To think you can make a Christmas dinner without a cooker

[Oysterbabe]

I've just moved into a building site. We're not going to have an oven or hob fitted before Christmas. I'm 39 weeks pregnant so on Christmas day I'll either have a newborn or will be 41+1. Closest relatives are 2 hours away and I don't want to travel that far either overdue or with a days old baby. I also don't really want to make plans to go out as I have no idea how my birth will go or how I'll be feeling. Although after I had DD 2 years ago I was fine and would have been ok to cook or go out within hours.
PIL are going to come to us. MIL is a very fussy eater and won't eat anything unusual. She is also incredibly polite so would just push it around her plate, not eat it and say it was lovely so I won't worry about her too much

Available appliances are:
Kettle
Toaster
Microwave
Slow cooker
George foreman grill & Deep fat fryer (I had no idea we had these until I found them in the back of a cupboard while packing!)

What would you make?
I've been thinking that I'll go overboard on a starter of pate, cold meats, pickles, cheese etc (those are my favourite bits anyway tbh) I can slow cook a ham the day before. Then make some kind of festive stewed meat, maybe beef and red wine. I can brown the meat on the George foreman before cooking so it won't be just grey and horrid. Then maybe get some microwave packs of veggies and I think you can get frozen roasties that can be fried in a deep fat fryer. I reckon I can make pigs in blankets on the George foreman. Then some kind of microwave Christmas pudding. What do you think? Anyone have any some better ideas to make a special meal under the circumstances?
Please can you all also send positive thoughts to my cervix, I so desperately want this baby to be born before Christmas day so I can drink loads of champagne and have pate and brie

Meat in slow cooker, steam fresh bags of veg in the microwave, boil potatoes in microwave, take a few out to deep fry for roasties and mask the rest. Spread a layer of stuffing on the george to grill it, pigs in blankets also in the grill. Kettle of water and bistro gravy. Ask the in laws to bring some pre poked Yorkshire puddings to heat in the microwave. Prepare everything the day before so individual plates of food can just be heated in the microwave. Finish with microwave puds.

Or book a restaurant/order takeaway.

I'd buy a halogen oven. I'm looking at buying one whilst I save for a cooker I want.

However I'd actually make the in-laws bring stuff.

Meat slow cooker
Micro veg
Coop and m&s do nice ready made mash to micro
Chips in deep fat fried?

Or go all out micro meals from freezer there are roast options

Honestly don’t put yourself under this level of stress.

Send your DH to M&S and get a delicious array of buffet style food. Cold ham, dressed crab, fresh bread, cheese board etc... you can order much if it online in advance.

You are never going to recreate a decent replica of a traditional Christmas dinner in a building site with the equipment you have. So don’t stress out trying.

With a bit of luck you’ll spend the day sat on your sofa with your beautiful newborn in your arms and your DH can surely cope with opening a couple of packets in the kitchen.

A lot of the pubs round my way are open for lunch on Christmas day - book one, for heavens sake. Do not make yourself miserable and exhaust yourself trying to cook without a kitchen, and with a newborn/about to go into labour any moment.

I would abandon doing a traditional Christmas dinner menu.

Your idea for a starter is good, or a fish platter with prawn cocktail, smoked salmon, smoked trout would work too.

For the main course I'd do coq au vin or beef casserole (no need to brown the meat beforehand).

If doing the beef casserole I'd add plenty of veg, carrots onions mushrooms baby turnips, maybe peas at the end, and that would be it for veg. I'd heat up bought mash in the microwave.

For pudding, bought mince pies and cream or a chocolate log of some type, if you feel up to it, make a trifle.

I think you should keep it as simple as possible, and rope in as much help as you can from MIL and DH.

The restaurant is a nice idea but your problem there is that most places take a non refundable deposit for Christmas Day, so you could be out of pocket if you are not able to go there.

I’d spend £60 on a halogen oven and a plug in induction hob.

If you’re near me you can borrow mine!

Get PIL to bring sliced pre-cooked turkey for you to warm in pre-made gravy?

Buy the Cook meals and deep fry some potatoes.

She doesn't have an oven the heat the Cook meals up in.

Best thing to do would be to find an Indian restaurant that's open on Christmas Day and buy some curries and sides to takeaway. It won't be traditional but it will be delicious.

I would be mortified if anyone hosted more than the bare minimum for me in your condition. DH is right and your pils should be bringing it all. Accept help!

"I feel like we should do some hosting as it'll be the first time I have"

Why not make next year the first time you host? You may even be in labour on Christmas Day and no-one will get a meal.

Chuck a big bit of ham in the slow cooker, do a cheeseboard and nice bread plus nibbles.

Alternatively get someone not growing a human inside them to look after you and sort out dinner.

Tell your husband he's cooking and go to bed.

I'd book a table somewhere and eat out. You want to enjoy it and a don't want a deep fat fried turkey or microwave potatoes!

I do know someone who deep fries a Turkey at thanksgiving but I think you would need a bigger fryer!

Aunt Bessie's creation with your microwave 😂

M&S Christmas food is your friend....there's a lovely salmon and seafood starter we're having, then you could get a huge festive pork pie and gammon , sliced meats and loads of salads/ pickles etc , plus heat mashed potatoes, cocktail sausages , red cabbage in microwave
Profiteroles and cheesecake for pudding...
My dd was born 21 yrs ago today and my dh cooked Christmas lunch for us , I think you'll need to prepare for fact your going to be in no fit state to be cooking Christmas lunch for everyone! And get the other 3 perfectly capable adults in House to pull their weight

I think you are mad to even think about hosting and cooking dinner in your situation. I think your family are mad to let you. You are all mad!

Chinese take away.

I can't even imagine being a guest who was turning up at the home of someone who didn't have a functioning kitchen, was just about to have a baby/had just had a baby, and expecting them to cook Christmas lunch for me!

Just go out for Christmas dinner!

Seriously, it's not worth the hassle....

I would do a buffet and maybe a joint of meat in the slow cooker. I would also ask PIL to bring a dish that they cooked at home. I’m pretty amazed that you are even hosting! Heavily pregnant AND living on a building site?! I would expect any guests to cook something and bring it!

Loving the assumption that the OP lives somewhere where a takeaway will be open on Christmas Day. Because nothing is open round our way then, except the pub (I think)

We had Christmas dinner last year when I was 38 weeks pregnant and we had party food all day ! It was AMAZING! The best Christmas dinner so far 😂