Transporting Christmas Dinner
December 22, 2013 5:45 PM Subscribe
I want to do a special day after Christmas dinner for myself and my boyfriend. The only thing is, I'll be in a car for 6-7 hours heading back from my parents' before I'll be back at my house. I'm looking for ideas for a festive meal that can be transported in a cooler for that long and will reheat well once I'm home, or be really tasty served cold.
The thing is though, It's going to essentially be my boyfriend's Christmas dinner, so I want something nice. I'm a pretty good cook (intermediate?), and I'm sure my mom will let me use her kitchen, but she is not the best cook, so supplies/access to appliances are limited. Still, I can get to a grocery store. I was originally thinking of something like lasagna or ziti, but I make those a lot. So instead of pasta, I feel like I want to prepare something more either creative or at least ...impressive.
I'm open to almost anything that will meet these requirements. I'm in Florida, so I have access to a lot of ingredients and supplies.
Ingredients to Avoid:
-Potatoes
-Seafood
-Fish
-Eggs
The thing is though, It's going to essentially be my boyfriend's Christmas dinner, so I want something nice. I'm a pretty good cook (intermediate?), and I'm sure my mom will let me use her kitchen, but she is not the best cook, so supplies/access to appliances are limited. Still, I can get to a grocery store. I was originally thinking of something like lasagna or ziti, but I make those a lot. So instead of pasta, I feel like I want to prepare something more either creative or at least ...impressive.
I'm open to almost anything that will meet these requirements. I'm in Florida, so I have access to a lot of ingredients and supplies.
Ingredients to Avoid:
-Potatoes
-Seafood
-Fish
-Eggs
Instead of cooking, can't you just take some of the leftover dinner from your parents house and reheat it? Make some platters, reheat, and enjoy.
posted by lpcxa0 at 6:03 PM on December 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by lpcxa0 at 6:03 PM on December 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Stews and curries tend to get better the more often they are reheated.
Pioneer Woman's Burgundy Mushrooms wouldn't even need to be chilled in a cooler - they are basically 90% red wine, so they aren't going to go off in a few hours in a car. And I can vouch for them being amazing reheated the next day. That's kind of a side dish, although I have personally eaten it with some crusty bread as a main.
posted by lollusc at 7:02 PM on December 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Pioneer Woman's Burgundy Mushrooms wouldn't even need to be chilled in a cooler - they are basically 90% red wine, so they aren't going to go off in a few hours in a car. And I can vouch for them being amazing reheated the next day. That's kind of a side dish, although I have personally eaten it with some crusty bread as a main.
posted by lollusc at 7:02 PM on December 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
So does it have to be Christmas-y? Or just portable, good reheated and semi-impressive? Beef Bourgignon is a great option for impressive/special and portable.
But for Christmas-y, I'm thinking a ham and various side dishes (roasted brussels sprouts!) or option 2, a big batch of tamales. They're the perfect portable food, and growing up in the southwest they're also perfectly Christmas-y to me.
If your mom's local regular supermarket doesn't cater to a latin market, you may need to seek out a specialty grocery. You'll need to pick up some corn husks, masa harina, lard (or shortening) and dried chilies. At a latin grocery they'll likely have fresh masa, and you should get that.
Soak your husks, mix up your masa (usually there are english instructions on the bag), gather willing assistants. Then pick a meat. Pork butt, beef chuck roast, or chicken breasts on the bone are good choices. Beans and cheese are a vegetarian option. Basically braise the meat until falling apart, then shred and cool. Our family always does a few with cinnamon sugar and honey too.
posted by fontophilic at 6:12 AM on December 23, 2013
But for Christmas-y, I'm thinking a ham and various side dishes (roasted brussels sprouts!) or option 2, a big batch of tamales. They're the perfect portable food, and growing up in the southwest they're also perfectly Christmas-y to me.
If your mom's local regular supermarket doesn't cater to a latin market, you may need to seek out a specialty grocery. You'll need to pick up some corn husks, masa harina, lard (or shortening) and dried chilies. At a latin grocery they'll likely have fresh masa, and you should get that.
Soak your husks, mix up your masa (usually there are english instructions on the bag), gather willing assistants. Then pick a meat. Pork butt, beef chuck roast, or chicken breasts on the bone are good choices. Beans and cheese are a vegetarian option. Basically braise the meat until falling apart, then shred and cool. Our family always does a few with cinnamon sugar and honey too.
posted by fontophilic at 6:12 AM on December 23, 2013
you can broil a steak in the oven in 7-15 minutes and while that's cooking you can make up one of the fancier box meals from the grocery store (like far east couscous), add a bottle of red wine and pre-made dessert and you've got dinner.
posted by nadawi at 6:47 AM on December 23, 2013
posted by nadawi at 6:47 AM on December 23, 2013
Why cook and then transport?
Have something in the fridge ready to put together when you get home.
Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my faves. A nice loaf of bread and a green salad. A pretty bottle of wine and a fancy dessert (bought from the good bakery.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:16 AM on December 23, 2013
Have something in the fridge ready to put together when you get home.
Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my faves. A nice loaf of bread and a green salad. A pretty bottle of wine and a fancy dessert (bought from the good bakery.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:16 AM on December 23, 2013
Response by poster: Or just portable, good reheated and semi-impressive?
That's more what I'm looking for.
My family does a Christmas brunch instead of a big meal, so there's not usually much left to bring home. Neither of us are home right now (and this is kind of a surprise), so that's why I was leaning toward cook and transport.
Thanks for the ideas so far, keep them coming!
posted by PearlRose at 10:11 AM on December 23, 2013
That's more what I'm looking for.
My family does a Christmas brunch instead of a big meal, so there's not usually much left to bring home. Neither of us are home right now (and this is kind of a surprise), so that's why I was leaning toward cook and transport.
Thanks for the ideas so far, keep them coming!
posted by PearlRose at 10:11 AM on December 23, 2013
Chicken and chorizo rice pot is easy to make and tastes delicious/better reheated.
posted by plonkee at 10:39 AM on December 23, 2013
posted by plonkee at 10:39 AM on December 23, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by amileighs at 5:52 PM on December 22, 2013 [3 favorites]