Our Christmas Menu

After much deliberation and scanning what's in the freezer and cupboards, we've settled on a menu. I also take into account what can be prepared ahead of time, what can be cooked in the slow cooker, what needs the oven and what needs the stove top. There is no bigger pain in my behind than planning a great menu only to discover you don't have enough room to cook it.

There are a couple of things worth mentioning. First, I don't include a lot of snack foods in my menu, that is deliberate. We don't need to snack on salty yum yums all day long. Also my family typically brings an assortment of snack foods. Second although this may seem like a huge amount of food, for the number of people we entertain, it really isn't. Everything I've chosen freezes very well so leftovers are welcome. Finally, since few of our family are vegetarian much less vegan, I like to offer a variety of taste experiences. I include the familiar, pasta, with the unfamiliar, gluten roast. Here's the menu...

Christmas Eve Dinner
Tofurkey with Roasted Root Vegetables and gravy
Potato Rolls
Molasses Cookies
(I'm sure there will be a fair number of candy canes and other treats from a variety of sources as well.)

Christmas Day Brunch
No Fry Donuts (The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery)
Apple Butter & Pumpkin Butter Pull Aparts (Vegetarian Resource Group)
Squash Biscuits (Grandma's Wartime Kitchen)
Cinnamon Yeast Bread (Feed Your Family for $12.00/day)
Homemade applesauce
Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Christmas Day Dinner
Not Your Mama's Pot Roast (Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson)
Pasta with Chunky Sauce (my own chunky sauce made with TVP to give a meaty texture)
Red Beans and Rice (Harvest Cookbook by Nava Atlas)
White Beans and Tomatoes (Miserly Moms by Johnni McCoy)
Molasses Cookies
Any Leftovers from brunch may be used as desserts
The Most Fabulous Frozen Peanut Butter cookies on the Planet Earth we used carob instead of cocoa powder