Expensive Sit-Down Dinner Or A Lovely Christmas Brunch

Perhaps your family is re-thinking their Christmas dinner plans this year. You may be traveling, you may be eating a meal at several family’s homes, or you simply want to cut costs this year by eliminating a big sit-down dinner. Planning to share a Christmas brunch may suit your plans this year for any or all of those reasons.

When your budget is part of your decision. consider how expensive a fancy sit down meal tends to be. You’ll have a large main course, typically a big piece of meat or poultry. Then you have all the side dishes to go along with that, and we can’t forget the desserts. Of course, what’s a nice cup of coffee without some wonderful fudge and candy. You’ll also might serve beverages that cost more, like mixed drinks and wine. Evening meals just seem to cost more.

For families who are struggling trying to enjoy Christmas while sticking to a budget, a brunch may be just what they need. If travel plans and sharing meals at more than one household are a problem, a brunch may solve that problem, too. Take a look at some simple, yet delicious, ways that you can plan a meal that would suit such a festive occasion.

Brunch Casserole – There are many variations of this meal-in-a-pan, so you are sure to find a recipe that is quick and easy to make and serve. Some are made with potatoes, such as hash browns, or even bread cubes, then sausage or ham, egg, green pepper, and cheese are added to form a complete meal. This is normally refrigerated overnight and ready to cook in the morning.

Skillet Dish – A skillet meal is very easy to prepare quickly and with relatively little fuss. There are many recipes to choose from, like this familiar favorite, a Frittata. This is typically a skillet of fried rice or potatoes with a variety of meats and vegetables added. Then eggs are poured over and the Frittata is cooked without stirring until the eggs firm up. Cut into wedges right in the skillet and serve just as it sits. Use a nice cast iron pan for a pretty and homey appeal.

Muffin Tin Meal – Picture mini pot pies full of your favorite breakfast foods. You can start with some simple biscuits in a tube, roll them out flat, and line the muffin tin just like a pie pan. Then fill with sausage, a little hash browns, and crack an egg on top. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top and pop them in the oven until they are nice and golden brown and the egg is done. Or you can make up a batch of muffin mix and throw in some ham bits, or bacon, and cheese and turn a regular muffin into a whole meal.

Omelets – I hesitate to mention omelets only because they require a lot of work while your guests are there. You can’t make omelets ahead of time. You can, however, prepare all the filling ingredients, you know, the mushrooms, green pepper, ham, onions, or anything else that you like inside your omelet. The deciding factor should be whether or not you want to be cooking while you have guests. If you have a kitchen dining room combination where you can visit with your guests while you’re in the kitchen, that may work out for you. However, if you are going to be isolated from everyone while you’re whipping up omelets, you may want to consider a different menu.

When you start planning your menu, be sure to include a variety of foods. A brunch usually involves a lot of little nibbling and lots of mingling, so some ‘walking around’ type food is in order. Don’t forget a nice tray of fruit and even some cheese would be nice. Have plenty of coffee and tea ready and waiting. Pitchers of milk, water, and juice should be readily available. Don’t bother with pie or cake, and definitely not fudge or other candy. You may have guests who are headed to “round two” and they don’t want to stuff themselves. But, a plate of pretty Christmas cookies will always be appreciated.

These are just a few simple ideas to put together a brunch for your Christmas get together. When you are cooking these sorts of dishes, you won’t waste a lot of time in the kitchen, nor will you waste a lot of money. Enjoy your day!

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