Christmas Eve 'party' come and help me

[storminabuttercup]

I'm hosting Xmas Eve for the first time this year. 12 adults and three kids.

I have all the usual kit, slow cooker etc and oven space is not a problem.

Only fussy eaters are the older ones who won't eat anything 'forrin'

So the idea is
Pulled pork
Lovely bread rolls
Homemade stuffing
Cider gravy
Braised red cabbage (can i do this is the slow cooker?)
Coleslaw
Salad?!?
Potato wedges
Maybe a pan of chilli

Should I do picky party bits too?

What about a pudding? Some sort of cake? Cheesecake?

Also what sort of quantities? I don't want to waste food but want to have enough too.

My sister hosted last year and party food went down a storm but want different.

What about drinks? Is mulled cider easy to do?

Help me I'm crap!!

Or maybe roasties rather than wedges?

Buy a load of bottles of Glogg from Ikea and warm that on the stove in a big pan. Saves making anything complicated. I bought those paper cups with handles too, to save washing up.

Instead of dessert you could do cheese and fruit?

I held a party last year and just laid out a cheese board and piled it with dried figs, apricots, walnuts, grapes and apples. The great thing is there is very little waste as you can continue a cheeseboard over Christmas. You can then clear the rest away and leave this for nibbling on later.

I also did a pile of mince pies and some brandy butter. Freeze in advance and warm up on the evening. Nigella had a nice Christmas Rocky Road which I made, cut into little chunks. It went down a storm with all ages.

remember it's a big roast meal day the following day for most people, so I wouldn't do roast pots personally. I'd love the chilli & rice, but everyone's different ;) and a light pud or cheese & crackers. Good luck with your party, sounds lovely :)

Aldi and Lidl do Gluwein. Mince pies great idea. And christmas paper plates, napkins etc to save on washing up (you'll be busy enough!). Good call Wally. Love fruit idea.

Ooh some fab ideas. Was thinking the chilli mighnt not get eaten but will be there for those who don't fancy pork with it being big roast the next day. I could get plenty of microwave rice then do that if it's wanted?

Disposable plates is genius. May buy them now before they push the prices up!

Not sure about cheese and fruit, there's only me and my dad likely to eat it, maybe do a small cheese board and mince pies. I'll be decorating a cake anyway so that's an option if it's wanted!

Anyone have a good stuffing recipe? I always burn the top as I'm worried it's not cooked? Maybe do balls?

Nigellas Rocky Road

I also did her Chicken wings from the Christmas book, plus the sticky sausages. They were delicious. It might be worth getting her book as she has a lot more sort of party/entertaining food and sides and they are all really easy.

We got a stack of paper plates and the likes from IKEA (sorry I don't actually work there - just to point out!) and also serving plates all in festive red and white/silver and white with matching paper napkins. Clearing up was easy peasy!

I have nigella christmas and make the Rocky road often. Sticky sausages look lovely. I've been on a diet all year, Christmas is going to be awesome!

All sound lovely OP! Sounds like you are now sorted, I'm doing pulled pork on Xmas Eve too, you can also freeze this it's lovely on jacket pots over Xmas. Hope it goes well.

Soundalike it but I do need a stuffing recipe, and to know if I can do red cabbage in a slow cooker

You can do braised red cabbage in slow cooker according to my new slow cooker recipe book do you need recipe or just time it takes ?

Choccy, I don't know why I didn't google it :-D I'll have a look for a recipe thank you

Choccy, I don't know why I didn't google it :-D I'll have a look for a recipe thank you

Nigella's ginger jam and wholegrain mustard cocktail sausages are wonderful. You can get the ginger jam from waitrose. I bought a load of uncooked cocktail sausages back in July for next to nothing in Waitrose, and they are in the freezer all ready.

Your party sounds lovely!

I think I may do the sausages too. I'm planning on getting an ocado delivery booked in as soon as the slots open so can order the jam.

I've been driving DP mad with making lists, apparently September is too early to even think about it

If you don't find one let me know and yes sausages would be lovely too.