I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?

Suggestions on nutritious, filling and delicious meals as well as starters and puddings please. I want to move as far away from the traditional Christmas meal as possible, something refreshingly different for a change, thanks!I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?How about goose if you've not got too many people over - it's delicious!



Or if you want something unusual, try taking a moroccan theme instead and have exotic reds and burnt earth colours in your table decorations, mosaic tableplaces and little orange candles.



You could use one of those small rice steamers (I think they call them chimeras) in the centre of the table, and perhaps serve something like lamb and pepper mix, with roast vegetable cous cous (use cumin and turmeric to give it a spicy flavour and exotic colour) and grilled vegetable kebabs to garnish.



A dessert with something fruity and lemony, and moroccan mint tea or spanish hot chocolate (very thick and warming) to finish.



Or keep it simple - avocado and prawn marie rose to start, followed by salmon pastry parcels in white wine and cream sauce, with broccolli or cauliflower, and carrots, followed by a lemon cheesecake or tarte aux pommes.



I've made myself hungry; time for lunch!I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?
Smoked salmon, or oysters baked for three minutes with a little grated cheese on top starter. Pheasant, quail or partridge main with petits pois, parsnip and potato mash, and roast peppers. Vanilla ice-cream in which you have mixed sultanas, and chopped dried fruit that you soaked overnight in brandy-laced apple juice, then returned to freezer . Reuse the juice to make hot punch.

Happy Christmas!I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?How about a joint of pork with crispy crackling, apple and maybe bread sauce, mixed veg (without sprouts!), gravy made from the roasting pan juices, and roast potatoes, or pommes dauphinoises - sliced potatoes layered with single cream and grated cheese.



Start with a light clear sherry consom茅, and or smoked salmon with melba toast. A light pudding can be made with equal quantities cr锚me fraiche, whipped cream, the juice and grated rind of an orange or lemon, sweetened with icing sugar, or a sinful chocolate mousse with a measure of whiskey or brandy in it.I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?
Fish %26amp; ChipsI am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?Cornish Game Hens are great, use regular stuffing and add a couple of shots of E%26amp;J Brandy to the mix, it brings out a wonderful flavor, and cooking it will burn out the alcohol. For dessert, I'm not sure, drink the rest of the Brandy?
why not look at the tradional dishs from other countries and see how they celebrateI am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?
why not just take the tree down aswell and not have christmas............christmas is meant to be traditional
How about a curry?



You could lay on a full Indian Banquet - even better you could just order it from you're local restaurant!



Bon appetit whatever you choose :-)I am thinking of a turkey free Christmas menu this year, any ideas?
We start with soup, followed by Beef Wellington and then somethng like fruit salad.
Starter: Terrine of Hare



Hare, which is among the cheapes of game, is excellent for pates and terrines. These freeze well, and the quantities below are sufficient for two terrines. Begin preparations 2 days in advance.



Marinade:

4 bay leaves

8 crushed juniper berries

1 level teaspoon salt

6 peppercorns

1/2 wine glass brandy



Terrine:

1 hare

450g veal

450g belly pork

300g rashers streaky bacon

1 level teaspoon each of powdered basil, thyme, marjoram, salt and black pepper



In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients.

Cut 700g of meat, from the saddle and hind legs of the hare into thin slices and leave for 10 hours in the marinade.

Turn the meat several times to ensure it si thoroughly impregnated.

The following day mince the veal with the cleaned liver, heart and kidneys from the hare, remove the rind, bones and gristle from the belly pork, and mince it separately.

Line one 600ml or two 300ml terrine or ovenproof dishes with the sreaky bacon, with the rind removed, setting three or four slices aside.

For easier unmoulding, the terrine or dish can be lined with foil before arranging the bacon.

Strain the marinade from the hare.

Lay half the minced pork on the bacon, folowed by a layer of veal.

Sprinkle each layer with the mixed basil, thyme, marjoram, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lay the hare meat over the veal, pour the strained marinade over, and top with the over half of the pork, sprinkle with the remaining seasoning.

Cover the top with the reserved bacon and four bay leaves, and protect the terrine with buttered greaseproof paper before putting on the lid.

Place in a bain marie or a roasting pan containing boiling water, reaching just above half-way up the sides of the dish.

Set the bain marie in a pre-heated oven, cook at 190 degrees celsius for one and a half hours or until a skewer pushed gently into the terrine comes away clean and juices run clear yellow.

About 15 minutes before cooking is completed, remove the lid and greaseproof paper to allow the top of the terrine to brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 30 minutes, cover the terrine with clean greaseproof paper and weight down with a 900g weight se on a board over the terrine.

Seve the terrine cold with hot toast.



MAIN COURSE: Matelote of eels, Fettuccine al Burro and Jerusalem Artichokes in butter



MATELOTE OF EELS



700g eels

2 small onions

75g butter

375 ml dry white wine

1 carrot

1 clove garlic

1 bouquet garni

1/2 level teaspoon ground mace

salt and black pepper

1 egg yolk

150ml double cream

12 button mushrooms

12 button onions

Fried bread triangles



Ask the fishmonger to skin and clean the eels.

Peel and thinly slice the onions, saute half in 50g butter for 5 minutes until golden.

Wash and dry the eels and cut into 5cm pieces, add to the onion and continue frying gently, for about 10 minutes, turning the eels until lightly browned.

Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer.

Peel slice and chop the carrot, peel and crush the garlic and add these to the pan, together with the remaining onion, bouquet garni, mace and seasoning.

cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, wipe and trim the mushrooms, peel the button onions and saute both in the remaining 25g butter, fry the bread triangles.

Remove the fish and keep warm on a serving dish.

Beat the egg yolks and cream together and add a little of the fish liquid.

Blend this into the mixture in the pan and continue gently stirring untill the sauce thickens.

Pour the sauce over the eels and serve garnished with the mushrooms, onions and bread triangles.



FETTUCINE AL BURRO



450g ribbon noodles

1 level teaspoon salt

110g unsalted butter

75 ml double cream

175g grated parmesan cheese

black pepper



Boil 4,8l of water in a large suacepan, adn add the salt and the noodles, stirring until the water returns to the boil, to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Cover and continue to boil for 8 minutes until the noodles are tender. Meanwhile beat the softened butter in a bowl until it fluffs, gradually beat in the cream and half the cheese. Drain the noodles and toss them in a colander to remove the last drops of water.

Put the noodles in a hot serving dish, pour over the cream and cheese sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Pepper well and serve the remaining cheese in a bowl.



JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES IN BUTTER



700g Jerusalem artichokes

Juice of a lemon

1 level tablespoon salt

50g unsalted butter

seasoned flour



Strain the lemon juice into a bowl of cold water. Wash and scrape of thinly peel the atrichokes, cut them into 0,5cm slices and drop them into the water and lemon juice to prevent them from going brown. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Drain the artichokes and dro into the boiling water, with the salt. Boil for 4 minutes, then drain in a colander. Melt the butter in an ovenproof flat dish in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees celsius. Coat the artichokes in the seasoned flour and roll in the butter. Cook on the middle shelf for about 40 minutes.



Pudding: Rhubarb and cinnamon flan.



175 g shortcrust pastry

450g rhubarb

50g castor sugar

2 level teaspoons plain flour

1/2 level teaspoon powdered cinnamon

150ml double cream



Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 0,3cm on a lightly floured surface, and use to a line an 20cm flan ring set on a greased baking sheet. Cut off the roots and any coarse or blemished parts of the rhubarb. Wash, slice them diagonally, into 1,2cm pieces and arrange on the pastry. Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and cream together and spoon over the rhubarb. Put the flan on the middle shelf of an oven pre-heated to 220 degrees celsius and bake for 30 minutes. Serve the flan warm of cold, cut into wedges. If the flan is to be served warm, let it rest for 10 minutes otherwise it is difficult to cut
You should take a look at www.recipesforvegans.co.uk for ideas such as:



Carrot and Corriander Soup

Ingredients



4 large carrots (peeled and chopped)

1 large onion

2 tsp ground coriander

vegetable stock

olive oil

salt

pepper



Fry the onion in oil until soft. Add the carrots and coriander and stir.



Cover in vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until the carrots are cooked (at least 20 minutes to make them soft enough to blend).



Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.



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Nut Roast with Mushroom Sauce





Ingredients



packet of nut roast

mushrooms

onions

garlic

salt

pepper



To make a shop bought nut roast more tasty try covering with a delicious mushroom sauce.



Fry some mushrooms,onions and garlic which have been finely chopped until golden brown. Then add some flour to the mixture to form a thick paste.



Then slowly add soya milk until the sauce is the required consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot poured over generous slices of nut roast.



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Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients



parsnips

red pepper

yellow pepper

corgette

onions

vegetable oil

garlic

salt



Use a selection of vegetables which are delicious roasted such as parnips, peppers, corgettes, onions etc.



Cube all the vegetables up into the same sized pieces and put in a roasting pan. Add enough oil to coat them all and season them with crushed garlic and salt. Make sure that you mix them up well so they are all evenly coated with oil.



Put them into a hot oven (200c) until golden brown. (they take about 30-60 minutes) Check regularly to make sure vegetables are still coated with oil and turn them to make sure they are evenly browned.



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Fruit Crumble

Ingredients



any stewed fruit (apples, rhubarb, plums etc)

sultanas (optional)

cinnamon (optional)

sugar (optional)

2 oz oats

2 oz self-raising flour (brown or white)

2 oz vegan margarine (that is suitable for baking)



Stew the fruit by removing core, stones and skin and boiling in a pan which has enough water in to cover the bottom. Stir frequently and add more water if it begins to stick. Once the fruit is soft and pulpy, taste it to see if it need sugar adding. Apple is very nice with sultanas added rather than sugar if you are trying to limit sugar intake.



Grind the oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of flour. Stir in the self-raising four. If you are using apples you may lie to add a teaspoon of cinnamon at this stage you can also add some sugar if you have a sweet tooth. Rub the margarine into the flour mixture until it looks like breadcrumbs and is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.



Spoon the fruit into an ovenproof dish and then sprinkle the flour mixture on top. Even it out with a spoon and gently press it down. For added crunch sprinkle some brown sugar on the top (if you wish).



Bake in a hot oven until golden brown.
Hurrah for you, I would love to do that but my (grown up) children and grandchildren adore the tradition trappings!!! Just buy the best of what you really like eg. fillet steak or lamb. Think of the best meal you have every had in a restaurant and do that.

Well done, I wish I could do it.........bring on the turkey!!!!!!!!!!!
hi, i am doing the same thing this year lol...so sick of the traditional foods for the holidays so my friend and i have decided to set up a buffet style all you can eat all day long event lol. i don't wanna call it a dinner cause we are gonna put it all out in the afternoon and just go for it. we have decided to make a lasagna, some stuffed peppers, clam chowder w/ bread, pigs in a blanket, and a bunch of other things. when i figure them out i will post em here for ya. good luck and i hope that your christmas is a wonderful one.
well Christmas is very special and this special theme should also apply to your food :-



Poached pear with red wine and stem ginger topped with dolcelate cheese to start



whole saddle of lamb stuffed with rosemary and red onion force meat served with a mint glaze



classic creme brulee with sour raspberries and short bred
Well, My family got tired of the "double turkey holidays" long ago so it has been our tradition since then to have turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. For me it's a great alternative since I love both. And the same soloution holds true for what to do with leftover ham as leftover turkey... Ham Salad!
I made a nice smoked leg of lamb instead of turkey last year
For starters you could have mini jacket potatoes stuffed with garlic mushrooms

For the main course you could have fresh sea bass on a bed of cous cous with vine tomatoes %26amp; frsh, crisp salad

For afters you could have caramalised bananas with a small sprinkling of nuts with Thayers white creamy ice-cream
My family love seafood and hate turkey. For starters we will be having mussles in garlic butter sauce. Main course we will be having king praws baked in beer.

Marinade the deveined prawns (with their shells and heads still on - it adds to the flavour) in lemon and salt. When ready to put in the oven add a tin of beer and bake in this sauce until prawns are cooked (about 10 mins). Delicious.

For dessert we are having chocolate mousse.
ring for an Indian takeaway
We do a Mexican meal. Cheese and beef enchiladas, rice, beans, tortillas, maybe some tamales, and so on. It takes less time to cook than turkey. Well I'm not sure about the tamales. I haven't cooked them myself but I do know how to do the enchiladas and those are pretty easy. Good luck in picking a different holiday meal! Merry Christmas!
We do a ham glazed in pineapple juice and cherry juice it is great the next day....we still have the stuffing and all but we like the ham..we have done this ham throughout the year with potatoe salad baked beans deviled eggs and some kind of desserts..look at the food cat in yahoo they have some great pudding reciepes and also jello.com is awesome for them also...
Why not try one of these!



Beef Rib Roast with Au Jus



Ingredients:



14-pound beef rib-eye roast

Salt(optional)

Pepper(optional)

Beef au Jus* (optional)



Directions:



Place meat, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Season roast with salt and pepper, if desired. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat. Do not add water or other liquid, do not cover.



Roast in a 350 degree oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours for medium rare or till meat thermometer registers 140 degrees, or for 2 to 2-1/4 hours for medium, or till meat thermometer registers 155 degrees.



Remove the roast from the oven, cover with foil and let it stand 15 minutes. The meat麓s temperature will rise 5潞 during the time it stands. Serve with Beef au Jus, if desired. Makes 12 servings.



Beef au Jus:



After removing meat from the oven, spoon drippings from pan, skim fat. Add 2 cups boiling water to pan, stirring and scraping crusty browned bits off the bottom. Stir in pan drippings.



Cook and stir till bubbly. For a richer flavor, stir in 2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules. Season to taste.





Lyonnaise Potatoes



Love these for "In-home catering"



Ingredients:



1 pound potato

Olive oil for saut茅ing

4 tablespoons onion

Fresh Parsley



Part-cook the potatoes whole (par-boil or par bake). Slice after cooling 1/4 inch thick. Heat some oil in a skillet. Saut茅 the potatoes in the oil adding the onions. Finish, garnished with chopped Parsley.





Sugar Snaps with Diced Bacon and Radishes



Serving Size : 4



Ingredients:



3/4 pound sugar snap peas

3 ounces red radishes -- med to large

3 ounces bacon -- slab



Wash snap peas and dry.



Trim the ends of the snap peas and remove the strings running down the length of the pods. Set aside.



Wash radishes and dry. Trim ends of radishes. Meticulously cut radishes into 1/8 inch cubes. Set aside.



Cut slab bacon into 1/8 inch cubes to resemble the size of the radishes. Place bacon in medium nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is cooked, approximately 3 minutes.



Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add snap peas and diced radishes. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until beans are tender but not soft. Drain in colander. Pat dry with paper towels. Immediately add snap peas and radishes to pan with bacon. Stir. Heat gently and serve immediately.





Celery Salad with Black Olives And Truffle Oil



Ingredients:



1 head celery -- leafy

1 cup olives -- pitted

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil -- truffle

4 ounces mixed greens



Directions:



Cut bottom from celery using only the white inside stalks roughly dice into 1/4 inch, approx. 5 cups.



Place the celery into a bowl with the olives and oil, add ground black pepper. Sprinkle over top of greens and garnish with celery leaves.



Serves 4



Stuffed Pork Roast



Ingredients:



3/4 cup Slivered almonds

2 tbsp. Butter or margarine

3/4 cup Sliced green onions

3/4 cup Chopped celery

4 cups Cooked brown rice

3/4 cup Orange juice; divided

2 tbsp. Grated orange peel

1 tbsp. Diced crystallized ginger -- divided

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 Boneless pork loin roast -(3-1/2 lbs.), rolled %26amp; tied

1 tsp. Dried rosemary; crushed

1/4 tsp. Cracked black pepper

16 oz Cranberry sauce (canned)

1 Orange; peeled %26amp; sectioned



Directions:



Cook almonds in butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until brown. Add onions and celery, cook until vegetables are tender crisp. Stir in rice, 1/2 cup orange juice, orange peel, 1 teaspoon ginger and salt, set aside.



Untie roast, and spoon rice mixture lengthwise between loins. Retie roast securely with string at 2- to 3-inch intervals; place, fat side down, on rack in shallow roasting pan.



Combine rosemary and pepper; sprinkle over roast. Insert meat thermometer so it does not touch stuffing or fat. Bake at 325 F. for 1-1/2 hours.



Combine cranberry sauce, remaining orange juice, remaining ginger, and orange in small saucepan, stir well. Simmer over medium heat 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Brush about 1/2 cup cranberry mixture over pork.



Bake an additional 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170 F. Let roast stand 10 minutes. Remove string and slice roast. Serve with remaining cranberry sauce.



Serves 8-10



Asparagus %26amp; Crunchy Orange Top



Serving Size: 4



Ingredients:



1 pound fresh asparagus

1 teaspoon margarine

1 1/2 tablespoons almonds -- chopped

1/4 cup orange marmalade



Cut off ends of the asparagus.



Arrange asparagus in a vegetable steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 4-minutes until crisp tender. Drain, arrange on a serving platter and keep warm.



Melt margarine in a small saucepan over low heat, add almonds and saut茅 until lightly toasted. Stir in marmalade, cook until heated. Spoon over asparagus.



You can either serve as is, or finish under the broiler until sauce bubbles, then remove and serve, remind your dinner guests of course that this will be VERY hot.





Roast Goose with Molasses Glaze



Ingredients:



10 Lb. Goose -- dressed Salt To Taste

1 Cup Molasses

2 Tsp. Bottled Hot Pepper Sauce

1 Tsp. Fresh Gingerroot -- finely chopped

1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper -- coarsely

1 Tsp. Garlic -- chopped

Small Apples And Grapes For Garnish



Directions:



Preheat oven to 425F. Remove giblets from goose to use another time or discard. Rinse goose in cold water, removing as much fat as possible from body cavity.



Pat goose dry with paper towels. Pierce skin all over with prongs of large fork.



Season goose with salt inside and out. Arrange breast side up on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Roast at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.



Continue roasting for 20 to 23 minutes per pound until thermometer inserted between leg and thickest part of thigh registers 180F. (Make sure thermometer does not touch bone.) Drain off all fat from pan.



Brush some of molasses glaze completely over goose. Continue roasting 20 minutes, brushing with molasses mixture after 10 minutes.



Remove goose from oven. Cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving.



Molasses Glaze:



In medium bowl combine molasses, bottled hot pepper sauce, ginger, garlic and coarsely ground black pepper. Mix well and set aside.



Serves 10-12



Candied Sweet Potatoes (Yams)



Ingredients:



6 medium sweet potatoes

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup dark Karo syrup

2 1/2 tablespoons butter or oleo

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla



Directions:



Boil potatoes until tender, but not overcooked. Peel off skins. Cut in halves lengthwise. Place in baking dish. Add sugar, syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, water and vanilla.



Dot top with butter or oleo. Bake in 375/o oven until thick syrup is formed. Bast frequently. About 45 to 55 minutes.





Hazelnut Christmas Balls



Ingredients:



1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 each beaten egg yolk

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup cake flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 each egg white -- slightly beaten

1/2 cup finely diced Oregon hazelnuts

9 each candied cherries



Cream shortening together with sugar.



Add egg yolk, orange and lemon peels and lemon juice. Beat until fluffy.



Add flour and salt. Chill dough for approximately 1 hour. Form small balls with teaspoon. Dip in egg white and roll in chopped nuts. Press half candied cherry in each cookie.



Bake at 375潞 for 1 minute.



Rib Roast with Burgundy Sauce



Ingredients:



1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

1/4 teaspoon rubbed savory

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Standing 3-rib roast of beef, bone in (8 to 9 Ibs)

1 teaspoon liquid gravy seasoning

1/2 cup Burgundy wine



Burgundy Sauce:



6 tablespoons roast beef drippings

1/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

2 cans(10 1/2oz size) condensed beef broth, undiluted

1/2 cup Burgundy wine



Directions:



Preheat oven to 325F. Mix salt, herbs and pepper. Rub herb mixture into beef on all sides and stand roast fat side up in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer through outside fat into the thickest part of the meat.



(Thermometer should not rest in fat or on bone.)



Mix liquid gravy seasoning with 1/2 cup Burgundy. Spoon some over beef; place beef in oven uncovered. Roast, basting several times with remaining Burgundy mixture, 3 1/2 hours for rare (140F), 4 1/2 hours for medium (160F), 5 hours for well done (170F). I prefer to cook it for 4 hours.



When roast is done, lift with two large forks and place on heated platter, cover with aluminum foil. Pour off drippings and reserve.



Let roast stand in a warm place while you make gravy. Roast will be easier to carve after standing 20 to 30 minutes.



Prepare Burgundy Gravy: Return 6 tablespoons reserved drippings to roasting pan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper to make a smooth mixture. Gradually add the beef broth and Burgundy, stirring until the mixture is free of lumps.



All browned bits from roasting pan should be loosened and dissolved in broth mixture. Bring gravy to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 3 cups gravy.



To serve: Using a large sharp carving knife, carve across roast toward bone. Cut along bone to remove slices. Slide a knife under meat slice to place on serving Platter. Serve with Burgundy Gravy.



CARVING TIPS



Place the rib roast on a platter so that the cut surface is up and the ribs are to your left. Insert a carving fork into the roast below the top rib.



Using a very sharp carving knife, cut horizontally from the outside toward the bone. Then cut vertically along the bone with the tip of the knife to release the slice of meat.



Slide the knife under the slice of meat, steady the meat with the fork and transfer it to a serving dish.



Continue carving meal, cutting thin or thick slices as desired.



Serves 8-10



Broccoli and Cheese



Ingredients:



2 or 3 broccoli heads with the trunk cut off

1/2 lb Velveeta cheese (optional) or 8 oz. shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese (my choice)

Butter



Directions:



I use an old English cheddar, but you can use Velveeta or cheese whiz if you prefer, just follow the melting instructions on the box or the jar.



Cook broccoli until BRIGHT green and tender not soft and dark green. Strain well. Add to an oven baking dish, toss with a few pats of real butter.



Cover the top with cheese, cover and bake for 15 minutes or until melted. Temperature doesn't really matter, 350 - 400 is fine.





Honey Bread Pudding



Serving Size: 8



Ingredients:



8 cups egg bread -- cubed

1 cup raisins

3 cups 2% low-fat milk

1 cup evaporated low-fat milk

6 eggs -- beaten

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Arrange bread and raisins in bottom of lightly greased shallow 2 quart baking dish. Beat remaining ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.



Pour over bread cubes in baking dish and let stand for 1 hour, or until liquid is absorbed. Bake at 375潞F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.





Orange Honey Glazed Ham



Ingredients:



1-3- to 3-1/2-pound fully cooked boneless ham

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon mustard

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup orange marmalade



Directions:



Make diagonal cuts about 1/4-inch deep and 1-inch apart on the top of ham. Place ham on rack in shallow baking pan.



Insert a meat thermometer in the center of the thickest portion of meat. Bake, uncovered, in 325潞 oven 1 to 1-1/2 hours or till thermometer registers 135潞.



Remove the ham from the oven, cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes. The temperature will rise to 140潞 upon standing. Before roasting you can also pierce surface with whole cloves for extra flavour.



Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the orange juice, the honey, and mustard. Bring to boiling, remove from heat.



After ham has baked 1-1/4 hours, brush with half the glaze. Mix the remaining orange juice, chicken broth and cornstarch. Stir into remaining glaze.



Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir in marmalade, heat through. Pass with sliced ham.





Christmas Crepes



Ingredients:



1 package vanilla instant pudding

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 can of cherry pie filling or whatever pie filling you choose



Directions:



Prepare vanilla pudding, following directions on package. Refrigerate pudding for at least 30 minutes.



Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork. Then stir in the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Beat batter until smooth.



In a 6 inch skillet, or a seasoned cast iron, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter. Pick up pan and rotate until the batter covers bottom.



Cook until crepe is light brown. Remove and stack, you may wish to put wax paper between each one to keep them from sticking.



Cover and keep warm in oven. The batter should make about 16 crepes. Lay crepe out on plate. Place 2 tablespoons of pudding on crepe and roll in up. Now place a dollop of cherry filling on top.





Hot Mulled Wine



Ingredients:



1 bottle red wine

12 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons sugar



Directions:



Add all ingredients to a pot and steep gently over a medium heat until hot. Avoid boiling the mixture. Serve in sturdy mugs not glass
Roast beef. Duck or Goose. Lamb. Sausages. Bacon. Choose what you think the other people at the meal will like best. Actually, in some ways the most "different" meat you can serve in place of turkey is fish. Though I personally wouldn't fancy that
Sweety your not alone right after Thanksgiving we decided NO MORE TURKEY so since i don't believe no one would really care but i made last year honey BBQ wings make some turkey parts if your dealing with hungry men mac n cheese homemade mash potato cabbage string beans devil eggs ham stuffin go to a meat market get a 40.00 piece of beef have them make it into steak bottom line you have all the year around favorites if there are lots of kids teenagers there favorite foods would be a nice ideal hope these things helped
Fried guinea pig! Yummy!!! Tastes like chicken!
I would suggest that if you want to go as far away from traditional as possible you need to have a really small serving of salad with a glass of Pimms and lemonade. starters would be mini pizza toast and desert would be something like strawberries and pineapple.....



alternatives to the Turkey only include any kind of roast (we normally have Duck as Turkey's not too popular in our house)



enjoy your unchristmas lunch!
Roasted Plums

Broiled Duck

Pot Roast

Chocolate Mint Pudding

Rhubarb Pie

Fried Eggplant

Leg of Lamb

Steamed Rice

Corn on the Cob

Marmalade Pudding

Truffles



Those are some ideas.