Alternatives to Christmas dinner

[Rinkydinkypink]

We've decided not to have Christmas dinner this year. Simply because none if us are that bothered by roast dinners and we always end up feeling to full of very rich food.

So what else can we have?

Dh is thinking pulled pork. I'm thinking American style cornbread, chicken, corn etc.

We want something easy, fun, tasty but very different.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'd say whatever you really love, but can't normally be faffed to cook.
Its not the time for trying a new recipe or something that you all haven't had before imo.
One memorable christmas dh and I did crispy duck which was lush. Course it was also the year I made a cake so alcoholic it was renamed cake shots

[agoodbook]

I have made this a few times, and we love it- and no real trouble to make

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/warm-shredded-lamb-salad-with-mint-and-pomegranate-178

[HermioneDanger]

We had fillet steak, chips and veg last year. It was marvellous and a real treat. I did forget to do the starter though... I made a pear/chocolate crisp pudding too, which was lovely and we ended up not feeling totally stuffed, which was really unusual for Christmas day. If we were doing our own Christmas this year we'd do something not dissimilar.

[FishWithABicycle]

We had a lebanese-style banquet one year, with about 20 different dishes most of which were made over the preceding few days to keep cooking on the day itself to a minimum.

[MilkRunningOutAgain]

Really curious, but why is steak and chips, or pulled pork less rich and filling than a roast? Perhaps my roasts are unusual but turkey is healthy, and I do loads of fresh veggies and gravy, really it's not that filling! ( though I do then rather spoil things by eating lots of cheese and chocs.)

[MilkRunningOutAgain]

And I meant to add my mil always poached a massive salmon, with coleslaw and salad, which I thought was delicious and always felt festive.

[HermioneDanger]

Possibly because I don't do 17 different veg/yorkies/stuffing etc Milk and am a little more restrained when it comes to portions. It's also a whole lot less faff, which I think is the real appeal!

[5toocoolforschool]

We are having tapas, last year we had indian, dh does it, actually exh now but we will do christmas together.

[FunkyBoldRibena]

We love roast dinners and only had christmas roastys if it fell on a Sunday.

But now, this year we are doing a one pot roast each. So two ceramic casserole pots, roast veg done in them, then nut roast, or veggie 'thingy' in the middle, a few steamed veg and gravy put on before serving. It means if we don't eat it all we get seconds later that night.

For years we had chilli - so I'd make the chilli the night before, and would have chilli, nachos, guac and sour cream and I then just had to heat the chilli and cook the rice. Plus always had leftovers for boxing day.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I'm doing salmon coulibiac

[Purplecircle]

We had fillet steak one year. I would do something that's a treat, that everyone likes but you wouldn't normally have

[Rinkydinkypink]

Some great ideas thanks. It's the 10 types of stuffing, sausages, bread sauce etc etc etc that make it too much. Without this surely it's just roast dinner?

[DuchessDisaster]

In the past I have had curry, a casserole, meat loaf. My best friend once did a turkey stir-fry.

[Germgirl]

DH and I are on our own on Christmas Day, I think dinner will be posh cheese & crackers, maybe some pate for me and lots of champagne.
Just have whatever you feel is a 'treat'. I like the sound of the pulled pork etc.

[MilkRunningOutAgain]

I don't do the sausages, bread sauce, cranberry sauce etc, and just one stuffing, so that is why! I'm lazy! But then, I have to leave space for my cheese board, which is amazing and my favourite thing by far, DH agrees and the DCs are happy provided they get lots of mince pies and ice cream!