The best place to celebrate the holidays? Aboard your boat, of course. Here's a holiday dinner menu of traditional dishes that you can prepare in the small confines of a galley and/or cockpit.

MENU

• Serves 6-8
• Grilled Turkey
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Mandarin Cranberry Salad
• Cheese Biscuit Wedges
• Pineapple Cake With Cream Sauce

GRILLED TURKEY

Grilling keeps the galley – and the cook – a bit cooler. Here are some things to remember before you get started:

• Never grill a turkey weighing more than 16 pounds (hey, does anyone have a grill big enough to fit a 16-pound turkey? If so, Christmas dinner is on your boat this year!).
• Never stuff a turkey to be grilled.
• Make sure that your bird fits on your grill. Use a tape measure to figure out what size grill you have, and take that measurement to the store – knowing the weight of the turkey won't tell you whether it will fit on the grill, but its dimensions will.
• The lid should closed, with at least one inch of space between the top of the turkey and the lid.
• As a rule s a rule of thumb, plan on one pound of uncooked turkey per person. If you enjoy leftover turkey, figure two pounds per person. A turkey breast rather than a whole turkey may be your best bet if you're only feeding a few people, and it also works best for small grills.

Preheat your grill until it is hot. Brush your turkey with an olive oil/butter mixture, and season to taste. If you can't find a ready-made aluminum pan that fits your grill, make a custom fit pan by using several layers of aluminum foil with the edges rolled up to catch the drippings and hold the liquid. Spray the pan with nonstick spray, and place it on the grill. Add a small amount of water to the pan, and place the turkey (breast side up) inside. Grill on low temperature. Baste several times during cooking. To keep it from browning too fast, place an aluminum foil "tent" over the turkey during the first half of cooking time.

Figure roughly 12 minutes cooking time per pound of turkey. Cooking times may vary depending on the temperature of your grill, the thickness of the meat and weather conditions. Use a meat thermometer to determine whether the turkey is fully cooked. Breast meat is ready at 170 degrees Fahrenheit and thigh meat at 180 degrees.

If you like a sweetened glaze or barbecue sauce, brush it on in the last half hour of cooking, to prevent burning.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

This is a traditional side dish with a twist. It's easy to prepare, either in a crockpot or on the stove.

Ingredients

• 3 lb. small red potatoes
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cream cheese with onions and chives
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Crockpot Preparation

A crockpot helps keep the galley cool. Halve or quarter the potatoes to make even sizes. Place them in a four- to six-quart slow cooker. Add garlic, oil, salt and water, and mix to coat. Cover cooker, and cook on high for three and a half to four and a half hours, or until potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes roughly with a fork. Stir in cream cheese until blended, then add enough milk for desired consistency. You can serve this right away, or cover and hold it in the crockpot up to two hours on low.

Halve or quarter the potatoes to make even sizes, and place in a large pot. Put enough water in the pan to cover the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water, and add garlic, oil, and salt. Mash potatoes roughly with a fork. Stir in cream cheese until blended, then add enough milk for desired consistency. Serve hot.

MANDARIN CRANBERRY SALAD

Here's a healthy salad that looks beautiful! The bright-red dried cranberries and tomatoes mixed with greens add some holiday cheer to your Christmas table.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. juice from canned mandarin oranges

Salad

• 18 ounces of mixed salad greens
• 1 cup dried cranberries such as Ocean Spray Craisins
• 2 11-ounce cans Mandarin oranges, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons juice for dressing
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans (optional)
• cherry tomatoes as desired

Preparation

Whisk together salad dressing ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. When ready to serve, pour dressing over salad, and toss gently until coated.

CHEESE BISCUIT WEDGES

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• cornmeal (for pan)

Preparation

Stir dry ingredients together. Add ½ cup of cheese. Fold in sour cream and water until particles cling together. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured board, and knead for one minute. Pat the dough into a circle that is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into eight wedges. Separate the wedges slightly to allow room to rise.

Sprinkle cornmeal on either a baking stone (preferred) or a round baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Return to oven for five to 10 minutes, until golden brown and cheese has melted. Serve hot.

PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH CREAM SAUCE

Add a tropical twist to your holiday dinner with this decadent, easy-to-prepare dessert! The cake can be made ahead of time, so that after the meal all you need to do is make the sauce and pour it on top.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 10-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup cream (canned cream is fine)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar and baking soda. Add the beaten egg, pineapple and juice to the dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour mixture into an 8" x 8" pan that has been greased and floured. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Sauce

Place butter, cream and brown sugar in a saucepan and heat. Bring to a boil, and boil slowly for five minutes. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Serve warm over the cake.