Christmas Dinner for 2---HELP!

[southern*belle*]

Ok, so DH and I are going to be alone on Christmas eve and day, because I have to work. We can not go to Louisiana for the holidays, so I wanted to make something special for christmas dinner, since it's our first as Husband and wife.

Does anyone have some recipes for 2? Doesn't have to be turkey, just something elegant and easy? haha, DH does not eat vegetables so it's hard to find something he'll eat. He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy!

Someone please help!

[neebelung]

Since it's just the two of you, why not make it easy on yourself and order something? I don't know if you have Publix supermarkets where you are, but they always do complete meals you can order (turkey or ham, side dishes, rolls, etc....) -- all you have to do it heat stuff up (it's pre cooked, so you're just warming it up). If you've got a nice speciality market near you, I'm sure they offer things like that. I think Honeybaked Ham might even have things like this, now that I think about it.

Another option is do a turkey breast rather than the whole bird. Friends of ours did one on the rotisserie on their grill, and it was phenomenal.

[SerendipityCrafts]

Oh heck ... meat and potatoes is doable without all the leftovers!

We did (the Canadian) Thanksgiving alone since it was the weekend we moved into our house.

We bought two turkey legs, and made the regular - mashed potatoes & stuffing. I even "dressed up" canned cranberry sauce with cinnamon, zested lemon peel and raisins. The serving ware might not have been fancy (I wouldn't have known which box had my china) but check out the dried leaves for a table arrangement (how Martha is that?! :rofl:)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2949371636_5bbec93941.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2949371650_2b88707dba.jpg?v=0

ETA - I shouldn't have said "we" ... DH made it all. I just cracked open the bottle of wine.

[RevMatty]

One idea is sub a Cornish Hen (small chicken) for the turkey and pop it in the oven.
Also you can get "pot pie" pans and bake a small pie in one.
Some spuds to go with it.
Light some candles, play some romantic christmas music, and there you go.
And here's a recipe for the hen from one of my favorite chefs. Paula Deen Click Here (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/honey-game-hens-recipe/index.html) It's for 6 hens but you can divide it down to one.

[WebLady]

One idea is sub a Cornish Hen (small chicken) for the turkey and pop it in the oven. I was gonna say something like that; I have been meaning to try that one day.

Or maybe leg of lamb with a pomegranate cranberry glaze *yum*

[Whitewater]

A nice and simple but 'special' meal for two that I've used before as a holiday meal is roast beef and potatoes.

Beef roasts come in all sizes and cuts of meat -- go to a butcher and get a smallish but high-quality one, for the two of you a 3-4 pound roast should be the right size. They shrink when you cook them! All you need for roast beef is a good meat thermometer (roast beef really needs to be medium to medium rare to taste best -- some people even like the center to be *rare*, but I find that's going a little too far!) and whatever kind of rub you prefer on the outside. I like a mix of rosemary, sage, and kosher salt. Get your roaster out like you would for turkey, put the beef in it, poke some holes in the meat with a sharp knife, spread some softened butter round the outside (the butter will soak into the meat via the holes, and provide a lovely crust), then add your salt and herbs. Stick it in the oven and wait -- it's that simple.

You can roast the potatoes with the meat, cut them up and sautee them with rosemary in a skillet, mash them, bake them, twice bake them with cheddar cheese, there's a zillion ways to make potatoes :) Buy some horseradish sauce as a flavorful dipping sauce! Does your DH like sauteed mushrooms to go with his beef? You could try that too as a garnish. Yum, I'm getting hungry just writing this all down!

I also like to make Yorkshire pudding if I have enough roast drippings, though usually the roast has to be 5 pounds or more for that to happen. Yorkshire pudding is basically just a quick bread that uses beef drippings for the flavoring/fat, instead of butter or lard or whatever. You take the beef out of the pan, pour in the bread batter over the drippings, and let it bake. Takes about 15-20 minutes . . . just enough time for the roast to sit before you carve it. There should be a decent Yorkshire pudding recipe online somewhere.

And since my fiance doesn't like veg. either (men!) I just buy some frozen steam-in-the-bag veggies and throw them in the microwave for myself. No fuss, no muss, and I don't have to ask Fiance to eat them :) Target even has frozen, steam-able asparagus!

Roast beef dinner isn't exactly a low-cal, 'healthy' meal but unless you eat it every day, you shouldn't have a problem, LOL!

HTH,

Whitewater

[KMS]

Well, since we eat a ton of veggies I dunno if I can give you any good advice!! :ooh: But you've gotten some wonderful ideas already. I was going to suggest a cornish game hen as well. I never really cared for them, but tons of people love them and they're elegant. I always preferred a regular sized roast chicken w/ lemons, rosemary, onions, & garlic stuffed in the cavity, sprigs of rosemary and lemon slices put under the skin, and olive oil/butter, salt, and pepper rubbed into the chicken.

You can do something a little extra special with potatoes...Does he do baked sweet potatoes? That's an easy side that's a little different than the regular baked potato. You can even top each potato w/ some cinnamon sugar butter and marshmallows, Texas Roadhouse style. Or maybe a potato galette? Even regular mashed potatoes can be extra special with some roasted garlic added and piping them out all pretty like on your plate.

Don't forget some good bread and maybe some dipping oil!

I'm also trying to think of a special 2 person meal for Christmas eve! We will be going home for Christmas, but I'd still like to share a special holiday meal together

[southern*belle*]

I love the beef roast idea, since that's one of DH's favorite meals. lol, i know it'll please him. But I made him that night before last for supper and he ate it last night for dinner, so I'm going to do something we've never done before.
He LOVES potatoes, any way he can have them. Smothered, mashed, baked. Just anyway they can be done..

But, Keely's roast chicken sounds DELISH!! So, I think my Menu will be as follows:

Roast Chicken (courtsey of Keely)
Twice baked potatoes with Cheese, bacon and butter
Stuffing
Steamed Veggies for me (i'm going to target for that Steam-able Asparagus!, yum!)
Bread of some sort (that yorkshire pudding sounds mouthwatering; DH is a HUGE bread fan)
Wine

Now, what kind of wine should I serve? lol!

[val24]

wow all these ideas sound yummy. I work christmas eve till 6pm and i just found out we are not going to his side of the family for dinner. (i usually just have him bring me home the leftovers from his side of the family)

[SerendipityCrafts]

Mmmmm roast beef and yorkshire pudding is my fav (although the roast beef is just the excuse to make Yorkshire pudding :)). It's delish!!

We normally make it at some point over the Christmas holidays since we host more than one dinner (visitors arrive on different days).

We marinate the meat and then cook it using a slow cook method on the bar-b-que (I don't care how cold it is outside!). Our marinade recipe is in the OW book (pg 32) - http://forums.onewed.com/attachments/Onewed_Recipe_Ebook.pdf. If anyone wants my grandmother's Yorkshire pudding recipe just shout. Since we do the roast on the bar-b-que, we use corn or canola oil instead of drippings.

[KMS]

I'm glad that the roast chicken sounds good! We used to have a freakin huge rosemary plant in the back yard so that was always a good way to use it up. It's so fragrant!

I'm excited because I just decided what to make for our special meal. I'm totally going untraditional and making a big Indian meal for our Christmas eve dinner together. I just have to make sure to plan ahead so it's not way too much to do that night. Now I just have to decide what exactly to make. I know I'll make this amazing bbq tofu w/ brown rice recipe that I got from a cooking class and some semolina halva for dessert, but I'm not sure what else. Shhh. It's a surprise so don't tell. ;)

[NOTKT]

Wow, I didn't even think about it, we need a 2-person meal also! Haha!

[KMS]

Haha! I think Amber deserves a big "thank you" for reminding us about our 2 person holiday dinners!

[NurseLau84]

Just a quick tip if you want a really juicy, tender bird for your meal......brine that sucker! The day before, put the whole chicken (minus the "insides") in a cooler and immerse it in cold water, some ice cubes, salt, lemon wedges, brown sugar, rosemary and thyme springs, and maybe even some apple cider. Use half a cup of salt and half a cup of brown sugar for every gallon of water.

I make my Thanksgiving turkeys this way and I am telling you........you won't regret this extra step. Just let it soak in there for about 18 hours before roasting it. :)

[NOTKT]

Thank you Amber, haha!


Nurse, that is a good idea. I've never brined (sp?) anything before, I'll have to read up! :)

[kgvettegirl]

Christmas will be spent with family but a week later RC and I will be celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary. I'm thinking beer braised ribs, twice baked potatoes, garlic green beans, homemade yeast rolls and from scratch apple pie. he just told me today that the only pie he ever wants to eat is the apple pie I make. :o Guess I'll miss out on the black eyed peas and cornbread at moms.

[NurseLau84]

ETA: I forgot to say, after brining, make sure you rinse the chicken (or turkey) and pat it dry before adding your butter and seasoning, etc to roast it. Just to make sure you get the salt off :)

[WebLady]

Well, it looks like DH and I will be spending Christmas day home by ourselves too.

We are still going to my parents' for Christmas Eve, but won't see his family until maybe Sunday. So I may look into some of these ideas for a nice little dinner for us too :)

[EarlyBird]

you could always do the italian xmas eve dinner :) 7 fishes.. yumm.. spagetti and clams, shrimp cocktail etc.. any mix of fish.. we eat crab, squngele and lobster pasta sauce. baked shrimp, clams on the half shell, tilapia, oysters rock :) Yumm so easy.... and its a little sampling of everything.. you only need 2-4 pieces of each

[SerendipityCrafts]

Guess I'll miss out on the black eyed peas and cornbread at moms.

Something which I have never had. Are black eyed peas a different variety of pea or is it just reg. green peas + whatever = black eyed peas?

[kgvettegirl]

Something which I have never had. Are black eyed peas a different variety of pea or is it just reg. green peas + whatever = black eyed peas?
They are also known as cow peas and field peas. You can get them dry or canned. RC hates them says they have no flavor. Mom cooks them with fat back and salt and they are fantastic. Eating them on New Years day with pork and corn bread is supposed to bring you good luck for the rest of the year.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj303/kgvettegirl/blackeyedpeas.jpg

[Jacklynn]

I've enjoyed reading all of the replies on here, there are some great ideas!

[KMS]

We always have black eyed peas with collard greens and cornbread on New Years too. However, I ran across this website - http://www.blogher.com/eat-some-lucky-foods-prosperous-new-year. Now I'm thinking about incorporating some other cultural New Years day lucky foods. Atleast we won't still have Christmas leftovers since I'll be cooking for only two people! :D

[SerendipityCrafts]

They look like chick peas???

My grandmother was Scottish and so we/she did keep up with some New Years traditions.

First Footing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-Foot)

The first person to enter your home/cross your threshold after the new year should be a tall, dark haired male and bearing a gift (normally a piece of coal so that your home will always be warm). My grandmother was also absolutely adamant that the house had to be clean - it's bad luck to bring old dirt into the new year.

Modern day first footers (http://www.new-year.co.uk/firstfoot.html) just head out to party & go visiting after midnight. I keep threatening my cousin that I will be there to see this tradition one New Years before I kick on!

[Whitewater]

My re-enactment group does a progressive dinner on the 1st for First Footing, but I always make Fiance go outside and come back in on the 31st!! He *would* have darker hair, if he didn't shave it all off, so he gets the job.

A red-haired woman is the worst lucky person . . . so no going over first for me! I'm blonde, but my hair has red highlights here and there, particularly in photographs (dunno know why) so I just play it safe and make sure I go in the house after a dark haired male!

This year for our First Footing celebration Fiance and I got asked to be hosts for the Appetizers and Warm Drinks course. After that, we'll go to the house for Soups and Salads, then the Main Course house, and finally the Dessert 'house', which this year is actually one member's new art studio. Luckily the progressive dinner is potluck and the course hosts don't have to provide all the food! But I think we'll provide some lovely non-alcoholic warm mulled cider, tea, and some kind of finger food-ish appetizer (and expect that other people will provide other appetizers!) anyway, just because. I'm also planning on cooking a side dish or two for the main course. Traditionally I bring mashed sweet potatoes a la orange, but this year I think I might bring Green Beans Sauteed with Garlic and Almonds, sounds fancy and all, but it's dead easy -- also cheap and easy to transport! I find that green beans are also easy to fix for a crowd, and since there's probably going to be 50 people at the main course house, yeah, green beans are the way to go.


Whitewater (excited about hosting our first big party at our new house!)

[caligal85]

So I'm really glad I found this thread. Since FH is coming and my family is going to be in Alaska, it's going to be just the two of us. I had no clue what I was going to do but I think I might have a few ideas now.

[southern*belle*]

You're welcome all!!! lol

Nurse, I've never brined anything either but I'm sure going to check it out.

My cousin got married this past weekend and they had an open bar. For her wedding favors, they served your first drink in these beautiful christmas wine glasses and you got to take them home. So my mom gave me hers and that's what DH and i will be drinking out of on Christmas day. They have these really cute snowflake designs on them! Perfect!!

DH is excited for our menu! I ran it by him, although I wanted it to be a surprise, I know how super picky he is, and he is glad with everything I choose so far! I need to go shopping soon to get all my ingredients so I'm good for the day!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Just a quick tip if you want a really juicy, tender bird for your meal......brine that sucker!

So if you do this after you have taken out the gizzards .... it would have to be fresh or at least thawed out. Do you buy fresh or frozen? We plan to try this. Turkey's are at 99 cents a lb this week. :)

[NurseLau84]

So if you do this after you have taken out the gizzards .... it would have to be fresh or at least thawed out. Do you buy fresh or frozen? We plan to try this. Turkey's are at 99 cents a lb this week. :)

Fresh or frozen, but yep--just make sure it's completely thawed before brining it. :)

[SerendipityCrafts]

Fresh or frozen, but yep--just make sure it's completely thawed before brining it. :)

Will do :) I hope you realize that if this isn't "all that" then you will be hearing from me :rofl: I hope it's not sacrilegious to serve it up with sausage stuffing because that is one tradition that I am not giving up :)

[NurseLau84]

LOL! Absolutely...I can handle it!
Just make sure you follow the ratios and it'll be good! :chimp:

*Reminder:
Cold water (enough to immerse the bird)
1/2 cup salt for every gallon
1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon
6 sprigs thyme, 6 rosemary
1 to 2 lemons, cut into quarters
Apple cider (a few cups)

Let it soak for about 18 hours; rinse and pat dry; put stuffing in (any kind you want); put sprigs of rosemary and thyme, along with pads of butter under the skin, and inside the cavity. Season skin and drizzle with oil. Baste every hour with chicken stock until done.
Enjoy:)

[NOTKT]

Like completely immerse?

[NurseLau84]

Like completely immerse?

Yep! We use a large cooler to get the job done.

[KMS]

They look like chick peas???

Nah, not really. Here's a bigger picture -

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/black_eyed_peas2.jpg

Oh and brining does work well! When we used to make the Thanksgiving turkey, we would get the juiciest results when we brined.

[NOTKT]

I bought a plastic trashcan and a mini chicken tonight! No turning back! At least since it's a small little teeny chicken, I should only have to brine it for a couple of hours. not having to worry too much about keeping it cold! Heck it's 5 degrees outside, I'll just let him sit out there for a little! Thanks for the help!

[NurseLau84]

I bought a plastic trashcan and a mini chicken tonight! No turning back! At least since it's a small little teeny chicken, I should only have to brine it for a couple of hours. not having to worry too much about keeping it cold! Heck it's 5 degrees outside, I'll just let him sit out there for a little! Thanks for the help!

Sounds great!! Let us know how it ends up!

[NOTKT]

I just looked, it's 4.5 pounds. I think I found a few recipes online for the actual roasting!

[SerendipityCrafts]

I just wanted to post some pics of our turkey. It was wonderful!

The neighbour had us try his cooking method (after the brining) - which was to cook the turkey upside down for half the time. The idea is that all the juices flow to the breast and then the bird is flipped over for the second half of the cooking.

In the brine -
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3135112123_b0c51a4f40.jpg?v=0

The finished product -
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/3138317418_8df5ecd97c.jpg?v=0

The chef at work :) -
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/3137502655_60c41391c1.jpg?v=0

ETA - DH says that the best thing about the brining method is the gravy! He added "giblet/innards water" to the drippings, a little flower and water and that was all that was needed; absolutely no seasoning required!! He was so impressed with that!