Cooking a Christmas Dinner

Cooking a Christmas dinner is a big job. There is a lot of food to make AND a lot of people's needs to consider. Plus, you want the event to be fun, even for you. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Snacks

Before the meal, you'll have people milling around, watching TV, or talking. Make sure that people have something to munch on before dinner officially starts. Have some veggies and chips with dip out or some cheese and crackers. Providing hors d'oeuvres covers you in case things take longer than expected. Here is a simple recipe for clam dip:

Clam Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (6-ounce) can minced clams, save juice
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt to taste

Photo by RYoung, sxc.hu

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese and clams.
2. Star in just enough clam juice to make a nice consistency for dipping.
3. Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine.
4. Serve immediately or cover and chill. Serve with crackers or chips.

Preparing the Meal

Ask for help! If you have a spouse or children, delegate a few jobs (or dishes, depending on their ages) for them to do. Cooking together as a family is a great bonding experience and can make for a fun tradition. If you have older members of your family coming, ask for their advice on different dishes and their preparation.

You can also consider asking some of your guests to prepare a dish ahead of time to bring with them. If it requires cooking time, they could leave some of it off until it gets to your house. You can then finish cooking the meal in your own oven so that it is fresh. Baking cookies ahead of time and freezing them can also be helpful if you want to avoid a one-day cooking marathon.

Turkey tips

• Be sure to choose a bird that is the right size to feed the number of guests you expect. And don't forget to allow for seconds or the traditional turkey sandwich.
  
  
• Next, you want to be sure the turkey is thawed out in time to start some prep the day before the meal. If you purchase a frozen turkey, you can store it in the refrigerator up to a week before you need it. If it is still frozen, place it in a clean kitchen sink and run some cold water over it until you can get the giblet pack out.
  
  
• Soak your turkey in a little salt water for a couple of hours or overnight. This brine will help to tenderize the meat, plus it helps draw the blood from the meat so you don't get that ugly dark meat close to the bone.
  
  
• Make sure you have a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the size turkey you have chosen. You will need to have at least 2-3 inches of space around the bird for proper heat circulation while cooking. Sit the bird in the center of the pan, on a wire rack, if possible. Preheat your oven to the recommended temperature that is listed on the turkey packaging. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan, just to the level of the wire rack.
  
  
• Season your bird! Place a couple of pats of butter under the skin of the breast meat. To begin, hold the edge of the skin and just slide your finger between it and the meat, breaking the connective membrane. Slip in a little butter for delicious internal basting. Over the top, sprinkle some pepper and rubbed sage. If you decide to use salt, use sea salt because it has a lower sodium count but still gives you the flavor.
• Cover your turkey with the lid of the pan, or use aluminum foil if the lid does not fit. Spray the foil with nonstick spray to keep it from sticking to the top of the turkey. Center the pan in the oven and set your cook time for the recommended amount of time that is listed on the packaging of the turkey. Check after 2 hours and baste with the juices from the bottom.
• Once the internal temperature of the turkey has reached 165 degrees, or the timer pops out, remove the foil and let the skin brown a little if necessary. Let the turkey set a few minutes before removing to a serving platter for carving. Reserve the drippings in the bottom of the pan to make gravy with.

Glazed ham recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 14 to 18 lb. ham
• 1/4 cup mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 tablespoons whole cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Put the ham on a rack in a roasting pan.
3. Pour one half of the cider over ham and bake the ham for 2 hours.
4. In the mean time, toast the mustard and cardamom seeds in a skillet for 3 - 4 minutes.
5. Transfer the mustard and cardamom seeds to a grinder and grind fine.
6. Mix the ground seeds with the cinnamon, ginger, prepared mustard, honey, corn syrup and molasses. Set aside.
7. After the ham is baked, take it out of the oven and keep it aside. Then, trim the fat carefully to about 1/4 of an inch.
8. Score the fat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife.
9. Place a piece of clove in each diamond. Rub the spice mixture over the ham.
10. Return ham to oven and cook for another 20 minutes. Cover the ham with the remaining cider. Bake another 40 minutes.