What do you do for Christmas dinner?

I haven't decided yet, I cook something different every year. It also depends whether there will be anybody joining our Christmas meal, like friends or neighbours as some of those have restrictions in what they can eat.
I have been reading in a French cookery magazine about doing 'poularde de Bresse' for Christmas, and that might tempt me this year. DH is very keen on scallops, so if I can get them fresh around that time and the price is just about affordable, we might have them for starters. Brussels sprouts from the garden are a must, and so are parsnips. Roast potatoes, I think. For dessert, I saw in the same magazine a chocolate-meringue semi-freddo - that would do the trick. (I have made Christmas pudding, but that gets an outing all on its own, either Christmas Eve or Boxing Day or New Year). Some nice cheeses and a good bottle of wine.
It sounds like a plan. But as said, it could all still change depending on any guests joining us.

This year I'm getting Christmas done for me :T

I'm off to my folks for a few days, and have an invite to a mate's (who live close to the parents) for Boxing Day so I won't be having to buy any food until New Year.

Just need to take a few bottles of bubbly (and one obligatory bottle of port) and that's me sorted.

I usually spend Christmas on my own (by choice!) so this year I'm looking forward to a change

I worked it out that I have cooked 46 Christmas dinners so no problem to me. I cook a large gammon joint in the oven on Christmas eve and we have slices of that with fried eggs for breakfast on Christmas day. I make mince pies and sausage rolls on Christmas eve some of which we have for supper. I usually do a lamb casserole for Christmas eve dinner. Christmas day I cook turkey, a large beef joint (OH dosen't like pork) roasties, yorkies, pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast parsnips in parmesan, sprouts with chestnuts, carrots and gravy. Sweet is Christmas pud, sherry trifle for those who prefer something a little lighter, mince pies, custard and cream. We have cold meats and salad for tea if anyone has room.

I think any roast is so easy to cook because its just shoving things in the oven at the correct time. I have never spent all Christmas day cooking and I always have plenty of time to sit and relax with a glas of wine (or 2)etc.

One household rule that is set in stone. I DO NOT WASH UP on Christmas day.

If it was up to me, I would buy it all in from M&S (guaranteed to taste OK, with minimal fuss/effort and washing up!).

However, luckily for me I am married to a chef, so I don't have to worry about these things! We start Christmas Day with "Little Pig Pie" (a large sausagemeat pie) for breakfast with coffee and Bailey's. Sounds horrific, but it is a family tradition!

Christmas dinner is usually in the evening and we always have chicken (because none of us like turkey!) with sausages and stuffing and lots and lots of veggies. On Boxing Day we always have Beef Wellington - another "big" meal but mostly because we have Christmas Day with my parents, but Mr P's parents always join us on Boxing Day so that is our celebration meal with them. In the way of veggies, over the two days we will certainly have roast/mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, sprouts, carrots, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, swede/turnip mash, mange tout/sugar snaps, cabbage (white/green/red!) and anything else that looks good in the supermarket in the days running up to the 25th (we all love veggies - almost more than the meat! - and we also love bubble and squeak with cold chicken/beef between Christmas and New Year, so tend to overcook veg quantities in preparation! :rotfl:).

For dessert, on Christmas Day it has to be Christmas Pudding, and on Boxing Day we have a Pannetone with a cream/marmalade/brandy/champagne sauce. :T

Traditionally, we always buy a cheese board and biscuits, but we are yet to manage to eat it on Christmas or Boxing Day (eyes bigger than belly syndrome!) so we tend to eat it for lunches/suppers between Christmas amd New Year...

Piglet
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