If I plan a menu through the month of December (back in October), will it make the holidays go by with a little less stress? Just wondering because I'm so am hoping for that!
While jotting dinner ideas on my calendar I started thinking it would be fun to serve up some sort of food for those 12 days counting down to Christmas. (Yes, here I am, making a simple idea complicated again!) So, I've browsed from time to time, all the way up to Halloween, and now, before completing my menu, I can't help but share all my research with you! So, have a look, then share your ideas with me!
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Day 1 --- Partridge in a Pear Tree
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| Turtle Cake --- This is beautiful! (However, I will use this chocolate cake recipe instead --- it's super easy to make, you don't need coffee an it's one of our favorites.) I think I'll have a scope of vanilla ice cream with that! |
Day 4 --- Calling Birds actually "Colly Birds" (means blackbird/crow)
- Buy or cut out a bird shaped stencil. Spread cream cheese on crackers and use the stencil for things like finely chopped chives, black olive, paprika, chopped egg yolk, to make the birds on top.
- Colly Bird Pie (I think I'll make 2 pies some night soon and freeze one of those for later --- or --- I might just make a regular old pot pie and make reference to the children's rhyme with blackbirds baked in a pie.)
Day 5 --- Golden Rings
- gold-foil wrapped chocolate bells (for ringing)
- oranges sliced into rings
- onion rings with a hamburger
- Cowboy Donuts (for 5 golden glazed doughnuts --- or glazed will work)
- Christmas Bread Wreath (for breakfast)
Day 6 --- Geese-a-Laying
Day 7 --- Swans-a-Swimming
Day 8 --- Maids-a-Milking
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| Milk Duds, Popcorn and a Family Christmas Movie (But, what's for dinner?) |
- something with lots of milk (i.e. cheese, custard, yogurt)
- Chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream
- Tres Leches Cake
Day 9 --- Ladies Dancing
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| Pink Ladies (With so many sweets, just make 1/2 a batch --- these are rich and oh, so good.) |
- Pink Lady apples (can use to make Raw Apple Crisp, Apple Cider (juice the apples through a juicer)/Wassail, apple pie)
- Gingerbread Ladies (1, 2, 3, 4) --- Can be baked and frozen until Day 9!
Day 10 --- Lords-a-Leaping
Day 11 --- Pipers Piping
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| Snowman Stew (Make 11 snowmen with little pipes drawn on with mustard.) I will use this slow cooker Beef Stew recipe because we like it and it's pretty easy, I'll just add the snowmen towards the end of the cooking time, maybe even pour it into a casserole dish... but that might be complicating a simple idea. Here's some good crusty bread to serve with it.) |
Day 12 --- Drummers Drumming
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| California Rolls --- video (These are drum shaped, add something for drumsticks --- chopsticks?) These can be made a day ahead. (Serve with instant Miso Soup and steamed veggies.) |
