Your Ultimate Christmas Dinner Guide

Want to make the ultimate Christmas dinner? This guide will show you how in easy-to-follow step-by-step directions. Just remember: The key to an ultimate Christmas dinner is family and love. So have fun preparing your Christmas dinner menu and be sure to add lots of love.

This menu will serve approximately eight people depending upon how much they eat. It is always better to have leftovers rather than having people leave hungry, so if you are having more guests feel free to double this menu. You can go heavy on the sides to save money on costly beef.

Standing rib roast makes this meal an ultimate Christmas dinner rather than the traditional standby of turkey. Standing rib roast it is simply a fancy name for a whole bone-in prime rib. Usually grocery stores will place standing rib roasts on sale before Christmas. Marbling of meat means more flavor and moisture, so don't try to pick out a lean standing rib roast for your ultimate Christmas dinner. Because prime rib is traditionally served with horseradish, I have included a recipe for horseradish Havarti mashed potatoes -- a hit at my house.

With the fattiness of the standing rib roast and potatoes, your guests will most likely be craving a fresh vegetable. This is why I have paired the main course with fresh green beans instead of a heavy green bean casserole. The mixed field green salad as a starter course will also cleanse their taste buds and prepare them for the delicious main course.

Fresh warm bread is essential in any ultimate Christmas dinner. Simply buying frozen yeast rolls and cooking them according to the package directions will save you time and money over making homemade bread. I have yet to encounter a brand of frozen yeast rolls I haven't enjoyed. Your family will never know the difference.

Of course, a favorite part of dinner is dessert, especially chocolate cake. The chocolate-covered cherry cake takes boxed cake mix to a whole new level. Your family will feel like they are eating the Christmas classic -- chocolate covered cherries when they devour this devilishly rich cake.

I suggest pairing your Christmas meal and dessert with Tomasello Wineries Pomegranate wine. This wine goes well with meat and chocolate. It is also devilish when cooked into your au jus. Serve this wine at room temperature.

To make a beautiful tablescape, plate each person's dinner rather than serve Christmas dinner buffet style. You can do a vertical presentation of the mashed potatoes and rib roast if you wish by serving the rib roast on top of the potatoes. This also allows the yummy juices to soak into the mashed potatoes. Serve the au jus in small ramekins or in a gravy boat. The rolls will look beautiful in a basket lined with a Christmas napkin. Be sure to place a butter dish with room temperature butter on the table.

The Menu

Rosemary Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Au Jus (Prime Rib)

Horseradish Havarti Mashed Potatoes

Fresh Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

Yeast Rolls with Butter

Mixed Field Green Salad with Dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese and Almonds

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Pomegranate Wine

Cooking Sequence

1. Bake Chocolate Chocolate Covered Cake, Place in Refrigerator to Chill

2. Take Rolls out and Let Rise

3. Prepare and Place Standing Rib Roast in Oven

4. Make Salad

5. Peel and Cut Potatoes, Place in Pot of Water

6. Wash and Trim Green Beans

7. Frost and Fill Cake

8. Grate Havarti Cheese

9. About 10 Minutes Before Roast is Removed from Oven, Start Potatoes Boiling and Place Rolls in Oven

10. Remove Roast From Oven and Let Rest

11. Begin to Boil Green Beans

12. Prepare Au Jus

13. Drain and Prepare Potatoes

14. Prepare Green Beans

15. Carve Roast

Grocery List

Meat

4-Rib Standing Rib Roast

Produce

Fresh Rosemary

1 Bag Mixed Field Greens

3 lbs Russet Potatoes

1 to 2 lbs Fresh Green Beans

Dairy

Milk

Butter

Eggs

1 Cup Havarti Horseradish Cheese

Crumbled Goat Cheese

Heavy Whipping Cream (optional)

Shelf Products

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix

Mini Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Frosting

Oil

Cherry Pie Filling

Beef Stock ( I prefer organic)

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Medium-Sized Package of Sliced Almonds

Wishbone Raspberry Hazelnut Dressing

Dried Cranberries

Dried Spices

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper (The kind with the grinder tastes much better)

Other

Frozen Yeast Rolls

Tomasello Pomegranate Wine (2 Bottles at least)

Recipes

Rosemary Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Au Jus

4- Rib Roast (Approximately 9 to 10 pounds)

4 tbs Butter

Fresh Rosemary

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper

Let your rib roast set out until it reaches room temperature. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and while the oven is heating, trim off excess fat. Leave the top layer of fat on the roast at least one-inch thick. Place your roast in a pan with the bones down. Now season your rib roast with salt, pepper, and garlic to your liking. I always like lots of garlic! Spread butter on the ends of the roast not covered with fat. Liberally apply your fresh rosemary springs to the outside of the roast.

You are now ready to cook your roast. Place your roast in the oven for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. This will sear the meat and lock in the flavorful juices. Then turn your oven down to 325 degrees for the remainder of the cooking time. Every half hour baste your roast with the juices from the bottom of your roasting pan.

Deciding how long to cook your roast depends upon how well you prefer your prime rib. I believe it tastes best at medium rare. To cook your roast to medium rare you will need to leave it in the oven between an hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes. To determine the exact time your roast should be removed from the oven use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the meat making sure to not touch any fat or bone. If it reads 120 degrees your roast is rare. It is important to not cook your roasts in the oven to the degree that you want your meat. This is because your meat will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven when standing. Once the roast reaches 120 degrees remove it and let sit on counter. If you want it medium rare. your meat thermometer should reach 120 degrees in about 15 minutes. If you want it cooked more well than that. cover the meat with foil while it rests. To serve, slice with a sharp knife into steak portions.

Au Jus

To make au jus, simply drain most of the fat from the roasting pan. Then place the pan onto the burners and add beef stock. The amount of stock really depends upon the size of your pan. Scrap the bits of pieces from the bottom of the pan with the burners on medium high heat. Reduce the amount of liquid by about half. Season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic.

Havarti Mashed Potatoes

3lbs Russet Potatoes

3/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Stick Butter

1 Cup Havarti Horseradish Cheese Grated

Salt

Peel and cut Potatoes into small cubes. Boil in salted water until fork tender. Turn the burner to lowest setting and drain potatoes. Place the potatoes back into the warm pot and place on burner. Add milk and butter and mash, amount of butter and milk may vary depending upon your potatoes so just eyeball it. Add the grated cheese and salt to taste. You can leave your mashed potatoes on your burner until your dinner is ready.

Green Beans with Almonds

1 to 2 Pounds Fresh Green Beans

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Sliced Almonds

Wash and trim your green beans. Place in pot and fill with water. Boil approximately five minutes until they are slightly tender yet still a bit crisp. Drain water and return beans to warm pot. Add butter, salt, pepper and garlic. Once butter is melted, place in serving dish and top with almonds.

Mixed Field Green Salad with Cranberries, Almonds and Goat Cheese

One Bag Mixed Field Greens

3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 Cup sliced Almonds

One package Crumbled Goat Cheese

Wishbone Raspberry Hazelnut Salad Dressing

Combine all ingredients in large Christmas serving bowl, except salad dressing. Toss and chill. Serve salad dressing on the side.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Chocolate Cake Mix

Eggs

Oil

Water

Chocolate Frosting

Cherry Pie Filling

Mini Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Covered Cherries For Garnish

Bake chocolate cake mix according to package directions for two round pans, except stir in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Chill baked cakes. Once the cakes are cool open can of cherry pie filling and drain off 2/3 of the liquid. Lightly chop cherries and remaining liquid in food processor or blender. Remove first cake from pan and place on cake tray and top with cherry pie filling, and then sprinkle a thin layer of chocolate chips on top of cherries. Remove second cake round from pan and then spread a thin layer of frosting on the top of one of the cake rounds and place on top of the cherry pie filling-topped cake. Use remaining frosting to frost the outside of the cake. Press chocolate chips onto the sides of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the chocolate covered cherries. You can also serve it with fresh whipped cream.