A reader, who happens to also be a very good friend, from South Carolina asked a question about what to plan for a Christmas dinner. I thought I would take some time to talk a little about menu planning, which I think intimidates a lot of people but is actually a really fun game. 🙂
One easy starting place, especially for me since you know I am her biggest fan, is the Barefoot Contessa’s website, where she has quite a few menu suggestions. I may not always use all her recipes, or even any of them, but it often helps me think through the season and the feel of the event for what kind of foods might be the best fit. It’s good for inspiration. You can also check your cookbooks – I have a few that group foods by menu, or cookbooks that are themed (Middle Eastern, New Orleans) and if you feel like going with something all in one food ethnicity like that, I would just root around in the cookbook for ideas. Finally, if there’s something I am looking for but just can’t find a great recipe, I search on www.epicurious.com which is the storehouse of Bon Appetit and Gourmet recipes going back years and years. They always have something that sounds great for the ingredient I have in mind. They also have an awesome menu section – you can see their Christmas menus here.
I usually have a dish in mind that I want to serve – it’s not always the main, sometimes it’s even the dessert! But if I have something in mind I use that as my starting point and build the meal around it. If you I not have something in mind, then it’s often useful to think of the main course you will serve. For something like Christmas dinner, which is pretty fancy, I would think about large meats – like a turkey or a ham. I personally LOVE those Honey-baked Hams, which are served cold so there is no need to even worry about what time it should come out of the oven, and is presliced, so all you do is plop it on the platter! So let’s go with the example of the baked ham for Christmas dinner, and build our menu around that. For your sides, I would plan for one vegetable, one starch, and some type of bread.
When I think of ham, I immediately think of the Sweet Potato Muffins that my family loves – they are easy to make in advance and either refrigerate or freeze for days. Let them come to room temperature while you’re preparing the meal, then line them up on a sheet pan and warm them up for serving. Their sweetness is a great complement to the salty ham.
The starch in meat-centric meals is often a potato – and for this there are two Barefoot Contessa recipes I love: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes. Another option, especially with ham or pork, is grits! For Christmas dinner my aunt often serves these easy Shrimp and Grits that can be made in one pot and kept warm for serving, which is helpful in plating lots of meals. (Polenta is the Italian version of grits, if you’re going for some kind of Italian theme). The ham and the sweet potato muffins and the grits are giving our meal a nice southern flair, which is good because now we have a sort of theme or trend going!
Garlic Shrimp and Grits
1 lb unpeeled, medium-sized fresh shrimp, cooked
3 cups water
1 cup whipping cream
¼ cup butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits
1 cup (4 oz) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Garnish: chopped fresh chives, peeled and cooked shrimp, fresh ground black pepper
- Peel the shrimp and devein, if desired.
- Bring 3 cups of water, cream, butter and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in grits.
- Cook, whisking constantly, 7-8 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the shrimp, cheese and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
- Garnish, if desired and serve warm.
So now we need a vegetable. The grits are creamy, garlicky and rich, so I don’t want to do any kind of creamy casserole-type vegetable. One great way to do nice veggies for a crowd is to roast them – this deepens the flavor but is also lighter and easier to prepare. I love Roasted Brussel Sprouts for a warm winter vegetable side – they get crisp and salty flavorful and are really addictive! Herb-roasted Onions would be delicious if we were doing potatoes, but might be a little much with the grits. Roasted Asparagus is always a hit, but asparagus is not really in season in the winter, so I think I would be more inclined to go with either the brussel sprouts (which are in season) or some root vegegtables, like Roasted Parsnips and Carrots.
Finally, dessert…you want something with rich wintery spices and flavors here – anything pumpkin, for example, would be great. For a crowd, I would think about something that is one-dish and can be prepared in advance. Apples and other fruits go really well with ham, so what about an apple crisp? Hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream = happy guests! This recipe for Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp definitely sounds like Christmas to me! It should also go well with the rest of the meal.
Now don’t forget your wines – I would take my final menu to a wine store and let one of the people who work there find you a nice red and a nice white option. And don’t rule out a great bottle of something bubbly…sparkling wines are usually made from the types of grapes that go well with winter foods, like pinots and chardonnay. The lightness will keep everyone from feeling too full. My mom brought us a bottle of Shiraz-based Black Bubbly to enjoy with Thanksgiving dinner that was wonderful – very festive and very drinkable with food!
Menu planning is really a lot of fun, though it can take a while. I certainly use these resources all the time, so don’t feel bad about needing the help – you’ll fine that the more you try it, the easier it will get. Somehow it just becomes more of a feel than thought.
A very Merry Christmas dinner to all of you, whether cooking or eating! 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration – I’m going to use your ideas for New Year’s dinner! I wish you would be here to make it for me;)
ME TOO, Stephie! 🙂