frozen roast potatoes are for emergencies not for Christmas day

[PrincessScrumpy]

I made a double chocolate baked cheese cake for Christmas with the in-laws - they didn't eat it and chose tesco value chocolate cake over my homemade dessert. I had to laugh - my dessert was yummy and dh and dd both ate mine. dh was horrified that his family were so rude and also by their taste buds.

I was alarmed when I went to the fridge on Christmas eve for dd's milk to see no sign of a Christmas dinner. My assumptions were correct - all from the freezer - even the veg including roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings to go with the Iceland roast pork and lamb.

Luckily, my aunt made a fab Christmas dinner on Monday so at least I've had real Christmas dinner.

Don't mean to sound snobby, but I come from a family that enjoys homemade food.

Im sorry about your hands Riven, my mum is the same, her knuckles are riddled with arthritis. But im sure in an entire family on Christmas there would be someone more than able to peel a potato.
Person with non working hands stirs gravy or has a nice glass of wine, teenager, child or uncle (whomever!) peels a potato

So frozen roasties are ok as long as they are waitrose or M & S...this thread is soooooo funny

I never peel 'em. Not even for roasties.

Mind you, I don't give a flying sprout for other people's culinary elitism (and misinformation) - but am making a list of Mumsnetters I'd never invite over to slag off my hospitality!

LeQueen - 3-day gravy, ffs? Don't your people know how to make dripping or freeze stock?!

I'm happy with bisto - even better if you mix the meat juices in or add a bit of wine.

You could invite me ItsGrace. I love a free dinner and I promise not to come on here and bitch about your hostessing

I love LeQueen. I want to be like her when I grow up

I used a plastic jug for my gravy [no shame]

OK, you're on my christmas list, JJJ

I'm now thinking of launching a frozen range of my own stock (meat, poultry, fish & veggie varieties). Look out for "Mumsnet Can't Believe It's Not Bisto" at a supermarket near you.

You are right LeQueen, lots of people do take pride but I suspect there would be more people serving up frozen roasties, for whatever reason, than making it all from scratch.

It just seems very rude of Princess to go to her MIL and then come on here and slag her off.

I bought a bag of frozen roast spuds by mistake once (online shopping, thought I'd bought a bag of ordinary King Edwards). They were rank [vomit]

Never again. Certainly wouldn't serve them to guests.

Have to say though I'm a good cook who enjoys entertaining when I get the chance. Doesn't sound like your mil is, so it's a case of suck it up and do something different next year. Imo of course.

OP - much as I disapprove of frozen roasties, I would have avoided your pudding like the plague.

Chocolate cheesecake is an abomination, especially baked. Cheesecake is delicious, chocolate cakes, puddings and desserts are delicious but the two shouldn't be mixed IMVHO.

So it would have been Tesco value cake for me too, even though on principle I never buy anything from Tesco!

This is Mr Princess Scrumpy here... my wife is quite right, I'm a terrible cook, it took ma at least a week to figure out how to turn our new oven on!

And for all the doubters, the cheesecake was delicious.

I think we would have been okay if the fudge cake hadn't been Tesco Value cheesecake, come on mum and dad, that's just kick you in the face-tastic. Love you, though!

*me

Hi Mr PrincessScrumpy

I'm not a doubter - I know that baked cheesecake makes me sick. It's the texture you see. I'd have cried to see a beautifully made dessert involving chocolate only to find out it was a baked cheesecake.

Would surely be ruder if I slagged her off to her face or her friends etc - this is a way to do it annonamously, ensuring no-one gets hurt. Lighten up.

Your parents must be so proud of you

dh parents see anything branded as "posh food" and anything home made as substandard make-do type food for people who cannot afford to buy "proper stuff". They would probably se buying frozen stuff as a treat and something special for Christmas. I think that it is a cultural thing. dh is similar in many ways - we have rowed (seriously - as in I mean this not as in a serious row ) because I refused to serve Asda onion bargis at a dinner party (they are his favorite food so he thought that everyone would also love them) but instead insisting on making all the food (which he saw as a waste of time as things like Asda onion bagis are so much nicer (incidenly I am a good cook :) it is just that he really likes anythign deep fried and containing monosoduium glutimate :(

"This is Mr Princess Scrumpy here..."

Would that be Prince Scrumpy, then?

On reflection, OP, I think YANBU.

Agree that it's much better to think these things (I certainly would have) and say nothing and then come and vent on MN. And you have got a good bunfight debate going.

The choc cheesecake was a bit of a red herring though.