Make Ahead Goodies

[FridgeCut]

I am following the HGP and I'm a week behind and doing the lounge this week. It says to make one batch of holiday goodies, what do you make this far ahead? Any recommendations?

Sorry to be dense, but what's HGP?

holidaygrandplan.com/

Holiday Grand Plan - quite American but it is a way to get clean and tidy and organised ahead of Christmas. Each week focuses on a different aspect of your home and so by Christmas everything has had a bit of a spring clean and you are organised and ready.

I'm making flavoured vodka in small bottles at the moment.

For the freezer you could make cookie dough, (rolled in to logs ready to slice and bake from frozen) red cabbage, gravy (Jamie Oliver's get ahead gravy is a good one) but also mincemeat for pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding...

I'm sure others will come up with more ideas!

I have cookie dough, I guess I could crack on with my other bits. Red cabbage and gravy I can do. I think I was thinking "Holiday Goodies" more meant sweets / cookies / nice savoury nibbles.

I think I will aim to do my red cabbage, gravy, stuffing, make some puff pastry, make some different cookies, make some savoury bits.

There are ten weeks where you make a meal for the freezer and a holiday goodie for the freezer / ahead.

Oooh I might join in with you. I make flavoured butters to liven up vegetables ahead of time (though not usually this far ahead). I didn't make mincemeat last year as I'd made a huge batch the previous year and still had loads left. Need to make some of that, and of course Christmas cakes. We've got lots of apples and blackberries in the garden at the moment so think I will make apple and blackberry jam to go in hampers this year. Hadn't thought of doing red cabbage and gravy ahead. I usually make some great oaty cheddar and rosemary biscuits to go with cheese - have always just made them fresh but I imagine the dough would freeze well, just like cookie dough, albeit slightly more crumbly. Will give it a try.

Will you have enough freezer space, and will your stuff keep in the freezer for long enough? I aim to eat my freeze-ahead meals within 2-3 months of freezing.

So at this time of year, I'd be looking at non frozen stuff. Sloe gin or other flavoured spirits, mincemeat, Christmas pudding, pickled onions, chutney, preserves in general.

Good point Broomstick, Mincemeat this week and a pudding next week, then we are a bit closer and I'll do the red cabbage and then on.

Damson gin is brewing in the cupboard and I'll be making piccalilli by the end of the week. Next week I'll make Nigella's Christmas chutney.

Forgot to say we always make Christmas cake in half term so that everyone gets a stir and wish!

Lol I'm having the same dilemma as you, I'm following the HGP and I'm like wtf can I freeze? Hot Choc Stirrers? Dunno If You Can freeze Them But They Should Last In Cupboard