What to Cook for Dinner this Week
It’s a crazy time to be in the meal planning business, when there are endless errands to run, family holiday meals to prepare for, parties to host, and a million and one events on the calendar. And yet no one wants to end up at McDonald’s, me least of all, so here I am with a simple menu for Christmas week.
We’re doing something new this year: going out for Christmas Eve dinner. It’s a little counter-intuitive, but everyone is a little ragged around the edges from work and travel, and we have big family meals planned for the 23rd and 25th, so we decided to take a different approach on Christmas Eve because no one needs another meal to plan, and yet we all want to be together if possible. So we’ll sit around a table in what will probably be a very uncrowded restaurant and let someone else do the cooking.
As well, the 23rd is E’s family’s East African Curry Dinner. When E was in elementary, his family spent four years in Zaire (the Democratic Republic of Congo), where the flavors of India greatly influenced the food culture. This meal is the family’s favorite from their time in East Africa. It has traditionally taken place on Christmas Eve, but this year E’s mom, who is hosting brunch on Christmas Day, decided she needed a day off between events. Her recipe is a family secret, so I’m not able to share it with you, but I’m providing a link to something similar in case you’re interested. If curry doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps consider a dinner night that represents your own heritage. Establish a new tradition of honoring your roots by eating a dinner that reflects them. Just an idea.
Monday: East African Curry. This recipe calls for chicken, but E’s mom uses pork roast or tenderloin to make hers. She serves it with rice, naan, and a whole sidebar of toppings: dry roasted peanuts, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, sliced bananas, coconut flakes, golden raisins, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and of course, mango ginger chutney. We all go home as full as on Thanksgiving, and completely happy.
Tuesday (Christmas Eve): Restaurant Night.
Wednesday (Christmas): We’re having a big brunch at E’s parents, followed by a traditional American Christmas dinner at my aunt’s, pot-luck style. I’m making these au gratin potatoes and this pecan pie.
Thursday: Recovery from the chaos of Christmas Day calls for something relaxing and comforting, like a big pot of Tuscan White Bean Soup. Simple and perfect.
Friday: Personal Pizzas. Make the crust ahead of time (1 batch of dough will give you 8 personal pizzas), then set out sauce, cheese, and toppings, and let everyone assemble their own. This is especially fun if you still have company staying.
Saturday: Taco Night. Another great DIY meal that takes very little effort, and makes people happy. Assemble a buffet: soft and hard shells, seasoned ground beef and cooked shredded chicken, and all the usual toppings.
Sunday: Spaghetti with meat sauce. Serve with a caesar or antipasto salad for a balanced meal.
I’m not posting the weekend breakfast menu here this week, because tomorrow I’m going to give you our Christmas Brunch menu, complete with recipes. So stay tuned!
What are your holiday meal traditions? I’d love to know!
