holiday meal planner

with the first snowfall under our belts, thoughts are quickly turning to christmas. i'm not gonna lie, yesterday i found myself humming carols around the kitchen. as of tomorrow, it's one month away. luckily for me, my christmas is pretty stress free. i don't have to cook anything for a single holiday meal & i can take care of most of my christmas shopping at the seaport market while i'm 'working'. i realize for most people this is not the case and that's why yesterday i started thinking about a holiday meal planner.

with so many holiday gatherings and special meals, wouldn't it be nice to just go to the freezer and grab a little red kitsch'n concoction to alleviate some of the pressure? i think so... but i guess i'm a little biased! i'll also be putting together some little holiday packages of sauces & rubs, sweets & hors d'oeuvres for gifts and cocktail parties.

not everything is ready just yet, but over the next couple of weeks i'll be making it all, so just check the weekly menus for availability. if you'd like to reserve something just shoot me an e-mail at jennadurling@hotmail.com.

so here's what i was thinking yesterday:

christmas eve: my family always eats acadian rappi pie & seafood chowder. but a tourtiere or lobster mac & cheese would be nice as well.

christmas morning: after all the insanity it's nice to have a hearty, no-brainer breakfast. how about a roasted butternut squash, maple & pecan strata or a quiche: lorraine, smoked salmon or florentine?

christmas dinner: i don't want to mess with tradition, but it could be nice to bring a side of festive wild rice salad or quinoa salad. and for all the vegans out there, having a vegan lasagna on hand would ensure your choices aren't limited to steamed veggies (i'm also thinking of a 'christmas-y' vegan main, but it's not finalized yet...).

boxing day: growing up, boxing day was always considered a day of rest. maybe fry up some fish cakes & baked beans for breakfast or pop in a chicken, leek, broccoli & bacon pie or a shepherd's pie for an easy supper. or maybe just have some healthy soup for a bit of a cleanse.

potluck supper: curried chicken & chickpeas, braised pork & sweet potato pie, or creamy british seafood pies are always crowd pleasers & a nice change from turkey.

cocktail party: these can be the most overwhelming and stressful of all. hors d'oeuvres i've always been successful with are mushroom & goat cheese triangles, savoury southwestern sweet potato pies, thai inspired mini crab cakes, individual smoked salmon & dill quiches and asian chicken dumplings. 

desserts: mini cupcakes, lemon meringues, peppermint meringue kisses, bite-sized brownies, chocolate truffles & individual cheesecakes round out any spread... or become the spread themselves. if you'd like to order these by the dozen i need at least 48 hours notice - thanks!

new year's eve: some years we'd just have a big pot of chilli or seafood chowder on the stove, but for a more substantial meal a creamy british fish pie, tourtiere, or lobster mac & cheese would do the trick. or if it's just a quiet dinner for two, a braised beef brisket with mushrooms, shallots, kale & blue cheese polenta would definitely do the trick - with a big glass of red wine.

new year's day: probably another day where fish cakes & baked beans would be handy to have in the freezer or a hearty strata to start the new year off right.

january: vegan soup!

also fitting with the holiday theme - don't forget to check out my mini cupcakes at the festival of trees luncheon being held at the world trade & convention centre tomorrow. all proceeds support the mental health foundation of nova scotia.

ps: this weekend i will also be accepting donations of incredibly gawdy, tacky & kitschy christmas decorations from the 70s and 80s that are too embarrassing to be hung in your own home & would otherwise be headed for the trash... there's a little competition at the market & i want to have the most eye catching table around!

ok, time to cook.