On the 17th day of December…..our traditional Christmas Dinner
No, I am not cooking it 8 days early, but thought I would share with you what we traditionally eat on Christmas Day here in Northern Ireland…which is what we ate last year, and exactly what we will eat again this year!
I enjoy cooking Christmas Dinner, but hopefully this is our last year with our single oven with the wonky door. Next year we plan to install a new kitchen and appliances, and I am dreaming of a stainless steel range cooker.
Due to our oven restrictions (as mentioned above) we sometimes skip starters altogether, or serve a light salad or soup. I am very fond of brie and cranberry filo parcels (an M&S speciality) but don’t want to over burden me or the oven space!
Here is the menu from last year, as written by my daughter. Our starter was melon with mango (and grapes for the kids!).
Our main course is usually
Turkey (we usually order just a turkey crown)(again mostly due to our single oven!)
Ham
Stuffing (I make my own, no sausage meat or sage)
Roast Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Roast Parsnips
Brussel Sprouts (for me)
Carrots (especially for the kids)
Mini Cocktail Sausages
Cranberry Sauce
phew!
So here is last year’s Dinner, prior to serving.
Traditionally for dessert we would serve Christmas Pudding with Brandy cream and brandy butter.
Not being a fan of Christmas Pudding I also like to serve a lighter alternative, usually a fresh fruit salad and for the kids some ice-cream.
Coffee and tea to follow in the living room, when we feel ready, served with some of the chocolates we have received as gifts – best to open them while company are there to share them!
As you can see, we have little need for any more food on Christmas Day, but may have a selection of cheeses with grapes and crackers, and some mini mince pies around tea-time.
So how does this differ from your traditional Christmas Dinner? Do you do something entirely different on Christmas Day? I would love to hear from you.
A shorter blog post tonight, but there will be another Christmas themed post tomorrow.
I pray that whatever your plans are for this season, and for whoever you will be with, that you will know the joy that comes from Christ, the reason for this celebration.
. 
That looks yummy!
For appetizers, we’re having brie with pecan/cranberry topping, asiago pinwheels and a veggie platter. For dinner, it’s roast, mashed potatoes, my annual mac’n cheese, green beans, stuffed mushrooms, and rolls. For dessert, we’re having a chocolate trifle, cheesecake and chocolate/pecan pie.
I think I just gained three pounds writing that.
(your comment on my blog cracked me up)
Ohhh – I get to drool over this two years in a row!!
When we get together … for one day we WILL – I’m going to do a cookathon with you, my friend. Filo is fun! And puff pastry, why I can show you so many amazing tricks with that too.
I LOVE coming to your house for Christmas, all the while sitting here across the ocean. You have given me many wonderful ideas to try. You and your beautiful family are an inspiration.
I really enjoyed reading about your traditions. We usually have a pre-cooked honey-baked ham, baked beans, yams, cranberry sauce, salad and rolls. I try make everything ahead of time and keep the cooking to a minimum so that I can spend the day playing with my boys.
ooohhh talk about drool-worthy! That looks delicious!
Although much too hot here for something like that LOL Here we have salads, cold-cut meats and a barbeque in the evening :o)
Why is it still an hour and a half until lunch time? For some reason I’m starving.
We’re having turkey and ham and all the trimming this year as well.
Last year I made a huge three rib sirlion on the bone, it was delicious and the dog was eternally grateful.
For many years we have had turkey and or ham with sweet potato casserole, green beans and new potatoes, etc.. with cookies and pies for dessert. My grandmother makes a great caramel meringue pie and I made a great sweet potatoe pie. The last few years though, we changed it up a bit. We cooked Italian-lasagne the first year and baked ziti and shells the next, then last year we just did breakfast with my mums and we went to Universal studios for the day and ate dinner there. We are torn this year. Mums wants ham and we want Italian.
Sounds like a delicious menu.
Lorrie
Yum! That looks so good! It’s pretty similar to a typical American Christmas or Thanksgiving meal. It’s just us this year, we’ll probably stay in our pajamas and snack all day.
Your traditional Christmas dinner looks so delicious! Thank you for sharing this tradition with us, and Merry Christmas to you and yours! ~Arleen