ideas please for starters and deserts and boxing day

missindecisive

any ideas welcome...what do other people have?

we never bothered with starters before, but this year I would like to make more of an effort! It would have to be fairly simple to make.
Also, for deserts, no one really fond of xmas pud, its too rich after a big roast. I need ideas !!

wort

hi we normally have prawns and salmon as starter,with breaded mushrooms for the younger ones. easier still would be melon and berries which can be prepared earlier. as for dessert anything goes usually for us a meringue roulade,or profiterole stack maybe trifle! or if you are like us a bit of all 3!!!!:rotfl:

kingfisherblue

Eton Mess is a lovely pudding. Although most people use cream, I am on Slimming World and use Mullerlight yoghurts instead, and I've found that the children prefer it made this way. I use frozen berries (which work out much cheaper!) and defrost them an hour beforehand - they can go too soggy for my liking, otherwise.

Simple starters are Melba toast and pate (I use shop bought, not homemade , so it really is simple!), melon, or soup.

tizerbelle

For starters I'm doing salmon and prawns with horseradish cream. It's a lovely combination of flavours although we invariably prepare more sauce than the recipe suggests!!

We don't do xmas pud so after the roast, we tend to have something lighter and tangy like raspberry pavlova, lemon torte etc etc. I'm tempted to try this clemetine and prosecco jellies this year

sethsgran

Must admit we do go for a pudding rather than a dessert, mine like their puddings. We usually have it about an hour after our main course. This year one of our desserts will be Sticky Toffe pudding.

This is the recipe, I have done it before and it is delicious. It freezes so well which makes it easier on the day.

http://floost.com/BBCGoodFood-post-blitzbake-sticky-toffee-christmas-pud-recipe--recipes--bbc-good-food-1442786

mum2one

this year we're doing breaded camberet got starters, - cheated and got a pack of 4 from Aldi (less than £1.99) they have a loganberry sauce.

I've brought fresh ones before from Asda - they had cranberry relish - I served them on top of shredded lettuce.

My mum - she wont eat cheese - I've done her melon with sorbet, or melon balls in port (lovely)

Grilled Grapefruit - Chop grapefruit in half, - cut through the segments, - sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sherry and brown sugar - pop under grill. (lovely).

Chicken and pear (better idea if your not having turkey) -2 people - 1 pear chopped, 1 chicken breast chopped, butter, cream, glass of white wine.

1. melt butter - add chopped chicken to the pan and fry through until almost cooked.
2. Add chopped pear, fry till slightly soft, (chicken will be fully cooked by now0
3. Add wine, boil down.
4. Add cream, - stir through, and simmer for a couple of minutes
5. Serve with crusty bread

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xx

fiscalfreckles

We don't bother with starters as the main meal is so heavy. If I did I'd go for a prawn cocktail, smoked salmon or melon & proscuitto. And as for dessert, we usually have a yule log or roulade, somethng quite light with cream inside. I have made these & bought them. Or a stack of profiteroles looks impressive & isn't too heavy.
Boxing Day is usually a buffet with turkey leftovers, other picky stuff & salads.
And I do a ham/gammon in cola sometime over xmas, that's easy (although takes a long time to simmer) & I've yet to find anybody who doesn't like it!

fairy3

We have prawn and salmon cornets which is basically prawn cocktail with smoked salmon slices wrapped round (hence the cornet!) served on a bed of lettuce with brown bread and butter and pate for the allergics as a starter with trifle 'later on' when everyone can move around.
Last year we had Minced meat pie (think large mince pie with a marzipan layer which was served hot with custard and cream.
Boxing day is cold cuts and home made chips with salads and pickles - also a version of bubble and squeak made into a bake with cheese on top to use all of the leftovers. Puddings are generally chocolates and ice cream as everyone is too stuffed for anything heavy. Christmas cake and cheese are eaten on an ad hoc basis.

Luckystar

Another vote for smoked salmon and prawn starter here, pât! or melon for non fish eaters. I always do an Xmas pud for desert but offer an alternative too, I often make a trifle and put Xmas shaped chocs on top. This year I'm making a Mississippi mud pie topped with whipped cream, then a thorntons choc Santa will stand on top of the snow (cream) and thorntons choc parcels also scattered on top.

Boxing Day food is the best- cold turkey, cold gammon, smoked salmon, sausage rolls, jacket spuds, cheeses, salad and anything else from the fridge. I find it a really stress free relaxing day.

Still trying to decide on Xmas eve dinner, I have my mum and dad staying for Xmas and they don't like takeaways (Chinese, Indian etc) so I was thinking of Italian theme or maybe steak, whats everyone else having?