I used to host a gathering every year around Christmas like this one here in 2009 or this one last year but this year, I decided not to hold any for one reason or another – one being the fact that I was down with a slight flu and did not really feel up to it. In the end, we had a simple dinner on Christmas Eve – just the three of us, Melissa, the mum and me.
I could not find any dinner rolls at this new bakery in town – Tea Street, I think it is called so I bought their garlic bread instead…
Come to think of it, I should have sliced them and toasted them a bit as they were a bit too big for us to have one whole bun each.
Melissa cooked this mushroom potage…
– Campbell’s, of course but she added some bits of bacon to it and that certainly served to enhance the taste.
I grilled the pieces of Salisbury beef in garlic butter…
– they’re actually beef patties, Marina brand…and they’re not bad really. We all enjoyed eating that and for one thing, there wasn’t any need to worry about them being too tough and having to saw vigorously through them prior to eating.ย I also grilled the mushrooms and boiled the snow peas and young baby corn while Melissa made the potato salad.
At the same time, Melissa made this very nice baked macaroni cheese with bacon…
…which all of us enjoyed a great deal.
To go with our dinner, we had sparkling grape juice…
Nope, we did not have any wine even though we do have at least half a dozen bottles in the house – mostly red and a couple of white. People keep giving us but the truth is we’re not really into drinking that much.
There was also this fruit cake that I got from Philip for dessert…
but we were already too full by the end of the dinner that we could hardly eat anything else. In the end, I just had to wrap it up again and put it back into the fridge.
So, there you have it – our very simple Christmas Eve dinner…
– nothing great but with some Christmas songs playing on the cd player, it certainly didn’t seem too bad after all…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Very nice mate! I love Christmas sit-down dinners. Too bad I was in Bali at that time – Christmas is rather commercialized there so I didn’t have a proper sit down dinner…but had a load of fun all the same.
This looks like what Christmas should be about! Family! ๐
Look on the bright side… You’re gonna have that with your family, come Chinese New Year… ๐
wah so cozy feel :).
Btw, you changed timing already ka? these 3 days 12am geh
Ya…nice and cosy, warm family feelings… That’s right – scheduled for 5 minutes past midnight…
Ya…i think Cikgu changed the scheduled post to 12am liao. These few days all 12 am worr. LOL!
00.05, to be exact…since the New Year… ๐
Nice table setting. Simple meh? I don’t think so. Looks like a feast to me. Melissa is a good cook. I am impressed. She takes after you or Lucy? The piece of beef makes me hungreeee! Die lor, must go make maggie mee now. Eat oledi, lagi cannot sleep. Tomorrow sure like zombi. After put wrong figure on invoices, how da?? Quay Lo sure “Chow ngoh yau yu”. kikikiki (Shereen, sound like you nor not??) Go make maggie now…I am not kidding and it is your fault!! muahaha No, I must laugh like a lady… hehe..hehe..hehe
Muahahahaha!!!! Hmmmm…why do I get the blame for everything? LOL!!! ๐
Quay Po… u silap liao, Shereen laugh like this punya “kihkihkihkih!” ROFLOL!
Now, all kinds of evil laughter dah… I’ve created a monster…!!! ๐ฆ
Awww… come on, look at the bright side… if not because of you, I wouldn’t get to know so many wonderful people. I get to know a lot of people from your blog, you know? Annie, Shereen, Quay Po, Claire and many more. I used to be very reserved…a recluse, feel very intimidated by people, but since I got to know people from your blog, I don’t feel so scared to meet up with people anymore… because through their conversation in your blog, I can see that most of them are friendly people. ๐ They are all wonderful people. *bodek-ing mode, in case they wanna feed me*
I wouldn’t bother if I were them – wasting good food…eat so much, also like cicak kubin, the whole family! It’s true what the Chinese say – tham ciak, ciak bay pui… Now have to wait for Bananaz to come and translate that! LOL!!! ๐
Of course you get the blame la, Cikgu. It’s easier to blame you than blame our own tham chiak-ness. LOL. It makes us feel less guilty for indulging. Hahahahahahahaha! Nasib u lah, jadi kambing hitam! LOL!
I think I will change the name of my blog to – punchingbag.wordpress.com… ๐ฆ
My original laugh actually is hehehehe but then Arthur say sound so jahat..much worst than muahahaha.So now, have to laugh like gatal a bit lar..kihkihkih.
Kihkihkihkih…or hehehehehehe….mean or evil laugh lah, like up to no good.
Memang your fault,Arthur! Mengaku saja lar and don’t pretend as if you are the victim!! Cis!!
Cleffairy, actually hor, I am very friendly one. Not only friendly but very gila one. You ask Arthur lar, whole time my family and I in Sibu, we laughed like orang gila.Early morning get up only, laugh…mo tidur pun laugh.You also can ask my hubby, with me around..perut pun boleh pecah!!
But we laugh over very clean stuff though – we’re all very good God-fearing people… LOL!!! ๐
Because you said you are a rubber ball ma…nothing can harm you, everything will bounce out… Oooo I better squat down after blaming you, if not when bounced back so fast at me, I will be hoist by my own knife! HU! HU! HU! HU! (2012 new kind of laugh) So all these evil laugh is not orginated from you Arthur? It is from Cleffairy is it? Okay Okay, I give you a break, I blame her hor. Shereen, I want to try laugh like you with my Quay Lo today and see what is his response. kikikiki!
No, no…not from me. I’m always the goodie-goodie one. Laugh also very senonoh one. LOL!!! ๐ Careful…your Quay Lo may think you’ve turned into hantu pontainak…
Quay Po..you laugh your kikiki laugh with your Quay Lo, wait he drag you by your hair into the bedroom, don’t blame me ar!I told you already or rather Arthur told you that the kikiki sounds very hiau laugh..or is it you the one who told us?!!!…muahahaha
Macam pontianak… LOL!!! ๐
Shereen, haiyah, that is exactly what I want him to do but let me wear a long hair wig first, if not, no hair to pull lah! …. yes, yes, I am the one who said your laugh is very “hum sap” kind of laugh but I think you yourself said it is a gatal laugh lah. So young so forgetful, come my age, you will forget your own name.. hehehehe
Pssst…she’s not that young lah! Muahahahahaha!!! ๐
Laughing like a wicked witch can blame me lah… but if u put on weightand jadi more and more bulat, cannot blame me la… mana boleh blame me for that? the food that I tayang usually kalah to Cikgu punya. In the end still have to blame him for all the food cravings and fridge selongkar-ing sessions. LOL!
Why? I only share with everybody what I’ve done and mainly, what I’ve eaten… You people , seven and half month hantu – never eaten before, want to drool, where got I’m the one to blame? Hehehehehehe!!! ๐
Arthur… Shereen will always be young in my eyes. My sweet funny little girl. My reason for living.
ps I declare I like to do all those things without being abused!
Hmmmm…here comes the always sweet and loving husband. And she’s so lucky to have you too… ๐
Nice Xmas dinner…it looks definitely better than those miserable bits you get in hotels during xmas eve.
Well, for one thing, it wasn’t so expensive…and we all enjoyed it. ๐
The best food in the world always comes from home. ๐
Precisely… With that special ingredient – love. ๐
I green with you standing on my head and cluck like a chicken!! muahahaha
You can stand on your head? Wonders will never cease.
Oooi, I typed “agree” wor why come out “green” one? Not my fault it is the auto correct fault! This one cannot blame Arthur!! ROLF!!
How can agree become green? Hmmmm…a poor workman blames his tools? LOL!!!
gimme fruit cake!hehehee!
Come and get it… ๐
Simplicity is the best. Simple and yet a satisfying and delicious X’mas dinner with family. Food looks much much better than the hotels. Love the baked macaroni cheese with bacon. Melissa cooks & bakes well too.
Yes, she’s more independent now…but doesn’t like to cook when the mum’s around – will always interfere and eventually take over. Mothers! ๐
If my anak pandai masak la… and wanna masak, I will biar aje, den I goyang kaki while drooling over Korean drama in the livingroom. Seanglah my hidup if anak mau masak… goyang kaki and tunggu orang kasi makan aje.
That’s what I do…but women – not so easy to let go… ๐
Like me!! Queen control..muahahaha
Slave driver… Hubs abuse and child exploitation… LOL!!! ๐
Me too, My Quay Lo and my son both said, I always must have the famous last word! hehehe
Women… ๐
Well, if my son/daughter want to venture into the kitchen, I won’t mind provided he/she will clear up the mess after cooking.
Close one eye! Even my missus is very messy – only cleans up after all is done…
wow..nice xmas dinner – even got pink carnations. What Marina beef patties..u bought from supermarket?
I like a slice of that fruit cake..looks so yummy
From Everwin. Marina, the sardine brand that I like – Salisbury steaks, it’s called. Ummm…I think I’ve something better and I still have Auntie Irene’s pudding… Coming over for Chinese New Year?
Very nice dinner, Arthur….and so much food!! Boleh habis kah?Everything look so delicious and very senonoh ( very important factor in my opinion..lol! ). Wow, Melissa can really cook and she cooks well too.
I’ve planned for a nice Christmas lunch for the family until hub get word that he’ll be working. We spent our Christmas in Melbourne with dim sum for lunch which is actually quite nice but after that, all turned into custard…every nice makan place was closed..for a few days somemore..tsk!tsk!tsk!
Cannot lah… The macaroni, we gave half to my sis and parents…and the rest we reheated and ate the next day. The other things other than the bread, all habis. Well, there would always be McDs…or KFC – most important thing is the family’s together. ๐
They were closed mebbe becoz they takut u all makan til their kitchen empty la. LOL!
They all scared – that woman sure will criticise from top to bottom one, sure all kalah her won cooking… Muahahahaha!!!! ๐
happy new year! these are some of my faves! garlic bread, mushroom soup, cheese baked! ๐ we still hv a bottle of white wine in the fridge. gotta find a day to pop it! ๐
Same to you. Mine’s all red…except for a bottle of tuak – the traditional ethnic wine. Very nice! LOL!!! ๐
Wow…look very very nice. Sweet and warm and quiet X’mas eve dinner just three of you.
Love the simple set up on the dining table, look very christmassy.
All the food look nice and with very good presentation. Thumbs up!
Oh ya, Happy New Year to you, Lucy and Melissa. First time comment in your blog in year 2012!! May the new year will be a good one and bring more luck, good health, laugh, peaceful to all of us. ๐
Same to you, Cougar and the twins…and your mum and all in your family. When are you going to come back to Sibu again? Tee piang is 50 sen each now – was 3 for RM1 when you came and the meat ones up 20 sen to RM1.20… Sigh!!! I wonder what kind of year we are going to have… ๐ฆ
My goodness…I wish I have some of the fruit cake. Can keep it till April? LOL!!
No worries… Can get hold of some good ones here. Not really into fruit cakes…but don’t mind once in a while.
wow, this is definitely a very nice dinner i wanna have!! the beef, the beef, even so yummy down to the sides.. and the cheese macaroni with bacon, heaven!! and perfect ending with that nice and rich fruit cake too.. you just have such a great christmas dinner arthur~~
Great? Thought it was such a simple one… Come, hop over…and I can whip that up for you in no time at all.. ๐
it’s the companion that counts!!! ๐
Yup…that certainly matters the most! ๐
nice cozy dinner and quite huge amount of food for three persons! hey! I recognise the tissue box holder on the table ๐
Domo! My daughter loves it! She’s into those anime stuff… I think it’s kind of ugly… LOL!!! ๐
very cosy and warm Christmas dinner. I like! maybe this year I will have my first home-cooked Christmas dinner in my new home! ๐
How about New YEar Eve?? Nothing special? :p
Got… Be patient! Will be posted on Friday, I think… Long queue. LOL!!!
Simple is not bad. ^_^ You enjoyed the Christmas with your loved ones and that what counts. Again, merry Christmas STP. ๐
Yes, nothing like being with the ones you love… ๐
Nothing beats home cooked meal, no matter how simple they are! They’re always the most satisfying and comforting, especially with the company of family. ๐ Happy New year to you and your family! ๐
Same to you and Saucer. Any plans for a dragon baby? ๐
Bananaz going for the baked macaroni cheese & soup kow liao haha. Oiiii been ‘hearing’ ‘kihkihkihkih’ ‘HU! HU! HU! HU!’ ‘kikiki’ latest kind of laughter for 2012? haha.
Dunno…the ladies’ mating calls or what? Muahahahahahaha!!!! ๐
Not so simple coz I’m sure it needed al lot of preparation too. The patty look yummy-moist! ๐
+Ant+
Not really – definitely a lot less work than preparing for the parties that I used to host in previous years…and this time, my daughter did most of the work. Nice! ๐
homecooked meal is always the best. Good to avoid the festive crowds at the restaurant and I refuse to pay overpriced dinners
Yup…not that what they serve is value for money and really worth it.