Xmas eve - evening meal inspiration

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

Not sure what to do this year. Previously I've done beef wellington but we're having beef on Xmas day.

I've done Barefoot Contessa truffle pasta but DD wasn't keen.

Any indulgent but easy recipes? Or shall I just get a takeaway?!!

My Mum always made a fish pie on Christmas eve, folllowed by fruit salad and ice-cream - it was very simple and light in readiness for the rich food of the next few days

What is your DDs favourite meal?

I usually roast a gammon joint with a marmalade and grainy mustard coating. I serve it with roast potatoes and lots of vegetables. It also means we have cold gammon for Boxing Day.

Watching this with interest. I was thinking of doing a meat pie from a recipe I found on Pinterest, sounded lovely with christmassy spices, but I don't want to do anything that's too heavy because we go to church for 6pm and ideally I'd like it to be easy.

Last year we had soup in bread bowls and fondue.

I always cook a nice big piece of gammon on Chr. eve- glazed with a mix of orange marmalade, Dijon mustard and allspice, among other things. We don't always eat it on Chr. Eve but it smells lovely while it's cooking - the smell has come to mean Christmas here - and is fantastic for having cold later, with salad and baked potatoes.

If we don't have that, what I've often done is a really nice fish pie - lots of cheese topped mash on top - which is v popular in this house anyway. Can easily be made earlier and heated up, though it does take a while from cold.

We always have fully loaded nachos.

We've had a chicken pie from the butchers before which I loved. We've had a Chinese takeaway, nice but feels wrong to me. I will be pushing for pie again this year.

We sometimes have pierogi (polish dumplings). We are not Polish but I ate tons of them when I lived there and they feel suitably wintery.

Christmas Eve is takeaway night in my household.

Crispy duck is the star of our Christmas Eve Chinese. DH has it ready when me and the DC get back from 6pm mass.

We have Salmon Wellington - just puff pastry wrapped salmon fillet with beetroot, creme fraiche and dill inside. Simple and delicious.

I've always thought fish was traditional and so I've always done fish pie.

Takeaway or nachos/fajitas etc here. I love the idea of a gammon but DS doesn't like it and we go away for several days on Boxing Day so it wouldn't get used up.

Yes gammon is no good as we have that on Boxing Day.

Fish Pie could be a great idea, everyone would enjoy that.

We're having macaroni cheese. It's the one dish DH can cook and is incredibly good! Means I can chill out in preparation for the cooking on the big day.

We have fish & chips, which we collect on the way home from the crib service.

I thought about Mac and Cheese - maybe with a lobster version for the adults. Will have to be little portions though as I want to do Panettone bread and butter pudding for afters!

I'm going for fish to keep it light and make sure things don't get a bit samey. I think I've settled on Roast cod on spiced puy lentils with steamed chilli broccoli and homemade nanns on the side.

We always have armies of people arriving on Xmas Eve and my go to dinner for many years is roast pork sandwiches with crackling, nibbles, mince pies, lots of booze.

I have friend and her Dds round. Use to do buffet food - party food type stuff when younger.

Last year I did pulled pork in slow cooker, apple sauce, stuffing and rolls. I then did tuna, cheese, salad/veg sticks/dip and the usual crisps, cakes, sausage rolls and sausages etc.

It went down really well. And am doing it again this year but am also doing jacket potatoes.

What made it easier was it was all stuff I could put in plastic tubs in fridge after and use over the following days between Christmas visits without the need to factor in cooking time!

Champagne, langoustines, potted shrimps, lemons, brown bread and butter for those who want it.

Last year we had a full on Swedish smorgasbord it was lush.

Champagne, loads of canapés from m&s, salad.

Easy. Yummy.

Salmon coulibiac is gorgeous, I did it for Christmas Day one year, I used Delia's recipe.