Argh Xmas eve dinner

[ImHonkingOrSomething]

3rd time lucky I keep writing a long post then accidentally backing out of it .

I need help!
Got 6 adult and 5 kids In total for dinner on Xmas even.
wtf did I agree to do it
I was hoping some of you could help and suggest a meal plan as I have never done this before.

We will have ham (what weight and any suggestions?)
And we will be making our own pigs in blankets.
Any recommended roast potatoes other than aunt Bessie's which aren't that fab imo.

Should I have soup starter,nibbles?
Any Xmas type pudding suggestions?

Thanks.

For that many people I'd do a buffet instead.

No actual cooking advice (we visit others!) but if they are likely to have a roast the next day, will they really want one Xmas Eve too?

Danish Christmas pudding: usually eaten on Christmas Eve anyway as that's when the Scandinavians celebrate.

Essentially a sweet risotto through which chopped almonds and whipped cream is folded and one whole almond. Whoever gets the whole almond gets the "almond prize" (in our house, usually a Christmas mug). Traditionally served with black cherries in syrup - although dh likes it so much we usually have it on its own.

I'll post my granny's recipe if you'd like.

It seems very heavy to me - given that people will be eating a lot the next day. I'd second the buffet option. You can buy good quality sliced ham and/or smoked salmon for people who want meat. Quiches etc. Potato Salad. (Or baked spuds if you want something hot.) French bread. Maybe fancy ice cream. That way people who want to eat plenty can do so, but you are not slaving over a hot stove

Buffet and cocktails - alcoholic for those old enough, fruity and fizzy otherwise.

Tesco did a thing of making all their party food to be cooked at the same temperature last year, so you have the oven set at the same heat and whack a variety of things in on trays and keep an eye on the timer, this was last year, should hopefully do something similar this year.

I did Christmas Eve cocktails last year and it was totally awesome. I was preg so I just had lots of fruit and lemonade, yum.

That sounds really nice, prettybird. I'd love you to post the recipe.

If you want to do ham OP how about serving it with baked potatoes and salad? I do a homemade coleslaw which always goes down well then you could add a simple green salad for the grownups, perhaps a cheeseboard and some nice bread, bowl of cherry tomatoes and maybe some cucumber and carrot sticks with houmous for the children?

I am doing ham this year but I do it with a potato gratin, roast potatoes (but only as I know 2 people won't eat the gratin), braised red cabbage, and probably some roast carrots and parsnips.

I usually calculate half a pound of meat per person and count 2 children as one adult unless you know they eat loads/ nothing! DH's family eat loads of meat though and I like lots of leftovers so usually add a bit extra too.

I like nigellas roast potatoes from Feast. (I think Aunt Bessie's are rank and so are M&S!)
I am going to try cooking them ahead and reheating this year. Mary Berry says you can do this taking them out just as they start to crisp and are cooked through and leaving them in the tin with the fat.

I don't do a starter and just do simple nibbles like pittas and hummus etc.

I usually do a chocolate pudding and a fruity one. I'm doing snow flecked brownies and an apple cake with custard this year.
Last year I did apple and rhubarb crumble and malteaser refrigerator cake.

I have to say I find a buffet more faff than a roast type meal and more expensive.
I think the trick is to make ahead and pick things you can bung in the oven and forget about for a bit.

Tesco finest goosefat roasties are very nice - I tend to rub them with a bit of extra oil, for extra crunchy deliciousness. But if I were doing a ham, I would cook it the day before, and serve it cold, with baked potatoes and salad (all nice and easy to do on the day).

You will want a minimum about 3-4oz/75-100g of ham per person (more, if you want left overs for sandwiches over Christmas) - so for six of you, I would go for at least a kilo joint, maybe more. There are some lovely recipes where you cook the ham either in coke or in wine or in ginger ale (the flavours permeate into the meat while it cooks), and then you let it cool, take off the skin, score the fat and put a glaze on (something like treacle and brown sugar and spice), then finish it off in the oven, to get a lovely glaze on it. I am going to do this with our Christmas ham, and it is going to be our Boxing day supper, with baked potatoes and salad and chutney (I might have a go at making the chutney, but I will probably just buy it - much easier!).

Smoked salmon pate and toast would be a nice starter, as would smoked mackeral pate. I've also had a nice blue cheese and pear pate - poached pears, cooled and cubed, mixed with blue cheese and cream cheese. I wouldn't serve a big or filling starter (soup is particularly filling, I think).

Do you want a hot dessert or a cold one? You could make a mincemeat strudel - buy filo pastry, and lay sheets of it out to form a rectangle about the size of two A4 sheets, put longsides together. Spread with mincemeat (bought is absolutely fine), and small cubes of eating apples. Roll it up carefully (if you lay it out on a sheet of baking paper, you can use this to help you roll it up), and brush with melted butter, then bake. Serve with pouring cream.

Alternatively, Nigella's Clementine cake is absolutely delicious - and it is really easy to make - you gently boil the clementines for a couple of hours, let them cool, then throw them in the food processor, blitz them, then add the other ingredients and blitz again, then pour into a deepish cake tin and bake - it is the most delicous, dense, slightly damp cake, and is lovely served with whipped cream as a dessert. And you can make it the day before.

We always get a takeaway curry on christmas eve with 4 of our adult firends and our 5 children who are all under 6,could you not get a takeaway instead?

I second the not wanting a roast the day before christmas,we are not having traditional christmas dinner but on the years we have the last thing i would want is a roast the night before.

The only thing I would say if you must do a roast type meal, is not ham with pigs in blankets, because that's pig, served with, er, pig, wrapped in pig :)

We always have the ham on christ christmas eve, with wholegrain mustard mash and cauliflour cheese and peas.
I try to do double the amount needed so I can serve the mash and sides on Christmas day as well.

I would definitely not do anything like a roast on Christmas Eve.

I normally do a buffet on xmas eve but think I'm going to copy the baked potato suggestion. Simplicity is the key, a nice slow cooked ham, some fluffy baked potatoes and lovely leafy salad would be fab and would take next to no time so you can actually enjoy having people round.

Concentrate on presentation with nice looking potatoes (!! I know what I mean) good quality butter, different mustards & a choice of plain and garlic mayo served in nice bowls. If the children are small I'd probably cook a tray of cocktail sausages, put out cherry tomatoes and unwrap some dairy lea triangles, so they have something to nibble on. I'd serve an easy dessert such as chocolate log, or chocolate brownies but make sure there is a Christmas twist to the decoration such as icing sugar stars, or something else super simple. Loads of wine, candles and carols, perfect.

Simplicity and a relaxed host are far more impressive than a harassed, red faced host apologising for everything that's gone wrong! (That's been me many many times)

Sugarhut you made me laugh,I know pig with more pig might not be so appealing.
My dp loves the pigs in blankets so it's pretty much must have throughout December and the ham was his idea too,he likes to make a pig of himself ...
I see what you all mean by two roast in a row might be a bit much.

I love the mincemeat strudel though sounds nice.
So I think minimal nibbles for adults and a small buffet for the kids might be a good idea as a roast two days in a row for them would be tedious and a waste.
Roasted veg and potatoes are the best so maybe that and the ham
Il have a re read of your posts and have a think. it's really hard

Cheese, pickles, ham, crusty bread, fondue, fruit & cake?

I would still have ham, but have with crusty bread, salad, maybe a couple of quiches and/or pizzas, few dips and crisps and nuts. Mince pies, or cake, or trifle afterwards.

I will be doing a ham, with mash and red cabbage.

M & S chocolate mousse Chrsitmas trees for after.

The Sainsburys Parmentier potatoes make a nice change from roasts, given you'll be having them the next day.

MIL does a parsley sauce with her Christmas ham. I loathe it, but makes her happy . I'd budget on 4 slices per adult, that way you'll get leftovers hopefully.

Red cabbage a must too.

I think if MIL wasn't here, we'd do the ham/jackets/coleslaw/crisp green salad idea too. Plus I see no problem with pigs in blankets too. Our house is also firmly of the belief that there is nothing that can't be improved by the addition of some sort of pig derivative! I've told DP I'll marry him the day he can find someone to make a wedding cake entirely out of pork scratchings .

I would do lasagne
With garlic bread & salad

Everyone loves that

Or shepherds pie

Couple of big steak pies or lots of little ones.

Sweet risotto = rice pudding, no?

We have "build your own" nachos / tacos on Christmas Eve (although sometimes I have them as my veggie option on Chrismas Day). Essentially a buffet of taco shells, nachos chips, salad, guacamole, chilli, refried beans, cheese, sour cream, jalapeños etc

We always have a takeaway I would want the stress of doing a big meal two days in a row.

Wouldn't not would