Christmas cooking: What will you be making?

[Freesia]

Yes. I will use it if I am in a situation where I can obtain it. I did the turmeric thing originally because when I was living with my ex I didnt have a lot of money and we were living out in the country and I didnt know if I could get it or not. Sometimes I had to make do out there . They had a good bulk food store in town which had 95% of spices but there were a small handful of things that werent there.

 

[Freesia]

Still considering what to make for christmas dinner. I have been thinking of the eggplant bacon in Appetite for Reduction, or is it Veganomicon? I am wondering if I should have a Caesar salad for Christmas dinner, though I dont know if that is Christmasy or not. Also I have limited kitchen space and time.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

Vegan ham?

 

[Freesia]

You mean like sliced ham or a whole vegan ham? That is an idea, anyway.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

Like a big roasted thing. I am recipe hunting.

 

[Freesia]

I have seen those on the internet but i dont think they are available in shops here.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1822640

Something like this, but I do not know if it will taste ok.

 

[Freesia]

Looks good. You could also decorate it a bit like so (but I am not sure about if you could roast it, perhaps wrap with fried tofu bacon etc or roll in stuffing or glaze): http://www.veganeasy.org/baked-ham-3-ways

 

[SummerRain]

Realised I'm having three christmas dinners this year I think! Definately two, one at my parents, they're vegetarian and bound to sort out something yummy for me. Last year they made nut roast, "pork balls" (vegetarian sausages minced up, then herbs and apricot added to them, then rolled into balls in flour and fried... they were really good!) roast potatoes, mashed swede, roast parsnip, sprouts, peas and carrots I think. I had Christmas pudding for desert, so probably something similar this year. They always do excellent vegan food and make me really delicious things and buy me lots of wonderful treats so I'm not worried

Then I'm also doing one myself with just me and my boyfriend, he's going to make me a pate en croute or jalousie or something with pastry since I love that! Then we're going to do roast AND mashed potatoes (this is my dream!!) and other veg - I want to make chestnut stuffing too. Then we're going to attempt a vegan homemade chocolate log for pudding and do a buffet of ready-made stuff to eat in the evening. This will actually be about a week after Christmas (he has to work Christmas!) but we're saving our gifts and things for then too so we are just postponing Christmas really

I'm excited now about doing some cooking myself. Did I mention MASH and ROAST potatoes? I read online that people do this for Christmas and it just boggled my little mind, two types of potatoes, madness! Delicious madness.

 

[Freesia]

^That all sounds really nice. You are so lucky to have a vegetarian family and such a supportive boyfriend .

 

[Spidergrrl]

We always have leek and potato soup Christmas Eve and then on Christmas day some kind of nut roast with potatoes, veg and gravy but we had this pudding last year and it was *amazing* http://ohsheglows.com/2011/12/15/sinless-sticky-toffee-pecan-pudding/ will definitely be having it again. It's just the 2 of us for Christmas as family is across the ocean so no need to make quite so much food.

 

[PTree15]

That pudding cake sounds delicious. Thanks for the link.

 

[sallyomally]

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1822640

Something like this, but I do not know if it will taste ok.

Bryanna's recipe sounds promising.
http://www.adventtalk.com/forums/index.php/topic,1055.0.html

And..
http://caribbeanvegan.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/holiday-ham-recipe-from-caribbean-vegan/

 

[Tom L.]

Sally, that rice looks delicious and so pretty. I will try and make it one day.

I must admit I am a bit naughty with my paella, it calls for saffron to yellow the rice, and I cheat by dissolving one teaspoon of turmeric in 1/3 of a cup of water. I call it "Poor man's saffron."

I actually made my paella on Tuesday, still have a little left for tonight.

I use turmeric, too! I read in the ingredients list once of a Spanish yellow rice mix, and it said turmeric, and no saffron or dyes were listed, so voila! I haven't made paella in an age, but I make black beans and yellow rice often, with my turmeric!

I wouldn't mind paying the higher cost for saffron, but I've tried both saffron and turmeric, and to me, saffron just doesn't taste good enough to be worth it. Too much turmeric would be kind of bitter, I suppose, but a little goes a long way. So what if it makes things look a tad orangeish-yellow, instead of the pure bright yellow of saffron?

 

[Freesia]

It depends on the turmeric you buy. The stuff I have makes it a bit like this colour sort of a paler yellow but yellow enough for me. I use a teaspoon, and I cant taste it at all really, but I have other spices such as paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme etc which make up the flavour.

 

[Freesia]

Futher thoughts about christmas dinner: wondering if it would be totally weird to make a "meat" loaf or a frittata. I have been looking at recipes of both. Also considering making a sort of eggplant/marinara/"ricotta" bake. Considering gravy too.

 

[thefadedone]

Futher thoughts about christmas dinner: wondering if it would be totally weird to make a "meat" loaf or a frittata. I have been looking at recipes of both. Also considering making a sort of eggplant/marinara/"ricotta" bake. Considering gravy too.

I don't see how that would be weird. Usually for Christmas Eve I make homemade pizzas and on Christmas Day I make lasagna with garlic bread.

 

[ledboots]

Futher thoughts about christmas dinner: wondering if it would be totally weird to make a "meat" loaf or a frittata. I have been looking at recipes of both. Also considering making a sort of eggplant/marinara/"ricotta" bake. Considering gravy too.

We used to have lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner when I was a kid.

 

[Freesia]

Thanks! I guess i will try and keep an open mind then and keep looking for what I want to cook.

 

[shyvas]

I think that I will make a chestnut and mushroom pie. It'll strech out for Christmas eve's dinner and for the 25 th.