My Christmas Dilemma

[Stephanie Brim]

I've been outvoted and I have to say that I'm extremely disappointed with my family's taste in meals.

We're having pizza on Christmas. Franchise-made. Probably Godfather's.

This pisses me off to no end because I had a really nice menu planned: two kinds of soup (a chili and a cream soup), salad, bread, dessert. A simple but good home-cooked meal. It's being pushed aside by prefabricated faux Italian food.

If I could skip the whole affair I would, but I've been told that if I don't attend my grandmother will have fits and my mother won't talk to me for five years. The latter may not be such a bad thing, but the former would get to me.

This being the case, I've worked out a solution that will make at least *me* happy: I'm going to do a pre-dinner appetizer plate. I'm considering doing four or perhaps five two-bite appetizers, each with a unique flavor/texture. Thinking up recipes at the moment. I want them to be so good that they will actually regret ordering pizza instead of letting me cook.

Condolences and recipes are both appreciated.

[Free Rider]

You're not the only one who's disappointed in their family's taste in meals. My father, for a while, would only eat at McDonalds. Said it was cheaper than cooking at home. He has a comment he makes all the time about food... I'll clean it up for the board... "Why eat expensive/good food when you're only going to poop it out anyway".

Good luck with your appetisers and, at the very least, enjoy what you've prepared.

[phatch]

This is one reason I told my extended family that we were forming our own family traditional meals for the Holidays. We'd visit them during the holidays, but my individual family would eat its special meal alone. I'll encourage my kids to do the same.

Less stress, no politics. You don't have to worry about which side of the family you ate with last year and all the rest of that.

Phil

[trulys]

Stephanie,
It sure feels awful when your talents are not appreciated or acknowleded.
Simular things happen to me all the time so in a way i was glad to hear i wasn't the only one. And if your like me, it's all about the food and sharing it with others so now there goes a once in a year occassion.So you could do what i do now and that is i only cook for friends and family who appreciate my talents and taste and i throw "no brainer" food at the rest and turn off that part of me and just attend for the company. You could call it an early evening and create a fabulous small late night dinner for 2 that would probably be even more memorable.
trulys

[chrose]

Bring a great bottle of wine and some good chocolate for dessert that should help wash the taste out!

Freerider tell your father (actually you probably already have) but a McDonalds burger is 1.6 oz. at .79¢ each he is paying $7.90/lb for ground meat (and oh what quality it is too ) is that really cheaper than the grocery store?

[panini]

I can't agree with Phil more!!
It really doesn't matter what type of food you share as long as your together.
Our family, as Phils, has built our own tradition of enjoying a private meal together.
Although it has grown to 4 families, non family. It's our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. It's not pot luck(because the dads and moms are chefs) but we enjoy foods from Italy (me), Mexico, Viet Nam, and Trinidad.
When we go to visit familyI make it a point to praise all the store bought stuff.
Stephanie,
Sounds like a good time to start a tradition for yourself. The day doesn't matter. Cook for some of your foodie friends.
pan

[kuan]

That's what we're doing too. We're skipping traditional X'mas dinner and doing our own. It's also a matter of starting our own traditions, plus, there are some people who can't get past the fact that my wife has accomplished more than all of them put together ever will in ten lifetimes.

[kuan]

How about a platter of sliced local prosciutto, pears, and Maytag Bleu, and very old Balsamic since you're from Iowa?

[siduri]

This is one of the most depressing posts i've read. Packaged chain-store food for christmas dinner??? What kind of family holiday meal is that? It's like a punch in the stomach.

[Stephanie Brim]

I'm just disappointed. I was really bummed when I wrote that post this morning.

I'm just going to do some appetizers that reflect my taste for food and perhaps I'll get some compliments. If I don't, I'll just eat them all myself because I highly doubt I'll be touching the pizza.

[Pinot]

Sorry no time for recipes today , but can't leave without a quick condolence !

All kudos to you Stephanie for standing up against this awful fast food culture that has a strong hold on your country (mine too) . Your certainly welcome down here in Sydney . We spend a kings ransom for our 14 course Xmas eve feast on exceptional wine and food , which here we enjoy alfresco long into the warm summer evening . I will save a place for you Steph just in case

Anyway keep in mind (if your are over 21) that you can at least drink good wine with bad food. Just keep it away from the pizza munchers and enjoy it with your "real" food.

Merry xmas

Pinot.

[kuan]

Originally Posted by siduri

This is one of the most depressing posts i've read. Packaged chain-store food for christmas dinner??? What kind of family holiday meal is that? It's like a punch in the stomach.

This is Amerika babeee! If you can't put it in a can it's not worth eating!

[Stephanie Brim]

The pizza disaster seems to be diverted toward Maid Rites. Considering we follow the old Maid Rite recipe, this should be much more to my liking.

I'm still doing the appetizers, however. We need some new and interesting things to try.

[Culprit]

Sincerest condolences Stephanie, I'll light a candle or two for you on Christmas morning. Two ideas here that I really like. The first is Pinot's. You can wash down a few bites of any old store bought stuff with good wine and make it tolerable. Then, in the course of the meal, you can just stop ingesting the disgusting fare and enjoy the wine. If you make enough of the hors devours you can switch from the main course to the snack tray and enjoy that with the wine.
Anyway, best of luck to you. Just enjoy the folks and do your best to understand that it's the differences in people (even in what they prefer to eat on Christmas) that makes them interesting character studies. If all of them were the same you'd have a pretty boring family.

[siduri]

i guess my reaction is not about the fast food in itself, but about the fact that a family dinner, and particularly a special holiday dinner, should be about cooking with love for those you care about. Doesn't matter if you can't cook well, but the fact of smelling the food in the oven, everyone sitting down, in a certain atmosphere, where, sorry, pizza cardboards don't belong. Everyone can bring something, or someone can cook for everyone, or everyone can pitch in and prepare the dinner together, it doesn't matter. it's the spirit that is lacking in the take-out pizza, that can be fun on an occasional night, but which is just depressing on a holiday.
Yeah, though, i understand your dilemma, having come myself from a very manipulative family. But i have to ask, why is it ok for others to threaten not to talk to you if you don't participate in this anti-christmas, and it's not ok for you to not talk to them for having voted for it??!!