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Christmas

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Original poster

If you were given a chicken casserole on Christmas Day, instead of a roast....

135 replies

HuevosRancheros · 21/10/2013 18:28

.....would you feel like you'd been cheated?

DH is veggie (so will have a quorn fillet casserole anyway), DCs are quite fussy, so I thought I'd do a casserole that can be made a couple of days before, so removing some of the 'timing stress' I seem to have when doing a roast drinking loads of Bucks Fizz during the morning has nothing to do with it, oh no
I would do a naice one, with shallots, baby mushrooms, chestnuts, port etc. And all the usual trimmings - roast potatoes and parsnips, brussels, etc. Could even push the boat out and do pigs in blankets Grin

But my in-laws are coming too. They are lovely, I know if I asked them about it, they would say it is fine, just to be nice and keep me happy. After all, I am cooking, they wouldn't complain.

So I need an unbiased, not-afraid-to-upset-me opinion please

Thanks :)

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 21/10/2013 21:00

I wouldn't say anything at the time but I doubt I'd come to Christmas dinner again ,so if you're not keen on the Inlaws go for it .

Chubfuddler · 21/10/2013 21:02

I always cook chrustmas dinner and I make a bloody good job of it, so to be invited to someone else's house and be given casserole... Don't do this to yourself op. You cannot hand your MIL that kind of ammo.

KatieScarlett2833 · 21/10/2013 21:04

Of course I would say "yum, great, thanks ever so..."
But for ever more Christmas 2014 would be known as "chicken casserole year". And not in a good way Wink

Sparklysilversequins · 21/10/2013 21:05

Marne ds will be having pepperoni pizza on Christmas Day, like he does almost every day too Grin.

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 21/10/2013 21:26

OK, OK, I admit defeat Grin

Whilst I know that the casserole would be damn good, I get that, for most people, it wouldn't be Christmas without a roast.

So I shall do a chicken, brining it and praying it doesn't dry out

OP posts:
petitdonkey · 21/10/2013 22:22

No need to brine a chicken- honestly!! I make a mean roast chicken- just buy a good quality bird and ignore the cooking instructions!!! One hour is enough- maybe add ten mins if it's massive. 200•C just with olive oil, salt and pepper. Easy peasy!!

WallyBantersJunkBox · 21/10/2013 22:50

If you place the chicken upside down for the first part of the cooking time it won't be dry. I use an IKEA Dutch oven and just remove the glass lid for that last 20 mins.

Never had a dry chicken.

ShoeWhore · 21/10/2013 23:01

Get a decent chicken and it won't be dry I promise. Cook it like petitdonkey suggests (I like to add half a lemon and some thyme in the cavity too, if you push some butter and thyme under the skin on the breast it will be even nicer)

BeCool · 21/10/2013 23:58

I'm now thinking nachoes and all the trimmings for Xmas eve dinner. Grin

BikeRunSki · 22/10/2013 06:21

Yum
I make them with salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, retried beans, jalapeños, then a bowl of meaty chilli, salad and taco shells for those who prefer tacos to nachos. Really good ice cream and pecan pie for pud as well as Christmas pud as DH is the only one who likes it.

Sometimes we have this on Boxing Day and a "proper" Christmas dinner if people promise to help, and yy to preparing all the veg the night before. The meat eaters can deal with the meat though.

elQuintoConyo · 22/10/2013 06:46

I wouldn't bat an eye.

I buy a small pre-cooked chicken.for Christmas day that I just re-heat, make roasties, packet stuffing, Bisto, some peas... that's about it.

I'm abroad so.can't get many traditional things and I hate cooking, there are only three of us so no point making acres of food.

The one time I cooked for three extra people was when DMil was in.hospital and family was going to go have a Chinese (bloody horrible things in Spain, inedible). They were too polite/too converned with their DM to complain.

I'd tell your in-laws, then they have the choice of having a roast on a different day. I never make casserole so it'd be a novelty to me!

MrsDavidBowie · 22/10/2013 06:52

God I hate turkey . In fact I hate Christmas food full stop.
We had a M and S steak and kidney pie last year (dh and ds had just flown off to Oz for 3 weeks so it was just me and dd)

If it's the 4 of us I do a lasagne, or shoulder of lamb.
We go out for dinner on Christmas eve and Boxing Day.

Mr DB does not like me being a slave in the kitchen Grin

LtAllHallowsEve · 22/10/2013 07:15

When we go to MILs I end up cooking for at least 16 (21 was my worst). The first time she sprung it on me I was a worn out screaming banshee by mid afternoon.

Now I cook the turkey the day before, slowly, sitting on carrots and onions and with lemon and garlic shoved up his bum,slice it, put it in a roasting tin and cover it with the juices (and chuck the legs on top whole)

I also prepare all the veg the night before, with various helping hands (DH, DD, DSIL sometimes)

Xmas day I put the foil covered turkey slices in the bottom of the oven whilst I cook the roasties/parsnips etc. Using the juices to make gravy at the last minute.

Never had any stress since and never had a dry turkey.

merrymouse · 22/10/2013 07:22

For me Xmas is about the trimmings, not the roast itself. I would be upset if no brussel sprouts and little sausages in bacon but not bothered about no turkey.

However, I think it's perfectly acceptable to prepare the roast the day before, and if only a small number of people want to eat turkey I don't think you need to roast a whole turkey, and it's perfectly acceptable to buy something ready prepared.

ProfondoRosso · 22/10/2013 07:39

We never had turkey when I was growing up, OP. We usually had honey glazed ham or something like that. Last year my DM did do a turkey and it was good, but I don't think she'll do it again this year (it's so much work and she is a proud unreasonable woman who will not accept help).

The year I did Christmas dinner, I made a massive batch of my best mac and cheese for the main course (DSis is veggie and DH's favourite dinner is M&C). Everyone really enjoyed it.

So yah boo sucks to tradition, in my book! Grin

I love chicken for a main - vastly underrated bird. You could have a look at Nigella's Christmas book, see what turkey alternatives she has in there?

aliciagardner · 22/10/2013 07:53

Roast chicken is so, so easy. You just shove it in the oven!! Don't faff with brining, there's no need at all. Just get it out of the pack, a little olive oil in the roasting tin, breast side down and sprinkle of salt and pepper on it. Then in at 200 degrees for first 20 mins, turn whole bird over and turn oven down to 180, then cook for the remaining time - I do follow the preprinted time on the packet and I've never had a dry bird this way. If you want to be fancy, cut a London i. 2 and shove in the cavity. Nothing more needed and a lot less hassle than a casserole.

It's the trimmings and their timings that make it tricky. If I have a lot, I tend to prep everything ready for the oven day before, then write a list with timings (work backwards to calculate when everything needs to go in). It's really no more stressy than putting things in the oven this way - which means I can drink a few glasses of wine at the same time :)

aliciagardner · 22/10/2013 07:53

Lemon, not London :)

bigTillyMint · 22/10/2013 08:20

Wallybanter my ex MIL taught me that trick nearly 25years ago - it never failsSmile

Maryann1975 · 22/10/2013 20:55

I wouldn't be impressed to be given casserole on Christmas Day, but if you told me before the day, I would have the option of changing my plans and cooking for myself. I would have to decide how much I wanted your company on Christmas Day and if you were worth missing a lovely roast dinner for.

aintnothinbutagstring · 22/10/2013 21:46

Chicken is meh full stop, its an everyday food. Give me a lovely marinated lamb leg or shoulder of lamb cooked slowly, even salmon en croute for a lighter alternative.

NoelHeadbandz · 23/10/2013 07:57

Thank god you've seen sense Grin

I'd be gutted, although I'd never say anything and you would never guess from my face. I'd tuck in and enjoy.

But forevermore, within the confines of our own four walks, it would be known as 'oh yes...the year we had casserole '

NoelHeadbandz · 23/10/2013 07:58

*walls

LauraChant · 23/10/2013 08:11

I don't think it's roast or nothing. Nor do I think casserole is not yum. But as a PP said casserole is an everyday food however jazzed up it is, and I would want something special/ festive on Christmas Day.

Morgause · 23/10/2013 08:16

Has to be roast on Christmas day. I'd feel cheated.

PetiteRaleuse · 23/10/2013 08:22

I would be delighted with a casserole, but I don't like turkey and do roast chicken quite often anyway. A really good casserole would be lovely, and would free you up time to spend with everyone else.

I was a lot little pissed off when my mil, without consulting me, decided I wouldn't like the partridge she was cooking for everyone else so bought me lamb chops. Which she could and served up with plain veg while everyone else got yummy gamey meat and veg in sauce.

The next time we spent Christmas with them she did the whole meal (except pudding) based around shellfish (which she knows I don't eat) and did fried fish for me. Pudding was a creamy coffee thing, which she also knew i wouldn't eat, so i got a scoop of ice cream. I'm not fussy, the only two things I don't like are uncooked cream and shellfish.

Your casserole sounds lovely.