What do you do for Christmas? Do you do a big meal? Little random snacks? Some big meat and sides like Thanksgiving? 
We usually do sides almost identical to Thanksgiving and then a smoked turkey. This year we're still TBD, but I'm a big fan of beef main courses, ham, and all the different kinds of sides that our little brains can think up. I've especially had beef on the brain since giving birth - maybe craving iron due to blood loss, OR I just really like beef? Either way.
To help us plan, I made a menu of what I'd have IF I was capable of cooking a massive Christmas meal. My family cooks all together and this year I'll do less than I usually do, but this is one of those dream menus for me. All my favs.
To start, I'd do roasted tomatoes like I do for every. single. meal. that we eat as a family, with no shame. I just love them so much. I'd also do these little brie bites - the bacon component is so effing delicious. We also usually add some kind of veggie tray, random meats and cheeses - appetizers that just involve purchasing and arranging on a plate. 
I do like a salad with a big meal like this, which I know is a real hit or miss with some people. A regular green salad with this lemon tahini dressing would be my pick! 
For main course, it's Big Meat. Roasted prime rib, rare, carved thinly and using the drippings to make a really simple pan sauce - just swirl in butter and drizzle. I might make this some time in January or for NYE just for shits and giggles. I love it so much.
Then, sides! Here, the sky's the limit. A must for me is Cheez-It mac - I use this recipe and just leave out the chicken if there is another meat as the main course. I also sometimes make a double batch of this - one with chicken to freeze and one with no chicken for Christmas dinner. It doesn't really take more time to make two at once, and you end up with a whole other meal ready to go! 
For green veg, I like this raw Brussels Caesar or these pan-braised Brussels - it just depends on whether you want a hot green veg or a cold one.
We're greens-lovers in my family, so my mom usually braises some kind of greans and I make chow chow to go with it, which is such a nice but super easy addition to the table - DIY condiments are so much fun.
I love a casserole or two, and plan to make the most standard of all the standard green bean casseroles for Christmas next week - the one with everything canned. BUT there is also this healthier, fresher version if you want to do that. Easy + delicious = amazing, healthy or not. 
For dessert, nothing major since the meals are so large this time of year, but this peppermint patty fudge is ridiculously easy AND can be cut into teensy little bites. 
And that's it! I could make a million variations of meals like this every single day - they're just so fun and comforting. What are some new sides we could add to our big holiday meals? Tell me, tell me!
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