What do you do for Christmas dinner?

puddy

thriftlady wrote: »

It's not the fact that M&S is expensive Jenner- I'm not going to divulge how much I pay for my free-range local goose:o I just can't get my head round the idea of Christmas lunch from packets. But if you don't enjoy being in the kitchen then I suppose it makes sense:)

no, i know what you mean, but i love their food, i find it tasty and once its all served up on the plates and in serving dishes, it looks as if its all home cooked (sort of). the first christmas i did on my on, i did the whole cooking from scratch thing, and it exhausted me, i didnt enjoy it. so although a bit of me would love to be the wholesome, natural relaxed cook on christmas day, i know its not going to happen, so a comprimise has to be sought somewhere!

BilberryCharlotte

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

.

This year we are having a nice beef joint and a free range chicken from a lovely local farm (the farmer, his wife and family are lovely and you can go see the animals and how they are kept-spring is lovely with all the new born lambs), for me teaching my kids the "circle" of life and to value the food we get is part of it all.
We also take a trip for fresh veg to a different local farm, where we can also get many other local products-cheeses,farm butter,ice cream,special mayos (the lemon is yummy) etc etc.

Whilst you are thinking how lovely these new born lambs are, do you ever feel like whispering to them that they might be on your plate within a few months?

Jadek

fatlad9 wrote: »

my ideal christmas meal would be:

chicken vindaloo, special egg pilou rice, keema naan, onion bajhi, poppadoms, and mint yoghurt.

looks like we're going to my parents, where i'll have a traditional xmas dinner.... would still prefer a curry though.

I remember when I was in school and my best friend would tell me how at Christmas they'd have a takeaway from the local curry house. I found it so strange but her parents were from India so I could understand them not celebrating a traditional Christmas, it was just the fact that her mum cooked the best Indian food I've ever eaten - but now I can understand her not wanting to slave away in the kitchen for one day of the year!

As I moved out of home to live with my partner this year it's my first time making Christmas dinner and we've decided we want a special just-the-two-of-us lunch. I think Iceland will be my saving grace as we're still on a budget so whilst it would be nice to splash out at Marks we're going to choose the cheaper option (although I think I will treat us to M&S melting chocolate puddings for desert as neither of us like traditional Christmas deserts).

I'm going for the traditional turkey (crown though), roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets, gravy, yorkshire puddings, carrots, peas, parsnips, broccoli and cabbage (oh and as my OH will only eat the carrots there will probably be a tin of sweetcorn opened - at least he'll eat some veg I guess).

I'd like to make a special breakfast too but haven't decided on what though - there are some great ideas in this thread and I was also considering pancakes. Also going to pick up a bottle of port and a bottle of champagne while there are half price offers on next week.

Then in the evening we're going to my grandparent's house where I'm sure my nan will try and force as many cheese straws and mince pies on us as possible!

We're going shopping for decorations and a tree this weekend or next weekend and I'm very excited, I really can't wait.

kirstyreanne

winnie81 wrote: »

No roast for us this year :j I am doing a banquet of Indian and Chinese dishes for us all (10) :drool:
We all get fed up of the roast dinner and I decided that by doing Indian and Chinese dishes I can prepare 99% of it the night before which leaves me all day with the kids and not the kitchen! We mainly eat chinese or Indian foods anyway so OH and I will get stuck in Christmas Eve and it really won't take too long to do
Mum and her boyfriend were a bit miffed by my menu choice but if they don't like it they can do there own lunch as every time I have attempted to cook a turkey its been a disaster so I don't bother anymore :rotfl:

So for us we'll have on a large table for everyone to help themselves a choice of...

Onion Bhajees
Sheek kebabs
Samosas
Butterfly prawns
Prawn Toast
Satay Chicken

Chicken Korma
Biryani with Tandoori Style Chicken
Lamb Balti or Mongolian Lamb
Bombay Potatos
Chicken Sweet & Sour
Beef and Black Bean Noodles
Chow Mein
Prawn Crackers
Keema Naan & Cheese Naan (OH addicted to cheese)
Keema Rice (OH makes gorgeous keema rice!)
Egg Fried Rice
Mint yoghurt, Mango Chutneys, onion salad

Fr puds whatever the 4 kids decide on as that's there choice but definitely a crumble and cheesecake of some sort as its all our favs :j
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

If my mum, her boyfriend and my brother want alcohol with dinner they are bringing it as we don't drink and hopefully we'll make enough that it will do boxing day too


Edit to add: OH always cooks a full english breakfast for us all on the morning at about 9/10 so dinner is always late afternoon so no need for a tea as the above dinner will be supper too! Its the one day the kids are allowed a little chocolate early on so they take advance of a choc bar or two while opening pressies lol
Claire x

Sorry guys, a bit off topic.
Winnie81 can I have your mongolian lamb recipe please? Sounds delish!

TIA

Actiongirl_2

Hi - great thread, funny how some people almost take offence at other peoples traditions/preferences!

We start with a breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with bucks fizz made from freshly squeezed oranges and champagne (Christmas is for indulgence!).

Then lunch is served around three or four pm and we usually go for Goose or Turkey. This year I have ordered a 7.5kg turkey from our butcher which will serve six and a small person on xmas day and provide lunches and teas for several days, plus a soup. Loving cold leftover meat! (And my husband makes giblet soup on xmas eve. Euughh!)

We also have a ham which my husband cooks in honey and cloves which again does three days from xmas day.

All served with veggies and marrowfat peas (my husband is Irish, apparently they are big over there..) and roast potatoes which we make.

We do buy pudding, but I have yet to serve it to anyone, most people decline and nibble chocolates during the evening.

We buy very good wine and champagne for xmas and this is poured liberally throughout the day!!

Dinner is whatever people wander to the kitchen for whenever they feel like it!

Whilst we do make most things ourselves, I have no problem with the idea of going to M&S. For most of my growing up years, we always joked that our xmas dinner was courtesy of St. Michael, and that the only thing about it that could be better was if they delivered it all to the door fully cooked!!!!

I hope everyone enjoys their varied celebration meals.

Mrs_Flittersnoop

We always have our celebration meal on Boxing Day when all my family turn up (just in time for lunch so all the prep is down to me!). I'm not allowed to cook anything other than turkey so that's what we will be having, with all the usual trimmings, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage and probably a.n.other veg although I haven't decided yet, two sorts of stuffing, giblet gravy with Christmas pud and mince pies to follow. We're usually too stuffed for tea but there's cold turkey and pickles if anyone feels the need to overindulge.

This year on Christmas Day itself there will just be my own little family so I am planning to cook a pheasant casserole which I will prepare in the next few weeks and freeze, so no hassle on The Day itself.

Can't wait! Mrs F x

winnie81

kirstyreanne wrote: »

Sorry guys, a bit off topic.
Winnie81 can I have your mongolian lamb recipe please? Sounds delish!

TIA

Of course! My dad chef taught it too me so its off the top off my head unmeasured in my house but this is very very much the same all same ingredients and rough quantities. I used as a used up recipe so all the spring onions, peppers, courgettes, baby sweetcorn etc in the fridge are bunged in :T I marinade the meat for as long as possible and I use shoulder so the meat just falls apart this also works good with beef too and mine is cooked in the slow cooker after browning the lamb so its very tender but quick cooking would work fab too. As the shoulder is so tender I just pick off the meat but in restaurants the use a rolled leg I think as its always thin strips
The recipe I have here asks for green onions I just normal onions thickly sliced/chopped so you have large pieces to munch on

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 pounds boneless leg of lamb
• Marinade:
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• Sauce:
• 5 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 5 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• Other:
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green onions
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation:

Cut the lamb into thin strips. Combine with the marinade ingredients. Marinate the lamb for 25 minutes.

While the lamb is marinating, prepare the sauce and other ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds).

Add the lamb. Stir-fry very briefly, until the lamb changes colour (1 to 2 minutes).

Add the sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir in the green onions. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Stir-fry for 1 more minute, or until the sauce is absorbed. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and serve.

Churchmouse

Actiongirl wrote: »

Hi - great thread, funny how some people almost take offence at other peoples traditions/preferences!

We start with a breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with bucks fizz made from freshly squeezed oranges and champagne (Christmas is for indulgence!).

Then lunch is served around three or four pm and we usually go for Goose or Turkey. This year I have ordered a 7.5kg turkey from our butcher which will serve six and a small person on xmas day and provide lunches and teas for several days, plus a soup. Loving cold leftover meat! (And my husband makes giblet soup on xmas eve. Euughh!)

We also have a ham which my husband cooks in honey and cloves which again does three days from xmas day.

All served with veggies and marrowfat peas (my husband is Irish, apparently they are big over there..) and roast potatoes which we make.

We do buy pudding, but I have yet to serve it to anyone, most people decline and nibble chocolates during the evening.

We buy very good wine and champagne for xmas and this is poured liberally throughout the day!!

Dinner is whatever people wander to the kitchen for whenever they feel like it!

Whilst we do make most things ourselves, I have no problem with the idea of going to M&S. For most of my growing up years, we always joked that our xmas dinner was courtesy of St. Michael, and that the only thing about it that could be better was if they delivered it all to the door fully cooked!!!!

I hope everyone enjoys their varied celebration meals.

:T:T Great post

Surely the whole point is that each family does what suits them, whether that is doing the full traditional dinner or soup and a roll

We shall have loads of different veggies, everyone may take as many or few as they wish. I shall have brandy butter with my Christmas pud and mince pies If I don't have it at Christmas, when will I indulge? We'll have a bigger than necessary turkey because I love it, and it always runs out too soon

Your Christmas menu sounds perfect to me Actiongirl To echo you, happy meals whatever you choose everybody!

MrsE_2

Starter DD wants prawn cocktail:rolleyes:
DH wants salmon:rolleyes:
I don't know

Main
Bones & rolled turkey breast (ordered from the butcher)
gammon (M&S from the cook! range, in freezer)
Pigs in blankets, will probably make my own from my fav sausages Surrey Whites.
Stuffing (bought from M&S, in freezer)
Cranberry.
gravy.
Roast pots, prob hasslebacks with garlic & rosemary in olive oil.
Parmesan parsnips (a la Delia).
Carrots Julienne (steamed)
Brussels (boiled with a chicken stock cube, delish)

Small cheese board

Pudding
Georgie porgies Xmas pud http://www.georgieporgiespuddings.co.uk/acatalog/christmas-puddings.html
Home made trifle.




Later on, cold turkey sandwiches & hot mince pies.

Churchmouse

lil_me wrote: »

If you want disposable turkey tins LIDL has them in cheap now, I have bought them in £1 shop before too. Cheaper than M&S.

I am no natural cook, I spend Xmas eve & Xmas day with the laptop in the kitchen, so my Old Style friends are on hand to help, plus youtube videos if I need to bone meat etc.

PS my sister worked in a poultry factory, one day they labelled M&S the next Asda etc etc...no different food just the sticker.

I've read this type of thing before, but what really puzzles me is M&S chicken has the name of the poultry farmer on the label. Why don't Asda put this same information on their labels, that would soon demonstrate to people it is exactly the same product ?