Cooking first ever Christmas dinner! Starter ideas please...

greenface

no no no cannot cheat roasties nor mash. can cheat yorkies but buy decent ones add a little pepper half way through cooking

skiTTish

We usually just have pate but this year were having Melon and Parma ham salad

willa123

greenface wrote: »

no no no cannot cheat roasties nor mash. can cheat yorkies but buy decent ones add a little pepper half way through cooking

Aunt Bessies frozen Roast Potatoes are fab. So easy just chuck them in the Oven - no one will know they were bought ready made

Abbafan1972

lynsey78 wrote: »

Me and my husband love having a prawn cocktail for starters... yum

I agree, we love our prawn cocktails here!

Abbafan1972

willa123 wrote: »

Aunt Bessies frozen Roast Potatoes are fab. So easy just chuck them in the Oven - no one will know they were bought ready made

We buy those ready peeled potatoes from Asda, they are in bag for about 60p, you'll normally find them by the ready made mashed potato. We just put those in with the roast and they are gorgeous! Saves standing at the sink peeling.

[Deleted User]

Turtle wrote: »

Hi All,

This year I will be cooking my first ever Christmas dinner. I'm not great at cooking to be honest but would like some ideas for starters. We always have prawn cocktail at my mums, which I love, but it would be nice to see what you all have and perhaps choose a non-complicated alternative. Thanks in advance for your ideas. :rudolf:

I went to friend's house for Xmas a couple of years ago and, when we arrived (and she was in the kitchen just doing the vegetables), we sat around chatting, and had a glass of bubbly served with little blinis - topped with cream cheese and a sliver of smoked salmon (with a bit of freshly ground black pepper on the top - optional). It was lovely - light and tasty. (you could substitute the blinis for little triangles of toast, with the crust removed). Just don't go for anything too heavy otherwise people will fill up and then will waste your lovely Xmas dinner! When everything was ready, then we went to the table and the main course was served. (I think it also took some of the pressure off her, because we were nibbling and chatting in the lounge, rather than sitting around the table waiting for the next course).


Also, as it's your first time - I'll pass on the advice I was given on this: work out your timetable in advance, write it all out, stick it on a kitchen cupboard with blue tack and stick to it - no matter what. (I used to buy a Xmas magazine like Family Circle which usually has one inside; just think about EVERY single thing you have to prepare and cook; work out oven temperatures if needed; when things have to be put in and taken out (don't forget to allow time for turkey to "rest"; cooking times, then plan it all out). Then, all you have to do is follow it on the day. Takes a lot of the worry away and the sense that you've forgotten something ...

Oh yes - and if your budget stretches to it, goose fat is WONDERFUL for cooking roast potatoes in.

Good Luck!

pete1863

:A A change to the norm and a wee bit french, but very tasty and if not careful very tipsy. the recipe, enjoy.
Salmon Marinated with Dill and Pernod
400g of unskinned salmon 85 ml of sunflower ½ tsp Salt Juice of ½ lemon 1 tbsp of chopped Dill 2 tsp of pernod 1 tsp of castor sugar 1 tsp of chopped chives 1 tsp of black pepper
Put 4 plates into the fridge together with the salmon fillet and leave to go realy cold. Shortly beforeserving mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl. Put the Salmon fillet skin side down on a board, hold a long thin bladed knife at a 45 degree angle and, starting at the tail end start to cut the salmon in to thin slices. Lay the slices slightly over lapping on the chilled plates and spoon over the dressing. Leave for 5 mins before serving.

Hollie_Rose_2

prawn cocktail?

themull1

The thread is four years old, they'll have had their starter by now.!!