Need some help planning a hands off Christmas Menu?!
Need some help planning a hands off Christmas Menu?
My mother-in-law is not the worlds best cook, and whenever i offer to help she says "bring the wine". But if I say "oh I have a grat recipe for_____. Can I bring it?" She'll say yes, she just doens' want to put me out. Well, for years our Chrismas eve dinner has been crab legs, salad, bread and pie. But my new sis in Law is allergic to shellfish, so we need a new menu.
She is thinking of making a roast, and I'd love to bring or suggest some easy hands off side dished to compliment the beef. Spefically a potato or veggie idea that can be tossed in the same oven or warm in a crock pot.
Answers:
You should think about hosting the holiday at your place. But a mixed greens salad is easy. Bagged lettuce (washed throughly) and any veges you want to put in it. Tomato, cucumber, green onion, green, red, yellow or orange pepper, strawberries, nuts. Buy a balsamic vinagrette to accompany and toss just before service.
Mashed Sweet Potato with Ginger
Roast the Sweet Potatoes in the oven (you can do this the day before) Peel the skin off the potatoes in a pot add 1/2 stick butter 1/4 c brown sugar and 1 tsp grated ginger in a pan.. when melted and combined add to the potatoes and whip. (If you do the potatoes the day before heat the potatoes back up before serving)
Scalloped potatos. Verrrrry easy.
Slice up a lg potato each (don't know how many people you are having over).
Place some potato slices in a casserole (spray with non stick)
Sprinkle about 1 TBSP of flour all over the potatos.
Sprinkle about 1 pat of butter over the flour.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Repeat till you end up with the last of the potatos are on top.
Pour milk till it just touches the top potatos.
Bake at 350 about 45 minutes -- should be golden brown on top. You can test for doneness by inserting knife.
If you add shredded cheese in the layer, you will have AuGratin.
Why not make some homemade rolls or bread!!! You could a veggie casserole,like a squash casserole, au gratin potatoes,
sweet potatoe casserole.
Lightly sauteed asparagus i(n olive oil) with a touch of sea salt
is also an easy dish. The key to this is to buy fresh thin asparagus.
.
Personally I like a dish I learned from martha stewart.
It's a brussell sprout dish. Check her website for exact measurements it. Basically you peel the leaves off of brussell sprouts, sautee them with chopped red onion (in no- salt butter)
Then you add a fresh herb and grate fresh parmesan cheese on it. Ive gotten rave reviews everytime Ive made this.