Christmas Dinner Menu

[justme0729]

Im hosting Christmas Eve for the first time for 15 people and I'm curious what everyone has on their menu that doesn't cost a fortune?

I'm thinking that I'll make a roast, twice baked potatoes, corn with bacon, and rolls for dinner, chipped beef dip as an appetizer before dinner, and punch and cookies for after dinner. This way, the basics are covered but if anyone wants to bring an appetizer they can. Or, if there are other cheap things to make I could add them.

 

[scrapquitler]

I make a ham, homemade macaroni and cheese (six cheeses, no Velveeta), swedish meat balls, green beans, corn, pickles and olives, veggie and dips, chips and dips, lots of other munchies before dinner, several kinds of pies, cookies and fudge.

Turkey or ham might be cheaper than a roast if you are trying to keep cost down.

 

[Alesia]

Do you have a double oven? Doing a roast, twiced baked potatoes, and rolls in a single oven is going to be very hard to pull off.

Also, you need a vegetable.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Im hosting Christmas Eve for the first time for 15 people and I'm curious what everyone has on their menu that doesn't cost a fortune?

I'm thinking that I'll make a roast, twice baked potatoes, corn with bacon, and rolls for dinner, chipped beef dip as an appetizer before dinner, and punch and cookies for after dinner. This way, the basics are covered but if anyone wants to bring an appetizer they can. Or, if there are other cheap things to make I could add them.

I'd add a fresh item as an app or dinner option...

If it were me, I'd plan on a 3 fruit fruit tray with easy prepped fruit...served with any dip you like (marshmallow, yogurt, pumpkin, etc)...no oven needed...if it's grapes, clementines, and pineapple, you can pre-prep it all the night before and leave in ziplocs...

I might also make green beans or asparagus instead of corn b/c I like those vegs better with beef...but I'd decide based on sales (I'd also decide on my fruit tray with sales...but I'd totally eat corn if you served it to me...

EDIT: Although if you have folks potlucking for you, I'd ask them for the fruit tray and then an extra veg option, and then you have no more work and the fresh items brought for you!

 

[TwoMisfits]

Now, my menu is my Christmas present...we now have a family tradition that I do not cook on Christmas. Instead, we follow the Christmas Story and get Chinese. Somehow, this has become the Peking Duck tradition, so every year, for 6 people, we now order 2 Peking Ducks with Fried Rice (free side)...I buy a seedless cucumber myself (vs paying the Chinese place extra), and we serve the pancakes, green onion, hoisin, and cucumber with the duck, have a side of the fried rice, and then I slice oranges (or peel clementines) and we call it a day...

For dessert, I make my mom's waaaaay budget fake fool dessert from my childhood - heavy cream soaked marshmallows whipped up (marshmallows soak 12 hours before whipping) and then 1-2 cans of crushed or diced pineapple folded in for "pineapple delight" (made the night before, so the pineapple flavor can disperse) - it's a once a year memory of childhood - I make just enough it lasts no more than 2 days...and we have the Christmas cookie type or two I've made during the week and some stiff coffee with it...

For all of this, it probably comes out to $75-$80 (since the Peking Duck is $60 and then the rest is probably $15-$20)...I could make a meal probably $20 cheaper, but I'd be cooking and it wouldn't be Peking Duck...and I do love duck and that Chinese dish a lot...

 

[elsbit]

A roast for 15 people would have to be pretty big and expensive. Maybe do a roast and add some extra meat by doing a crock pot ham. I love twice baked potatoes and you can easily make that the day before and reheat in the oven with your roast (i have done that). I think you need a few more sides with that many people. I would do a big salad that you can glam up with some apples, pears, or strawberries and some toasted pecans. That way you have something green. I would throw in an extra appetizer or two. I know it is is basic, but deviled eggs are very cheap to make and tend to be popular with the men. I add celery, minced onion, and smokey paprika to mine to give a little kick and crunch. Ask your guests to bring desert items and beverages.

 

[azdisneylover]

We have a buffet featuring taquitos, mini chimis, refried beans, mexican rice, taco bar, salads (fruit and vegetable type), chips, salsa, assorted cookies, candy and pies.

 

[tcufrog]

December 23rd is a bigger deal in my family than Christmas Eve is because Santa parades through town that night on the town's fire truck. He stops at different places including the end of our street. We sometimes invite friends over for dinner to enjoy the experience. On that night I serve pasta carbonara. I only serve it that night because my recipe is incredibly rich and horrible for you. It's easy and cheap to make though.

On Christmas Eve we eat tamales along with Mexican appetizers because tamales on Christmas Eve are a tradition in our area.

 

[McKelly]

I have about 15-20 people come over for the holidays too. I have either done hot ham or hot turkey sandwiches and then a bunch of sides/apps. I get one of those boneless hams in the meat department and ask the butcher to slice it for sandwiches and then I heat it up on my slow cooker with sprite/oj, cloves, brown sugar over it. Or I buy a couple extra turkeys at Thanksgiving, cook them, pick the meat off the bones and put it in gravy. It seems to be the most reasonable way to feed a crowd. Plus, people can eat as they come and go. There is always a bunch of sides/apps too. I make some and people bring some. I only put cookies out for dessert.

 

[LilyWDW]

Christmas Eve we order lasagna, alfredo, bread sticks, and salad from Olive Garden. Then we will have a few different desserts. There is so much going on that evening with last minute prep and some people going to midnight mass that we keep is easy.

Christmas Day is when we have our traditional meal. That is beef roast, turkey, corn pudding, rolls, mashed potatoes, fruit tray, stuffing, and I am sure I am missing something. We usually also have some desserts but it changes every single year.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We aren't sure what to do for Christmas Dinner yet. I may be having surgery a week before and will not be able to do much for 2 weeks afterwards.
That means the rest of the family would be responsible for Christmas dinner and knowing them, they won't want to be cooking much.

 

[McKelly]

We aren't sure what to do for Christmas Dinner yet. I may be having surgery a week before and will not be able to do much for 2 weeks afterwards.
That means the rest of the family would be responsible for Christmas dinner and knowing them, they won't want to be cooking much.

Maybe they will surprise you. I had a hysterectomy a week before Xmas last year and I THOUGHT I would be able to get up and go to dinner at least (booked a reservation at a nice place). WRONG! But DH and my DD made prime rib, double baked potatoes and ceaser salad at home instead. Couldn't believe it! Of course now I use that as the argument that I KNOW they can help more around the house with making meals, but it falls on deaf ears. Sigh...

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have about 15 to 20 people depending on who shows up. I make a turkey, two ducks, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, corn, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce. Cheese and crackers and shrimp for appetizers. Pies for dessert. I have double ovens so it makes it pretty easy.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Our dinners vary. We've done traditional turkey or ham dinners, filet mignon, rib roasts, chuck roasts, pork roasts. Whatever people are craving and whatever is on sale. I think for your crowd, I would do a ham or turkey, since you want it budget friendly. I also have friends who serve lasagna or a baked ziti, which I find a nice compliment to ham.

 

[momma2ethan]

We go non-traditional for Christmas and have Corned Beef and Cabbage. Lots of appetizers to snack on throughout the late morning and early afternoon, including deviled eggs, pickles, olives, fruit tray, veggie tray, meat/cheese/crackers etc

 

[aliceindisneyland]

That sounds like a great menu, and most of it could be made ahead of time! I'd add something green and/or red, because you have brown/white/yellow/white on the plate! Or sub fresh green beans with bacon for the corn (and shock them so they stay bright!), should cost less for fresh green beans than canned/bagged corn (except Costco has cheap organic frozen corn—and green beans!).

If these are all family favorite Christmas dishes, go for it!

If you're looking to cut costs on this menu, you could roast the potatoes instead of doing twice baked and save the cream/butter/cheese cost, use bacon grease in the corn and mix in pimentos or a bit of chopped tomato or red pepper instead of bacon for color, and make your own French or sourdough rolls so you don't need egg/milk/butter and make whipped butter balls (melon baller & freeze until ready to serve) to serve with at the table.

 

[1st*toright]

We usually do a more formal dinner on Christmas Eve (roast beef the last few years, but could be turkey or ham), then on Christmas Day I turn the leftovers into homemade soup and bake fresh bread to go with it. I enjoy doing the holiday meal thing, but DH likes for everyone to be able to hang out and relax (including me) on the actual holiday. I think my mom might volunteer to cook this year, because she was away for Thanksgiving - she may be jonesing to cook a holiday meal too! I cooked on Thanksgiving, so I kinda got it out of my system - just making soup would be fine with me.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

What we do depends on who is there, time constraints, etc.

Some years we do a traditional ham dinner with mashed potatoes, dressing, veggies, rolls, and lots of desserts on Christmas Eve then just eat leftovers on Christmas Day.

Other years we do appetizers on Christmas Eve: Deviled eggs, chips and salsa, ham sandwiches on Kings Hahwaian rolls, again lots of desserts then do the formal meal on Christmas Day.

Some years we get pizza for Christmas Eve and Chinese on Christmas Day.

Last years menu: movie popcorn, nobody felt like eating so we skipped the Chinese and went home instead.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

My family always has a Christmas Eve party and we do heavy appetizers (more filling than a meal!). We do a big meat and cheese tray, rolls, relish tray, meat balls, shrimp cocktail, several hot dips, bacon tomato tarts, etc. It's fun to mingle and munch all night!

My husband's family does soup and munchies and that is good too.

 

[luvsJack]

Personally, I would do a ham rather than a roast. Roast is sometimes high and ham is on sale every where right now. I have my Christmas ham in the freezer now. Just put brown sugar in the bottom of your crock pot, place hame over it (slice down into the ham a few times if its not presliced), pour honey over it and pineapple chunks in juice around it. More brown sugar on top. Cook on low for 4 hours. Very good.



I am hosting the family Christmas night, we are doing the ham but everything else will be finger foods of some sort. Just whatever sounds good when I go shopping or what they all ask for. I am sure meatballs and sausage balls will be on the list.