Best ambrosia I ever had was just fresh navel orange sections, a little juice, and coconut. Heaven in a dish!

I think that millionaire's salad looks delish! My Grannie made something similar for family gatherings and we always loved it.

Our Christmas meal will be positively pedestrian compared to many of these menus. My fondest memories are of Christmas Eve spent at my grandparents' house with extended family, where JUNK FOOD reigned supreme! Chili dogs, Frito pie, chips and dip, homemade candy and cookies - all the "bad for you" comfort foods that we didn't often have at any other time of the year were a full-on indulgence on Christmas Eve. I'm thinking the older folks went to bed after dosing themselves with Tums or Maalox, but for us kids its was an absolute treat!

This year, our menu will be a combined effort and will likely consist of ham, green bean casserole, corn, mac & cheese, pies and cobblers for dessert, and other such simple items that are probably holiday staples for many families. It's fun to combine everything potluck style and see what all we can come up with! One thing's for sure, nobody will go hungry.

My MIL makes something that I never heard called "Millionaire's salad" but sounds the same. I confess I love it. Have no idea why people don't think that orange and pineapple with sour cream and coconut wouldn't be good? Yum. I think the only part that might raise eyebrows is marshmallows, but they add a bit of sweetness and are harmless but also easily omitted.

I have to admit the recipe above with the pretzel crust sounds good to me too... i think it would be similar to cheesecake with strawberries on top.

My grandmother and mom always made ambrosia with fresh oranges, fresh grapefruit, maraschino cherries, pecans, pineapple chunks, coconut and whipped cream. Heaven in a bowl, but my kids don't care for it! My mom also used to make a salad she called 5 Salad-it had a can of cherries, a can of pineapple, a carton of Kool Whip, pecans and some other ingredient. I used to love that stuff.

That raspberry-pretzel salad is identical to Mabel's salad (my ex's grandma) except hers used strawberries and strawberry jello. It was so incredibly yummy and now I'm craving it badly!

Marshmallows, French toast, sprinkles, cinnamon rolls, pull apart bread...what the hey! It's Christmas!

The raspberry pretzel salad really is one of my favorite things at family dinners. It ticks all the boxes of sweet, creamy, salty, crunchy. It is a bit like cheesecake with raspberry topping, but less dense and less filling. So you can have two servings ;-)

We have discussed brunch options, and DS has requested "nothing weird and fancy" after hearing my ideas. Guess it will be French toast and bacon, maybe a nice fruit salad for us.

I've never heard of millionaire salad, but there is a lime jello/pecans/crushed pineapple, marshmallow salad that I think is yummy! Have also never heard of the pretzel salad with raspberries, but have had it many times with strawberries.

I've heard of ambrosia but never had it-- never heard of millionaire salad or jello-pretzel dessert. I guess I've been living under a rock! LOL. The closest I've come is waldorf salad which I LOVE.

our tradition is large family meal for Christmas Eve, a "come when you are ready" rolling breakfast of made-to-order egg mcmuffin style sandwiches, fruit, pastries, mimosas and bloody marys. The rest of Christmas Day is spent grazing leftovers and playing scrabble games. I used to cook Christmas Eve dinner but my sister took over hosting and the meal. I love when we do just lots of appetizers and small plates.. but this year it will be italian. All our Christmas meals are pretty informal.

I'm sorry Sue (and anyone else who was offended), I've just never heard of a salad with marshmallows and the picture to the linked recipe is kind of foamy and weird looking. You may remember my mother makes a hideous tasting and looking "salad" with a beverage called Cold Duck that is just horrible. I actually thought you were mentioning your salad in a similar vein, as something yucky that is served as a tradition to please children regardless of its taste or appearance. I get it....we have the cold duck :-) In any case I have removed my comment above....... mea culpa....I truly do not care what anyone eats, lol.

Outsideplaying, your simple meal sounds amazing-- I am eager to do a turkey breast on the Big Green Egg.. and the salad sounds like a perfect pairing! Actually, all your holiday menus sound perfect. I don't like a lot of fuss.. just good flavors, good food!

Kswl, hey don't knock it until you've tried it. Mom first made it, now I keep up the tradition. One of my 9 year old grandsons *insists* I make it when they visit for the holidays~I can't imagine disappointing this little guy. Everyone loves it, even those who don't like sour cream, which imo, keeps it from being as sweet as other fruit salads. It gets spooned into 2 small crystal bowls(refilled when empty!),one for each end of the table .....to prevent fighting(just kidding).

Tina, the 'lime jello' salad sounds like Watergate Salad, but the main ingredient would be pistachio pudding giving the green color, not lime jello. It has pecans, crushed pineapple, mini marshmellows, pistachio instant pudding, and cool whip. Also popular at our house, but not like the 5 cup.

Well I know at some point I'm going to try Millionaire Salad. :)

We've never had a special Christmas breakfast. We usually have something going on Christmas Eve and sometimes multiple places Christmas day. I usually eat very light that morning.

I'd enjoy changing the menu but it wouldn't fly. Both places will have ham, mac n cheese, probably some form of potato, deviled eggs (I hope!), green been casserole and/or corn, maybe some other veggies. Desserts.

I'm taking undecided veggies to the one place and a meat and cheese platter to the other.

Apology accepted, kswl. I was just surprised at such a strong response to one little menu item...but yeah, calling it a "salad" is a bit of a stretch. OTOH, one of my relatives in the midwest makes a "cookie salad" and millionaire salad is a super nutritious option compared to THAT salad. Thanks everyone for your support for a salad that includes marshmallows :)

Oooh. Deviled eggs. I'm adding those to my Christmas menu.

Wish dh liked deviled eggs. Have my mom's old cut glass deviled egg dish and never get to use it.

Watergate Salad! That's what my mom made when I was a kid! Us kids always affectionately called it "Green Goo." I'm going to make it as a surprise this year. Thanks for the name, otherwise I would have no idea how to make it.

We are going to DH's uncle's house for Christmas Eve. They don't need any food so I'm taking individual cookie and toffee gifts so everyone will have their own personal stash.

Christmas morning is just the two of us. We'll have ham and cheese croissants (WS) and berries for breakfast. Then open presents to each other. DS and fiancée are coming for dinner (they will open their presents) and I'm making Baked Bolognese, Olive and Rosemary focaccia, Caesar salad and Italian Cream Cake for dessert. Full on Italian!

My sister and nephew are coming after Christmas from NJ so we will have a whole family Christmas on New Year's Day with a present swap and BBQ! We are ordering from the best BBQ joint around and I'm making pecan pie and Green Goo.

I used to sometimes make a version of Watergate salad -- recipe came from Weight Watchers years ago and I think it was just sugar free pistachio pudding mix, crushed pineapple, and vanilla yogurt. It was meant to be a snack/treat and as many of us know, when you're dieting, you'll take any "dessert" you can get. My family called it Green Slime.

Yes, Patty - my grandmother used to make Watergate salad. I'm not a fan. I'm not sure if it's the pudding, or the pistachio? A funny I've noticed with all these menus is I have lived in the south all my life, but mac & cheese is not a part of our holiday menu (any holiday). No green bean casserole either. My parents/grandparents always had gardens, so fresh (canned) green beans were available. Still are but in my area you can still get fresh green beans at our produce centers (probably from Florida or such). In the lime jello salad, if I remember correctly, you add boiling water to the jello powder and I believe you add the marshmallows at that point - so they are semi-melted.

Shee - I don't think deviled eggs will ever go off our Christmas (or Easter!) menu. My sis called this morning to find out if I am making them, if not she was going to. LOL

We don't have a special Christmas breakfast either. And not a big heavy (rich) meal on Christmas Eve. Christmas dinner is the "star".

We do a seafood paella on Christmas Eve. And always a different vegan entree for the non-meat eaters and special diet folks. And a big green salad and tons of assorted apps.

Christmas morning the last thing I want is food, I'm always too stuffed. Christmas Day we are going out with family for the first time in forever. I finally tired of hosting back-to-back large meals.

Oh i think seafood paella sounds wonderful for a Christmas Eve meal!

Speaking of "salads", can anyone tell me what a Snickers Salad is? A year or so ago the NYTimes did a survey of most popular ThxG sidedishes by region, and IIRC this was very popular in the Westm excluding the coast.

My Aunt Penny always made the Millionaire Salad for family parties. It is really good.

I'm still working on a plan for the next week, thanks everyone for sharing, lots of great ideas.

I live in the deep South and our grocery store delis sell Watergate salad. Every few years I buy a small amount. I really enjoy the first few bites and then remember why I haven't purchased it in a while.

I actually plan on doing the pretzel-jello "salad" too. I have never made it but remember having it at a church potluck where most of the ladies were of an older generation and I liked it. That was probably more than 10 years ago but I remembered it recently and decided it was perfect for my extended family at Christmas and easier than a cheesecake. Funny that it came up in this thread.

I admit to having made (and enjoyed) that strawberry-pretzel salad! There are a couple of restaurants around here that specialize in serving it because it's still so popular.

Meant to add a thanks to Funkyart for your comments about our dinner. Yes, we like to keep it simple. And I also like the idea of raspberries to the pretzel salad.

And I also admit to eating more than my share of Watergate salads back in the 70's-80's when it seemed like someone was always bringing one to a covered dish thing. Haven't had one in years though. And Ambrosia! The thought makes me swoon. Love it with fresh orange sections, coconut and pineapple with some juicy goodness. And I don't even mind a few mini-marshmallows if someone adds them. I can pick around them if I don't want a lot.

only Christmas breakfast gets "menu'd" by me usually -- more of a picnic I bring to DD#1's house for opening presents. The one non-negotiable (per DD#1) is mimosas. Other items : French toast casserole that can be partially made ahead (I made an "eggnog" version last year and it was great), bagels, fruit, donuts or other pastries, sausage, deviled eggs or if I'm really ambitious about using someone else's kitchen -- eggs benedict.

ETA: found the recipe, if you're interested: http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2014/12/18/baked-eggnog-french-toast-casserole/?utm_source=PBS%20Parents

I am home alone Christmas eve and Christmas brunch. (My brother lives in Illinois; my nieces are in Florida -- I was originally hoping to get to Florida over New Years to see my new grand nephew, but I can't travel this season.) I'll be going to Christmas dinner at a friend's. She'll have a roast and I don't know what else; I will bring smoked salmon roll ups (cream cheese, dill, capers, a bit of onion).

Dad's Christmas eve tradition was the Feast of the Seven Fishes which he fell into with gusto once he learned about it. (We're not Italian.) So, while I'm not going to do seven fishes this year, I will do at least scallops, and probably sauteed Swiss chard. Maybe a small roasted potato or two.

Breakfast the next day will be something eggy -- which is usual for me (unless I eat leftovers, but I'm not expecting leftovers). And a small snack around noon (grapefruit?) to tide me over until dinner appetizers are served at my friend's.

For Christmas Eve we're having lasagna, ciabatta, and a salad with cranberries, feta, and cranberry vinaigrette. A friend is bringing dessert.

Christmas morning we'll have egg and sausage casserole, cinnamon rolls, fruit salad, juice, coffee with eggnog, and hot chocolate with candy canes.

Friends are coming over late afternoon on Christmas for cocktails before we all go to a party together. I'm going to serve warm spinach and artichoke dip with red and green tortilla chips and baked pinwheels with pesto and sundried tomato pesto. We need something to tide the kids (and us!) over as our party hosts are notorious for serving dinner really late. They usually serve standing rib roast, shrimp, mashed potatoes, and a green veggie (and a huge dessert buffet!).

Everything sounds great!

Our Christmas Eve tradition is boiled shrimp, guacamole, and fondue. Wine.

Chrismas Brunch -- Eggs Benedict, Apricot Crunch (will do today) Milk Punch and mimosas.

Christmas Dinner -- Ambrosia, Turkey and dressing (done), Swedish Mashed Potatoes (with spinach)(done), Carrot soufflé (done) corn cassarole ( will do today) green beans,cranberry sauce and yeast rolls (DM and DD will make -- this recipe shipped a generation). Boiled custard and cookies for dessert.

new Years Eve -- standing rib roast, Bernaise sauce, twice backed potatoes, broiled asparagus and ??

We just have my parents over on Christmas Eve and keep it simple b/c we go to Mass at 9pm. So, salad, homemade ravioli (tradition for dh to make this), garlic bread and cannoli and tiramisu for dessert.

we go to my parents for Christmas Day in mid-afternoon. At home, we have cinnamon rolls and my kids also junk food cereal that Santa brings every year (only time I ever buy it and each gets their favorite kind). My father makes dinner on Christmas. This year the menu he decided on is veal sorrentino, risotto con funghi, spinacci y formaggi (mushrooms, spinach and cheese), a green bean dish he didn't specify, and most likely some kind of Italian bread. My mother is making red velvet cake. My brother is bringing antipasti which typically includes roasted eggplant, zucchini, peppers, assorted Italian meats and cheeses, and olives. I'm off the hook apparently - I usually bring something but they took care of it all.

We celebrate more CE now since DS1 and DIL do CD with her family. This year I'm doing lasagne for CE for a change. Had noodles on hand I wanted to use. Made sauce yesterday. Will do a vegan version for DS2 and his gf. Dessert will be assorted cookies (some homemade), gelato, and cherry cream cheese pie ...everyone can pick and choose. Christmas morning I'll do the egg and bacon casserole, fruit salad, coffee cake.

For CD I was planning another big meal but am off the hook! It will just be us and DD. DS2 is meeting up with out of town friends. Asked DD to decide what I should make....she said reservations! So the three of us are going to a nice Thai restaurant. A relaxing CD at last!

we are eating out christmas eve. will do a breakfast casserole for christmas morning and a ham with cranberries, scalloped potatoes, sweet potato casserole and veg? (still have to run to store tomorrow morning to decide which) for christmas late afternoon...

i absolutely could never get everything i need to get done done if i was making huge meals for christmas eve dinner and christmas breakfast and dinner! i barely can as it is! (i am sitting here at computer while cookies are in the oven!! :)

We are having Mexican on Christmas Eve, with homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup, Veggie Quesadillas, Tacos, Rice, and Mexican Hot Hot Chocolate.

Pumpkin waffles, fruit salad and bacon Christmas morning.

Christmasmas dinner is Tenderloin,Saffron Risotto and a salad.

My kids want roll out and decorate sugar cookies; anyone have a favorite recipe for that?

TIA!

You guys are all just so fancy with the meals.

Christmas Eve is either order-in Chinese food or homemade pizza (probably pizza this year).

I don't do Christmas breakfast. I have chocolate and coffee for breakfast and everyone else is on their own.

Christmas dinner is turkey, mashed potatoes with goat cheese and chives, roasted vegetables (carrots, brussel sprouts, red onion, butternut squash with pancetta), spinach salad with mandarin oranges and dessert is gluten-free apple/cranberry crumble with either whipped cream, caramel sauce or ice cream (or any combination)

I grew up with my extended family - French Canadian roots - honoring the Christmas Eve tradition of Reveillon. A meal featuring Tourtières (savory meat pies) was served AFTER Midnight Mass, AFTER gifts were opened. We were usually dining around 2 a.m.!

For the past 30 years we've altered the practice. We gather around 6:00 Christmas Eve, enjoy a drink & light appetizers, distribute gifts to the kids, do our Secret Santa exchange among adults and eat between 8-9:00 p.m. Those with kiddos can take their leave and the rest of us stay to mix & mingle till around midnight.

Fortunately, I learned from my Mom her recipe & technique for the Tourtières - seems every family has their distinctive rendition. When she wasn't able to do them I took over. DH and I have been the pie makers for almost a decade.

Here's our batch for tomorrow night's feast!

Christmas Eve will be low key. Just Dh and our two DD's. I asked DH what he would like for Christmas Eve dinner this year. He said, "why do we have to eat back to back big meals? Let's just do a salad!" Well, that works for me.

Christmas will be: Shrimp cocktail, dip, crackers, grapes, assorted cheeses. Egg nog with rum.

Glazed spiral ham, raisin sauce, whipped potatoes/gravy, green beans with almonds, salad. Gluten free vegetarian "turkey" roast for my DD's.

Then for dessert, cookies that I will bake tomorrow and a gluten free apple cake for my oldest.

ellendi - do you have a link for the gluten free apple cake?

Update on Christmas Eve meal--- last night i made the pioneer woman's make ahead mashed potatoes (recommended by someone here on an earlier thread) using slightly less butter and cream cheese than called for in the recipe. My uber picky mother pronounced them "delicious!" The method of mashing by hand over low heat to allow all the steam to escape before adding any further ingredients (so they will not become grainy or soggy from that trapped water) worked to perfection, so a big thanks to that unknown GW er! I let those cool before refrigerating.

Also made the Martha Stewart cream of caramelized onion soup but not completely; I'm waiting to reheat it tomight before adding the cream. However----the base of chicken stock, pureed caramelized onions and vermouth is pretty darn good, and it is a lovely brown color that will presumably turn into a lovely latte color after the addition of cream. It is very, very rich, and half a cup of this is MORE than enough!

Today just have to chop veggies that form the "rack" for our 8lb standing rib roast (onions, mushrooms, carrots and celery moistened with chicken stock) and defrost the buche! Oh---and steam the broccoli at the last moment , and make mac and cheese ahead for tomorrow. I did not get a single thing done yesterday as we gave all employees an additional day off for Christmas, so i answered phones all day. But i still feel slightly ahead of the game because the potstoes and soup are made!

KSWL - I have made those mashed potatoes and they were good! The soup sounds yummy!!

Since I have been ill the past 3 weeks, my husband requested (after I offered) some simple fare -- Baked Ham, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans with an appetizer of Squash Soup. Chocolate dipped coconut macaroons for desert with freshly ground coffee.

We'll be watching A Christmas Carole in various versions throughout the evening. Nice, quiet evening. Then off to the In-Laws tomorrow!

What wonderful menus!

I've kind of started a little Christmas tradition of making braised brisket (onions and mushrooms), mashed potatoes (this year, they will have butter braised leeks in them), green beans, a baked macaroni and cheese (for the kids...in all of us!) and a homemade cheesecake assortment (1/4 each NY Style, double chocolate, caramel apple pie and Turtle). I made ham, cream cheese and dill pickle roll ups for an app (my son could eat them all) and may make some spicy candied pecans as well. We will do this on Saturday with my son and his family.

For CE, we will have green salsa chicken (we're both working and don't get off early). For Christmas morning, we will have homemade Chilaquiles with scrambled eggs. Probably throw some bacon in there. Supper will just be the two of us but we'll do something light. Not sure yet...

my final Christmas present opening brunch menu: Eggnog French Toast casserole, roasted tomatoes with breadcrumbs and honey, ham, and watermelon. and Mimosas!

that cream of caramelized onion soup sounds . . . icky.

Blfenton: Gluten Free Apple Cake

350 degrees use a spring form pan

Butter and dust the pan

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup almond flour (Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 TBS butter, melted

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 apples (about 13/4) peeled cored and sliced in 1/8 wedges

(I use Granny Smith)

Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Beat a medium high for 5 minutes until pale yellow and thickened.

Gradually add the flour, eggs and butter, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Beat at low speed until blended then back to medium speed for 3 minutes.

Add baking powder and vanilla. Beat 2 more minutes.

Turn batter into the pan.

Arrange the apple slices vertically core side down starting from outside edge

Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean in center

Cool for 10 minutes

I have made this a few times. Sometimes it takes longer so best to keep checking.

The people should like the taste of almond because it basically tastes like an apple marzipan cake. My gluten free daughter loves it.

Merry Christmas! We are having stone crab for eight tonight with homemade coleslaw (made by me) and homemade tapioca pudding (made by DD1.) The crab has become a big splurge now that my kids are all adults and there are a BF and GF, but its a tradition for us.

We are having homemade pizzas and salad for Christmas dinner. This is definitely not a tradition, but two of my kids and DH were excited about the idea and it will be fun. DD1 and DS2 are taking on the homemade pizza. I will make a breakfast casserole Christmas morning.

Lots of good wine and some cocktails in the mix too.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday :)

Okay, I did five of the 7 fishes tonight: Rhode Island Clam chowder (purchased); scallop sashimi with wasabi, lemon & tamari; a little eel cooked with teryaki sauce; one stuffed squid (with mushrooms, extra scallop, and the squid tentacles (a second is reserved for Saturday); and just a hint of smoked salmon -- the rest of the latter I will be using tomorrow for the app I am making.

Up early because I fell asleep early last night! Dinner well received, decided in the afternoon to make large homemade croutons for the soup with Italian bread, a little olive oil, cracked pepper and kosher salt and the teensiest sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The soup was very rich and delicious. (Violet, my DS 1' so did not use that exact description but did not eat much of his, so someone def agreed with your assessment, lol! ) Everything else was great and the Buche was delightful. Everything made for today's brekkie and dinner except biscuits......yay !

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, o<{:-)

Eating breakfast now: 1 leftover stuffed squid, re-heated, one duck egg omelet (one egg) with bacon, Fontina cheese, mushrooms and sauteed kohlrabi greens --- with the extra mushrooms and greens on the side.

Lunch will be a simple salad of greens and grapefruit.

Dinner will be out with friends, as there are no family members in the area. I'm bringing a smoked salmon platter. ("Friendsmas?" I don't like that term, nor do I care for "Friendsgiving".)

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Yesterday was a busy day of prepping and cooking. It was so warm in the house we had to put the A/C on.

Beef tenderloin, but we cut the tenderloin and saved some steaks and the end meat. It's only us and MIL, so a 6 lb. tenderloin, the smallest I could find, is a lot of meat. We were hoping to grill it but it was not only rainy, the yard is so mushy, so we just used convection roast in the oven, and it turned out great. We also do other appetizers:

Pierogi (there is a Polish deli nearby so yay!)

Drunken Goat and Kerrygold cheeses, pate and crackers

Creamed herring

Deviled eggs

Salad

Shrimp and cocktail sauce

Oysters Rockefeller, which I bought frozen from Whole Foods

Dutch apple pie which I make, one of the few things I bake from scratch

Christmas Eve is our big family gathering, we include a dinner for 20. We serve buffet style, but sit at dining tables. (I discovered that 20 is the perfect number: 10 at the DR, 10 in the sunroom at two folding banquet tables)

We went with a simple dinner menu this year: beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes (two trays from costco, they were great, and pretty in my new red-orange Dansk pan) and a simple Chistmas salad my aunt made. Elegant! Appetizers were made/brought by others: just shrimp w/sauce, an artichoke dip with crackers, and my kids always make the classic Lipton soup dip.

Dessert was the most complicated: DH made his mom's Walnut glory cake which calls for 9 count'em 9 separated eggs. But it's not called "glory" for nothing! Our Scandinavian tradition calls for rice pudding which, for the first time, came from my kitchen. It was a tad soupy, but delicious. And folks brought cookies and candy.

Christmas morning DH made our traditional "Eggs McDH" and mimosas. We forgot to make the fruit medley, but that's okay. Then we went to my folks' and my brothers met us up there, for baked French toast (made with Challah, best French toast ever!) and bacon.

Christmas night is our quiet intimate dinner at home of leftovers, at the dining room table with the party dinnerware. Me, I felt like the Very Hungry Caterpillar: I ate "one nice green leaf and felt much better". Literally, I had the salad with no dressing lol!

Ahhh.