Christmas eve tea, help!

[mmmmmchocolate]

I'm hosting dinner on Christmas eve for me, DP, 2 DD's, MIL and FIL.
I need some thing fairly easy (first Christmas with 2 kids and it'll probably be eaten off of our laps)
We are out on Christmas eve morning, probably not home until 2ish and dinner will be at 5.
It either needs to be something made in advance and thrown in the oven or quick to assemble.
It can't contain fish, tomatoes, melted cheese.
I usually cook a ham joint on Xmas eve and am gearing towards that idea again as I can cook it in less than 2 hours and it doesn't need looking after but am unsure what to do with it?
Desert will be mince pies nice and easy!
TIA

do you have a slow cooker? then just a steamer with veg or something?

I would go with the gammon. I usually do the sauce from this around Christmas time. You make the sauce the day before. I don't bother with the blackened crackling. I serve it with roasted baby new potatoes (Toss them in a little oil, paprika, oregano and salt, they only take 40 mins- very yummy) and fresh veg. You may find the kids aren't so keen on the sauce but my 2 loved it

If you're eating on your knees why don't you just get fish and chips or some other takeaway?

No we don't have a slow cooker smokin. I made a casserole last night and DP refused to eat it grrrr!
I like the idea of takeaway :) that was mine and DPs tradition before we had kids but it's our only meal with the family so I feel like I should make a bit of an effort.
That sounds lovely nbee! I'll have a look at that sauce when I get on the computer.

i know its odd but we always have a salad for tea on christmas eve, i have done for as long as i can remember.

It's October, people! Planning Christmas dinner, I could forgive. But this? [shakes head in bemusement]

bollockstothis, with all due respect this is the christmas forum We talk about anything to do with christmas here in whatever month, it doesn't really matter does it as long as its not in chat :)

I say you should get a nice takeaway! Something like a chinese banquet or a selection of indian food mmmm..would save you the mither is you are going to be out for half the day.

I would either go for Cottage Pie or Ham joint & Mash with spiced red cabbage for the grown ups and broccoli or similar for the kids (unless you have delightful young things who aren't fussy about anything other green or orange vegetables...... :o )

The benefit of the ham joint is that you can cook larger than needed and then have leftovers christmas day supper and boxing day :)

I know, I know [humbug]

Last year I did Nigella's ham in coke. You can pre-cook it, then glaze it and roast off for 30 mins in the oven when you get in.

I served it with a massive roasting tray full of quartered Desiree potatoes, carrots, parsnips and some butternut squash & red onion, drizzled with a bit of maple syrup, olive oil and sprigs of rosemary, plus some braised red cabbage on the side. It was so easy to do and was lovely, warming and festive.

goes well with mulled wine

An Aldi crispy aromatic duck each is becoming a festive Christmas Eve tradition in this house. Although shredding the spring onions & cucumber is a pain in the bum.

Christmas curry is the traditional response when one cannot be arsed to cook for the masses on Christmas eve

Or sausages and jacket spuds with whatever people want to throw in them (beans/cheese/tuna etc).

Or what about pie & peas & a big jug of gravy?

Did you think?@herbietea

I thought it was lovely. Just gave the meat a slightly sweet tinge. Her Christmas ham glaze is really nice.

Go with the ham joint, mashed potatoes (which you can do in advance) and reheat in the microwave. Serve with a really lovely homemade parsely sauce, as in onion infused milk, pinch of nutmeg etc. This can be done in advance too. The beauty is in the simplicity, good honest grub that will be appreciated for the quality.

I would go with the ham, and do chutneys, jacket potatoes and braised red cabbage (which can be made in advance, frozen and reheated). This is probably what we will have on Boxing Day (along with some cold roast chichen).

I have chicken with chorizo and potatoes all in the oven roasting at the moment. One tray and 45 minutes.

chinese

failing that. I do something called 'one tray bake'

a chicken
potatoes
peppers red, yellow
onions
courgette
anything u have really.

olive oil over the top and herbs or chilli flakes over the potatoes

season generously

yummers

The red cabbage dish a few of you have mentioned? Is there a particular recipe for it? I think I've seen delia make it? The chicken dishes mentioned sound yummy but we will probably have chicken Christmas day so there would be a bit of a poultry overload I think I will give them a try at some point anyway.
I'm going with the ham and will have a ponder over the accompaniments thank you :)

Chinese every christmas eve here.

What about lots of nice salads, cheeses (not melted) and cold meats, with French bread?

We always say we're going to have something light before pigging out the next day.
Then the day comes, we can't decide what we want and we order a takeaway

mmmmmchocolate yes the red cabbage is in Delia (either her first Christmas book, or the new one out last year. Once you have chopped everything up you just bung it in the oven, so it's really easy, and as I mentioned you can then freeze it and reheat it.