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Christmas Dinner Menu 2006

Appetizer

Shrimp Cocktail

Christmas Dinner

Baked Ham with Raspberry Dijon Mustard Glaze
Baked Pineapple Stuffing (Crockpot)
Baked Macaroni and Cheese**
Green Bean Almondine
Clementines, Mandarin Oranges, or Orange Slices

Beverages (purchased)

Egg Nog
Hot Apple Cider
Chilled Sparkling Cider

Dessert

Coconut Cream Pie**

** Indicates a dish that can be made ahead

 

Grocery List

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for Christmas 2006 - PDF

Shopping List Software format (download shopping list free Windows software)

Dinner Recipes

Notes:

1. This menu should serve 8-10 adults plus smaller children comfortably. If you have growing teens, big appetites, or more people, I suggest doubling several of the side dishes and cooking a larger ham.
   
   
2. Some of these dishes can be made ahead and refrigerated until time to bake. They are marked with **. I also recommend preparing the glaze for the ham in advance. The pie should be prepared a day in advance.
   
   
3. The size of the ham you buy will depend on the number of guests you are having and how many leftovers you want to have. I am including a 10-lb. ham on the list, but adjust this according to your needs.
   
   
4. The upcoming menu includes Scalloped Potatoes and Ham as well as Hawaiian Pizza, so don't feel the need to polish off all of your leftovers.
   
   

 

  Shrimp Cocktail

• Frozen cooked, cleaned, shrimp with tails-on and thawed in an amount appropriate for your guests
• Cocktail Sauce
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Fresh lemon slices for garnish

Cocktail Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• horseradish

Put ketchup in a bowl and add small amounts of horseradish until it is to your taste.

Place cocktail sauce in a martini glass. Place several fresh shrimp on the rim of the glass with the tails on the outside. Make one cut in each lemon slice starting at the center and cutting through to the outside. Place a cut lemon slice on each glass where you made the cut so that it stands up. Add a sprig of parsley and serve.

 

  Baked Ham with Raspberry Dijon Mustard Glaze

• 12 ounces frozen, unsweetened raspberries
• 1 (16 ounce) jar red currant jelly
• 1 (8 ounce) jar Dijon mustard
• Precooked whole ham, bones in, 10 to 13 pounds
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• Kale leaves and flat-leaf parsley sprigs

Prepare ahead: Purée the berries with their juices in a blender or food processor, and pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have about 1 cup purée. Stir together the raspberry purée, red currant jelly, and Dijon mustard in a saucepan over medium heat until the jelly dissolves. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to use as glaze. You will have 3 cups glaze.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the ham, fat side up, in a large roasting pan. Peel off the skin and trim the fat to a layer 1/4-inch thick. Score the fat in a diamond pattern, and rub the brown sugar over the surface.

Roast the ham for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the water over the ham. Spoon 1 cup of the glaze over the ham, and return it to the oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours longer, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices and 1/4 cup of the raspberry glaze (until the glaze is gone).

Line a large platter with fresh kale leaves and parsley sprigs and place the ham on it. Carve at the table.

 Baked Pineapple Stuffing (Crockpot)

• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with liquid
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 slices bread, dried out
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Grease bottom and sides of a 3 1/2 quart crock pot. Crumble the bread into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients; pour into the crock pot. Cover, and cook on low setting for 3 hours.

 Baked Macaroni and Cheese**

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2-1/2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded American or Cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 oz Mueller's Elbows (about 2 cups), cooked 5 minutes and drained

In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard and pepper; stir in milk. Add margarine. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1-3/4 cups (425 ml) cheese until melted. Add elbows. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. This can be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time if cold.

Source: Mueller's elbow macaroni box

 

 Green Bean Almondine

• 28-30oz. bag frozen green beans
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 small package slivered almonds

Defrost and drain green beans. Melt butter in a large fry pan and add almonds. Brown slowly, stirring constantly. When almonds are just starting to change color, add green beans and saute with almonds until tendercrisp. Serve immediately.

  Clementines, Mandarin Oranges, or Orange Slices

 

Dessert Recipes

 

  Coconut Cream Pie**

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut + extra for garnish
• 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

Bake pie crust, if it isn't already baked. Combine sugar, flour, milk and cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Watch carefully as it is easy to burn. Continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks. Gradually stir in 1/4 of the hot mixture into yolks. Pour yolks back into remaining hot mixture stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Pour into baked pie shell and sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate overnight.

* Indicates that of the options listed, this item is the one on the grocery list

** Indicates a dish that can be made ahead