If you are planning to feed a large group you might want to depend on a ready-made menu. To make it easy to plan your Christmas open house for 25+ people, here’s a menu and a shopping list.
The menu consists of the following dishes. Note that some are doubled or even tripled.
Caramelized Onion Dip with Crudités
Whole Roasted Garlic and French Bread
Cheddar, Port, and Blue Cheese Ball
Shrimp Cocktail with Two Sauces x 2
Basic Green Salad
Baked Fresh Ham with Herbs
Five-Cheese Spinach Lasagna x 2
Basic Yuletide Biscuits x 3
Gingered Pear Sauce x 2
Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts x 3
Pear Almond Trifle x 2
Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake x 2
Chocolate Pecan Pie x 2
Assorted Cookies
Bowl of clementines
Classic Eggnog
Mulled Cider x 4
Shopping List for Christmas Open House for 25+
24 clementines
20 firm, ripe pears (about 7 ounces each), such as Bartlett
4 navel oranges
4 small heads butter lettuce
3 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 pounds fresh spinach leaves
2 small heads red or green leaf lettuce
2 small heads romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
Assorted vegetables for dip
Nine 8-ounce packages cream cheese
8 cups heavy cream
6 cups sour cream
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
5 ounces blue cheese
2 pounds mozzarella
2 cups mascarpone
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Romano cheese
4 pounds large shrimp, shell on (20 to 25 per pound)
14-pound fresh ham, bone in (shank and leg portion of pork)
3 loaves French bread
2 gallons apple cider
2 pounds lasagna noodles
4 cups whole pecans
2-1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
2-1/2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups pumpkin puree
1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (4 slices bread)
1 cup toffee bits
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup cider
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup wasabi powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons horseradish
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 ounces (hefty 1/2 cup) shortening
32 whole allspice berries
24 whole cloves
Twelve 3-inch cinnamon sticks
Assorted cookies, purchased or homemade
Two 16-ounce pound cakes
10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach
1-1/2 pounds vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
6 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
24 Amaretti di Saronno cookies (12 wrapped pairs)
4 cups brandy
2 cups dark rum
2 cups bourbon
2 cups Di Saronno Amaretto liqueur
2/3 cups port
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
You may already have the following items on hand, but check to make sure you have enough:
Onions
Whole garlic
Unsalted butter
Whole milk
Large eggs
Flour
Sugar
Dark brown sugar
Light brown sugar
Baking powder
Vanilla extract
Extra-virgin olive oil
Light olive oil
Lemon juice
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Black peppercorns
Bay leaf
Thyme
Sage
Cinnamon
Ginger
Allspice
Nutmeg
Soy sauce
Dry red wine