OMG... Christmas - and I'm on the hook!

Lil2002

Curv wrote: »

I forgot to add that I'll also need entertainment ideas so that people aren't just sitting around vegging, waiting for meals to happen... I know.. I don't ask for much, do I?

Get some board games! "Operation", "Ker-plunk", oh those were the days...
Good for all ages, and I'm sure you can find some in the charity shops.

morwenna

I do roast turkey, Nigella's ham in coke, roast pots in goose fat, roast parsnips (I cheat - buy these frozen) sprouts (surely compulsory?? ) carrots in tarragon butter (cut carrots into batons, cook as normal and add HM herb butter to serve) and usually broccolli. I also do mini pastry tarts filled with cranberry sauce as a garnish and serve with sausage meat and chestnut stuffing & giblet gravy. I don't think my menu ever varies, but since it's just once a year no-one complains - they do complain if I suggest changes!! I have posted this because it's a good idea to check if there are similar family "must have" dishes - along the lines of I know it's christmas when I eat....

Timetable everything - I know this sounds OTT but it really really helps! I start cooking on Christmas Eve (the ham and the giblet stock for the gravy, peel and pre prep veggies) Oh and charades is always a good game!!

Gigervamp

I cook the turkey in a low oven overnight (christmas eve/christmas day) and that gives me plenty of room in the oven for all the other things on the day.

Edinburghlass_2

Curv wrote: »

I forgot to add that I'll also need entertainment ideas so that people aren't just sitting around vegging, waiting for meals to happen... I know.. I don't ask for much, do I?

Here you go....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=294473

hmkn

Posh looking (but simple to execute, ie by adding the herb butter as suggested) veg makes it look as though you've taken ages preparing.

DON'T DON'T DON'T try to do too much. A few things in generous amounts looks better than a lot of little fiddly bits that make you knackered, harrassed and mean you spend the morning in the kitchen rather than with your children. Plus have the blinking guests will say "sorry, I don't like X" and then you will want to cry or have a tantrum or both. Or maybe that was just me...
If you're family normally have Xmas pud, just provide that, plus maybe icecream for the children and a big bowl of tangerines. Looks generous because it's in quantity and festive, good for you and not as expensive as fruit salad or trifle.

Do find and provide at least one veg that you know SIL (and family) will eat. The year I nearly commited Great-aunt-icide I had 10 to cook for, I had spent months preparing everything and then Great aunt refused to eat her beef (wouldn't eat turkey or gammon) until I had grilled it to within an inch of it's life, refused all veg except carrots (and complained that they were 'orangey flavour'), nearly spat out the mulled wine sorbet because she could taste the port, brother # 2 watched me put out bread sauce, gravy, cranberry sauce, wholegrain mustard, Cumberland sauce and horse radish (all HM except the HR and mustard) and said "got any English mustard?" and SIL got down and fell asleep on the sofa before dessert because she'd been up late the night before!!!
If I cook for said GA now, I make sure there's plain carrots and peas and she gets the well done ends of the beef that I cook medium-rare for the rest of the family. It just makes life easier and I don't end up seething and resentful that I'd ever invited these people over for a meal.

I second the timetable. Write it down- even if something changes you can see at a glance how to adjust the timings and it won't be so stressful.
You also won't forget anything- if it's written down you don't sit down and remember you meant to do Yorkshire puddings...

Be Prepared. Do as much as possible in advance- freeze if necessary, just remember to allow enough time to defrost. Don't know how HM you're wanting, but I freeze the weighed breadcrumbs for the sauce and possibly stuffing in a labelled packet a month or so in advance (when I've found a marked down loaf usually!) and make cranberry sauce a couple of weeks before. That might be from frozen cranberries if they're reduced after Thanksgiving. Prepare veg the day before and leave in water, Vitamin loss is ok for Christmas if it keeps you sane.

Accept all offers of help. If you can, try delegating parts of the meal (good for an OS meal!) Could MIL bring whatever she's famous for cooking (flattery usually works!), could SIL bring carrots, or something she can manage? Or bring the crackers or something?

HTH abit, and good luck!

HMK

pigpen

Whatever you are cooking have a go at cooking it before hand so if you don't like it you have time to do something different!!

greenbee

pigpen wrote: »

Whatever you are cooking have a go at cooking it before hand so if you don't like it you have time to do something different!!

This also means you can get your time plan worked out, including how you are going to get roast potatoes & turkey right when they need to be cooked at different temperatures! You need to work out what time you're going to eat based on kids needs and other planned activities.

Delia's Christmas is a good place to start. Her parsnips with parmesan can be parboiled, shaken in the parmesan mix & frozen in advance. Make mince pies etc. way ahead and freeze (can be warmed up from the freezer, so have loads in case you run short of anything). Sprouts are also good with chestnuts (buy peeled, don't try to fit this in yourself!).

If you have got Christmas eve/boxing day to to as well, as ham is worth doing. Great with salad & baked potatoes plus mince pies on Xmas eve, or the same with cold turkey and left over xmas pudding on boxing day.

See whether you can get your 14-year-old interested in helping out - I used to make homemade chocolates (OK, it was messy, but worthwhile!) for after lunch - just chocolate ganache coated with cocoa or toasted almonds, and maybe flavoured with different things, but its a good way to get them involved, and should impress.

Tangerines are good as an alternative pud, and in a nice glass bowl can make a great centrepiece to the table as well (if you can't get the ones with leaves, scatter some bayleaves or other fresh greenery amongst them.

Good luck!

Lauren_1 - game freezes fine. I'm always being given it by my dad and it lasts for [STRIKE]years [/STRIKE]months (I casserole anything I've still got in the freezer when the next year's batch starts arriving!). Just remember, a pheasant is pretty small - it feeds 2 hungry people or 4 not hungry.

nearlyrich

I have a plan for cooking and it works realy well for me, I usually cook for about 17 on Christmas day lunch with a few extra at tea time. Keep it simple, if they don't like what you have to offer they don't have to come again is my motto...

suec

Try mashed carrots and swede for 1 of the vag can be made the day before then just needs reheating in the microwave when needed . Also any other plain veg u want to cook . cook the day before so they are nearly done they cool them quickly under cold water. On the day put a large saucepan of water on and just emerse the vag for about a min or so when needed , stops you having to worry about timings too much and stops mashed sprouts and raw broccoli. this also leaves space on your gas rings for your gravy etc.

betterlife

hi everyone, christmas dinner to use is just a extra big roast dinner, to be honest i dont go for fancy recipes , my family much prefer a tradition roast dinner with all the trimmings and seasonal veg. with a lovely christmas decorated table. we have inlaws coming on xmas eve and staying till boxing day. xmas eve tea is always mash potato with cold gammon ham , salad, pickled cabbage, and edes pickled onions or hm. boxing day has to be bubble and sqeak with cold meat. we dont like turkey so xmas dinner is normally a large chicken, and pork or lamb. i normally cook the chicken the day before and prepare all the veg and even cok the veg the night before sometimes to save time. as a mum of 4 i dont wont to be stuck in the kitchen all xmas morning i`d much rather be with my kids and family. as for games it has to be twister! great fun for all the family. trivial persuit is good after dinner and sherards (spelt wrong but you get me drift) x