The Christmas Eating

December 23, Cookie Day, up to 50 guests including littles, open house

We will have my parents in town plus lots and lots of friends and their kids. It's a cookie decorating and hot cocoa party. My plan is to serve coffee and cocoa with a crap-ton of add-ins to customize your drink. I'm also going to do one specialty cocktail. (Yum! Specialty cocktail!)

Drinks

Coffee, served in a giant urn/coffeepot thing my mom has. It makes like fifty cups of coffee at one time! Awesome. I will not have to make pot upon pot of coffee.

Cocoa, served in my slick thermal carafe I got last Christmas. It doesn't hold a whole lot so I will probably have to make pot upon pot of cocoa. Actually, no. I just decided to buy another carafe to make this problem go away because I have actually been stressing about it quite a bit. (Yes, I'm the kind of person that stresses about cocoa at a cookie party, WHAT?) What if people want cocoa but they have to wait? Oh no! Nobody will have cocoa and that is the frakking POINT of the party! I know, I'm insane. (I got a red one.)

Cocoa and Coffee toppings/mix-ins (I plan to have five or six "recipes" set up for guidance on how to combine and mix/match for those that are intimidated by DIY cocoa.)(Although really, what kind of person is intimidated by DIY cocoa?)

Peppermint Schnapps

Butterscotch Schnapps

Scotch

Bailey's

Vodka

Soft peppermint sticks

Crushed Candy Canes

Mini Marshmallows

Big Marshmallows (These are the ones I like.)

Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Peppermint Whipped Cream

Crushed Toffee Bits

Crushed Butterfinger

Mini M&Ms

Sprinkles

Red Hots

Crushed peanuts/pecans (Whatever the ice cream topping mix is made of.)

Something else savory I haven't identified yet. (Nutella? Peanut Butter? Reese's?)

Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Dark Cocoa Powder for sprinkling. (I need to get some slick little sprinkling can type things.)

Cream, Sugar, Splenda (More for the coffee but if someone wants to sweeten their cocoa then...okaaay.)

Gingerbread Martinis (Am planning to simply make a pitcher of them and perhaps when they are gone, they are gone. Not sure I feel like cocktail mixing during the party. I also have six darling coupe glasses that I never use and these would be perfect for that.)

Apple Juice (For the kids that won't drink cocoa) (Perhaps in a pitcher, perhaps juice boxes for simplicity. Haven't decided yet.)

Sweets

Fudge (From a box. Because that's how we make it around here.)

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies with icing in a variety of shades and sprinkles in a variety of shapes/colors.

Espresso Crinkles

Double Chocolate Biscotti

Chai Shortbread

Something else I haven't decided on yet. Maybe two somethings. Ideas? I want little finger food type candies or baked goods.

Snacks (not sweet)

Chex Mix

A version of vegetables and a dip that is not as boring to look at, eat or think about as vegetables and a dip. (Still noodling on this one.)

Some kind of sandwichy pinwheel roll up things. Perhaps catered because that sounds like something I don't want to make.

Dinner that evening, after the party people go home

HA HA NO I AM NOT COOKING AFTER ALL OF THAT ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Black Bean Soup (From a kit at Central Market. Already made and sitting in a gallon bag in my freezer.)

Bison Chili (My mom is making this and bringing.) (Thank you, Mom!)

Add-ins, for both:

Sour Cream

Green Onions

Diced Tomatoes

Diced Purple Onions

Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Grated Monterry Jack Cheese

Crushed Tortilla Chips

Cilantro

Diced Avocado 

Cornbread with butter and honey (Local honey! Local, $13 honey that I have to keep in the fridge or the ants will get it, which is so gross and disgusting, I know.) (It is amazing honey.)

Dessert: Um, cookies? DUH.

December 24, Christmas Eve, 10 people (Including Claire and Charlotte and let's be honest, they do not really count when setting a formal table.) (Especially Charlotte.)

Snacks

A variety of cheeses and crackers (Will definitely include: Havarti, Gouda and something really, really stinky.)

Baked Brie

Antipasti Platter: Salami, Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamatas, Prosciutto, etc.

Maybe something else, if I feel like or if someone else makes it.

Dinner

Dry Brined Beef Tenderloin (You bet your ass I'm making it again. I already have the meat in the freezer.)

Mashed Potatoes (Uncomplicated, I can make and freeze them in advance.)

Mac and Cheese (Need a recipe for this. Holly Burns' mother, I am casting my eyes in a hopeful manner in your general direction.)

2 vegetables (I am thinking roasted asparagus and a salad but I am open to your suggestions about favorite holiday vegetable preparations.)

Rolls and Butter (I am thinking about making the rolls, because I am obviously high and feel there is not enough to do.) (Also am thinking about a fancy compound herbed butter. Recipes, anyone?)

Wine. Lots and lots and lots of wine.

December 25, Christmas Day

Breakfast Casserole that I made last year because holy hell was that DELICIOUS. Same tweaks/adds: 

Added a red bell pepper, used a mix of monterrey jack and sharp cheddar, used chorizo instead of regular breakfast sausage and only 8 eggs instead of 12. I served it with flour tortillas, sour cream and hatch chile salsa.

Cheese Grits (My grandmother makes them.)

Cinnamon Rolls (I'm going to make PW's again, even though I was kind of MEH about them last year. They tasted good I just wanted them bigger and fatter, so I'll make that adjustment when putting them together. Will make and freeze well in advance.) (Which means that, uh, I should make some cinnamon rolls tomorrow, CRAP.)

Bloody Mary Bar (I completely failed on this last year so I am determined to make it happen this year.) 

Mimosas (Champaaaaaagne!)

Coffee

Rest of the Day, Lunch and Snacks

Leftovers. Holy cow the leftovers will be AWESOME. Also? I am so OVER dishes by this point. Someone take me to a movie. No, seriously, someone watch my kids so I can finally go to a movie for the first time in seven months.

Dinner

Since we had our big meal the day before on Christmas Eve we'll do a simple dinner tonight. My guess is that it will be something like lasagna, tamales or maybe even more leftovers.

Comments

[HereWeGoAJen]

MY GOODNESS. I am hungry just thinking about this. And I am tired too, just thinking about the work you'll have to do.

If you are going to do the sandwichy pinwheel roll-up things, please do them in the spinach tortillas so that you can stack them in a Christmas tree shape like I have on my Pinterest because I really want to do that but won't this year and I'd like to live vicariously.

And for vegetables and dip, the internet provided me with the suggestions of arranging it as a Christmas tree or a Christmas wreath. I would vote the tree because the wreath looks more like just a plate of vegetables. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Vegetable-Wreath-with-Dip

Oh, and for the hot chocolate bar, this year I have personally purchased french vanilla marshmallows shaped like snowmen and gingerbread marshmallows shaped like gingerbread men, and I have been told that peppermint marshmallows also exist.

[Totally Sympathetic To Your Trials]

I read all of this and then I passed out. Then I woke up and thought, "Wine!" So that is what I took from all of your planning. Am now drinking. Everything is better.

Also, JEN, I am TOTALLY DOING the spinach pinwheel tree at my party. Well, my sister the caterer is doing it. I am not. I will be drinking wine.

[Holly]

I love when you and Elizabeth post these menus. Menu planning MAKES ME GIDDY!

[Nothing But Bonfires]

Ha! I have tried to get my mother to give me her mac and cheese recipe several times and she's always all like "Oh...I don't use a recipe...I just kind of wing it" and then waves her hand around vaguely. There is something to do with...some kind of bechamel sauce she has to make first? And it requires corn starch? I don't know. I'll try and pin her down, but she's in England for the next two weeks, so if all else fails, Martha Stewart's mac and cheese is fantastic -- rather different, but still fantastic.

[Tara]

Might I recommend a pinwheel tortilla thingy? Cream cheese spread with chives and prosciutto. Delicious.

[Lorraine]

Your cocoa-coffee bar sounds amazing! Please post photos of it - I want to see the caraffes, glasses, and add-ins in all their glory!
Also, we are going to do a "Christmas Chili Bar" for our Christmas meal. Your list of soup add-ins gives me some great ideas.

[Erica]

I want to go to this cookie party SO BAD. IT HURTS!! This sounds SO FUN AND AMAZING. Maybe next year, when I'm not feeling so grinchy and bah humbug, I will try and copy you. Holy awesome party.

My Christmas menu:
uh?

[K]

Holy snakes!

Lady, you BRING IT when it comes to food.

[Holly]

If you ever want a real recipe for fudge, ask me. I have a handwritten card left in a recipe box from the original owners of our 1924 house, that says "See's Fudge" on it. And there is probably one of the original See's Candies stores a mile or so away - soooo, yah. Legit? Who knows. But it is DELICIOUS. Requires much stirring, but worth it.

[beth]

For your antipasti platter, you HAVE to get some pickled asparagus and/or pickled green beans. I'm not one for pickled anything, but those are AWESOME... and as a happy bonus, if you have any left, you can add them to your Bloody Mary bar :)
I'll email you my Mum's mac n cheese recipe - it's for the REAL kind, the stuff that you can cut into a square!

[Nike Free Run]

Benjamin Werth!
The baby was expected in September, and the couple is having huge problems because they didn't "do the deed" to match up with a baby in December!
Uh oh!
I don't think anyone's shocked.

[Elsha]

Sounds like I'll be inviting myself over to your house to eat everything.

[Sarah in Ottawa]

I want to come visit and eat and eat and eat. Holy cow - your holiday menus always blow my mind. Well done!

[obabe]

you freeze mashed potatoes? REALLY? my mind is blown.

for one of the dec 24th dinner veggies id do roasted brussel sprouts. YUM.

and we were just talkng about herbed butter at dinner last night. YUMYUM. no clue how to make it though.