Can you keep a secret? (Lighthearted)

[StarryNightSparkles]

I done my Tesco Christmas delivery order last night and had a crazy moment and thought fuck it lifes too short. So I bunged in Auntie Bessies Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes, gravy granules and packets of veg. This will be the first Christmas I've ever used pre made bits. My master plan is too pop Bing Crosby up a little bit louder in the kitchen to hide the packets rustling then bury the evidence in a bag at the bottom of the bin

You are not being unreasonable - welcome to the dark side where you have more time to stuff your face with chocolates and prosecco.

You are being unreasonable - get your coat and leave MN

I would never use frozen roast potatoes but yes to the rest!

Could you make your roasties now and freeze them? You can re cook them from frozen, works everytime

@Hesma

I would never use frozen roast potatoes but yes to the rest!

I am nervous about the frozen ones now as pretty much everyone has said the same. Will give it some thought.

@BrunoMars

Could you make your roasties now and freeze them? You can re cook them from frozen, works everytime

I've never done that before. Would I just make them pop them in the freezer? Then on Christmas day put them in the oven for 20 minutes?

@cate16

Top tip - if putting a lot of frozen things in the oven allow a little more time as the oven temps seems to drop and take a while to heat back up. Not that I've ever done a full on frozen dinner for 12 of course

Thank you for the tip 😊 you sound like the master 😉

I never cook anything on Xmas day that isn't in a packet so no judgement here but I would recommend splashing out on Waitrose rather than Aunt Bessie's. Chilled ones tend to be nicer than frozen. That's my only contribution

I peel my roast potatoes, toss them in seasoned flour and then bung them in the oven in hot oil. Saves a lot of effort and a saucepan by not parboiling. Maybe an in between step to a more relaxed Christmas Day? Definitely yes to premade pigs in blankets and frozen Yorkshires! Also I either make braised red cabbage the day before or buy it and reheat it depending on how much time I have.

@Itsalmostanaccessory

Nothing wrong with it but you wont be able to fool them with the gravy. Gravy granules taste nothing like proper gravy!

They do i you add the meat juice to them and a splash of wine 😉

I’m putting my roasties in the air fryer, double controversy 😱

@Rexthesnail

YABUA- But only because of the roast potatoes! Nothing compares to home made!

Hmm i would tend to agree but last week i made fish in parsley sauce and served mash with it, mash made from a packet of idahoe instant cheesy mash, DH and DS raved about the lovely mash id ‘made’ and what cheese had i used 🤫 never let on 🤐

Do you think I could add anything to the granules to make it more authentic?

If you cook your bacon topped turkey on top of a good vegetable selection - carrots, leeks, celery, onion, then strain off all the juices, skim the fat off, and add to the gravy, it should improve it significantly. Also, make the granule mixture thick, so it has room to thin down, and add some water from the cooked veg.

Recently tried those Goodfood boxes. Now that's the dark side.

Why not make your own roast potatoes in the week and chill or freeze them, then you'll save time on the day.

I have only ever given my family gravy made from granules so they don't expect anything else

Honestly don’t do the roast potatoes. If your husband thinks you’re a nigella this will be your absolute downfall.

They’re hard. An odd consistency inside and taste of oil but not in a good way.

Make the granules up with water from boiling the veg, then tip in the juices from resting the meat.

Just to give you a bit of confidence, my mum managed to pass off a ready made lasagne and garlic bread as her own. My stepdad loved it and complimented her cooking skills. He still doesn't know and it was 8 years ago!

First year I did that, it was because my dad was very ill and I needed a dinner my menfolk could cook if I wasn't there. I learned so much I repeated it!
I now buy Lidl frozen goosefat potatoes, use a packet stuffing but add extras, I make gravy the veg water and the meat juices, but with a tablespoon of bistro instead of cornflour to thicken. Small shortcuts, but really helpful.

No amount of Bing Crosby is going to disguise the fact you're serving frozen toasties!

*roasties!

I wonder how many men ‘lol’ about ‘just’ buying frozen food. Can we not perpetuate this utter tripe that we need to be Delia Smith on Christmas Day let’s we fail as women?

Plastic yorkshires are fine, as others have said get a tub of M&S fresh gravy, roasties have to be homemade but can be prepped in advance so not much hassle! Pat boil and freeze then chuck into hot oil on the day.

You’d all hate me I get absolutely everything delivered ready made from M&S on Xmas Eve and bung it in the oven on the day. Tastes bloody marvellous

Those roasties are horrible. The rest of what you propose will be fine

Yanbu to make life as easy as possible for yourself but those poor excuses of a Yorkshire Pudding that Aunt Bessie puts her name too will fool no one. Yorkshire Puds are so simple, I would probably just make those and go without the roasties if I wanted an easier day. Dh might stage a revolt but at least the kids would be happy.