Make ahead Christmas recipe ideas?

[Nancyg56]

Please...I need one of these....where do I get one...TIA!

I would get Chinese take out.

This is our plan this year. I am working the day before and the day after, and we are heading to DH cousin on Christmas Eve. Chinese on Christmas Day is a first for us, but I am going for it!

 

[ronandannette]

Nope, no ties to the Czech Republic at all! We just thought it would be fun to do — pick a different country/culture each year, learn about how they celebrate the holiday season, and incorporate some of those traditions and foods into our celebration. In addition to the food, we added a Czech ornament to our tree, a Czech Christmas decor item to the house, my son is getting a traditional toy on Christmas Eve, and we’re going to do a floating walnut activity they do. I drew the line at the live carp in the bathtub, though. It’s been a fun (and educational) way to keep things interesting and fresh.

I told my husband I was going to be lazy and pick Italy so I could get by with just making a lasagna, but he wanted to be a smart aleck and say that he’d had his heart set on the Czech Republic, so that’s how we landed on that this year.

Verrrry cool!! Let me know if you need a consult when you decide to do Canada.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Verrrry cool!! Let me know if you need a consult when you decide to do Canada.

I just need to pour maple syrup on everything, right?

 

[LovesTimone]

For us by the time Christmas gets here, you have had about all the ham, turkey and the more traditional side dishes that go along with it that you can stand... Plus when adding in all the traveling, for us we are just tired, and ready for some comfy clothes, and comfort food without alot of fussing around to get a meal on the table...

Here some dishes that I think might work for you..

Lemon Chicken and orzo soup, with bread sticks or garlic knots - its a fairly simple dish to make ahead and/or freeze. Poach or roast the chicken in white wine, chicken stock, and lemon juice, I like to use a few slices of onion for the chicken to sit on while roasting ... if you are roasting leave the skin on it keeps in from drying out, basting during the cooking process as well I like chicken on the bone it just taste better for some reason when I have went with boneless chicken it doesn't taste the same- save the dripping for the soup. In my soup pot... I start warming ( keeping it simmering) white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice.. throw in some carrots, my family likes the baby carrots in this dish. In another pan saute some onions ( my family likes them sorta thin and in long strips so you can see them in the soup, celery.. you can add in some mushrooms if you like or not, if I am going to freeze the soup I don't put in the mushroom they get weird tasting...Add them ( onion and celery) into the soup pot - De-bone the chicken shred or chop up in bite size pieces, add to the soup pot... As for the orzo, I normally cook it in a different pot just to `a la dente' so that it doesn't get over cooked and I can control the amount that goes into the soup. Once the orzo is where I like it I start adding into my soup pot to get it to the consistence that my family likes... any extra I use for orzo and tomato salad... right before I serve it I add in the spinach... a whole bag... I do re-wash and dry it then stem it my family is picky... also don't freeze it with the spinach. Ice cream sundae's for dessert...

Chili - You could make the chili on the morning of the 23rd and it would be okay in the frig till the 25th - toppings -cheese, onions, jalapenos, sour cream. You could make sweet corn bread - cake style to go along with it, or scoops or Frito's along side... if you wanted a green side salad. Your good to go...

Taco Bar - you can make the taco meat ahead of time and freeze if you want just reheat in the pan... soft and hard shells, have a head of lettuce, tomato, sour cream, a block of cheese to shred up, You can make some yellow rice, open a couple of can of black bean if so inclined and call it a day...

Baked potato bar - this is another family favorite - make sure that all the potatoes are close to the same size... then let your imagination take over, broccoli and cheese, add in some chicken or ham cubed up, chili and cheese, so many combo you can come up with...

 

[smiths02]

I would get Chinese take out.

I'm not sure they would be open around here, but I would be all for takeout if I thought a place would be open.

 

[firecracker725]

We will probably leave our house on the 23rd and arrive home late afternoon on the 25th.

On the 25th, we will have a Christmas breakfast (which is traditional breakfast...eggs, bacon, biscuits) at brunch/early lunch then drive 3-4 hours home.

Anyone have any ideas on something I could prepare on the 22nd/23rd and heat up for dinner on the 25th within an hour or two? Or something that is fast to prepare for 6 people?
(I am trying to avoid too much work on the 25th as we will be tired from celebrating Christmas twice and driving 4 hours)

My first thought is pre-cooked ham, my mac and cheese casserole, some green beans and frozen rolls, which I still might do, but other options would be good. (Especially if we end up eating that on the 24th. Although, my vote would be Mexican takeout on the 24th)

My go-to Christmas meal is Chinese takeout. Always open, and perfect for a busy time of year.

 

[ctinct]

We’re doing a Czech themed Christmas this year so the dishes I’m cooking are all traditional to that culture, but I refuse to spend the days leading up to Christmas in a frenzy so I plan a menu that can be frozen in advance and reheated. We have:

Vanocka, a braided almond bread
Kuba, a mushroom risotto-type casserole
Kyselice, a sauerkraut soup
Potato salad, which is apparently a staple on the Christmas table
Kolaches, fruit-filled pastries
Bublanina, a type of cake
About a bazillion different types of cookies

The only thing that will need to be made near Christmas is the potato salad which I can do a day or two in advance. Everything else is already (or soon to be) frozen away and will just need baking/reheating. I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of all these recipes. Czech food is no muss, no fuss. Tasty, too.

Editing because somehow this quote posted before I had even written anything.
I’m stealing these recipe ideas for next year. Let us know how they come out.
I started a similar tradition a few years ago. So far I’ve done French, British, Southern/soul food, and I think I may be forgetting one. This year is Mexican.

 

[mjkacmom]

My go-to Christmas meal is Chinese takeout. Always open, and perfect for a busy time of year.

We will be doing the same!