Christmas Day Cheat Food

[roundtable]

I have 15 or more people coming round for Christmas Day.

I'm looking forward to it but the previous times I've made everything. Which meant I spent most of the time in the kitchen and missed out on stuff.

Don't want to do that this year so I'm looking for cheat food that doesn't taste synthetic if that makes sense.

I will still peel and roast own potatoes as you can't fake that and make own Yorkshire puddings for the same reason. Oh and probably will make own cauliflower cheese as I will do it christmas eve and refrigerate.

However does anyone have any brand suggestions that are delicious? I saw some places sell ready made red cabbage etc and wanted some tips please. But then I suppose I could make that prior and freeze it? The more I think of things, the more I think I could make it quite easily. But it all adds up time wise. I am definitely buying precut veg though.

Ideas gratefully received. Oh food places nearby are, morrisons, aldi, tescos, asda - further out but reachable: sainsbury, m&s,

Thanks FeckingCs, that sounds marvellously doable. Might test it out this weekend actually. Last minute yorkshires with Everything!

I normally make a double batch on a Sunday so I've got some if we are having a quick sausage and mash meal during the week.

Pigs in blankets - just buy .. Lidl ones came out tops in Observer taste test this week

I make red cabbage with pears and port every year about 4 days in advance .. and store it in th ebottom of fridge ( or shed if its cold) - we havent died yet!

DH always does goose fat potatoes but DM (91) has given up cooking and says Aunty bessies frozens ones are really, really good

You could cook also the turkey several days before slice and freeze with gravy and just heat in the oven .. stuffing ( m&S is good ) can be bought and cooked in the trays it comes in the oven

Have m&s pigs in blankets already in the freezer, will make everything else I think, but if anyone wants cauliflower cheese m&s is lovely. Personally Christmas veg is roast spuds and parsnips, mashed carrot and swede with sprouts and carrot batons for Dd who doesn't like swede.

Oh and we have Pheasant..! One brace is enough for 3 or 4 with everything elase I usually buy them early November when they are cheaper - ours were £6.99 a brace ( but they are not that much more now in Waitrose or Sainsburys - so much cheaper than turkey ) and put in freezer. They take about 40 mins to cook only and are great.

I've never had pheasant before. I'd like to try it though. I was considering getting a goose as I've never had that before either. I already have turkey, ham and beef though. Overkill?

My bank balance is suffering.

I've bought loads already and I haven't even got the fresh stuff!

Is pheasant similar to chicken...?

I've not read everything g but M&S red cabbage mix is amazing! It's all raw and pre shredded, with apples and cranberries. You simply add red wine, vinegar, sugar and a cinnamon stick and bake. You can do it the day before and heat through. It's my find of the year so far!

Sort of , they are smaller so less of it , but they are usually bred these days either for farmed phesant or for shooting .. its not a strong-tasting meat .. You can buy pheasant breasts in sainsburys/other supermarkets / local butchers to try it beforehand. (if you buy whole bord from local butchers or farmers markets you may find some shot in them , but it is harmless)

You can parboil potato's the day before, let steam dry out then dust in plain flour with salt and seal in zip lock bags in the fridge.

I've actually already made my own home made Yorkshire's ahead and frozen them, mostly as we only have 3 oven shelves and I do open the doors at times and deflate them. Same with stuffing that's great made ahead and frozen.

Garden peas or green beans frozen usually do well.

Buying stuff to chuck away...how environmentally friendly!

I do my potatoes in advance. I did then last weekend and they are in the freezer. This is what I do

Peel and chop up Maria Piper spuds into the right size for roasties, preferably roughly the same size as each other. Put onto boil in salted water. When boiling, turn down to summer until they are almost cooked through - more cooked than you'd usually do for roasties, but not dissolving into mash obviously!

Drain, then leave in colander with a tea towel over to steam for 10 minutes.Meanwhile, line a couple of flat baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Place potatoes on trays, not touching. Leave somewhere cold (eg garage or shed) to cool down quickly.

Once cold, place in freezer and open freeze. Once frozen, pop into freezer bags and return to freezer.

On the day, remove turkey from oven to rest. Take potatoes put of freezer. Whack the oven up to 200, heat some goose fat or oil in a tray, and tip potatoes in. Cook for 45 minutes, turning a couple of times.

Works every time for me. Did it last year for 14 people. I also freeze gravy ahead (although I defrost it before use) and red cabbage (again, defrost first then reheat in microwave). I buy pigs in blankets from our butcher and cook those at the same time as the spuds.

I also make sausageeat stuffing balls ahead of time, cook then then open freeze. I defrost them and reheat on the day, but they don't take very long to heat through as they are already cooked. About 12 - 15 minutes.

I also cheat and buy M&S Yorkshire puds.

harmless.. well, obviously not to to the Pheasants! ....

My mum has given up coming almost entirely, and served an m&s Christmas dinner last year. Pigs in blankets, spuds, even the gravy came in a jar, and it was all good xx

Great ideas, thank you.

Sorry Whiskey , who's buying stuff to chuck it away?

M and s ultimate mash - ive truly no idea why people would peel boil and mash their own

I am definitely not mashing potatoes!

I do like a potato dauphinoise though and I've never tried a shop bought one. Any recommendations? Or am I going to be getting the slicer out?

Any food that is not eaten on Christmas day is going to feed family (17 people) in the evening on boxing day so leftovers is fine!

are fine, not is!

Homemade Yorkshires can be frozen and then only take a few minutes to reheat and are as good as if you had just done them.

Lidl do dauphinois potatoes in their chilled section. Really cheap and very very nice too.

Whisky You can put foil trays in the recycling. Cardboard wrappers also in the recycling. One could argue that the amount of heated water and detergent it would take to wash baking trays and roasting dishes would be equally as non-environmentally friendly, but it's Christmas so who has time for being petty.

I get it all preprepared from M&S, even the potatoes. They are in a foil tray peeled with goose fat and come out perfect. Just the right amount of crisp on the outside and fluff on the inside. Never been disappointed with anything from there for Christmas. Veg does work out a lot more expensive but the trimmings aren't too much more than they are if making from scratch plus the extra free time it gives is worth it for the us.

Although just seen you have 17 people so that would be very expensive if you did it our way.

Small vote for Lidl Yorkshire puddings, they are absolutely lovely.

Yes I looked at the prices and related it to 17 people and thought eek!

I'm going to get cooking on Sunday.

Now I need to work out where everyone is going to sit... we might be having a picnic!