I finally decided on what to make for Christmas Eve dinner.

[Siwsan]

Naturally, I'm not having the family over so no need for toiling over a hot stove to make those family favorite traditional foods for Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. No ham, no pea, mushroom and potato soup, for Christmas Eve and no roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and trifle for dessert on Christmas Day.

This year I'm making a nice Shepard's Pie for Christmas Eve. It's simple, satisfying, and seemingly an appropriately named dish. I'll eat it in front a a roaring fireplace and wash it down with some nice hard cider. And I'll nosh on whatever I like, and sip something bubbly, on Christmas Day. Who knows - maybe I'll bake a wacky cake and top it off with peppermint ice cream and hot fudge.

Admittedly, I'm not much of a holiday person, anyway, but enduring 10 months of 99% self-isolation merits the occasion for a little gastronomic self-indulgence.

[MLAA]

1. Might I suggest going straight for the cake, peppermint ice cream, fudge washed down with

the bubbly and screw the rest?

[Siwsan]

2. Well, that is an option!

[2naSalit]

3. That's kind of where I'm at.

I have several dishes I could make and will come up with something but I did splurge on some dungeness crab leg sections a week ago so I will probably have some of that, as good as lobster in my world. And maybe some popcorn or something. I can't drink, makes me feel crappy, so I'll enjoy something green.

[BittyJenkins]

5. That would be called a cowboy dinner!

[2naSalit]

10. Crab legs and popcorn?

Yeah, well, I am in Montana after all!

I wasn't thinking of having them together but it would save time and I can melt butter once and be done!

Actually I was thinking of an avocado salad on the side since crab meat is pretty rich. It's all frozen so I can eat some of them for this Friday and the rest for the following Friday and have both special days covered. I love it when the seafood vendor truck shows up on the days I'm in town. I can't afford it usually but knowing that I have an option to save my pennies for is a hopeful thing. I would not go to a restaurant in the Rockies and order seafood so the direct vendor is an option, for once in a special occasion sorts of times.

[mopinko]

4. i'm grateful af

that i no longer have to have my italian former in-law's 7 fishes on xmas eve.
i swear they are the only italians on the planet that cant cook.

the worst part was that they cooked it all before they went to mass, so it was not only awful, it was cold.
not a drop of fresh herbs or even fresh garlic in the lot.
the cookies were good, but not as good as mine.

[Alliepoo]

21. Eeeeuuuww!

That sounds yucky!! The semi-good cookies might be doable!!

[mopinko]

27. they were ok, but bland as all hell.

didnt like the ppl much either.

[Squinch]

6. It's also simple enough that if you want, you can share the recipe with someone you

usually share Christmas Eve with and have a zoom Shepherd's Pie dinner together.

[MiniMe]

7. I live in a town that has a lot of farm land

I ordered a side of beef back in April or May. The beef has been "harvested", but the butcher is running behind. I think a lot of people ordered sides of beef in the spring when meat was running low. So if I get the side of beef, we are having standing rib roast. If not, we will have leg of lamb, also bought from a local farm. Can't go wrong wither way.

[leftieNanner]

8. Christmas will be so vastly different this year

1) No Christmas Eve church service (I sing in the choir) with fabulous music and great spirit

2) No adult children here with us

3) No nice restaurant meal on Christmas Eve before church

4) No tree

5) No Boxing Day dinner (easier on me than cooking on Christmas Day)

sigh...........

But I do have a dear friend who lives alone, so I am going to make a nice Christmas dinner this week and share some of it with her. I'm thinking duck breasts with cranberry chutney, brussels sprouts, wild rice, and chocolate creme brulee for dessert.

Merry Christmas to all of DU.

[lillypaddle]

11. I could be a dear friend, too

Your dinner sounds so good!

[leftieNanner]

16. If you live in Southern Oregon, we could make that work

[lillypaddle]

30. Lucky for you

I live in KY! but you are very sweet!

[leftieNanner]

32. Feeding people is one of my best and favorite things!

[moreland01]

15. Yummm

You don't live near Fort Collins, Colorado, do you?

[leftieNanner]

17. Sorry - Southern Oregon

My daughter lives in Boulder, but that doesn't help either.

[Alliepoo]

18. My best friend and her husband live in Loveland!

When I flew out to visit her they took me to Ft Collins. It is a charming town! Her husband volunteers for the trolley that’s being restored. I rode on that and we walked all around the downtown area. She sent pics a couple of days ago of the beautiful holiday lights display. Such a lovely area. Wish I could convince Mr Poo to relocate there!

[lillypaddle]

9. Never made one, but watched lots of videos on youtube

I learned that if making with beef, it is called "cottage pie." Shepherd's pie is with lamb. Would you mind sharing your recipe? I'd love to know, and maybe I'll finally get around to actually making it.

[Siwsan]

19. I make a very simple Shepard's Pie

I'm pretty much self taught, where cooking is concerned, and consider recipes for everything but baked goods to be a list of 'suggestions'.

For my Shepard's Pie I use minced meat - whatever kind you like but usually beef with a little pork - onion, diced root veg (carrots, turnip, parsnip, rutabaga - what ever I can find at the store ), mushrooms and peas. I always have Bisto crystals on hand for the gravy. And, since I LOVE potatoes, I make a full mashed potato crust - top, sides and bottom, with plenty of garlic in the potatoes. And, of course, all of the amounts depend on the size of the baking dish.

Then before it goes into the oven I sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top.

[lillypaddle]

28. That sounds sooooo good!

Yum! Thanks.

[TNNurse]

12. I am a firm believer in doing whatever gets you through these tough times.

[tiredtoo]

13. We all have Christmas traditions

And the food we have may be just one of them. Currently an 80 year old widower I will be celebrating Christmas solo this year. A few dishes we used to have. Polish Sausage and sauerkraut, German potato salad and Spanish Rice. These dishes were a carryover from my wife and my families. No family get together this year means these three dishes will probably not be on anyones menu. I haven't made a final decision on food for Christmas eve or day. This holiday means little to me anymore. I do gift my children/grandchildren but that's it for me this year. One of my 4 daughters will probably bring me something to eat, hope its good.

[BainsBane]

14. I'm making spaghetti

with red sauce. I decided to make it because I like my version, it's easy, and I know I'll enjoy it.

[Siwsan]

20. My 2nd option was lasagna

I do love a good lasagna. Maybe I'll make that for New Years Day.

[BainsBane]

23. I love shepherd's pie too

I just don't often want to go through the hassle of mashing potatoes for it. And I can't stand box potatoes.

There was a time I often made a turkey shepherd's pie--more of a cottage pie--I guess. I managed to make it so it actually had flavor, despite the ground turkey. I just haven't done it lately.

[OMGWTF]

25. The Bob Evans already-prepared mashed potatoes are pretty good. They're usually near the meat dept.

[lillypaddle]

29. I tried them for the first time recently

I added a lot of real butter, and they were very close to home made. Very good.

[Delmette2.0]

22. Shepard's pie sounds wonderful.

Thanks for the inspriation. I'll save the lobster for New Year's eve and inauguration evening.

[twodogsbarking]

24. Have a ten pound beef roast

for the Christmas Day but at some point we will order Chinese food, take-out. We have a great place with very nice people. Support local.

[jmowreader]

26. My Christmas Eve dinner will be "whatever"

For Christmas, which will be attended by my brother (who can’t cook and who has nowhere else to go) and my favorite lady, will be roast beef cooked in my Traeger and Zatarain’s Spanish rice, homemade cranberry sauce, veggies, salad, French Volksfest mushrooms (sautéed in butter with cubed ham and garlic), bruschetta and Key Lime pie, and I’ll spend the 24th cooking and setting tile. So...I will probably just throw a carnita in the smoker and eat it when it’s done.

[Generic Brad]

31. We bought a whole chicken

They come out perfectly in the air fryer. And then we make a bunch of sides.

That will get us through three meals and then we use the bones for homemade soup!