recipe: help?? need xmas menu, lost recipe box!!

loralee_2007

18 years ago

Hello all,

My husband & I tore our house down and built a new one and SOMEHOW, SOMEWHERE, I've lost my treasured recipe index box! Of course I am hosting Christmas this year and I desperately need help for the menu now!!

This is what I was thinking for a menu:

Turkey & stuffing (got this covered)

Need your tried & true for:

1) 2nd meat: meatballs

2) Vegetables: 2, one must be corn/green beans/peas (DH is fussy)

3) Salad, need 2 (coleslaws or regular leaf salads. I particularly liked a salad I once tried with romaine, sunflower seeds and some raspberry type dressing!)

4) Mashed potatoes: any with cream cheese or garlic per chance?

5) Drinks: before, during & after dinner. Wine during dinner, any other beverages before & after dinner appreciated.

6) Appetizers: pre-made, hot or cold

Any help you can give would be SOOOOOO greatly appreciated. I feel absolutely LOST without my index, so any recipes you have that can fill any of these categories would be awesome. This is my FIRST holiday hosting, and of course, Murphy's Law dictates that my recipe box is GONE!!

Any other ideas on the menu, please feel free to comment!!

Thanks so much for your help!

Lora

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Comments (5)

prosperity66
18 years ago
Why not trying a Belgian mashed potatoes recipe? No cream, no cheese, nor garlic but...

Ingredients For 4 Persons:

1/2 kilo steamed or boiled and mashed "Bintje" potatoes (potatoes usually used for fries)
300 grs steamed or boiled and mashed carrots
1 egg yolk
1 sauteed onion
50 grs butter
Salt, pepper and nutmeg

Instructions:

Mix the mashed potatoes and carrots with the onion
Add the egg yolk
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg
Serve warm

Tip:

Add lemon juice to reveal carrots aroma.

Stoemp is a traditional Belgian winter meal.

Vary the taste by replacing carrots by spinach or (belgian) endive or another vegetable.

Hope this helps :-)
iris_gal
18 years ago
If you have a toaster oven make these the day before on its baking tray.

canned whole water chestnuts
bacon

Cut the bacon to a length that will overlap when wrapped around a water chestnut (be generous).
Drain the chestnuts and wrap. Push a toothpick thru. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in toaster oven 350 degrees until sizzling.

I also like smoked oysters, drained, with saltines (!) placed on the tray.

And what is Xmas without a cheese ball?! A zillion recipes. I use
8 oz. cream cheese
12 oz. cup of Kaukwana Club (sp?) soft cheddar
1.25 oz blue cheese
1 tsp. Worcestershire
2 Tbsp. butter
Beat all together (have the cheeses at room temp.) and dump onto a large piece of saran. Chill several hours or overnight. Keeping it in the saran form a ball. Day of serving roll the ball in chopped toasted pecans or almonds or paprika or minced chives. Sometimes I add 2 Tbsp. cream sherry. Very versatile. Cut back on the blue cheese for a milder flavor.
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ginger_st_thomas
18 years ago
BAKED MASHED POTATOES (serves 6)
6 medium potatoes, peeled, cooked & drained
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
3 oz pkg cream cheese
3 TBL butter
Paprika

Mash cooked potateos in mixer until light & fluffy. Add seasonings, sour cream, cream cheese & beat until well blended. Taste to check seasoning & adjust if necessary. Put in buttered 2 qt casserole. Dot w/butter & sprinkle w/paprika. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350Â° for 30 minutes. This freezes well, so can be prepared ahead of time - just defrost before baking.~~
ginger_st_thomas
18 years ago
At the site below is a salad that might be like the one you mentioned with the sunflower seeds & romaine.
Here's a favorite green bean recipe of mine:
FANTASTIC GREEN BEANS (serves 10)
2 1/2 lbs fresh green beans
3 cups water
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, crushed
One 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Grated Parmesan

Wash, trim & string beans. Break in 1/2. Place in water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil; redice heat & simmer 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking process. Set aside. In the same pan heat oil. Saute mushrooms & next 7 ingredients until tender. Stir in green beans & cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle w/grated Parmesan before serving.~~

Here is a link that might be useful: Raspberry Walnut Dinner Salad
piper101
18 years ago
I feel your pain. Suggestion: try allrecipes.com,,they have some collections like Xmas extra with all of it together. That might help and you can do an advanced search where you put in name of recipe or main ingred you want or don't want in a recipe,,that could help you track down some lost stuff. Plus I like that they are rated and people tell how the dish turned out,,what improvements they made etc. I can bring up bread pudding without raisins or if I have extra bananas on hand I pulled it up using bananas in the bread pudding and got hits there too. About.com in their food section has some wonderful recipes that I've made for years and lots of collections too. Now you got your work cut out for you in deciding....that is the hardest part you know. I hope you have a great first hosting experience,,,just remember, it's just one meal,,this won't make or break a persons life. Why don't you ask some that are coming to "bring your favorite XYZ dish" to help you out? I've done those,,"I'll do the whole thing dinners" and by the time I'm thru, I'm too tired to enjoy it,,I'm broke and say I'm not doing this again. Or, how about ordering some stuff from Honey baked ham or whatever. Take advantage of Costco, they have great appetizers you can pop in the oven. I'm just thinking out loud here. Have a good one. Nicole