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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Make ahead christmas food

28 replies

katystar · 03/09/2014 13:39

Ok so I want to get organised with food as this is the first year I will be hosting christmas for 12 people. What can I make ahead and freeze for the big day and also what store cupboard basics can I buy now ready?
Also any good stuffing recipes I'm allergic to nuts and can only find recipes with nuts in! Are there any things that you don't recommended being made in advance? I have the delia christmas book and 3 lots of back issues of christmas magazines but still don't have clue!

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Heels99 · 03/09/2014 13:40

Put the sprouts on to boil now....

SisterMoonshine · 03/09/2014 13:46

I froze mince pies last year and it worked out well.
Just build them and pop them in the freezer in the pattie (?) tin.
When frozen pop them out of the tin and into freezer bags.
Cook from frozen as and when you want hot, homemade, mince pies.

katystar · 03/09/2014 13:49

Brilliant shop brought or homemade mincemeat? Is it worth making my own? I am tempted to put them on now but I'm worried I've left it to late so may have to scrap them altogether!

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/09/2014 13:57

I made mincemeat once - IMO it wasn't worth the expense and effort.
Buy a supermarket mincemeat and you can add bits to it ( chopped apple, orange rind, some brandy) if you look on the 'luxury' jars it'll give you some ideas.

WRT shopping ahead. If you have room, buy your bottles (wine, soft drinks) and hide them (I put mine in the garage, nice and cold and out of the spidery hands of my DS)

I've never tried freezing mince pies but I have made and frozen pastry. Then when you use it , it's already had its relax and chill time.

And bit boring, but your cleaning products, loo roll, binbags etc. Buy on BOGOF when you see them..

Cake and pudding if you do them (Stir-Up Sunday 23rd November)

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/09/2014 14:00

You might be able to salvage the sprouts if you have a pressure cooker?
Otherwise , you're doomed, laddie (creepy Private Frazer voice) Wink

bakingaddict · 03/09/2014 14:00

Depends what you are planning for the dinner.

Things like parsnips, sprouts and turnip can be peeled and frozen ahead. I tend to find carrots lose their colour a bit but if you are doing carrot and turnip should be OK

Deserts like profiteroles and cheesecake can be made ahead and frozen if you don't like trad xmas pud

Tinkerisdead · 03/09/2014 14:08

I make just about everything in advance for christmas. I freeze mince pies as above all made up in a bun tin and then pop them out into freezer bags.

Make a christmas cake if you like them and just keep feeding it booze.

I make a ham terrine and freeze that altho the stock doesnt "jellyify" that way but its still totally fine.

I use bbcgood food sausage, sage and onion stuffing but i freeze it in balls. I actually freeze them 2/3rds cooked and finish them off on xmas day. I also freeze pigs in blankets the same way.

My veg i prep on xmas eve but leave in water til i'm ready. The only thing ive not dared to freeze yet is roast potatoes but tons of mnetters recommend it. I prep all our food and on xmas day dh is responsible for putting it all in at the right time. I cook my turkey first thing in the morning and take it out cover with foil and towels as per jamie oliver. That frees by oven up for the day.

katystar · 03/09/2014 14:13

Deserts are scaring me to be honest! I need a fool proof nut free desert any ideas?
My mum is making Xmas cake as i can't risk cooking with nuts and it will be kept in the garage when it arrives!
I will start looking for mince meat and drinks and keep them all in the garage. May have to put the wine in the loft so I'm not tempted to drink when I start panicking about dinner! What drinks do you get in specially? (Total novice!!!)
I'm going traditional with turkey and gammon, is it better to go with a supermarket turkey or from the butchers?
Cleaning products is a brill idea will see what's on offer and add some to my online shop this week.
I best go and get a pressure cooker after work to try and salvage them!

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katystar · 03/09/2014 14:17

I've been looking at frozen roasts and worrying about them I may do some this weekend and cook in 4 weeks to see how they are.
Is the turkey ok if we plan to eat at 4? Will it be to cold and go dry even after wrapping? is it to early for christmas baileys

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TheImprobableGirl · 03/09/2014 16:14

I usually have a bottle of baileys, couple of bottles of prosecco for bellinis, a crate of lager and a bottle of red and rose for 4 of us :) admittedly one is 3 years old and one is 3 months blush

TheImprobableGirl · 03/09/2014 16:14

Or Blush

TheImprobableGirl · 03/09/2014 16:15

There is SOME left by Boxing Day!!

PenisesAreNotPink · 03/09/2014 16:16

It is now time to make sloe gin

TheImprobableGirl · 03/09/2014 16:20

Is dishwasher vodka made around now too?

katystar · 03/09/2014 16:27

Dishwasher vodka sounds amazing and I have a dishwasher I can do it in! Really daft question but what do sloe berries look like? I have 6 adults and 6 children coming so I may need to triple your order ImprobableGiirl! plus hide some for when it gets to much

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TheImprobableGirl · 03/09/2014 16:39

I just googled sloe berries... And they look like blueberries to me! Am not a gin fan really anyhow. Dishwasher vodka is amazing. Have tried it but not made it yet. You don't need a dishwasher funnily enough Grin

I always overestimate and end up with way too much, but it all gets drunk in the end. If you are buying wine en mass there are a few good 25% off 6 bottle deals towards Xmas. Same with crates of lager for a tenner etc

MamaPain · 03/09/2014 18:22

I make my own mincemeat (because I have a food phobia in relation to candied peel). I also make Christmas Pudding, Christmas cake and then mince pies for the same reason. These are all made well in advance and simply require some finishing touches nearer the time. I also use the mincemeat for a cheesecake on christmas eve which goes down well.

I plan to experiment with par boiling and freezing potatoes before hand to see if it works.

I've started to stock up on things like drinks, gravy powder, custard, puff pastry (frozen), crisps, sweets, foil and foil dishes, jam. I looked in the shops at the weekend and marzipan/icing all have use by dates way after christmas so could buy that in advance if using?

nickdrakeslovechild · 03/09/2014 20:35

I will start on the mince pies soon, i usually buy a nice shop bought mincemeat but do what 70 does and add some nice brandy and bits. I make Nigella Lawson star topped micne pies which are little bite sized so make the pastry fill and cook then freeze in bags of about 15. When needed they take about 20 mins to defrost and can eat them cool or warm through in an oven. Really quick and easy.

The other think you can start on are any of the icing cake toppers, I make Christmas trees complete with baubles and tinsel and snowmen etc out of the blocks of icing you get in the supermarket. Once coloured and shaped they go nice and hard and easier to work with if made in advance rather than the day needed.

You can layer them in greasproof paper in an airtight container and they will last a few months. Then when needed you can just make a few fairy cakes with a little bit of icing and your ready made toppers.

hanette · 04/09/2014 08:38

Cranberry sauce is a good one to make ahead and freeze

BiddyPop · 04/09/2014 09:09

What do your guests normally drink? Have something they'd like as a before dinner drink, or else maybe a bottle of bubbles and a bottle of fresh OJ (that needs to be last minute but or squeeze) to make ...ooohhh... That drink that's just OJ and champagne/prosecco mixed. Lidls prosecco is very nice for that! Plain OJ for children, or a favourite fizzy drink.

Pick a nice white and nice red for the dinner. Think which your guests normally prefer and ensure maybe 6 of the favourite and 3 of the non favourite, to allow a glass white to start, a glass red main, and more of the preferred option as desired. The
Standard is to allow a half bottle per person, I tend to prefer to have enough so people can enjoy without getting blotto, but I'm happy to keep a few bottles for other days.

And then if they tend to like something later, maybe get 1 bottle of that favourite in, baileys or whatever (port in our house). A few beers if some prefer that, 3 bottles per person is loads if they will have wine with dinner.

Don't forget plenty of fizzy drinks for kids and drivers, and fizzy water if some would drink that. We tend to put jugs of water on table and water glasses to help reducing blotto-ness. And if the kids are not fizzy fans, have things they will drink - sometimes dd actually just wants squash.

BiddyPop · 04/09/2014 09:32

If you are restricted on nuts, it might be better to make your own mince, but some are ok to buy. If you buy them now, add some grated apple, extra lemon and orange zest and some liquor (brandy, gran marnier) and allow to steep together for maybe 2-3 weeks. Then make up the pies and freeze.

I also freeze logs of cookie dough. I make plain, lemon and orange, chocolate chip and occasionally coconut versions. Just wrap in cling film as a log and freeze, can slice and bake from frozen as needed. Very handy to make on Christmas Eve for Santa, but if you have lots of kids coming who may want something plainer come desert time or later in the afternoon, that may be nice.

You can prep your veg, blanch and freeze in advance. Or prep and leave in water the night before. I tend to do the latter but I only have small groups. If you may have help on Christmas Eve, that could be an option, or else do a batch a week of different things to freeze in advance.

Would everyone accept , a trifle with no nuts on top as dessert? Does it need to be elaborate? And also, do you need to make it? Will any guests be asking if there's anything they can bring? Cheese course, dessert, starter, some sausage rolls or nibbles for evening are all useful things to have in your mind. Or indeed the stuffing, a bowl of mashed potatoes, a veg dish they know their kids will eat....

You could do turkey stock now for gravy, ask butcher for turkey bones and the stock will freeze great. Or look for turkey stock in better supermarkets.

When it's quiet now, sit wih a cup of tea, pen and paper, and start thinking. Guests will walk in the door, and....be given a drink? Need breakfast? Staying night before? Arriving just before lunch?
Work through the day, writing down things you wil need to do each part. Drinks and nibbles, starter?, Turkey, veggies (what types would you like?), spuds (roast, mashed, done a different way?), gravy, bread sauce, salt and pepper, ketchup, stuffing, drinks, ....cheese, crackers, grapes, desert, cream, custard, pudding, cake, ...tea, coffee, milk, sugar, chocolates...
You mightn't want all of those, but list everything YOU will likely need or your guests may ask for (hence ketchup for kids, may not be needed in your family).

Do you want candles, crackers, nameplates etc on table? Do you have a suitable cloth, and napkins? Enough crockery, cutlery and glasses? A few nice hand towels for bathrooms, and tea towels for kitchen, and plenty of useful tea towel for kitchen (see willing helpers comment below)? A couple of aprons in case anyone offers to help and you are willing to let them in cooking?

Do you want to buy in ice rather than making loads? (Can also be useful to keep things cold outside a fridge if needed).

Is there anything that great auntie Genevieve will sulk if she doesn't get (eg cranberry sauce)?

Yes, don't forget cleaning stuff. Washup liquid, dishwasher tablets, bin bags, spare rubber gloves (for willing helpers as you relax afterwards!), kitchen towels even if you don't normally use them, toilet rolls, handsoap, bathroom cleaning spray, etc.

Enjoy!

SisterMoonshine · 04/09/2014 10:03

If I'm making a cake and have lots of the fruit leftover, I make mincemeat too. or sometimes I buy it.
I use shop pastry though.

ooo frozen logs of cookie dough is a great idea!

BiddyPop · 04/09/2014 11:04

Sistermoonshine - what I actually do is only bake about half of a batch when I make the dough throughout the autumn and freeze half - so there are small batches of a few flavours there when I want them in more frazzled times. We never eat a whole batch at once anyway (not good for my waistline!) so this works very well for us.

CeliaFate · 04/09/2014 11:58

My tip for cook ahead is only the day before, but it's a God send not to have to do it on the day.
Par boil the potatoes, scuff them with a fork and let them cool. Put in a freezer bag in the fridge.
Peel and chop all the veg and put in pans of cold water with lids on. Replace the water on the day and cook as normal.
Take the meat out of the fridge as soon as you get up. It should be room temperature.
Lay the table on Christmas Eve.
Buy chocolates, crackers, napkins, table clothes, alcohol, special soft drinks (such as the glittery J20s) as soon as you see them on special offer. Put them in boxes in the garage with a large label so you don't forget about them!

SisterMoonshine · 04/09/2014 17:30

I wanted to try that with my potatoes last year Celia, but other people put me off. do they come out ok then?

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