Christmas
Eve Menus, Dinner Ideas
Christmas Eve Menus, Dinner Ideas, Recipes
photographs
of all my recipes
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Home |
Appetizers |
Dessert
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Dinner Menus |
Main Entrées |
Salads |
Side Dishes |
Sorbets
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Soups
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Garnishes
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Amuse Bouche |
First Course Appetizers |
Lunch Ideas
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How to Wine Taste
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Dinner Party Planning
What do you,
your family and friends do on this special evening?
Consider having
an
Appetizer
Party before gifts are opened
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Here are some Appetizer ideas you may want to serve
Christmas Eve
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Arugula Gorgonzola Appetizer
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Shrimp Crostini Appetizer
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Stuffed Potato Appetizer
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Pita Pockets filled with Chicken
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Most
all families have settled into a tradition and routine
for this special Eve.
Sometimes things change within family units such as
marriages, divorces, etc.
many have to make a decision where they will spend Christmas Eve and
what foods will be served, etc.
Some families alternate their visits each year giving
"equal time" to each side of the family.
Our family has slowly moved into this format that works
for us every Christmas Eve... that is
having an appetizer party before gifts are
opened.
This is what we do:
Each family provides 2 different types of
appetizers of their choice,
we tried having each household bring 3 appetizers but found that was too
many for us. If you like,
you can coordinate
between
all the families participating to decide who brings meat appetizers,
vegetable appetizers, sweet appetizers, a fruit
tray,
etc.
One Christmas Eve each of our families all brought the
same thing.... chicken wings! We've
learned to plan ahead.
It is a good idea for the host to include in this menu a
simple tossed green salad or even sliced juicy oranges.
We have learned over
the years when most everyone brings their best delicious usually spicy
hors d'oeuvres,;
we all welcome a refreshing crisp, not too complicated, salad between the bites of gourmet appetizers.
Each family provides beverages of their choice.
You can decide whether everyone drinks their own or they
are all shared with one another.
Appetizers and drinks are placed on a buffet table, when
everyone arrives they are shared together.
Throughout the evening everyone can freely partake as
they wish, then it is time for
Santa to take his place by the Christmas tree handing
out presents.
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Here is another
Idea:
Instead of an
Appetizer Party,
serve an Elegant Gourmet Candlelight Dinner with several
courses
Consider some of these ideas
First of
all, I suggest checking out my web page How
to Plan an Elegant Dinner
This will
tell you everything you need to plan, how to serve, how much to
serve,
what to serve, in what order to serve each course, etc.
... all kinds of useful information
My website specializes in fine dining gourmet recipes for elegant
dinner party entertaining... all with photographs.
Consider the idea of asking each household to bring a dinner
course. This will certainly be easier on the hostess.
Make it more fun and personable by everyone plating up their course
in the kitchen and
serving it Restaurant Style. Have them announce at the time of
serving what it is, some of the ingredients,
possibly the wine they chose to accompany it, etc., etc., etc.
Everyone loves to hear these facts and
it makes that course even more special. These ideas are on my How To Plan an Elegant
Dinner
page.
Consider making a 9 Course Christmas Eve dinner - assign courses to
family
Here is an example:
Chose what you want to serve
1st Course - Appetizer - at least 2 -
serve when
guests arrive... mingle with drinks.
2nd Course - Amuse
Bouche (check out my webpage for all kinds of
recipes with photographs)
3rd Course - See my First
Course web page for some beautiful recipes and
ideas
4th Course - Salad
5th Course - Soup
6th Course - Sorbet (citrus)
7th Course - Main
Entree, and Side
Dish (vegetable & starch such as potatoes)
8th Course - Dessert
9th Course - Latte's
Be sure to Garnish each course for your Christmas Eve menu!
See my garnish web page for easy
instructions
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