Dad likes steak so i have to fit that in. I try and plan for leftover meals to leave in their freezer. I also like to make a big pot of soup so i can freeze some pints...and pizza. They love that. Make a dozen, eat two, then freeze the rest.

My shopping list is expanding.

Wow sounds fabulous! This year, as the past two, my wife and I will be spending Christmas at our Baja getaway. (Our grown boys have other places to go)

Once again, my dear English bride has requested a prime rib and Yorkshire pudding ...as usual ;) I'll get a two rib from the small end, which makes for plenty of leftovers, serve it with creamed spinach, and whiskey glazed carrots pioneer woman style, and plenty of horseradish!

Yum, both of those sound delicious.

Here I'm hosting the annual conglomeration of kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, great-relatives, etc. I'm making Stromboli, cookies and fudge. Mother is bringing meatballs and a Christmas tree made of broccoli. Everything else is up for grabs. I rented the Township Hall for the 27th.

It seems wrong not to have a nice Christmas meal, so maybe Elery and I will have a dinner for the two of us. Then again, I might spend all of Christmas day cooking for our party and just eat cookies.

Annie

Oooh! I hope you'll post a picture of the broccoli tree!

Sleevendog's feast of feasts sounds spectacular!

I'm having family dinner on Christmas Eve, just us, one cousin & poosslq, one kid, the spare sibling (not actually related) and offspring. But then I made it hard on myself and invited a couple, one of whom is continually on low FODMAP. Yikes! That kind of decided the menu. Luckily, I have homemade low FODMAP chicken stock in the freezer.

I'm at pumpkin soup with roasted buttered Easter egg radishes (I know that's the wrong holiday but I have a couple of bunches and they look like Christmas tree balls), roast turkey with roots instead of stuffing (rainbow carrots, celeriac, parsnips) and maybe some cooked chestnuts from Trader Joe's, herbed fingerling potatoes, some kind of dark green leafy salad or baked dish, and green beans (if they're still good) or whatever looks nicest. Debating between cranberry pie and a sorghum cake.

Sleevendog, now what exactly are the GPS coordinates??? (LOL).

I will be going to a friend's place for Christmas day -- she will provide nearly all the food although I will make smoked salmon/cream cheese/capers/dill rollups to serve as an appetizer. With a box of Triscuits for those who want them for holding the rollups. (I don't particularly like crackers.)

Annie, we will have our family shindig on the 27th as well. On Christmas Day, I wanted something nice for the immediate family (our 4 kids) but I also wanted to relax some that day so I will pick up some salmon tomorrow, and hopefully make a soup to go with it and maybe a wild rice pilaf. Saturday I will work on cooking for the extended family get together. Of course, we have a storm moving in Saturday and if the timing of the snow holds up, I may just have a lot of food for my immediate family to nosh in over the couple of days after that which may not be bad as I plan to go through my book cases and will have no emotional energy left for cooking with that task at hand.

I wish there was someone in my family who was coming over to cook shrimp and seafood. SND, your menu sounds delightful.

Ok. Lots of arguments about gumbo. DH is patient with a dark roux. That is most important. I'll suggest some ground bay leaves and sage. Just a bit. Seems to have the same flavor we want. I'm suggesting duck stock as we have quite a bit.

You won me at the pork butt slow for tamales... ;)