I'd stick with the menu you have but add something cold and with a crispy texture, like a Caesar salad. You could get the greens ready in the morning and add the dressing and croutons when you're ready to serve it.

Ham seems to be as popular as turkey for Christmas dinner in our area. I think your strategy of spending time with your guests instead of being in the kitchen all day is a wise one.

Merry Christmas, sameboat! Welcome to the CF.

I think you should prepare what you're comfortable with so you can enjoy your guests and the day. The holidays should be about family. So, my suggestions are minimal. I'd add a fresh fruit salad to brighten the menu, maybe, even purchasing honeydew melon, cantalope, and fresh berries already cut so all you have to do is dump them into a bowl and stick a big spoon alongside. If you wanted to dress the fruit - mix a bit of honey and lemon juice and drizzle over the top.

You could also bake off a pan of ready-to-bake brown and serve dinner rolls but I don't believe you need them with the potato casserole.

Did you have something in mind for dessert since you are allergic to eggs? You could save the fruit salad and serve it as dessert. Most everybody enjoys fresh fruit especially this time of year.

Mostly, don't sweat the small stuff, relax, and enjoy your day.

/tricia

No judging here. I buy a lot of my holiday dishes already prepared. And for some of my recipes, I know it's done when the smoke alarm goes off.

I've done the Christmas dinner for 25, from scratch - never again.

The ham and the green bean casserole sound good. You might want to get a festive sauce for the ham, and stab some pineapple into it, put it in the oven to warm it up.

The potatoes - not so much. How about Stouffers Scalloped potatoes, or one of their other side dishes. Not sure if they have eggs or egg products in them.

Or a few prepared side dishes from an upscale grocery store. Sweet potatoes or winter squash are appropriate. And crescent rolls, though I have burned those, maybe some already prepared rolls.

Now, when I have a big family dinner now, I try and have fun with the food - buying interesting foods that we might not eat otherwise, and we might like.

Have a great holiday.

I like the idea of a salad. I make one with mixed greens, pecans, blue cheese (opt.), some parmesan cheese, green onions, and instead of tomatoes put in a well-drained can or two of the mandarin oranges. It's a wonderful change. Dressing of your choice but I like Girards original in the triangley bottle.

Everyone will love your dinner, don't worry for a second! Sometimes we "look down our noses" at the green bean dish or others, but they certainly do disappear when they are served, don't they?!

Welcome sameboat! Stick with what you know and enjoy your guests. I like ruthanna's idea of a crisp salad also. Maybe romaine, sliced strawberries, almonds and a berry vinaigrette? Nothing wrong with a good berry vinaigrette from the store.

Now - after the holidays is the time to try a turkey or other things you've never made. And by the next holiday gathering you can surprise your inlaws with a new dish that you will feel comfortable making. For now, stick with what you are comfortable making and that you know the family enjoys.

Merry Christmas and welcome to the forum!

Teresa in Minnesota

A bright addition to your menu might be carrots. Cook 1/4" thick 'coins' in a little water, it'll only take about 10 minutes. When done, drain off remaining water, add S&P, some butter (how much? I add about a tablespoon for a recipe for two or three people) and then stir in some orange marmalade, maybe one or two T. for my small recipe).

You'll get a bright colorful easy dish that everyone will love.

Sameboat - Your menu sounds very good to me considering it is easy and you will have a piece of mind.
Recently I hosted a party and my maple glazed ham and carrots were a success! The carrots were precooked and while the ham was resting I put the dressing in the carrots and heat them in the oven.

Silvia

Sounds good to me. One tip, do your ham in a roasting bag, they stay moist and it's even easier clean up. Just remember to put a Tbsp of flour into the bag and shake it around before you put in the ham. I also think the salad idea is a good one and you can buy it in the bag and just dump stuff together. Hope you have a wonderful relaxing holiday.

Welcome sameboat...no criticism from me either. My kids love that potato casserole! The most important thing is to do what you are comfortable with and not be stressed.

My only though is that both sides are creamy so I'd be inclined to add another veggie that was a bit crunchy and dressed simply.

Carrots or beets served with just a bit of butter or even frozen corn with a bit of butter. I'd stay away from another green veggie or a veggie with a sauce.

Enjoy your Christmas!!!

Sounds delicious to me!!! I would love to be invited. If you want to add somehting sweet how about those hot cinnamon apples like they serve at the Cracker Barrel? I think store like BJ's carry them..or even cranberry sauce would be a nice touch..all those salads sound good too. Sounds like a yummy dinner!
Joann

I love that green bean casserole! :) If you want to stick with the ham and the two creamy casseroles, but jazz it up easily, I'd serve a beautiful spring mix salad with mandarin oranges, red onions, almonds, and a balsamic/OJ dressing. It's very easy, everyone loves it, and it's beautiful *eye candy*! If you want the recipe I can find it.

I'd open up and drain a can of chunk pineapple to serve on the side with ham.
Also some folks in my family like the horse radish sauce mixed with beets with their ham. I plan on doing baked beans with my fresh ham this year.

Oh my goodnes thank you all so much! I am feeling the love! I am loving the idea of carrots with marmalade and/or a nice crisp salad with some fruit and nuts in it. Come to think of it, my father-in-law does like salad with vinagrette dressing. I am feeling at peace with my menu now. Just so you know, I CAN cook but I get very nervous (even after 22 years of marriage) when I cook for a family holiday. I made a spectacular Thanksgiving dinner but it was just the kids and my husband. Had the in-laws been here I'd have set off the alarm, forgotten about the buns in the oven and spilled juice all over the floor. It's just ridiculous. Thank you all so much. Merry Christmas! :)

Sameboat - when I first opened and read your thread I imagined you were a newlywed. A newlywed nervous about cooking for the inlaws.

So you aren't a newlywed or new to cooking.......

Welcome to the forum and do come back and let us know how it all worked out!

Teresa

Glenda-al's Spiced Pineapple Pickups are very good with ham and you can do them beforehand (they keep in the fridge for ages):

A 1lb13oz can of pineapple chunks in syrup
3/4 cup of vinegar
1 1/4 cups of sugar
dash salt
6 to 8 whole cloves
A 4" stick of cinnamon

Drain syrup from pineapple into a saucepan. Add the other ingredients. Heat for 10 minutes, than add pineapple and bring to a boil. Cool then place in airtight container and refrigerate. Serve cold.

oh yum thank you colleen!

oh yum thank you colleen!

I become all thumbs when cooking for the family, too. In fact, I am all thumbs most of the time. I did discover this simple cranberry spinach salad. It's easy, everyone ADORES it and I let them think it is a lot of work. I think it would go well with your menu. You can do most of it in advance, then just assemble (don't add the dressing in advance)and serve.

Oh -- welcome and Merry Christmas. I love green bean casserole.

Here is a link that might be useful: cranberry spinach salad.

Well sameboat I AM going to judge you here. I've been called every name in the book so, watdaheck...

I judge this as common sense! Don't be ashamed of your plan. I think you're wise to put the time with the people before slaving in a kitchen. Isn't that the theory of this time of year? In my book, something simple done right is vastly superior to foo-foo food gone bad.

OK so my suggestions: I'm from Minnesota, born to farm folk moved to the "big city". Here, a holiday meal just ain't complete unless you have corn. Either on the cob (which I would not suggest for this event) or plain whole kernel, ever so lightly buttered. (They can add more if they want). That would be a middle texture and some yellow in there. Another option for something not to common anymore is green beans with bacon and onion, and can add some ranch seasoning to make them different. Would be adding a green color if you wanted.

I'd also suggest something like a strawberry salad. You know the ones with the romaine lettuce, maybe some iceberg mixed in, onion, radishes, and strawberries with a poppy seed dressing. Easy to make or you can buy bagged greens, chop an onion, some radishes, cashews and use a jar of dressing. It's light, has tartness, a touch of sweetness from the strawberries and a good crunch with the iceberg in there.

Don't be ashamed of the potatoes if that's how you like them. I would say that making your own really isn't too hard and there's a pretty simple version where you cook the potatoes in broth then a simple white sauce rather than the cream soup. I can't remember for sure how it went but as I recall you cooked the potatoes in the broth. I'm sure I have it copied. I can look it up or else someone will have it. I'm just thinking that instead of two cream soup items, one could be a little different, still creamy but you'll likely find the taste a little less "same" if you know what I mean.

The other salad idea is the broccoli slaw. Brad (aka moonwolf) did one up that sounded pretty good. If you're interested, I'll try to find the link to the thread. Instead of a traditional green salad, even doctored up with strawberries, I personally have developed a fondness for cauliflower and broccoli both. It all depends on what your family likes.

Also a relish tray with carrot sticks, radishes, celery, green onions, etc will give some crunch options too and most people like and often expect it, at least around here.

The ham is fine. Doesn't need doctoring. Spiral sliced is meant to be served at room temperature but could be warmed if some want it that way. Some nice fresh bakery rolls or even some better quality brown and serve are quite adequate or there's the Rhodes frozen ones too if you want a touch more of homemade to it.

Both the strawberry salad and the broccoli slaw would be a notch up from the basic without much more effort. Good, tasty rolls, I like wheat but some require white so maybe some of each. I'd put the glazes and mustard sauces on the side if you must have them. A good ham stands on its own. Doesn't need it, especially with sugar veggies. I like the basics. Carrots don't need sugar, ham doesn't either. But some gotta have their sugar fix so go with what you like and what your family will like.

All of these are pretty basic and comfort type foods. Should be very fitting for a time of year when you want to be comfortable and relieve stress.

Good luck to you and Merry Christmas! This is a great group of talented cooks and a few slugs like me. I've learned a lot here. Stick around and enjoy. Now and then there's a catfight like any family so don't be surprised when it happens! :)

Oh and if anything mentioned tweaks your interest, feel free to ask for the recipes & I'll be glad to post them for you.

One other option for the potatoes:

Marilyn's Party Potatoes

6 medium potatoes (or frozen hash browns)
2 cups sour cream
1/2 pound grated Velveeta or any cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon snipped chives
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup coarse bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Boil potatoes in salted water with skin on until tender; cool slightly, peel and cool completely. Grate potatoes coarse. Butter a casserole dish and mix potatoes with sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper, milk, chives and Worcestershire. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top of potatoes, drizzle with butter (or mix 1 cup corn flake crumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter); bake 1 hour at 350

Last week I had my dinner group here and everyone was talking about Bob Evan's mashed potatoes. One gal said for Christmas last year she was having an aunt who is a gourmet cook but decided to ignore the fact and served the Bob Evan's mashed potatoes. Just took it out of the package it comes in and put it in a fancy bowl. Her aunt thought they were the best potatoes she ever had and wanted the recipe! LOL I have never had them but several of the ladies had made them and said they were delicious. Apparently there are several versions but the one to get is the original. They are all good cooks. And in case you haven't noticed, no matter what you serve, everything always taste better when someone else cooks it so your in-laws and everyone else will enjoy whatever you serve. Merry Christmas

Ham, cheesy potatoes and green beans, how can you go wrong? Seriously, I love all those things and if your family likes them, all the better. How about some really easy things, like buying some pineapple rings and spiced apple rings(yup, right out of the jar) and put them around the ham on the serving platter? It instantly makes it look fancier with very little effort. I do like the idea of a salad or broccoli slaw. How about going to your local bakery and picking up a nice bread?

Ill terll ypou a story I still laugh about it.One Sunday I had a roast in theoven with carrots & potatoes,Here comes my fathernlaw to visiot and hubby says can he eat with us?I wenyt put looked at it it was enough for us but 1 more ewew so I said yes chopped everything up made a stewadded 1 pack of onion soup mix,dry.it was good,made buquits to go with it.Made it ...Just dont sweat it your mother nlaw probably went thru it too at one time

A salad is pretty easy. No worry about over cooking.

Here is a quick one, made with one head of romane lettuce. The lettuce is cut four ways.

dcarch

Wow that spinach salad would be perfect! I've had that broccoli one before and yum! Boy you've all come up with some great ideas and certainly made me feel better about my plan. It didn't occur to me to serve the ham for sandwiches so I'll pick up some nice fancy rolls down the street. Now for the spiced apple rings out of a can - where do I find that? With the pie filling? I've never heard of it and that will be the finishing touch. bulldinkie quick thinking with your stew! When my son wants to have a friend over and it doesn't look like enough I cook two boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese - and they fill up on it! My older son sometimes has friends over for dinner, and usually I wreck whatever I'm cooking. I'll say oh it's a new recipe and it's Russian, it's supposed to be this dry, sorry. Or I'll say this is a special Czech recipe and you have to acquire a taste for it. LOL Now that the boys are older they know I am full of it and laugh. Bohemian mashed potatoes yes, they're supposed to have lumps everybody knows that LOLOL

omg dcarch that salad is fantastic!!!

Georgysmom posted this on the KT and it sounds delicious and pretty easy, too. I like fruit with meat dishes.

HOT FRUIT SALAD (Georgysmom@KT)

2 large cans pineapple chunks, drained
2 large cans peach slices, drained
2 Cups fresh cranberries
1/2 C brown sugar
2 T. Instant tapioca granules

Mix together in 9 x 13 and bake 350 about 20 minutes. Just till heated through and cranberries begin to pop. Great with ham or turkey, Can reheat in micro.

mmmmm...I think I'm going to make up a fresh spinach salad and then have small dishes of strawberries, sliced almonds and mandarin orange slices. People can take what they want. The kids will probably just have the fruit so I will also have a small bowl of those tiny marshmallows and they can. make an ambrosia. Whew the ideas I got here are fantastic. Thank you all - I'll be back for Easter! LOL

The dressing for that spinach salad sounds an awful lot like Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing. It's good stuff! We mainly use it for a salad of grilled chicken over mixed greens. You can add a little vinegar to cut the sweetness and make it lighter. You should be able to find it nationwide--it's made in Texas, but most stores here in Oregon sell it.

That sounds great. I think you could find a scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin recipe that uses cream and doesn't take too much extra effort if any. Then again, you could just do it as you're comfortable. I think it's very smart to make ahead and enjoy your guests. A lot of people never figure out that nothing delivered by a crazy, stressed-out hostess tastes very good!

I always get asked to make this marinated carrot salad. You can make it the day before.

Marinated Carrot Salad

1 1/2 lb carrots--6 large
1 can tomato soup
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 green pepper, diced
2 small onions, minced
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce.

Cut carrots into chunks, cook, drain and cool.

Combine remaining ingredients, stir in carrots and chill at least 8 hours.

I solved the problem of slaving all day, rather the adult family did. We do a potluck. We have a yahoo group for the family and this year one daughter said she is hosting and making a spiral ham - what will everyone else bring? There are 25 of us including 6 bottomless pits - teenagers. They are cooking too, thank you to their moms for teaching them that they will starve if they don't know how and since they eat, they have to cook and holidays are a good time to share. They are inclined to do easy - deviled eggs, brownies, potato salad, green salad, raw veggies and dip. We've had some weird combinations for meals but everything was pretty much eaten at the end of the day. Besides it was fun to see what each brought and perhaps taste things we never had before - collards with side meat, oven roasted parsnips, chutney filled corn muffins, venison roast with chestnuts, lamb and vegetable kabobs served room temp, hummus in endive cups, pot stickers, meatless mincemeat pie. This year I'm making gingerbread cake, dinner rolls (reheated in the oven) and a huge tray of 6 different appetizers for the bottomless pits, particularly. Last year was a crock pot of vegetable and squash soup.

Perhaps next year your family can start that tradition too? It does make feeding a crowd a whole lot easier and when you have appetizers on the coffee table, people stay out of the kitchen (and out of your way).

Nancy

My husband's family has does essentially potluck for years. Usually one sibling does the appetisers, one the main, one the vegetables and one the dessert, and MIL makes a trifle. Who does what has moved around over the years by friendly negotiation. This year I'm doing the turkey and a lemon tart, an appetiser, a salad and condiments.
But next day I'm doing the whole shebang for my family, it's just DH, DD and me but we love leftovers :-)

We like the Green Bean Casserole with some alterations....

Pam is not a fan of those bits-o-mushrooms.....SO we switched to Cream Of Potato soup.....german dishes often team the potatos and green beans.....we also skip adding the milk

We generally use green beans from the garden....blanched

Merry Christmas

dougandpam

Welcome to the forum! Your menu sounds great to me, and is likely to be repeated for our family, as that's what we usually have. Please don't wait until Easter to come back and visit with us! And you aren't alone. I'm not good at cooking for extended family, either!

Tami

Thank you all! It was delicious and we had leftovers to enjoy today. Merry Christmas!

Did you end up with some sort of salad?

I'm with Tami - don't wait for another holiday to stop back in and say hello!

Teresa

Mixed greens salad, tomato, mandarin slices, strawberries, slivered almonds and raspberry vinaigrette. Awesome.

I'm late to the parade. I was out of town between snow storms. But for the next time you make ham, apple rings can be found in your regular grocery store. In my store they are in the row with other canned fruits.

Hope everything turned out well for you!

Thank you Boo! :)

Yes, welcome to the forum Sameboat!! I joined about 8 years ago when I was stressing over my first time hosting a holiday dinner in my new house. And I was 44 years old so NOT a new cook or hostess but I'm mostly vegetarian and my family asked for organic turkey. Now what did I know about cooking a turkey??!! Folks here held my hand and were so friendly and nice I stayed. And I am a firm believer in the school of thought that Chase mentioned, food tastes best when served in a warm, relaxing manner by a happy hostess!! There's a whole bunch of us here who are all into short cuts, low cal, low carb, high carb, store bought, "inexpensive", whatever floats your boat, no apologies!! Diversity is the spice of life and the spice of the kitchen! So take your shoes off (I don't want mud tracked in now!) ;) and stay a while!!

Well, I know it is late for this year, Steamboat, but an easy garnish for any meat on my holiday table originated with my aunt. Canned peach halves and the center divot from the pit filled with a tablespoon of jarred mincemeat filling for pies. Warm in the oven till warmed through, though they can sit in the oven for a long time as you race around the kitchen. I usually put them into the oven when I remove the bird or roast or ham to rest 15 minutes before carving. A bite of the peachy minced meat is yummy with any meat or poultry.

I am looking over this thread from last year to get some ideas for this year...some things I haven't yet tried. Lots of good stuff in here for me to still pick from. Thank you!