Christmas 2010

The Garrison family had been going back and forth on where to celebrate our 2010 Christmas.  Tom & Eileen (Dan's grandparents) live in sunny Florida, Lance and Marcia are in the middle at Birmingham, AL, while Sam & Yuli (Dan's brother) will be stationed in Missouri, while Dan and I are all the way out in the flat desert of West Texas...Midland, Texas.  We were crossing fingers and toes hoping that everybody would come out here.  It's so difficult traveling, especially during the holidays, with a soon-to-be 2 & 3 year old...and 3 joyful Jack Russell Terriers.  Then about a week ago we got the email.  The email that said everybody was coming out to Midland for Christmas.  WAHOOO!!!!!! 

Then reality set it.  I've gotta cook Christmas dinner for my inlaws, great inlaws, and brother & sister-n-laws.  Oh My GOODNESS!!!  What have I gotten myself into?!?!
(this is where I'm reminding myself to breathe)
Then another reality set in.....since the Tom & Eileen are driving from Florida, the in-laws from Alabama.....this  means not only must I cook a Christmas dinner but also a weeks worth of meals for 10 people!!!
Breathe in, breathe out

Grandma Eileen sent me a very helpful email.  It said to create a menu.  Hmmmm, Christmas 2010 Menu.  I know that I want to make a beef tenderloin with a red wine sauce but what else?  Of course I'll make mashed taters, scratch that....garlic mashed taters, rolls, but what else?  I want to make this dinner a meal that the family will never forget (in a good way) but I don't want to make it too over the top that nobody enjoys the sides I make.  But I don't want to to be the same thing you get fed every Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Hmmm...what to do, what to do?

I've spent several hours googling Christmas menus, trying to get creative ideas.  (where I got the idea for garlic mashed) But nothing else has been helpful, or inspiring.  Yes I know that it's not even October, but I'm cooking for my in-laws....this has GOT to be PERFECT!

And this is just one meal.  Let's not forget about the weeks worth of meals I've got to create, for 10 people!  (breathe in, breathe out) What am I going to make?  What do they enjoy eating?  What if they hate it?  How much is all of this going to cost???