Menu Plan Monday: 12/20 - 12/26

The final countdown to CHRISTmas is on! I'm so excited. The stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year is my favorite time of the year with CHRISTmas being my absolute favorite part. My shopping is finished and my kitchen table has become wrapping central. I'm trying to slow down, soak it all in and keep the reason for the season present in the front of my mind.

We're trying to keep our menu pretty simple this week. We want to keep the fridge as cleared out as possible to make room for holiday groceries.

Monday: Date Day with my husband, dining at The Montgomery Inn

Tuesday: turkey or roast beef paninis, soup

Wednesday: homemade pizza

Thursday: crockpot taco soup (carryover since I didn't make it last week; freezing the leftovers)

Friday: tradition of Christmas Eve dinner with my grandma (meatloaf a la my dad, baked potatoes, salad, cheesecake)

We're hosting Christmas at our house for the first time this year. Our daughter is the only grandchild on both sides of the family. Since she's pretty much the center of the universe, it's easier for everyone to come here than for us to try to pack her around to multiple houses in multiple cities, all in one day. I'm grateful that everyone is willing to make the day easier for us, but I'm also a bit nervous about playing hostess to people who are awesome hosts themselves. My in-laws are local, but my parents are out of town. They'll be coming over Christmas Eve night and staying in our "guesthouse" (the camper) so that they'll be here for the festivities without having an early morning commute.

Christmas Breakfast: breakfast before casserole (courtesy of my mother-in-law), breakfast pizza (courtesy of my mom), coffee cake (courtesy of my sister-in-law)

Christmas Lunch: pinwheels, coctail weiners (totally giggled typing that), deviled eggs, veggie tray, fruit salad and whatever other finger foods I decide on between now and then

Christmas Evening: cheeseburges, grilled chicken breasts, all the sandwich fixing, chips, pretzels, steamed broccoli

Our CHRISTmas evening meal may sound meager, but that's because we'll break out the big guns on Sunday. We're having our daughter dedicated at church the day after CHRISTmas so my parents are staying another night to be here for that. We're hosting a little luncheon afterwards for family and some church friends. I haven't completely finalized the menu for this one. Feel free to make suggestions!

Dedication Lunch Menu: Honeybaked ham, roasted redskin potatoes, green beans, salad, cheese board, some sort of dessert


What are your holiday food traditions? What's your go-to dish to take to holiday gatherings?