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Wow - I had no idea (about the pudding) - I'd love to have the recipe!

It'll be just the 2 of us this Christmas, so we'll do a big brunch and then go to a movie! Brunch will likely be my non-recipe eggs and veggies dish with kielbasa sausage on the side.... and a eggnog latte for me! I'm thinking about doing a small prime rib for dinner that night but I haven't decided yet.

She celebrates in a good month. My birthday is the 4th.

We will be in PA with son, DIL and grands. On Christmas eve before Church we will have shrimp (I'm taking) & crab cakes. Christmas Dinner will be a roast, mashed potatoes and who knows what else. I'm also taking up a spiral ham but not sure when we will have that, candied sweet potatoes & deviled eggs. So much for the diet for the rest of this year.

mpizzazz wrote:

pamcook wrote:French champagne - check
Ray's Christmas pudding - check (Hey! I need that recipe!)

How long will your daughter be in the US?

She will be home until the 12th of Jan. Her birthday is the 5th so she will be home for that and for a trip to Pittsburgh to visit very close friends.

You have to make the Christmas pudding in about October, Pam. Even longer ahead would be good. One year we didn't have it at Christmas because the rellies were stranded in snow in Colorado and never got to our place. We didn't see them until February so the pudding had a few more months to age and it was really good. But he will be happy to share the recipe.

pamcook wrote:Wow - I had no idea (about the pudding) - I'd love to have the recipe!

I'll get Ray to send it to you. Won't help you for this year though. Why don't you ask them "what are the must have dishes"? then tell them to bring it !!

Wow, all this sounds so good. I go to some friend's house so they plan the menu. I always ask what I can bring and they give me a couple things, but not until the day before. I have tried proding them ahead of time, but that is just how they roll. I don't mind cooking at the last minute, but could do without the trip to the grocery store on Christmas Eve. The rolls and pies seem to be the most often requested items for me to bring.

Since it is just me at home I don't make much - maybe a rum cake and a cheese ball. Several people give me cookies so I don't need anymore of those. I don't actually need any of it, but it is the holidays!

I think I have it under control now - at least I have my lists - and I know where the lists are. Mandee will run to the grocery for last-minute items for me. I think they're in Delaware today - well, I know they were this morning. Just not sure if they're driving down tonight or not.

We are all about minimizing leftovers and it's just the two of us. So we decided to have a roast chicken this year with traditional trimmings. We aren't even going to have a pie. Jenny Craig has some pumpkin spice mini cakes and we'll have those as our dessert. I have three days off and hope to do some serious crafting, not serious cooking.