I am a thirty year old Christmas virgin.

Nix143

peachyprice wrote: »

That's good, you'll know when to bung the parsnips in then Just stick them in the gaps towards the outside of the tray.

There would be uproar at mine if there where 12 people and I had left enough room in the roastie tin to fit in parsnips - people count how many roasties there are and there are always fights over who has had more than their fair share. My niece isn't happy if she doesn't have a minimum of 6!

monnagran

I always do as much as possible beforehand. I've cooked the turkey the day before, sliced it cold and reheated it to piping hot in a dish with the stuffing and covered with gravy on the day. I also do roasties days before. Parboil the poatoes, roast them until they are palish brown, open freeze them and then bung them all into a freezer bag and into the freezer until you need them, then they only take about 20 minutes in a hot oven on the day. You can do the same with pigs in blankets and roast parsnips. Sorry all you gourmets, but frozen button sprouts (I've only used Sainsbugs) are absolutely fine. Likewise frozen peas and carrots.

Basically, all I do on Christmas day is to put things on trays and put them in and out of the oven and steam some veg. Make up a few packets of bread sauce, stir some port or orange zest into cranberry sauce and you're laughing.

Normally I'm one who makes everything from scratch, but Hey! who wants a frazzled, anxious, worn out hostess on Christmas day.

Now, if anyone can tell me how to keep things hot, when you only have a small oven and a microwave I'll be your friend for life.

x

glitterpuss

1: I always do more roast potatoes than I think people will eat, they always all go with no leftovers!, you can peel the potatoes on xmas eve, just sit them in a pan of water overnight
2: Warm your plates in the oven or microwave, this will help the meal stay warm.
3: A bought christmas pudding is fine for pud, and will only take a few mins in the microwave. You can serve with shop bought brandy butter or cream.
4: Your steamer will be a godsend. I only have space for 2 pans on my hob, so always use my steamer for sprouts, carrots , and green beans
5: Do a timetable, work backwards from when you want to eat. There are several on the web. I think Delia has one somewhere. They're so useful as they will even tell you when to turn your oven on...

CupOfChai

LittleMrsThrifty wrote: »

· Mum has offered by buy the turkey (I dropped alot of hints about being skint). Do any of you cook it the day before? If so, how do you heat it up? Yes. We don't. Let it come to room temperature, put on warmed plates, cover in hot gravy and no one notices.

· What jobs could I assign to others? Thought it might help the constant ‘Can I doanything?’ question. Lay table, help peel veg the day before (put in bowls/pans of cold water), dish up XYZ.

· Are disposable foil trays any good, to save on washing up? Never used them, unless e.g. the pigs in blankets come in one ready to cook like that.

· I have read about making a time table andworking backwards – do you use this? How do you know how long each item willtake? Well, for example, you want to be ready for 1pm. You note how long each item takes to cook. So you note that down, work out what things you can do at the same time, and figure it backwards to when each thing needs started. Add extra time for each item, they always take longer than you think. Lots of magazines/newspapers and things have timetables in them closer to the time so you can get an idea.

· What can I make/prepare in advance? Is 23rd too early? Thinking about chopping veg, making stuffing and bread sauce, pigs in blankets etc. I'd chop veg the day before if keeping fresh - everyone old enough can help! You could also chop further ahead and freeze. I'd also buy the pigs, stuffing and sauce, don't get too ambitious on your first time. But if you want to make them they can also be done way ahead and frozen.

· I have an electric veg steamer I have neverused. Can I do carrots, sprouts and peas in this? How would I know how long they need? Yep. Carrots about ten minutes, maybe a bit less, sprouts approx. 7 minutes, peas approx. 3 minutes.

· I want to make gravy in advance as it is so fiddly at the last minute – can you buy stock for turkey (I’ve not seen it, but maybe a festive thing?) and keep warm in the slow cooker? Easiest to use granules, but yes I've seen turkey stock before so you could make gravy in advance and freeze then reheat. If no turkey stock about then chicken stock works.

· I love roast parsnips but mine are always,without fail, horrible – any tips? Aunt Bessie. Horrible how?

· How to you serve? Plate up individually or all on the table? Combination of both? There won’t be much space on the table or inthe dining room and certain relatives always take ages picking over things buton the other hand plating it up is fiddly if not everyone wants everything. Plate up, except for things like sauces. Either everyone gets the same and leaves/swaps what they don't want, or write a nametag next to each plate before you start with whose it is and "no sprouts" etc instructions.

· I am going to buy a desert (ssshhh) Absolutely *wink*



There are probably other things I’ve not even thoughtof. Really I just want everyone to havea good time and that won’t happen if I am crying over the hob.



What are your best Christmas tips? THANK YOU in advance.

Biggest tips I've got are to do as much as you can in advance, plan and make lists, leave extra time because everything will take longer than you think, and don't worry about it

Horace

Do you have to have a turkey? In our house we always have a joint of beef - none of us really likes turkey and cannot really see the point of having an enormous bird. Beef is easier to cook too.

You could get folks to help by laying the table, peeling veggies, washing up afterwards, helping with the Boxing Day leftovers too.

I use foil dishes at home but find they are quite flimsy so wouldn't recommend them for catering for a large number (they are only ever used when I can't be bothered).

TattyG

Not sure if this is a help or a hindrance On Christmas Eve I would use one of those slow cookers for mulled wine - that will certainly bring some brownie points. You can also do Hot Chocolate in another for people not wanting the wine - even more brownie points and a lovely Christmas Eve night ! x

trailingspouse

Keeping everything warm is a priority - warm the plates, warm the serving dishes.

Also - think long and hard now about a) which pans you're going to use for which bits and b) which serving dishes you're going to use for which bits. And go and buy more (or arrange to borrow). Also think about serving spoons - make sure you've got enough to go round. And finally, think about crockery and cutlery - do you have enough plates/bowls/knives/forks etc to go round?

And don't forget the extras!! Crackers, table sprinkles, serviettes, table centres.

I often find that, although people would be disappointed if there was no Christmas pud, they're actually too full to eat it and prefer a lighter sweet if it's provided.

peachyprice

Nix143 wrote: »

There would be uproar at mine if there where 12 people and I had left enough room in the roastie tin to fit in parsnips - people count how many roasties there are and there are always fights over who has had more than their fair share. My niece isn't happy if she doesn't have a minimum of 6!

Ah, but the potatoes shrink as they cook, leaving perfect little parsnip pockets around the tin, that's why you don't out them in until the last 30 mins.

melanzana

monnagran wrote: »

Now, if anyone can tell me how to keep things hot, when you only have a small oven and a microwave I'll be your friend for life.

x

That reminds me of my late gran, who put the cooked veg etc. in covered dishes and having emptied the airing cupboard put them in there, covered with thick towels!

Always nice and hot, although the heating was on full blast so the tank was hopping!

Cast iron dishes with lids also keep hot for ages on the side, if you cover with a thick towel.

Butterfly_Brain

I always par-boil and freeze my potatoes a couple of days before Christmas day at the same time the brussels, parsnips, carrots, stuffing balls and pigs in blankets are prepared and put into a freezer bag so all I have to do is pull them out of the freezer in the morning.
The trifle is made on Christmas Eve (Not everyone likes Christmas pud) and the pud just needs nuking on the day.

Mince pies are pre cooked and we only have Turkey sarnies,a small salad,mince pies and Christmas cake later on because everyone is usually too stuffed to eat a lot at tea time.

We have gammon salad, mash and pickles on boxing day, any leftover turkey is diced or sliced and put into the freezer for using up later.

I cook the turkey on the day, so as soon as I get up the turey goes into the oven while the kettle is boiling for my coffee.

Christmas morning we have scrambled egg and smoked salmon on granary toast with a glass of bucks fizz