sounds like my MIL, who doesn't even own a peeler! Tip - bring one if you aren't sure.

Twice baked potatoes? You don't really need anything special (I imagine she'll have butter, salt, and pepper, and you could pick up some scallions, sour cream, cheddar cheese). I'm roasiting chicken for xmas. Can't get much more simple!

Anonymous wrote:I would cry into my mac and cheese if I were served it for Christmas dinner.

Well, good thing you weren't invited then.

I like some of the suggestions to jazz up the salad like pears and dried cranberries. (You could always take the latter down with you.) If you MIL is elderly, I wouldn't count on her being able to get things from specialty stores. Even if there's family members who live local who can help her, I wouldn't necessarily trust them to be able to find the right ingredients b/c they probably wouldn't recognize what they're looking for since they're not that adventurous as eaters.

Your extended family reminds me of this woman I knew who grocery shopped once a month. When I asked her what she did for fruits and vegetables b/c I wondered how could they last for the month, she said, "Oh, I don't really eat them."

Anonymous wrote:Does she live near any kind of a city in which there might be a decent grocery store that you can order dinner from?

+1!

Ham, green beans, salad. I love sweet potatoes and apples baked together.

I like the dried cranberry & pear salad. I'd use pecans instead of walnuts and add goat cheese or bleu cheese sprinkles. Raspberry vinaigrette. That does mean a few ingredients you would need to schlep with you though.

Honestly, I think you either stick to the classic menu of the last 50 years or do something entirely different.

If you can swallow the cost, you could ship sides from Honey Baked Ham or similar.

Good luck!

Does she live near any kind of a city in which there might be a decent grocery store that you can order dinner from?

I would cry into my mac and cheese if I were served it for Christmas dinner.

Why doesn't DH do the cooking?

15:48 here. I also like the ideas mentioned by other posters--almonds on the green beans and the salad suggestion. I think they'd love your brussel sprouts as well!

Do you know about Sister Schubert dinner rolls? Wonderful--taste almost as good as homemade!


http://www.sisterschuberts.com/products/nutrition.dT/mini-pan-parker-house-style

It sounds a little bland to me, but maybe stick with the basic menu since at least you'll know you can get all the ingredients and not stress if something's missing.

I love that she doesn't have a spice rack! That's why I'm so grateful to live in this area--pretty much any kind of food you want but don't have to cook yourself.

Roasted veggies: yams, potatoes, red onions, mushrooms, broccoli, squash, whatever. Salt, pepper, rosemary. Yum.

If you want a simple starch just do dinner rolls. And I would LOVE your Christmas dinner. Sounds wonderful.

I always prefer simple food. The ham, green beens and mac and cheese sound yummy. You could throw some slivered almonds on the green beens. Maybe a green salad with craisins and sliced pears and walnuts (crazy, I know)?

My elderly MIL just let me know she isn't up to cooking Christmas dinner this year, and would I do it? She hates cooking, and I tolerate it.

I'll be at her home in a small town in NC, so want to keep it simple in terms of ingredients, dishes needed, etc. The family has probably eaten the exact same meal for the last 50 years of Christmases.

Do I just do her standards, or is it ok to deviate? They are very very basic eaters. (ie, I made them kabobs for the first time ever last time I was there, and last time they were here, they had Mexican food for the 1st time).

My husband is just grateful I've offered to cook.

Ham, green beans, mac and cheese?

Are roasted brussel sprouts too adventurous?

Any other "easy" starches besides sweet potatoes?

I'm reading back through the other Christmas threads, but I can't emphasize how basic I need to keep the menu. She doesn't have a spice rack, so I'll need to tote those ingredients with me down the road.