Xmas prepping to freeze and bake/cook later.

sinkorswim2018

Hi.

In an effort to be money saving and organised, I'm looking for some recipes that can be made and then frozen for cooking later. So I can pull them out and cook them as needed at Xmas. I don't want to cook processed food when I can make my own (an probably improve on taste and save money), and I'm always short on time around Xmas, because a), I'm a  nurse and lucky to have Xmas day or one of the days off and b) it's Xmas! 

I was thinking of baked foods, like cheese straws and sausage rolls. But anything really that i can whip out at Xmas. I just don't know whether to cook fully and reheat after freezing or freeze part made and bake from frozen. I'm sure there's lots of ways to do it. so any xmassy or generally handy recipies for my own homesmade frozen food would be gratefully received.

joedenise

Things like sausage rolls, mince pies, cheese straws can be completely cooked and then just defrosted to eat or can be reheated if you prefer.  I don't tend to make anything other than mince pies to freeze.  Must admit I usually just buy mini sausage rolls as there are only DH and I usually and I don't actually eat them so it's easy just to get out a few, cook them and keep leftovers in a tin for him to help himself to as and when.

annieb64

I seem to remember  that Delia had some recipes  in her Christmas  cookery book that could be made ahead and frozen. I used to make the choux puffs with mushroom  filling from there and froze them. Then on the day they could be heated up .I think there was a parsnip with parmesan recipe too. Might be worth looking at her website. 
In the days when I had DHs entire  family round at Christmas  I would prepare and freeze as much as possible. Pigs in blankets, sausage rolls, stuffing, mince pies, profiteroles(unfilled) and the chocolate sauce. Blinks can also be frozen then just warmed on the day and topped with smoked salmon and sour cream.

Apintplease

Theres a lot that can be prepared before hand, soup starters, Yorkshire puds, pigs in blankets, gravy, stuffing , mince pies, sausages rolls, you can even cook the turkey, portion up and freeze

I suppose its all about how big an effort you go to at Christmas as to what you want. We are very low key, and like you Im very lucky to get Christmas Day off, let alone any other so now for us its all quick and easy - prawn cocktail starter, turkey dinner and then there are mince pies, mints and cheese. For the small amount of extras we now just buy in, box of mince pies - or three, posh stuffing, oh and I buy red cabbage ready to nuke as its only me that likes it

But basically you can cook ahead and freeze just about anything, just adding cream, sauces, decoration at the last minute

no.1swimmum

I prepare and par boil my potatoes and parsnips, toss them in goosefat/oil allow to cool bag and freeze, then on the big day just pop them straight into a baking tray and roast from frozen.  I have also roasted extra when doing a sunday roast then frozen them and reheated on the day - either way works really well.  Both ways save a lot of time.
I also make my pastry and cut out the rounds for my mince pies and freeze them layered with greaseproof paper and then taken them out they soon thaw out and make my mince pies then, this way they take up less room in my really packed freezer.

3secondmemory

I will either be at home and make sausage rolls and mince pies on the day before Christmas Eve or I should be with my daughter entertaining the baby while she enjoys the baking. 

There really isn’t time to eat everything on one day – I like to spread it out and have a little of everything. 😃 I look forward to food more than I do presents 😂

Shropshirelass

I can recommend frozen sprouts, they are usually fresher than fresh IYSWIM. I also freeze cooked stuffing balls in advance, then can get out as many as we fancy.
I like to make a trifle in advance, as it will last for days, just getting scrummier. Our conservatory and even the garden shed and garage  are usually well below 8C in December, so can be used as fridge extensions. Must remember to get enough foilwrap in.
Thanks for the useful thread, I'm looking forward already, although there will only be 2 of us this year, plus the dog of course!

Super_Stomper

Mince pies don't need to be frozen. Just keep them in a truly airtight tin. That's just what we did before we all had freezers. Plus it leaves the freezer free for other things that you batch cook.

purpleivy

I freeze a bag of carrot and swede ready to cook on Xmas Day. Stuffings made and frozen.  Brandy butter freezes well. 

Naomim

So pleased I found this thread! This year we will probably be spending the day at home and I don't want to spend all of it cooking! Although I'm not doing sausage rolls etc and am only doing prawn cocktail starters for speed.  

If you parboil and freeze your potatoes - how long do they take to cook? Is it really time saving?  I'm planning on cooking a gammon joint the day before but if I could cook it earlier, slice and freeze, would that work?   Also I suppose I could cook the turkey crown on Christmas eve or the day before, slice and keep in the fridge and warm up on Christmas day too?

Mad I'm 47 and this is the first year I'm cooking at Christmas! I feel so nervous! 

Tink_04

Do the potatoes not go brown if you freeze them after par boiling them? When I’ve tried to do chips like this mine went brown in the freezer bag