Italian American Christmas Eve Dinner

This year we are having an Italian-American Christmas Eve Dinner - San Francisco Style! No, I don't have even the slightest hint of Italian in me... it's all my husband's side... but in honor of his 90 year old grandmother who is joining up this year, I thought it would be fun to have a "theme" for our Christmas Eve dinner.

It didn't take me long to come up with the Italian theme. Then, when I started brainstorming menu ideas, well, I couldn't help put the San Francisco spin on everything-- our beloved city!

Here's the highlights of what we'll be enjoying.

Delicious Cioppino! (Photo from Kelly on flickr)

Cioppino
This delicious tomato based seafood soup hails from a Genoa Italian fisherman who settled in the North Beach area of San Francisco. Cioppino is the perfect dish for winter-time, given it is Dungeness crab season out here as well! The recipe I'm going to follow is from Saveur Magazine (and, yes, their Dec. 2011 issue is, "Italian Christmas"!)

• Cioppino Recipe from Saveur.com

St. Honore Cake's Being Made by Diandra's Bakery - Photo from Inside Scoop SF - SF Gate

St. Honore Cake
Mmm, mm... this delicious cake and bakery, Diandra's Italian American Pastry, was recently written up in San Francisco Chronicle as a must-try holiday treat! Well, how can I resist! Mine is on order, ready to be picked up the morning of the 24th.

Besides these two "dishes of honor," here are a few other dishes we will be having:

• a large antipasto plate
• lasagna
• focaccia
• Ghiradelli Chocolate (the Italian American chocolatier who also settled in San Francisco)
• gelato

What will you be serving this Christmas Eve?