Tasty take-home holiday meals are offered by local restaurants and grocery stores for any size family, and at reasonable prices. Factoring in all the time and labor involved in preparing these elaborate meals at home, choosing a take-out option is an easy decision for our empty nester household of two. I enjoy cooking, but haven’t cooked my own turkey, dressing, and Southern-style “fixings” (like my mom always did) in years. When our kids visit, it’s lovely to be free to enjoy family time without spending most of it in the kitchen.
Here are a few of our favorite holiday meals available for dine-in or to take home in area restaurants. This year’s favorite is La Madeleine’s gourmet Holiday Feast. We recently tried a Feast Sampler at our closest La Madeleine’s (10 miles away off I-20, 4201 S. Cooper Street, Village by the Parks in Arlington; phone 817-417-5100). Most La Madeleine’s French Café locations in the DFW area will be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, but closed on Christmas Day.
La Madeleine’s Holiday Meals
We brought home a Take & Heat Feast with everything needed for our family celebration from La Madeleine’s, ready to be heated and served when desired. The Holiday Feast includes sliced oven-roasted turkey breast, Applewood smoked ham, cranberry apple stuffing, red-skinned mashed potatoes, green beans Almondine, mushroom sauce, cranberry orange chutney, and sourdough bread sticks. All made from scratch and oh so good!
After protesting that he didn’t like mushrooms, my husband was surprised to find that he really did like La Madeleine’s gourmet version of mushroom gravy. Our smaller size Take & Heat Feast for four-six people was $69.99, while a larger size that serves eight-ten people is $134.99. For even larger groups, the Catering Department features a Catered Feast for 18-20 people for $259.99.
Other delicious seasonal treats currently offered at La Madeleine’s French Café locations include Bûche de Noël, a 19th Century French tradition symbolizing the yule log families burned to bring good luck in the New Year. The beautiful silk chocolate Bûche de Noël cake resembles a yule log that’s been decorated with holiday cheer. La Madeleine also features Yule Log take-out kits for families to decorate at home.
Mini Gingerbread Tarts and Christmas Linzer Cookies are also seasonal sweet treats at La Madeleine’s, available individually or boxed to take home. They also feature a Peppermint Mocha that blends creamy, chocolatey latte and crisp peppermint. For fans of La Madeleine’s Croque Monsieur, Turkey Cranberry Croque is a seasonal twist with oven roasted turkey breast, cranberry apple stuffing, sliced Provolone, and cranberry orange chutney filling. For more information about La Madeleine’s holiday meal offerings or catering options, please visit lamadeleine.com.
Bread Winners Café & Bakery
Bread Winners has four DFW locations, with the closest to Best Southwest area the original one on McKinney Ave. They offer family-style dinners for $25 a person. Choose sliced oven roasted turkey or 6 oz. portion Cider-glazed ham. Meals include herbed cornbread stuffing, Leek mashed potatoes, homemade Sage Turkey gravy and Cranberry Orange Sauce plus pull-apart white or whole-grain rolls.
Breadwinners also sells ala carte items including a 7-8 lbs. Cider Glazed Ham for $90 or Oven Roasted Turkey Breast that serves 12-15 people. Bakery items include apple streusel, Bourbon Pecan, Pumpkin and Cherry pies ($23-$43). Catering orders must be placed by 12 noon Dec. 22. For information visit breadwinners.com.
Tom Thumb Grocery Store
Tom Thumb stores, including the Wheatland Road location in Duncanville, feature three take-home dinner specials for Christmas. We were happy with our Thanksgiving order, a 10-12 lb. fully cooked Turkey, 32 oz. Mashed Potatoes, 28 oz. Cornbread Stuffing, 24 oz. Turkey Gravy, and 14 oz. Cranberry Sauce ($69.99). For dessert we ordered a homemade Coconut Meringue Pie from Kitchen’s Deli in Duncanville, where they sold an amazing 300 pies for Thanksgiving. Yes, they’re that good.
Spiral Ham Dinner ($79.99): 7-9 lb. fully cooked Spiral Ham; 32 oz. scalloped potatoes;24 oz. mashed sweet potato, 30 oz. green bean casserole, and 16 oz. spiced apples serves 8-10. Their Prime Rib Dinner ($99.99) features a 4-5 lb. Fully Cooked Prime Rib Roast, 32 oz. Scalloped Potatoes, 30 oz. Green Bean Casserole, 24 oz. Mashed Sweet Potato, and 16 oz. Spiced Apples, and serves four-five people. Visit tomthumb.com for pickup and order information.
