i just got married in august and am planning on making a holiday dinner
this christmas eve. i dont have much time to prepare and i dont have a
lot of money. i know for the desserts i will be making a chocolate pie
and some cookies. i just need some help with the actual meal. what do
you guys suggest? email me with any help you can give me, i really
appreciate it a lot.

KiM cOmBs

>From:

>i just got married in august and am planning on making a holiday dinner
>this christmas eve. i dont have much time to prepare and i dont have a
>lot of money. i know for the desserts i will be making a chocolate pie
>and some cookies. i just need some help with the actual meal. what do
>you guys suggest? email me with any help you can give me, i really
>appreciate it a lot.
>
>KiM cOmBs

This takes me back. I had great success with this easy and festive Christmas
Eve meal my first year as a newlywed. I didn't have a table large enough for
sit down, so I served buffet style and everyone found a comfie place to sit in
the LR.

Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Ham with Pineapple Sauce. [Score a bone-in ham and
then slather with dijon mustard and brown sugar, bake per directions]
Nowadays I would substitute the cooked sauce with a fresh pineapple-mango salsa
- finely chopped fresh pineapple, mango, onions, jalapeno, cilantro and a bit
of vinegar and honey

Quiche Lorraine - Make a couple! Recipes abound on the internet. Use ready to
bake crusts [the sort you find in the dairy case], and fill with crumbled
cooked bacon, sauteed onions, shredded swiss cheese, eggs, cream and a dash of
nutmeg. Bake right before the ham and serve room temp.

Spinach Salad - Baby Spinach with bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion,
mandarin oranges and sliced almonds with raspberry vinaigrette.

White and Whole Wheat Bakery Rolls and Butter. Put out dishes of honey mustard
& stone ground mustard so folks can make little ham sandwiches so knives aren't
required.

Holiday Punch - Cran-Raspberry and Pineapple Juice with inexpensive sparkling
wine added for bubbly. Borrow a plain ring mold and make an ice ring with some
of the juice and a can of ginger ale. Offer non-alcoholic beverages you know
they enjoy - be it Lemon Lime Soda or Colas, Iced Tea or Sparkling Water.

Add your desserts, some good coffee with real cream and I'm sure your guests
will enjoy themselves a great deal.

If anyone offers to help, and they most likely will, suggest that they bring
their favorite appetizer. That will take the edge off their appetites, get them
chatting and munching, while you finish preparing the table for buffet service.


Happy Holidays!
Ellen