To Shamelessly Ask for Help?

[MadameOvary]

At 42. I am looking at my first ever nice Xmas for many, many years. Past Xmases have been spent with abusive ex, in a refuge, by myself, just pretty much much all round bloody miserable.
This year I met a lovely man and DD and I are spending Xmas with him and his DD's. We are going to share the cooking, but I have never cooked a Christmas Day meal before and so...help!

We've decided on roast beef but also need to to buy shopping for the week. Please advise on what to buy/cook.

I know I sound like a complete hopeless case but I am so used to shit unhappy Xmases that preparing for a normal happy one is totally alien to me

I tried google, the first thing I saw advised soaking fruit in booze for three hours. And that was supposed to be simple!

Just think of it as a sunday roast dinner. What veggies do you all like/dislike? Mash/roast potatoes, peas, carrots, parsnips, sprouts and so on. Buy some frozen, and do them in the oven and microwave so you don't have to juggle too many pans on the hob. Get frozen Yorkshire puds too if you're having those.
Don't panic about everything being ready at once, just ding it all and make sure the gravy (get gravy granules!) is nice and hot and the plates are warm and it will be fine
And don't stress so much that you can't enjoy it, have a great time.

You dont need to do anything elaborate. In fact let them get on with it, and just help out where needed!

If none of you are great chefs, then go for the simplest options.

The shops are only closed one day too, so no need to buy everything in advance other than for xmas day, and maybe some picky stuff for a buffet on boxing day.

Just relax and enjoy yourself, and have a great time. :)

Keep it nice and simple. Write an easy menu of what you want and make your shopping list from that. Don't google fancy recipes if you don't normally cook or bake. Buy cake or mince pies if that's what you fancy.

And most importantly, it's not what you eat, you'll maybe burn everything or serve it raw but you will still have a perfect Christmas if you are spending it with the people you love who love you back. Hope you have a fab time

DP doesn't have a microwave
I dont want to stress, I just dont want to forget anything. I'm happy to cook, as he's got a fab kitchen and he'll help out however I need him to. Hopefully his two older DD's will keep my DD (4) occupied and let us get on with it.

How best to season beef? Which cut is best for 5? How long to cook?
God I'm totally clueless

Just popping in to say how happy I am that you're having a happy Xmas after all the rotten ones you've had. Hope there are many more happy ones to come.

Order it from m&s

Thank you
I do like to cook, but I'm new to it all, not to drip-feed, but being around someone with whom I dont have to walk on eggshells all the time is lovely, but difficult to get used to!

How lovely for you and DD, hope you have many years to come of lovely Xmas's.

If your DP has a great kitchen, does he have a steamer? All the veggies can go in there and you can leave it on the side to cook them leaving the hob free of pans.

Personally, I would go for silverside of beef - the bigger the better as you can have sandwiches with the left overs. Do you all like it cooked the same? No need to season, just pour the juices back over as you cook it and leave it to rest for half an hour before serving covered in foil.
Aunt bessie yorkshire pds if you don't feel confident to do your own (crap yorkies on xmas day is standing joke in our family however)

Prawn cocktail, or breaded mushrooms to start?
Sherry Trifle
Mince pies and cream
Cheeseboard.

Nice crackers for the table.

No need to shop for the week if you don't feel up to it, just get some of all your favourite treat food in.

If you drink, get your fave tipple in and if money is not to tight, splurge on some champagne.
Or get some pre made bucks fizz for you all.

And lastly relax and enjoy

Wishing you a very happy Christmas! Delia online has good instructions on how to choose and prepare a joint of beef, so you can study in advance! Sure you can find a roast potato recipe on there too. Pick potatoes that call themselves 'floury' or are recommended for roasting, they will go nicely crispy. Probably a good idea to get the meat in or ordered as soon as you can or it might sell out.

If you like Bisto-type gravy just get some of that in, a little bit more effort for v tasty gravy is to mix meat juices after roasting with a little flour, then gradually add veg cooking water until you get the consistency you like. Veg can be peeled and chopped a few hours in advance, then all you need to do is cook them about ten mins before you serve. The beef positively likes to sit around for half an hour or so after roasting is finished, so that gives you the time you need for the veg.

Is your DP an experienced cook? If not, ready made Yorkshire puddings are probably a good idea so you don't end up getting stressed with them.

Good luck, I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Oh, par boil your potatoes first before roasting them (in goose fat if you can get it) makes for much better spuds

unlike the lumps my mum insists on serving all the time

what a happy problem!

if there is a local 'real' butcher, splash out a bit on his products; go in, tell him how many you want to feed and on what, and see what he recommends and how to cook it. They are always happy to answer questions like this.

remember that the shops actually only close on Christmas Day, there's no need to stock up as if for Armageddon. (Which is NOT going to happen on Friday or any other day)

(I'm really lucky in that our 'real' butcher is the same price as the supermarkets!)

merry Christmas to you and hoping this is the first of many like this.

Sprouts
Pigs in Blankets

Crackers on table
Festive napkins

Pudding / Custard

Some nice Cheese

Booze

Apart from that - a normal roast really.
You can get preseasoned / trussed up etc. (all prepared i mean) beef in the supermarket.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas - sounds like you really deserve it

Agree - cook your spuds (and parsnips) in goose fat! But I would go for a rib of beef rather than silverside (season with flour, salt, pepper an a little mustard powder).

Yorkshire puds are easy - my never fail recipe is...

1 cup plain flour
1 cup eggs
1 cup of water and full-fat milk mixed
Splash of vinegar

Make the batter the day before and leave in the fridge.

Cook in a bun tin. Add a teaspoon of oil to each hole and put in a hot oven for at least 15 mins before filling each hole almost to the top.

Cook for 25-30 mins at 180 - do not open the oven!

They will be perfect and so much better than Aunt Bessies

Forgot to say - have a very Merry Christmas! And please let us know how it goes!

Keep it simple - as others have said.

Think of it as a normal sunday roast and just add on a few extras to jazz it up a bit:

Crackers on the table,
pate and toast for starter (or something equally as easy - tear of the packaging, do the toast -sorted)
Ready made desert (xmas pud and ready made custard or a nice cheesecake or similar)

Wash up as you go - don't leave it all until the end when you are stuffed and just want to relax. Whoever cooks gets to relax post-meal, the rest of you have to do the clearing up - tis written in the law according to ME

Most of all - enjoy and here's to a thoroughly lovely Christmas

I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice on this but here's my two cents-

Roast beef a very good choice because it will need to rest for 15-30 minutes after coming out of the oven which gives you time to get on with finishing the veg. If you have a local butchers and the money I would go with a rib roast. They'll be able to advise the right size for your party. Ask for it to be cut of the chine bone (it makes it easier to carve). A rib roast will happily stand for at least 30 minutes after being taken out of the oven. Another thing to remember is to take it out of the fridge first thing in the morning or even the night before if you are having an early lunch and don't have any critters about. This allows for the meat to cook more evenly. And if you can spring for a meat thermometer, go for it. It will take the stress out of wondering when it's done. To season just rub a bunch of salt and pepper on it.

On to veg, Just pick two veg, two veg is enough. I'm doing roasted carrots and brussel sprouts. What are your two favorites?

I can't offer any advice on roasted potatoes because mine suck.

And gravy, splinters advice is spot on, or you can buy some gravy (I here M&S is good) and pour in the juices from your roast, maybe a little wine, or port goes well with beef.

What do you like for pudding? i know I can find a good recipe for you.

And then all you need is a few nibbles.....

Ooh, lots more replies!
Thanks for all the good wishes.
Um...I haven't actually had experience of a Sunday roast, except when I worked as a housekeeper in an old folks home about ten years ago. I suppose its about confidence as much as anything.

Yes it IS a happy problem

Pudding - well I don't eat sugar, it sends me crazy, so I'm thinking fruit salad or something from here - my local health food shop sells this kind of stuff and it is mouthwatering (even DP thinks so!)
Good call on just having two veg, and some nice extras.

More please, this is great!

Fool proof roasties...

Chop tatties to the same size
Boil for 5 mins
While tatties are boiling, heat some oil at in a hot oven 200c - enough to fill roasting tin to a few mm deep. Goose fat is the best
Drain potatoes, shake gently in the pan so the edges rough up a bit
Place a clean tea towel on the top of the pan and let it absorb the steam for a bit until the oil is hot
Empty tatties into roasting tin and cover with the hot oil
Cook for 50 mins odd depending on your oven
Sounds complicated but it isn't - and they're amazing

I hope you have an amazing Christmas! X

MrsBW has just given the perfect method for roast spuds. Roasting tin - a metal one will conduct the heat best so crunchier potatoes.

Don't forget the horseradish sauce.

I like rib of beef but get the butcher to do the bones so it's easy to carve (I think it's called chine-ing). Delia is pretty good for timings for roasting meat. If you go for medium there will always be some well-done bits at either end of the joint for those who prefer it.

For the timings, decide when you want to eat and work backwards.

How lovely for you all! I hope you have a magnificent feast!

The only thing that matters is having your first glass of champagne before 10:00. Have a fantastic Christmas!

roast beef I use black pepper to season and quarter a red onion which I roast in the same pan as the beef -as you baste the meat it takes on a lovely flavour (and the onion is delicious too as part of the meal)

beef rib is a lovely roast but topside/silverside are also decent choices if supermarket shopping or budget is an issue

Cook the beef in a roasting bag, keeps it nice and juicy. Buy ready made yorkshires and posh ready made gravy .

What about ice cream sundaes for the girls?- vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, fudge chunks, crushed biscuits, chopped nuts, crushed Flakes, squirty cream and, if your DD is anything like my 4yo, loads of sprinkles.

It's a Christmas tradition in the making!

Have you decided what cut of beef to get? And vegetables?

Quick update, THANK YOU ALL!
I got a fab cut of silverside and MrsBW your recipe worked a treat!
Just got to cook the carrots now and some peas, and we're done.
So happy.