Today I thought I’d share my Christmas Day menu with you. It’s totally for selfish reasons though.
I really need to make a grocery list and meal plan for the next couple of weeks so this is making me think about all that we plan to eat over the next few weeks and get those lists made.
We typically stay home on Christmas and enjoy each other’s company, playing with new things, and being together as a family. Just one perk of living so far from family. We never have to do the Christmas Day family shuffle.
Because of that I don’t usually do a a ton of cooking for a big group. But I do want our meals to feel festive and special.
I want my kids to look back and have memories of traditions we did on certain holidays. Food is such a great way to establish those traditions.
So first up is breakfast.
Christmas Morning Breakfast Menu
Every year for Christmas I make the same Christmas Morning rolls. They are a recipe that is in my husband’s family cookbook. One of these days I will do a blog post on them. But until then just know that they are delicious yeast-y (sorry, that word bothers some people), butterscotch sticky rolls and oh so yummy!
But I will leave you with two other breakfast options that are great to make the night before and just pop in the oven the morning of Christmas.
We make both of these several times throughout the year and they are great to bring to a potluck or for brunch.
This biscuit breakfast casserole will provide you with something a little savory.
And this blueberry french toast casserole is the perfect sweet component.
I will probably just stick with the Christmas morning rolls this year at our house, but a savory dish like that breakfast casserole would be a great addition.
Christmas Lunch Menu
I typically do a larger meal for dinner on Christmas day, so lunch this year is going to be more of a grazing board situation.
I’m so happy to see that charcuterie boards, sweets boards, and snack boards have become so popular. I love the idea of putting your whole meal out on one big platter and letting people graze or make their own meals out of what’s offered.
This year I think I may do a large sandwich or appetizer board.
If you need any inspiration you have to check out The Reluctant Entertainer and her amazing library of charcuterie boards. They are over the top, epic, and huge. But so fun!
Christmas lunch may just call for a recreation of her Harvest Party Sandwich Board. But on a much smaller scale!
Christmas Dinner Menu
Dinner is where I plan to get a little fancier with my Christmas day menu.
Growing up we always had turkey on Christmas and occasionaly a ham. But here in England Christmas means you eat some sort of bird. Turkey, Chicken, Duck, or Goose.
We aren’t being English at our house this Christmas because I plan to make a beef tenderloin. I’ve made one for a couple years now, and I think it’s going to be my go to Christmas entree. It feels fancy, but isn’t too difficult to make.
Here’s the beef tenderloin recipe I plan to make.
And to go along with it I’m going to try out my new Instapot and make some cheesy scalloped potatoes. Our vegetable will be roasted carrots with a delicious glaze of honey and apple cider vinegar.
Christmas Dessert Menu
And finally to top off my Christmas day menue I’ll be making this Chocolate Gingerbread Cake.
I found the chocolate gingerbread cake recipe on Pinterest and thought it sounded so good.
I went ahead and made it ahead of time to try it out, and it’s very good. And super simple to make.
I’ve never mixed up a cake in the food processor, but the recipe recommended it and it was so much easier to “blitz” everything together in there.
After trying the cake I felt like I wanted to add more chocolate and up the ginger flavor a bit, so I mixed up a delicious sauce to top the cake with.
Orange Ginger Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Like I said I wanted to bring out the ginger flavor of the cake and everything is always better with more chocolate. But to blend the two together I added some orange as well.
It’s a really flavorful drizzling sauce.
Ingredients
- About 100g good dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- Juice from 1/2 an orange
Recipe Instructions
- Melt both chocolates together over a double boiler.
- Once melted, add in the orange juice and grated ginger.
- Mix together over heat, careful not to let the chocolate seize.
- If chocolate seizes or sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon boiling water at a time mixing briskly until sauce is thinned out.
- Pour sauce over the top of your cake.
I have to admit that my chocolate seized up and I had to YouTube how to un-seize chocolate. That’s where I learned that boiling water tip. And it worked really well. I just added one tablespoon at a time until the sauce thinned out.
The cake tastes great and has so many flavors of the season. I’m glad to have given this recipe a try and to serve it again on Christmas day. That is if we aren’t too full from everything else we’ve eaten all day. Or from Christmas cookies.
What is on your Christmas day menu? Do you have any food traditions that make it feel like Christmas every time you serve them?
