Thinking about Christmas Food

This morning I am thinking about Christmas food--but only thinking, because I'm down with a chest cold.  I plan to rest up today and be in fine form for cooking tomorrow!

My father and stepmother are spending Christmas with us this year, so I am expanding our menu beyond feeding just the four of us.  I needed to have something easy, in case I still don't feel well, and something hearty enough to eat at 5:30 so carry us through our Christmas Eve church service.

 Christmas Eve we plan to have:

*mixed green salad with pear and bleu cheese 

*shepherd's pie (get it? shepherds? I wasn't trying to be funny when I decided to make it....but it works....)

*roasted brussels sprouts

*steamed broccoli

Then after church we will come back to a tray of various Christmas goodies and fresh, local eggnog for my father (the only person who likes it).   

Christmas morning, after stockings and before presents, we like to have the same thing each year:

*Christmas morning casserole

*Fruit

*Fresh-squeezed orange juice

*Chocolately gingerbread with whipped cream

*Coffee

*Tea

*Cocoa for the children

My husband and father always have summer sausage, too--don't ask!  I don't understand the tradition.  But this year my husband got homemade (!) summer sausage from a colleague. 

And Christmas night is always this.

On Boxing Day this year we will go to my in-laws' house for dinner--plenty of leftovers, and because there will be football, I'll make a couple of junky dips (ranch.....cheesecake dip....)

And finally, on Sunday, we are going out for dinner with my cousin and her husband, who will be passing through town.  My husband and I are in a performance at 3:00 that day, so I opted out of cooking anything and we'll let a restaurant do the work!