurel]

My grandfather's lobster stew: (No secret recipes here! ;))

 

For each full serving or bowl, allow one pound of lobster. After the lobsters have been boiled, remove meat immediately, saving the tomalley and coral if desired. For four servings, simmer the tomalley and coral in ½ cup butter 7 or 8 minutes, using a heavy kettle. Add the lobster meat, cut into fairly large pieces, and cook 10 minutes over very low heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add, very slowly, one quart rich hot milk, stirring constantly. Use salt and pepper to taste. Allow the stew to stand 5 or 6 hours before reheating for serving. This is one of the secrets of truly fine flavor.

 

The preparation of the perfect Maine Lobster Stew is simple but it does not allow for short cuts. Stirring is most important in this masterpiece; otherwise it will curdle. According to experts on fine Maine cookery, the important steps to success in creating the perfect Lobster Stew are:

 

1. the partial cooling before gently adding the milk a trickle at a time

2. the constant stirring until the stew blossoms a rich salmon under your nose and

3. finally the aging, since every hour that passes improves the flavor. Two days are set up by masters of Lobster Stew for “agingâ€, with a minimum period of 5 or 6 hours.

 

 

 

CHERYL’S NOTES: When Grampy makes this stew for us at my house, I purchase one pound of butter, one gallon of whole milk, and 13 – 15 pounds of lobster, preferably no more than 6 lobsters, all male.