For Christmas Eve we've started a tradition of having fresh crab for
dinner with sourdough bread and a side or two.

Christmas Day we're hosting dinner. Our family always has a standing
rib roast. Still debating all that goes with it.

We usually have a soup course first but thinking maybe a salad this
year. Better decide quick :-)

Then the roast and oven roasted mushrooms. Some sort of potato - my
husband is wanting the potatoes pave from the Ad Hoc cookbook but I say
"no". They were yummy but not two-day recipe yummy. We tried a
horseradish cream sauce from one of the Barefoot contessa books last
year and it was so popular we'll have to make it again. I need to think
up another vegetable and that will likely do it.

Butterscotch pot de creme for dessert. Usually there's a box of See's
around and too many other holiday sweets.

The day after we always have these yummy prime rib sandwiches from Fine
Cooking. It's crusty french rolls with a roasted garlic/dijon
mustard/mayo/herb spread. The meat is thinly sliced and topped with
caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. I think we look forward to
these even more than the roast itself.

Love chicken and dumplings - sounds like a delicious dinner plan!

marcella

In article >,
Christine Dabney > wrote:

> Heya again all,
>
> I asked this over on the FB group and got a lot of answers. I haven't
> seen much here about plans for your holiday dinners ... I am
> interested in knowing what everyone is planning for their holiday
> meals.. Are you baking goodies? Got dinners planned for Christmas
> Eve and Day?
>
> I am probably spending the holidays alone again..which is fine. Most
> of my friends are on the west coast...and my friends here have other
> plans.
>
> I originally was going to pull out one of the legs of lamb I got on
> sale last summer from the Mexican megamart. I was going to bone it
> out, and possible roast it in one of my favorite recipes. The
> original plan was to pull it out for a dinner for Lin, who used to
> post here.. She is going back and forth to her family's home and would
> be coming through here. I was going to save my dinner for when she
> came through here after Christmas.
>
> However, weather is very iffy coming through this way, so we changed
> plans..and I am going to cook my Christmas dinner on Christmas. Last
> year, I got a standing rib roast..a small one and roasted it just for
> myself. This year, I am severely constrained on funds so I am
> shopping in my freezer. The lamb roast, I am going to put off, as I
> am all of a sudden craving comfort food. In this instance, chicken
> and dumplings which I cook maybe once a year. I have everything I
> need, and I think it will hit the spot.
>
> The recipe I am going to use is one that Bob Terwilliger posted years
> ago. I have made it a few times since he posted it, but I never was
> terribly impressed with it. I always made it with a leftover roast
> chicken and I think that was my problem with it. I had it at his
> house a few years ago, and I loved it there.. It was marvelous. I
> think this time, I will start fresh with a whole uncooked chicken..and
> see how it turns out.
>
> Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (Cooks Illustrated)
>
> Serves 6 to 8
>
> A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
> flavor,
> but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it. If you are in a
> hurry,
> you may poach boneless chicken breasts in low-sodium canned stock,
> then pull
> the breast into large pieces, and skip step 1 below.
>
> Poached Chicken with Creamed Gravy and Aromatic Vegetables
> 1 large roasting chicken, 6 to 7 pounds
> large onion, cut into large chunks
> 2 bay leaves
> Salt
> 3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
> 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
> 6 boiling onions, peeled and halved
> 4 tablespoons softened butter or chicken fat from the cooked chicken
> 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
> 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
> 2 tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth [I prefer sherry or Madeira]
> 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional, but I always use it)
> 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
> 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
> Ground black or white pepper
>
> Baking Powder Dumplings
> 2 cups all-purpose flour
> 1 tablespoon baking powder
> 3/4 teaspoon salt
> 3 tablespoons butter
> 1 cup milk
>
> Preliminary: Cut up chicken as follows:
> Cut off legs, separate thighs and drumsticks. Cut off wings. Cut off
> breasts
> and separate. Cut along ribs on both sides to remove back. Reserve
> breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Hack remainder (wings, back, breast
> bones,
> and ribs) into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
>
> 1. For the chicken: Heat deep 11- or 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven
> over
> medium-high heat. Add hacked-up chicken pieces (back, neck, and wings)
> and
> onion chunks; saute until onion softens and chicken loses its raw
> color,
> about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until
> chicken pieces give up most of their liquid, about 20 minutes.
> Increase heat
> to medium-high, add 6 cups hot water, chicken parts (drumsticks,
> thighs, and
> breasts), bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, then bring to simmer.
> Reduce
> heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful
> and
> chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove
> chicken parts and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove meat
> from
> bones in 2- to 3-inch chunks. Strain broth, discarding chicken pieces.
> Skim
> and reserve fat from broth and set aside 4 cups of broth, reserving
> extra
> for another use.
>
> 2. While broth is cooling, bring 1/2-inch water to simmer in cleaned
> skillet
> fitted with steamer basket. Add vegetables; cover and steam until just
> tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
>
> 3. For the dumplings: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium
> bowl.
> Heat butter and milk to simmer and add to dry ingredients. Mix with a
> fork
> or knead by hand two to three times until mixture just comes together.
> Form
> dough into desired shape; set aside. [The article illustrates flat
> noodle-like dumplings, biscuit-like dumplings, and round puffy
> dumplings. I
> always ignore those instructions, and just drop spoonfuls of the dough
> onto
> the simmering chicken. I think the more you handle the dumpling dough,
> the
> more leaden it gets.]
>
> 4. Heat butter or reserved chicken fat in cleaned skillet over
> medium-high
> heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour
> turns
> golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add
> sherry
> or vermouth, then reserved 4 cups chicken stock; simmer until gravy
> thickens
> slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in optional cream and chicken and
> vegetables;
> return to simmer.
>
> 5. Lay formed dumplings on surface of chicken mixture; cover and
> simmer
> until dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes for strip
> dumplings and
> 15 minutes for balls and biscuit rounds. Gently stir in peas and
> parsley.
> Adjust seasonings, including generous amounts of salt and pepper.
> Ladle
> portion of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and
> serve
> immediately.
>
>
> Variation:
> CHICKEN AND HERBED DUMPLINGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES
> Follow recipe for Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables,
> adding 1/4
> cup minced soft fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives (or scallion
> greens), dill, and tarragon to dumpling mixture along with dry
> ingredients.
> If other herbs are unavailable, all parsley may be used.
>
> Christine

On Dec 20, 5:26*pm, Marcella Peek > wrote:
> For Christmas Eve we've started a tradition of having fresh crab for
> dinner with sourdough bread and a side or two.
>
> Christmas Day we're hosting dinner. *Our family always has a standing
> rib roast. *Still debating all that goes with it.
>
> We usually have a soup course first but thinking maybe a salad this
> year. *Better decide quick :-)
>
> Then the roast and oven roasted mushrooms. *Some sort of potato - my
> husband is wanting the potatoes pave from the Ad Hoc cookbook but I say
> "no". *They were yummy but not two-day recipe yummy. *We tried a
> horseradish cream sauce from one of the Barefoot contessa books last
> year and it was so popular we'll have to make it again. *I need to think
> up another vegetable and that will likely do it.
>
> Butterscotch pot de creme for dessert. *Usually there's a box of See's
> around and too many other holiday sweets.
>
> The day after we always have these yummy prime rib sandwiches from Fine
> Cooking. *It's crusty french rolls with a roasted garlic/dijon
> mustard/mayo/herb spread. *The meat is thinly sliced and topped with
> caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. *I think we look forward to
> these even more than the roast itself.
>
> Love chicken and dumplings - sounds like a delicious dinner plan!
>
> marcella
>
> In article >,
> *Christine Dabney > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Heya again all,
>
> > I asked this over on the FB group and got a lot of answers. *I haven't
> > seen much here about plans for your holiday dinners ... I am
> > interested in knowing what everyone is planning for their holiday
> > meals.. *Are you baking goodies? *Got dinners planned for Christmas
> > Eve and Day?
>
> > I am probably spending the holidays alone again..which is fine. *Most
> > of my friends are on the west coast...and my friends here have other
> > plans.
>
> > I originally was going to pull out one of the legs of lamb I got on
> > sale last summer from the Mexican megamart. *I was going to bone it
> > out, and possible roast it in one of my favorite recipes. *The
> > original plan was to pull it out for a dinner for Lin, who used to
> > post here.. She is going back and forth to her family's home and would
> > be coming through here. * I was going to save my dinner for when she
> > came through here after Christmas.
>
> > However, weather is very iffy coming through this way, so we changed
> > plans..and I am going to cook my Christmas dinner on Christmas. * Last
> > year, I got a standing rib roast..a small one and roasted it just for
> > myself. *This year, I am severely constrained on funds so I am
> > shopping in my freezer. *The lamb roast, I am going to put off, as I
> > am all of a sudden craving comfort food. *In this instance, chicken
> > and dumplings which I cook maybe once a year. * I have everything I
> > need, and I think it will hit the spot.
>
> > The recipe I am going to use is one that Bob Terwilliger posted years
> > ago. *I have made it a few times since he posted it, but I never was
> > terribly impressed with it. *I always made it with a leftover roast
> > chicken and I think that was my problem with it. * I had it at his
> > house a few years ago, and I loved it there.. It was marvelous. * I
> > think this time, I will start fresh with a whole uncooked chicken..and
> > see how it turns out.
>
> > Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (Cooks Illustrated)
>
> > Serves 6 to 8
>
> > A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
> > flavor,
> > but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it. If you are in a
> > hurry,
> > you may poach boneless chicken breasts in low-sodium canned stock,
> > then pull
> > the breast into large pieces, and skip step 1 below.
>
> > Poached Chicken with Creamed Gravy and Aromatic Vegetables
> > 1 large roasting chicken, 6 to 7 pounds
> > large onion, cut into large chunks
> > 2 bay leaves
> > Salt
> > 3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
> > 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
> > 6 boiling onions, peeled and halved
> > 4 tablespoons softened butter or chicken fat from the cooked chicken
> > 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
> > 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
> > 2 tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth [I prefer sherry or Madeira]
> > 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional, but I always use it)
> > 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
> > 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
> > Ground black or white pepper
>
> > Baking Powder Dumplings
> > 2 cups all-purpose flour
> > 1 tablespoon baking powder
> > 3/4 teaspoon salt
> > 3 tablespoons butter
> > 1 cup milk
>
> > Preliminary: Cut up chicken as follows:
> > Cut off legs, separate thighs and drumsticks. Cut off wings. Cut off
> > breasts
> > and separate. *Cut along ribs on both sides to remove back. *Reserve
> > breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Hack remainder (wings, back, breast
> > bones,
> > and ribs) into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
>
> > 1. For the chicken: Heat deep 11- or 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven
> > over
> > medium-high heat. Add hacked-up chicken pieces (back, neck, and wings)
> > and
> > onion chunks; saute until onion softens and chicken loses its raw
> > color,
> > about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until
> > chicken pieces give up most of their liquid, about 20 minutes.
> > Increase heat
> > to medium-high, add 6 cups hot water, chicken parts (drumsticks,
> > thighs, and
> > breasts), bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, then bring to simmer.
> > Reduce
> > heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful
> > and
> > chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove
> > chicken parts and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove meat
> > from
> > bones in 2- to 3-inch chunks. Strain broth, discarding chicken pieces.
> > Skim
> > and reserve fat from broth and set aside 4 cups of broth, reserving
> > extra
> > for another use.
>
> > 2. While broth is cooling, bring 1/2-inch water to simmer in cleaned
> > skillet
> > fitted with steamer basket. Add vegetables; cover and steam until just
> > tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
>
> > 3. For the dumplings: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium
> > bowl.
> > Heat butter and milk to simmer and add to dry ingredients. Mix with a
> > fork
> > or knead by hand two to three times until mixture just comes together.
> > Form
> > dough into desired shape; set aside. [The article illustrates flat
> > noodle-like dumplings, biscuit-like dumplings, and round puffy
> > dumplings. I
> > always ignore those instructions, and just drop spoonfuls of the dough
> > onto
> > the simmering chicken. I think the more you handle the dumpling dough,
> > the
> > more leaden it gets.]
>
> > 4. Heat butter or reserved chicken fat in cleaned skillet over
> > medium-high
> > heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour
> > turns
> > golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add
> > sherry
> > or vermouth, then reserved 4 cups chicken stock; simmer until gravy
> > thickens
> > slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in optional cream and chicken and
> > vegetables;
> > return to simmer.
>
> > 5. Lay formed dumplings on surface of chicken mixture; cover and
> > simmer
> > until dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes for strip
> > dumplings and
> > 15 minutes for balls and biscuit rounds. Gently stir in peas and
> > parsley.
> > Adjust seasonings, including generous amounts of salt and pepper.
> > Ladle
> > portion of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and
> > serve
> > immediately.
>
> > Variation:
> > CHICKEN AND HERBED DUMPLINGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES
> > Follow recipe for Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables,
> > adding 1/4
> > cup minced soft fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives (or scallion
> > greens), dill, and tarragon to dumpling mixture along with dry
> > ingredients.
> > If other herbs are unavailable, all parsley may be used.
>
> > Christine

Mmmmmmm- that all sounds great!