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

hmkn

Meant to also say, perhaps your 14 year old could make place names/settings? I usually do a seating plan, simply so I can'organise' personalities. Annoying Great Aunt will always sit herself next to my Gran and monopolise the conversation if I don't park her next to my Dad who is a) quite able to hold his own and b) pretty deaf and won't even hear most of her wittering!

For place names (or settings if you want it less organised/have a less annoying family than me) you can stick a pressed ivy leaf to a piece of card, write the name in silver pen on a large fresh holly or ivy leaf, spray an apple gold and attach name to the stalk with ribbon, make a cookie in the shape of the first initial etc

overlykeensaver

Some great suggestions on here already! I am doing Christmas for in-laws for the first time so want things to be nice. I am planning on peeling,chopping and blanching and freezing some of the Christmas Day veg in early-mid December so one less thing to worry about on the day.

You can also make and freeze sausagemeat stuffing etc in advance too - have a look to see what you can do before the big day as it will make things so much easier and take the pressure off a little.

Remember that christmas dinner is really just a roast dinner with a few extra embellishments. Thinking about it like that makes me feel more relaxed straight away!

Noctu

Really glad to have found this thread - I am cooking Christmas dinner for the first time, in our first house together, for myself, partner, and my Mum and Grandad :-)

I regularly cook Sunday dinner so I'm looking forward to doing all the extra trimmings... oh I'm so excited.. and it's only September!

jackie_w

Hi,

I too will be following this thread. I love Christmas, and this year I have to cook for Mum, Dad, Sis, Niece, DH, DS x2 and of course me.

Im terrible for not being able to get everything ready round about the same time.

Ive never cooked stuffing before, would anyone mind sharing the recipe with me, also (sorry cant remember who it was that posted it), but, the recipe for the cranberry filled tarts sound delish, would you care to share that recipe too?

Jackie xx

thriftmonster

You can peel your spuds for roasties in advance, par boil them and then freeze them ready for roasting. Stick them frozen straight into the hot fat. Or peel them on Christmas Eve and put them somewhere cold overnight in a bucket of cold water.

Good luck

morwenna

jackie_w wrote: »

Ive never cooked stuffing before, would anyone mind sharing the recipe with me, also (sorry cant remember who it was that posted it), but, the recipe for the cranberry filled tarts sound delish, would you care to share that recipe too?

Jackie xx

Sorry Jackie, I didn't see this at the time you posted it. There isn't really a recipe as such for the cranberry tarlets, I just baked (in a mini muffin tin from Lakeland) small pastry cases blind until golden and filled them with cranberry sauce just before serving. I have to say the actual tart cases are cooked on Christmas Eve and stored in a tin until needed, but there is no reason you couldn't do them even further ahead than that. A ball of foil in each stops them rising.

My stuffing uses sausage meat, (not the stuff in the big packets, usually a well flavored pack of herby sauasages, skinned.) an onion, chopped cooked chestnuts, breadcrumbs, an egg. Combine thoroughly and bake for 30 mins. I don't stuff the bird, usually.