In-Law Hell and Cooking Disasters CHECK-IN Here!

[Rockholm]

Ugh.....Dinner is running late, cranky kids and the in-laws are circling the kitchen like seagulls hovering over a french fry in a McDonald's parking lot.

[karlrschneider]

1. None of that here. We stayed home, didn't invite anyone, got a couple T-bones

ready to throw on the grill! :D

[madokie]

2. We had ours yesterday, the wife had to work today

its always a big day here, many friends and some family

http://www.biggreenegg.com/

[Midlodemocrat]

3. We had friends over last night for a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner.

We had ham, beef wellington, potatoes, rice casserole, broccoli casserole, salad, rolls and some spectacular appetizers.

We sat in the yard by the fire until 10PM...until my 10yo told me that she HAD to go to be or Santa wouldn't come.

It was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband and my friend's husband more than us, I suspect because of the single malt scotch.

[karlrschneider]

7. We pretty much decided to ignore 12/25 about 20 years ago.

Not really Scrooges, we just don't have any interest in it any more. But happy holidays to you anyway!
:D

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. So sorry you're having problems!

Hope it all turns out all right! Corrall some of the inlaws to help cook and the rest to entertain the kids!

[EFerrari]

5. Does a leg of lamb really need 20 minutes per POUND?

Only one kitchen fire so far and the dog didn't eat any chocolate yet.

The day is young. :)

Oh, and that's the best simile I've read in a long time. :rofl:

[karlrschneider]

8. Don't overcook that lamb! But the 20 minutes sounds about right

:-)

[EFerrari]

11. Really?! It sounds like so much to me. That's 3 hours for 9 lbs

@ 325?

I mean, it's dead already.

Merry War on Christmas, sir.

:hi:

[karlrschneider]

17. LOL! Well, I usually do them at 300F

And pull them out when the inside is about 145. Medium rare, approximately. And now I wish I had one to roast! :D

[TheMadMonk]

20. Best leg of lamb I had took five hours in an oven with a busted...

...thermostat. You could carve it with a fork.

Of course the potatoes were a complete disaster.

9lb. (4kg) That's one bloody big lamb. Sounds more like 2 tooth to me.

[Rockholm]

22. We did a standing rib roast. Absolutely yummy!

The dinner was overall excellent. Our challenge with big dinners like this is timing. This roast took forever. Soup was early. The Yorkshire pudding was challenging. 20 minutes per pound sadly is average.
The saving grace was the huge thighbones that were brought for the dogs. Haven't seen them for hours. Last year, one of the dogs helped himself to the soup once it was plated and I walked to the living room to gather the troops. He snarfed two bowls down.

[eleny]

6. I put a lasagna in the oven

No disasters. It's just the two of us. My hair is in curlers and hubby asked me why I bothered. I think after 30 years I just fell in love again - even if he's still in his robe. :rofl:

You take care and come back with the rest of the story. You have friends here who will help lift you out of the funk in case you can't by yourself. I bet your dinner is worth waiting for.

[LiberalinNC]

9. Thanks for reminding me why I didn't go "home" for the holidays!!!

;)

[Jcrowley]

10. There is only one solution

Best wishes.

Have fun with it and if that doesn't work make excuses to walk the dog. If you don't have a dog borrow the neighbor's.

:toast:

[Dr.Phool]

14. That looks like my dinner.

We were going next door for dinner at the Sister-in-laws house. Her daughter and son-in-law missed their flight out of St. Louis this morning, and just arrived in Florida. So, the beef wellington is postponed until tomorrow.

Alternate meal is now Stoli and pizza.

I didn't have to go there for that.

[atommom]

12. We're spending the day at home with no other relatives. Kids are still

in pajamas, playing with their toys. (Don't call Social Services!) We'll have a moderately nice xmas dinner in a little bit.

In couple of days, we'll have an xmas with the in-laws, and then it might be a different story... ;)

[LiberalinNC]

18. 2 of my 3 kids stayed in their PJ's all day too...I see nothing wrong w/ that!!!

It's not like we were planning on going anywhere today!

[kdmorris]

19. Don't call Social Services!

Kids are supposed to get into regular clothes on Christmas?? Man... we've been doing something wrong these 19 years!!!

My kids always got up and played with stuff ALL day. Not like we were planning on taking them anywhere...

OK... my 15 year old is actually in real clothes, but she appears to have slept in them, so I'm not sure if they count for "jeans and a tee-shirt" or Pajamas.

Either way... Merry Christmas!!!

[cynatnite]

23. Good to know my teen isn't the only one who does that n/t

[beam me up scottie]

13. "circling the kitchen like seagulls hovering over a french fry in a McDonald's parking lot."

:rofl:

That analogy is priceless!

[Beausoir]

15. Had me laughing too. I HATE it when the innies do that.

Drives me crazy.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Makes you want to toss a drumstick out there and lock the door when the feeding frenzy starts.

I'd be looking for the back door. :D

[fortyfeetunder]

21. It's HIS parents, made HIM cook (vent)

After one sarcastic criticism of my cooking choices too many from those ungracious narcisstic cretins, known as my husband's parents put me on permanent non-cooking/entertaining for them until death do we part.

The only freebie the spouse got were the leftover veggies from the night before, and chances are he probably won't use them. I am not lifting one finger nor entertaining them. They have spoiled the winter holidays for years by humiliating me in front of my family, telling us how we are supposed to celebrate the holiday (with them, of course), not to mention other atrocities too gross to mention here, and I am not going to let them spoil it again.

I kick myself for not finding a "business trip" that took me through Denver last week, LOL....

[KitchenWitch]

24. Sister In Law showed up an entire hour earlier than she said she would

Leaving me scrambling to "tidy up".

[Maiden England]

25. Does the fact I set my oven on fire cooking Thxgiving dinner count?

My brand new range handled Xmas dinner nicely though....

[MorningGlow]

26. A relative-ly food-disaster-free Christmas this year

I love my relations, really I do. Mom's great; aunt is...well, a Catholic fundie Rush-loving nutjob, but I remember when she was more sane, years ago; uncle's ladyfriend loves to experiment with food while sipping on her tumbler(s) of straight vodka on the rocks all day. Unfortunately, as mom and aunt have gotten older, they've gotten worse in the food department. Same ol' stuff, ALWAYS cold (they have a "timing" problem), meat/poultry is always cooked to the consistency of shoe leather (elderly's suddenly developed phobia about E. coli and/or salmonella). DH can barely eat anything--he fills up on apple pie (which I make).

But this year, for Christmas Eve, I made my very first turkey dinner with all the trimmings for me and Mr. MorningGlow and MG Jr. Came out great! Trouble was, Jr. and I were both sick with a stomach bug--him worse than me. He had oatmeal--and even that didn't set well at ALL--but I ate every last scrap of turkey, stuffing (STUFFED stuffing--I like living dangerously), squash, cranberries, potatoes, and warm rolls. Paid for it later but it was worth it.

And DH says Jr. gave him the best Christmas present ever by being too ill for us to join the family dinner fiasco at uncle's ladyfriend.

:rofl:

I have to admit, while I kind of enjoy the food fiascos every year, I kind of liked staying home and eating leftovers tonight...

[San Diego]

27. Reading all of your tales about Christmas with family

makes me very very happy that I spent the day alone.

Got up early, put together a sausage and apple stuffing. Stuffed the 10# turkey around noon and threw it in the oven.

Mashed potatoes, veggies were done by the time the turkey came out, finished the gravy and threw together a plate.

Now that the dishes are done and the leftovers put away, I'm sitting here, contemplating pouring a 21-year old scotch and watching some television.

Cheers, everyone. Merry Christmas.