A number of years back, my sister and I decided (with the approval of our families) that we are well and truly OVER the traditional holiday feast foods of our childhoods. Also, I'm a vegetarian now, so roast beast with side dishes is not of interest to me at all.
This year, we've decided to repeat the successful Italian-themed Christmas meal that we made last year. My sister is making a lasagna with meat and I'll be making a veggie lasagna and a pan of baked ziti. I'll also bake Italian bread and make balsamic vinaigrette for the salad since I have some nice aged balsamic on hand.
For Christmas Eve dinner, I'm planning to make enchiladas (I make a small pan of them for myself before I add the meat) and Mexican rice (with vegetable broth). We have enough cookies and candy around that I'm not going to concern myself with preparing a separate dessert.
The Friday before Christmas Eve, my niece and nephew are coming over for dinner, movies and a sleepover. I figured I'd bust out the Fry Daddy and make tacos to preemptively use up the extra tortillas I would have had from making the enchiladas the next day. Let's hope the weather is decent enough that I can fry the shells out on the front porch.
I really enjoy everything about planning these elaborate meals. From making the grocery lists to buying the ingredients, to preparing each dish in just the right order to have everything done at the same time, I find the entire process fun and satisfying.
What are your meal plans for this weekend?
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