Turkey or what else in place of it?

[XMcShiftersonX]

The Vegan Whole Turkey.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/food/20...g-centerpiece/

[indysteel]

I think my MIL is making ham. That's what my own mom makes. If it were up to me, I'd probably go with a pork roast, beef tenderloin or lamb chops. I'm not big on turkey. I'm going to try my hand at coq au vin for New Year's Eve. It's just me and DH for that.

[Thorn]

The Vegan Whole Turkey.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/food/20...g-centerpiece/

Sorry, that looks.....uh....not so good, although based on the review probably better than tofurkey (shudder....awful stuff....shudder).

Knowing the chef in the house it will probably be a seitan roulade using a bread stuffing with mushroom gravy and a side of rosemary potatoes. Very tasty.

But since I'm job hunting (unsucessfully) and will probably receive a rejection right before the holidays, I'll be hoping for comfort food instead. My request will be his vegan adaptation of a chcolate chicken recipe we saw on one of those many food reality shows. Seitan slow cooked with onions in a savory chocolate sauce....mmmm.....(my apologies to the gluten intolerant for that moment of culinary indulgence).

[malkin]

I think I'll lobby for a Christmas Eve of cheese & stuff (crackers, salami, fruit, you know, stuff). Then all the leftover exotic and extravagant cheese can become one glorious sauce for pasta!

[XMcShiftersonX]

Sorry, that looks.....uh....not so good, although based on the review probably better than tofurkey (shudder....awful stuff....shudder).

It's actually really delicious. The stuffing is amazing too, has chunks of "ham" in it. It's juicy and has the appropriate texture. It's nothing like Torfurkey, which is disgusting, dry and flavorless. It's unfortunate that people who maybe don't know about vegan food end up eating that, and get the impression that that is what all vegan food is like.

[Owlie]

We do turkey. We used to do both turkey and ham, but stopped that when I was in high school. New Year's day is roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. We do something different for Christmas Eve every year--no idea what this year.

DBF's family does turkey on Christmas day, but Christmas Eve is Norwegian meatballs and lefse with green beans (his dad's side of the family is Irish/Norwegian). The first time I visited him (in January), he begged his mom to make it again so I could try it.

[PamNY]

I'll be doing some variant of Jewish Christmas -- I hope in an interesting neighborhood with interesting stores that are open on Christmas day.

One year we did Korean food and bowling for Thanksgiving (my favorite) but I'm not sure if I can find a bowling alley that's open on Christmas.

[Crankin]

The best meal I've ever had on XMas was when we took an impromtu (the only) vacation to Miami in 1994. Wwe flew down on XMas Eve, and had Chinese upon arrival. The next day, we went to South Beach, where everything was open, there was a carnival-like atmosphere, and we ate at a lovely outdoor bistro, where we were able to have nice salads and sandwiches. It was the only time I didn't feel branded as different on that day.

[skhill]

Don't know how it happened, but Hoppin' John has become our traditional Christmas meal. It's more traditional for New Year's day, but we have it a week early. For those of y'all who aren't Southern, it's basically black-eyed peas and rice. It's my turn to make it this year, and it's going to be more a hoppin' juan, with chorizo and cilantro and hot peppers...

With all the clergy and choir members in my extended family, Christmas day is mainly about catching up on sleep; no one has the energy to cook a big or extravagant meal. Something that can sit bubbling away on the back of the stove while folks nap is totally our style!

[kjay]

I just saw a list of all the different Christmas dinners one can order from Whole Foods, and one includes pork pumpkin tamales. Mmmmmm, does that ever sound good. :-)

[PamNY]

Skhill, your post brought back memories. My father was a pastor so of course holidays were a busy time.

Once, as an adult, I had to miss traveling to my parents' for Christmas because of work. My dad, by then retired, grumbled a bit until my mom gently reminded him that working during the holidays wasn't exactly unheard of in our family.

MomOnBike, your food sounds great.