Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

DH and I are hosting Christmas Eve for the first time for his family. I don't mind doing this but the only thing is that I have a small apartment and it will be 10 adults (DH and I included), 4 children and 1 toddler. I am just concerned over everyone feeling uncomfortable or cramped up. I know someone will be making a sarcastic remark. I'm sorry but we can't afford the fancy houses they have.

My kitchen is small, I have a small stove and oven and I am having a hard time trying to figure out what I have room to make. Errrrrrrr! I would cater but then I don't wan't to look like a lame duck because although i am not the greatest cook, I am learning some recipies from my mom. DH is saying that it tastes just like the way she makes it and that makes me feel good because my mom is a great cook. There is nothing wrong with catering but I want to prove a point to them that I can cook. His family likes me and have always been nice to me but sometimes some of their comments annoy me, and I have a feeling that DH's brothers and their wives look at me and DH's sister as domestically challenged when it comes to cooking. One of my BIL's had a block party once and I brought over two pound cakes that I baked and the other brother was having some and when he found out I made it he was like 'since when do you cook' I was like 'how would you know you never come over'...we've been married a year and neither one of his two brothers has ever come to see our new apartment. DH's sister knows how I feel. My MIL doesn't make me feel domestically challenged when it comes to cooking, she tells me to ignore those who make dumb comments.

My question is do any of you ladies have any advice or suggestion for me. I would really appreciate it.

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Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Thanks for your suggestions. One of the things I was planning on making was chicken parm. I can make the sauce in advance but how early can I fry the cutlets? Cuz then they will always get heated up when I have to put them in the oven to melt the mozzarella cheese on them.

Desserts I have taken care of. I have a cousin who owns a bakery and he is going to send a tray of holiday cookies. I don't have to worry about makind dessert.

My main concern is cooking the food...


Thank you for replying.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

that is a great idea about crock pot side dishes, I would also go big into presentation, like a dinner party set up, if you can borrow any folding chairs that would be helpful too. as far as cooking, chick parm sounds great, I would fry them that morning, that way incase your oven hood is not all that great you can air out your apt from the frying Good Luck

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

The chicken parm sounds good - what about some pasta with it? You can make the sauce ahead of time and just start frying the cutlets a few hours before your guests arrive.

Also make a big salad - you can make ahead of time

you're covered with the desserts and just do easy appetizers -
cut up veggies, cheese/crackers,etc

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

I would try to fry them like 2 hours before or maybe even a little earlier. It will all go in the oven anyway, so you won't have to worry about them being cold.

Good luck- I am sure evrything will come out delicious.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Are there any traditional dishes you enjoy??

I would start from there.

Ham is super easy to make (In the microwave even)

It's not fancy, but some of those boil in bag veggies can be a life saver when preparing a meal for a large group.

You can do chicken cutlets a day in advance - less stress and mess the day of.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Question - does his family do the fish for Christmas Eve? Are there any traditions that they have that you should consider?

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Lasagna is always great because you can make it ahead of time and freeze it.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

After frying the cutlets I have to put the in the fridge right? and do I aslo put the sauce on them as well, and I have to cover it of course...Also two people don't like sauce on the cutlets so if I fry them in advance and put them in the fridge then those will get heat up once they go in the oven right. What does it take to heat up...a couple of minutes???

I was definitely going to make pasta with the chicken since I am making sauce. His family doesn't really have any major traditions. the only thing i've seen them do is raviolis with sauce on christmas eve, so i can do that.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

I would think that Chicken parm is a little fiddly to make for a large amount of people. IT's also hard to judge how much to make because you don't know how many pieces each person will eat.

I know you said your oven is small, but I would stick to a turkey or roast or ham or something. You can stuff a turkey, so there's a side dish there. With a ham or roast, you can roast veggies and potatoes in the same pan. Also, can you ask your family to each bring a side dish or dessert?

Good luck!! You'll do great! the women in my family typically stay at the table throughout the entire day and the men stay in the living room, so maybe it'll work out like that for you too and there won't be any seating issues.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

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Posted by heidla

Lasagna is always great because you can make it ahead of time and freeze it.

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I like the lasagna idea too but then that will leave me with limited space for the trays of chicken parm.

Salad I will make early in the day as well as apitizers. I am going to put out cheese, that my parents brought back from italy along with olives and fresh mozzarella and I will put them on top of Slices of tomatoes.

My MIL said she is willing to come the night before and help on x-mas eve if I need her. My mom has own her plans and will be busy so she won't be able to help me. she prepares a day in advance as well. so that's when my MIL volunteered to come down if I wanted her to.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

I have made trays of chicken parm the night before prepared and but together and wrapped and baked before serving...I get more compliments on it that way, it almost becomes like better and just melts in your mouth. you can prepare lasagna in advance also and this way just bake when your guests arive.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

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Posted by usuk2004

I would think that Chicken parm is a little fiddly to make for a large amount of people. IT's also hard to judge how much to make because you don't know how many pieces each person will eat.

I know you said your oven is small, but I would stick to a turkey or roast or ham or something. You can stuff a turkey, so there's a side dish there. With a ham or roast, you can roast veggies and potatoes in the same pan. Also, can you ask your family to each bring a side dish or dessert?

Good luck!! You'll do great! the women in my family typically stay at the table throughout the entire day and the men stay in the living room, so maybe it'll work out like that for you too and there won't be any seating issues.

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Turkey is not a bad idea either. I would have to practice it one night though.....LOL LOL LOL

I can't ask his family to bring a side dish. His sister and one of his SIL's wouldn't mind but his other SIL is a snob and I can just picture what she would say 'they're hosting and we have to bring the food'...plus like i've said they already think me and my husband's sister are domestically challenged when it comes to cooking so to ask them to bring food would only add to their theory.

DH's sister was like 'don't go crazy, you don't have to make a lot of food, who cares about impressing that snob, she's the biggest cheepo anyways, she showed up at my house 2 hours early for xmas dinner one year and she bought a tiny box of chocolates that didn't even have enough pieces for each person to have at least one chocolate, meanwhile she shoved tons of food in her mouth during dinner'.

at my engagement party she took home 3 boxes of desserts, she was hoarding them without any consideration for everyone else.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

I lived in a small apartment and have hosted dinners for about that many people and not even had a dining room - it can be done. I recently did chicken parm and I did the cutlets the night before and threw it all together right before the people came and just baked when they got there. It came ok - but it is so much betetr fresh.

I find roasts are the easiest for big groups and pasta as a first course. Sauce can be made the day in advance and heated up and done on the stove top - and not waste oven space. Pork roast and ham is super easy and good for groups but everyone has to like it.

Stuffed mushroom can be throw together quick in the morning and heated when they get there and make a fun and yummy side. Salad - super easy side - spice it up as a cesar for more interesting side. Lots of veggies can be made in the microwave too - if you are concerned about stove and space.

Good Luck.

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Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Thanks for all of your suggestion. You guys are the best.

I want to try the baked ham but I have to practice. I should try it for dinner tomorrow night. Tonight we are going out.

I think I'll either do baked ziti or just cook raviolis. I have a store nearby that makes fresh pasta.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Is the Honey Baked Ham place in E. Meadow (or Levittown?) still around? You can go there and get a spiral ham that you just heat up in the oven. Very 'Christmas Eve' type of a dish.

If it is not there you can order online. We do that all the time. I'd rather enjoy the holidays than be slaving in the kitchen.

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

Have you considered doing a cocktail party rather than a sit down dinner. You could make a lot of different appetizers such as mini crab cakes, cheeses/salamis, baked clams, dips, veggie platter, boxed phyllo horderves (sp?), Shrimp cocktail. You could put out a honey baked ham which doesn't have to be served hot. Everything could be prepared in advance.

Whatever you choose, have a great time!

Re: Need Some Advice About Hosting Christmas Eve...

I live by those Turkey self basting bags. They come out great!!!