Christmas/Holiday cooking

I'm torn, as I am every year, between trying interesting new things, and keeping with family favourites. We're doing a nice big organic chicken instead of turkey this year, so I'm going to do the Zuni Roast (normally I'd do Thomas Keller's method from Ad Hoc At Home) and see how it goes. I always make butternut squash soup with ginger and lime, and some sort of potato dish.

I've also promised my daughters since we are making them try new foods (they're still at a fussy age) that I'd try something I didn't like as a kid - brussels sprouts. Apparently they improve when roasted, so I'll see what I can do...

And I just made my grandmother's Christmas pudding; it will rest out on the porch until Christmas day and then I'll boil it up again for a couple more hours and serve with cream and holly on top.

This year, as I'll be cooking for two holiday gatherings with and for my in-laws, it will be a mix of old family favorites (sherry wine cake, raw apple cake) and Ina Garten (Prime Rib, roasted veggies, key lime pie, baked Virginia ham) -- my sister-in-law and I both love how well her recipes work for entertaining -- minimal prep with great results and plenty of time for visiting with people we don't see often enough. We are doing the Zuni mashed potatoes however.

I'm going to have to look at those Ina Garten cookbooks! Everyone here seems excited about them.

@LazyLurker- I love Ina Garten and have enjoyed almost everything I have ever made of hers. I can't wait to read your reviews!

We'll have to do an Ina Garten challenge in the new year (though the next one will be vegetarian). I'm very curious too.

I looked at Ina Garten's web site tonight, and tried the macaroon recipe (I had two egg whites from my 2 attempts at mayo this lunchtime). They were easy, and turned out better than I thought, given the fossil-like condition of coconut that has spent any time in utah. I bet her cookbooks are great. And even more, I will also look forward to a vegetarian cookbook challenge.

I love the macaroon recipe. They are really good dipped in dark chocolate!

I love the way the house smells while those macaroons are cooking.

Oh man, now I want to make another batch, and dip them in dark chocolate!

Got link? :) (For those Ina Garten macaroons, I mean.)