What is your favorite (Winter holiday of preference) feasting meal dish?

[Khamon]

Mother started a tradition, years ago, of group thinking what we wanted to eat for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve meals. It's gone all over the map. Last year we made pretzels and spätzle with lentils and sausages because the nephew had befriended a German exchange student. My choice is always pumpkin anything and everything.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

There is a smokehouse near us that has been in business for about 160 years that makes the best ham. Thank you for reminding me to reserve one. That's for Christmas eve dinner (and for sandwiches on Christmas day and soup on New Year's). With potatoes and steamed carrots. Pumpkin and/or apple pie. For Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing.

For my birthday (Dec 27th) I usually invite a few friends and cook Indian food (Chicken tikka, dahl, pindi channa, a couple of vegetable dishes, maybe vindaloo, and naan).

 

[EmpressOfCommunism]

Party favours. Home made cheese balls to slice for crackers are my jam. I like spicy foods and I find that there isn't much opportunity for spice in Christmas cooking, so adding some spice in party favours is welcome. I also celebrate the solstice and "sunny" foods as treats like citrus fruit in a salad is perfect.

 

[Bamboo Stick]

God this thread has made me so hungry.

 

[Tirellia]

Hot mince pies with brandy butter. Cold mince pies dusted with icing sugar. Hot mince pies with brandy sauce because I'm not a fan of Christmas pudding. Christmas cake with marzipan and rock hard royal icing. We usually have profiteroles with cream and chocolate, rum babas and those rich chocolate pot desserts served in tiny cups that look inadequate and turn out to be so rich that the four teaspoons of dessert are plenty.

 

[Alexa Lioncourt]

This year we added a new favorite recipe to our cold weather treats. https://www.afamilyfeast.com/savory-soft-polenta/. It's divine served with apple butter marinated baked chicken. the two make a nice blend of sweet and savory.

You can make it with any cheese you want and it comes out so damned good, I want to go make it again right now. It's super easy to make and I don't think I'll ever miss stuffing again. You could even pre-brown the onions and celery and pre-crumble the night before and then just warm them up with the broth and cream when you're about 10 minutes out from eating.

 

[Kaimi Kyomoon]

...

Also for New Year’s and really any cold winter night, we like Raclette. 2 cheeses, usually I make saffron rice 50/50 with riced cauliflower instead of the traditional taters. And we add more pickled things on the side. My Sweetie has started in on his eggnog drinking already. He drinks it plain with no booze. I like Cherry Coke Zero. Or Absinthe + water or a Cocktail Suissesse

You just reminded me of my Swiss sister-in-law's fondue which is one of my favorite meals. My favorite holiday dish is vegetarian stuffing, which we bring to family gatherings.

 

[Kaimi Kyomoon]

Hot mince pies with brandy butter. Cold mince pies dusted with icing sugar. Hot mince pies with brandy sauce because I'm not a fan of Christmas pudding. Christmas cake with marzipan and rock hard royal icing. We usually have profiteroles with cream and chocolate, rum babas and those rich chocolate pot desserts served in tiny cups that look inadequate and turn out to be so rich that the four teaspoons of dessert are plenty.

My mom always made mince pies for holiday meals, cold with powdered sugar on top. Mmm. I *love* Christmas pudding with custard sauce.

 

[Fauve Aeon]

Well, Mr G is beta testing tonight so we kicked off the feasting season with a cup of posole, I simmered a giant pot yesterday...then the main was giant gravy covered spicy meatballs (or small meat loaves, depending on your perspective).
Sides were seafood salad with tarragon and lavender, creamy cole slaw spiked with garlic and balsamic vinegar and the finish was Godiva chocolate pudding topped with rose whipped cream and sugared raspberries. Yum Yum!

We are mostly wheat free so I use almond flour and egg to bind the meatballs/meatloaves. Smoked paprika makes them hot-ish, to taste. In my family’s tradition, I ate my pudding early on so as to make sure I had room, my grandfather often ate his dessert first.

 

[Sean Gorham]

We have an Italian Christmas dinner every year. Ravioli, braciole, meatballs, sweet sausage, spare ribs, and stuffed squid (it's much better than it sounds!), topped with lots of Romano cheese.

Then there's the anise-flavored Christmas cookies:

 

[Robert Jung]

The winter feasts of my youth, consisted of Turkey,white potatoes, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes, "winter squash," baked spinach cheese casserole, creamed green beans, stuffing, corn, peas ,fresh cranberry relish, toll-house cookies, Christmas shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles, "Russian tea cookies" dark fudge, peanut brittle, and a variety of pies including pumpkin, apple, and mince and often one of the guests would bring exotic foreign delicacies such as penuche or marzipan

I enjoyed all of it! Of course there were multiple cooks involved . It's probably best for my health that we don't eat quite that much anymore

 

[Sansarya]

We have lasagna on Christmas Eve, which my kids look forward to more than Christmas day food. I spend all afternoon making the sauce in between wrapping presents and finishing gift knitting. I don't know how or when this tradition of Christmas lasagna started, my mother didn't do it, and it pre-dates my marriage with Alan/P2, so more than 12 years.

 

[Allison]

 

[Rose Karuna]

For New Years and sometimes Christmas also: Home made butternut squash and ricotta cheese ravioli with a basil cream sauce.

Also for every holiday meal Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Years we often start it with my squash soup. I combine Seminole pumpkin, butternut squash, Acorn squash and any other winter squash that is local and I can get my hands on. I roast it and then scoop it out and put it in a pan with homemade bone broth. Then I add my "secret" spices.

 

[Turin]

My favorite is Char Bar day which happens anytime I want it to, Burnt Heaven for the win. *Insert KC Barbecue diatribe*

 

[Rose Karuna]

Well, Mr G is beta testing tonight so we kicked off the feasting season with a cup of posole, I simmered a giant pot yesterday...then the main was giant gravy covered spicy meatballs (or small meat loaves, depending on your perspective).
Sides were seafood salad with tarragon and lavender, creamy cole slaw spiked with garlic and balsamic vinegar and the finish was Godiva chocolate pudding topped with rose whipped cream and sugared raspberries. Yum Yum!

We are mostly wheat free so I use almond flour and egg to bind the meatballs/meatloaves. Smoked paprika makes them hot-ish, to taste. In my family’s tradition, I ate my pudding early on so as to make sure I had room, my grandfather often ate his dessert first.

OMg I LOVE Posole!

My brother has celiac disease so he can't have any flour either so I use ground chicharrones (pork rinds) to bind the meatballs. I just buy a bag in the store and dump them in the food processor and grind them until they're crumbs (I don't have to salt the meat when I use them either as the pork rinds are already salted).

I also will take onion and cilantro and grind those very fine in the food processor and add about a half to 3/4 of a cup along with an egg. I get amazingly moist meatballs! It's a new trick I learned about a year ago because I went on a low carb diet but I make them this way all the time now. If you don't like cilantro you can use parsley or oregano, or even spinach. I've tried all three and get different tastes but very moist and savory meatballs.

 

[Fauve Aeon]

My favorite is Char Bar day which happens anytime I want it to, Burnt Heaven for the win. *Insert KC Barbecue diatribe*

Now I’m starved and we are going to be in KC this Saturday but the day is too full for Char Bar! But at least now it’s on my list for an upcoming trip, we’re there at least once a month for KC Ballet Guild meeting!

Edit: I have room in my heart and tummy for trying and liking most all bbq meats of most regions, lol!

 

[Sid]

 

[Fauve Aeon]

Traditional cookies that my grandmother made every year ...that I’m NOT making

Struva video link:
https://www.allrecipes.com/video/944/rosettes-i/

 

[RodeejahUrquan]

My mom's baked mac n' cheese for both turkey Day and Christmas. Tbh, everyone in our family and friend circle has their own baked mac n' cheese recipe. the best has been my brother's gf's version. Very delicious