Christmas Feasts : The last thing anyone embroiled in normal Christmas Day festivities needs is to be responsible for getting a huge holiday dinner on the table. That’s why it’s wise to choose a menu built around foods that require only a modicum of attention while they cook.

If ever a celebration meal was served under duress, it is Christmas dinner. By the time it is ready to serve, the initial excitement of opening gifts and playing with new toys and games has wound down and hunger pangs are rife. But in all likelihood, the family cook has had to somehow get it all together with children, family and guests all happily underfoot or teeming in and out of the kitchen.

Whether one does all the cooking and planning or settles for a family potluck, there’s a lot of work behind every successful Christmas dinner. But the fun of having family and friends together to celebrate the occasion is worth it.

With turkey so much in the limelight at Thanksgiving, and since it appears so often on our tables during the year these days, why not choose something very different for your Christmas menu this year? A rack of lamb, separated into double chops and served on a bed of barley mixed with pine nuts, raisins, an orange and mint leaves will make a welcome change.

Or, you might like to consider serving a juicy Christmas goose stuffed with a dried fruit and chestnut-flavored bread dressing. If you want a large goose, one big enough to serve a crowd, you may need to ask your butcher to order it for you. For the photo appearing with this story, however, we had little trouble finding a 15-pound goose. A couple of telephone calls quickly located the large goose in the frozen foods section at one of the major markets.

Another elegant centerpiece to consider for a wonderful celebration dinner is a boned and stuffed leg of lamb. Fresh spinach leaves, onion, garlic and oyster mushrooms are used in the delicate stuffing for this aromatic holiday roast.

A more traditional Christmas menu might feature a standing beef rib roast. Serve this one with old-fashioned Yorkshire pudding and a rich mushroom-laden brown gravy.

Still other suggestions for an easy holiday menu include a succulent ham served with Quick-Glazed Sweet Potatoes or possibly a lean and flavorful pork roast served with baked apples.

Whatever you choose to serve for your holiday meal, we hope it’s a happy one for you and yours.

ROAST GOOSE WITH CHESTNUT-FIG STUFFING

1 (12 to 15-pound) goose

1 cut lemon

Salt, pepper

Chestnut-Fig Stuffing

Thaw bird if frozen. Remove neck and giblets from body cavity. Remove excess fat from body cavity and neck skin. Rub inside and out with cut lemon. Season with salt and pepper. With sharp-tined fork, pierce goose all over at 2-inch intervals. Wings may be removed at second joint or tucked akimbo against body.

Fill neck and body cavities loosely with stuffing. Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Tie legs together, or tuck under skin at tail, if present (no need to truss.)

Place goose, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer deep into thigh muscle. Roast uncovered at 400 degrees 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of bird. Do not baste.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and roast until thermometer in thigh registers 180 degrees, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. During roasting spoon or siphon off accumulated fat about every hour to prevent excessing browning of fat. To serve, place on platter and surround with medley of fresh or dried fruits, if desired. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Chestnut-Fig Stuffing

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 pound cooked chestnuts

1/2 pound dried figs, quartered

2 red unpeeled apples, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Few drops lemon juice

1 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons apricot brandy

3/4 cup diced dried apricots

1/2 pound white bread, toasted and cubed (or use corn bread)

Sugar, optional

Melt butter in skillet. Saute onion until tender. Add chestnuts, figs, apples, bread, salt, pepper, lemon juice, celery, apricot brandy, apricots. Mix well. Gently mix in bread cubes. Add sugar to taste. Makes 12 servings.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH MUSHROOM MOUSSE STUFFING

1 (3 1/-2 to 4-pound) rolled boneless leg of lamb

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Salt, pepper

Olive oil

1/2 bunch spinach, cleaned and trimmed

4 ounces chicken breast

1 egg

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 tablespoon butter

Garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 ounces oyster mushrooms, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fennel

Olive oil

Unroll lamb and rub leg of lamb all over with 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste and olive oil.

Blanch or steam spinach leaves, drain and squeeze well. Spread spinach leaves on inner side of lamb. Grind chicken breast, egg and cream in food processor. Set aside.

Melt butter in skillet. Saute remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic and onion in butter. Add and saute chopped mushrooms. Add to chicken mousse and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread chicken-mushroom stuffing over spinach on meat. Roll back meat and tie securely in several places with kitchen twine. Cover any areas where stuffing is visible with foil to hold it inside.

Rub lamb with remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and more olive oil, if desired. Place in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of meat. Roast at 325 degrees 30 to 40 minutes per pound (140 degrees for rare, 150 to 155 degrees for medium rare and 160 degrees for well-done). Baste occasionally. Serve with lamb juices in pan or prepare gravy with lamb drippings, if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

LAMB RACK RIBS ON BED OF BARLEY

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup tender bread crumbs

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced mint leaves

2 racks of lamb (about 2 pounds)

1 egg white

Barley With Pine Nuts

Heat olive oil in skillet. Saute garlic in oil with lemon pepper, cumin and salt. Mix in bread crumbs. Saute and stir few minutes. Remove from heat add parsley and mint.

Cut 2-ribs portions from each rack. Stir egg white and water. Brush on top of ribs. Pat crumb mixture on each rib portion. Place in roasting pan and roast at 375 degrees to desired degree of doneness (140 degrees for rare, 150 to 155 degrees for medium rare or 160 degrees for medium.) Serve on bed of Barley With Pine Nuts. Makes 8 servings.

Barley With Pine Nuts

1 (6-ounce) package barley

Chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed

3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup dark raisins

1/2 cup golden raisins

Zest of 1 orange, cut into julienne strips

1/2 cup chopped mint leaves

Salt, pepper

Cook barley according to package directions using chicken broth. Heat olive oil in pan and saute onions and garlic. Add coriander seeds, pine nuts, dark and golden raisins, orange zest, mint leaves and barley. Mix well and heat to serving temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lamb. Makes 8 servings.

SAVORY RIB ROAST WITH YORKSHIRE PUDDING

1 (6- to 7-pound) standing beef rib roast

1 tablespoon crushed dried oregano

1 tablespoon crushed dried thyme

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt (or garlic salt), pepper

For easier carving have butcher loosen chine bone by sawing across ribs and then tying roast. Combine oregano, thyme, paprika, pepper, cayenne, Dijon and salt and pepper to taste. Pat seasoning mixture onto top and sides of rib roast.

Place roast, fat side up, in large roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so bulb is centered in thickest part of roast. Roast at 425 degrees 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook 1 hour longer. Turn off oven and let roast sit in oven at least 1 hour to rest and continue to cook in its own heat. Baste with drippings. Reserve drippings (about 1/2 cup) for Yorkshire Pudding.

Yorkshire Pudding

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

Hot beef drippings or melted butter

Combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and water in blender container. Beat until just blended. Chill, covered, 1 hour. Place 1/4-inch beef drippings in 13x9-inch oven-proof baking dish. Heat at 400 degrees until drippings are hot.

Quickly beat chilled batter again in blender. Pour into hot baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown or puffed. Serve immediately. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

ORANGE-GLAZED HAM

1 (12 to 14-pound) fully cooked ham

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1 large Navel orange

Whole cloves, optional

Bake ham as wrapper directs.

Meanwhile, thaw orange juice and beat until smooth with brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire. Cut unpeeled orange into thin slices. Cut slices into half circles.

About 30 minutes before ham is done, remove from oven and score surface by cutting through fat in long diagonal cuts at right angles, forming diamond shapes. Brush ham generously with orange juice mixture, then fasten orange slices to ham with cloves or wood picks. Bake 30 minutes longer, brushing with any remaining glaze 2 or 3 times. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

QUICK-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

6 sweet potatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons rum

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Boil unpeeled sweet potatoes just until tender. Cool until they can be handled, then peel and cut them into large chunks. Arrange in shallow, well-greased baking dish. Sprinkle potatoes with salt. Blend brown sugar and rum and spoon over sweet potatoes. Dot with butter.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees 10 minutes. Brush sauce in dish over potatoes and bake 8 to 10 minutes longer. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

GINGERED PORK ROAST

1 (2-inch) finger ginger root

1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless pork loin roast

Salt, pepper

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1 (3-ounce) package orange gelatin

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 cup molasses

Peel ginger and cut into very thin slices. Stack slices and cut into slivers. With tip of sharp knife, make incisions about 2 inches apart over entire surface of roast. Insert ginger sliver into each. Season roast to taste with salt and pepper. Place on rack in open roasting pan and roast, uncovered, at 325 degrees 40 to 45 minutes per pound or to internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Meanwhile, bring orange juice to boil in saucepan, stir in gelatin, orange peel, molasses, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon slivered ginger. About 1 hour before pork loin is done, brush it with 1/2 cup sauce.

Remove roast from oven when done and allow to stand 20 minutes before carving. Stir pan drippings into remaining sauce, reheat, strain and serve with meat. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

PECAN AND CINNAMON BAKED APPLES

1 cup sweet white wine

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 baking apples, peeled and cored

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

6 pecan halves

Heat wine in saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add sugar and cinnamon and blend until dissolved. Arrange apples in lightly greased baking dish. Pour wine mixture evenly over apples. Bake at 375 degrees 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until apples are tender, basting frequently with sauce. Remove from oven and keep warm.

To serve, sprinkle apples with chopped pecans, top each with pecan half and spoon sauce over. Makes 6 servings.

Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane. Accessories from Tesoro’s