First Christmas dinner tips

[elland]

I'm making my first Christmas dinner this year for 4/5 adults and a newly turned 1 year old!

What are your must haves/have nots or just general tips for timing, prep anything that will help me?

I'm just looking at things to keep us entertained aswell so anything fun that you do around the table I'd be interested to hear about too!

Thank you for all the ideas! I've been out all evening so it's fab to come back to so many replies.

@TheWorldIsMyCakePop Yep I'm okay with a roast but it is basic so I just wanted some fresh ideas on how to make Christmas dinner better.

So I think definitely prep veg the day before and make my own Yorkshire's, I think I'll have a practice at doing them at the weekend, do you have a failsafe recipe @errorofjudgement?

I'm going to look at timing ideas for a plan now!

@SlatternIsTrying I think pugs in blankets would go down even better than pigs!

No need to do much the day before, most of our Christmas dinner will be in the freezer this weekend. Prep and par boil the potatoes, shake them and open freeze. Them bag them up and put them in the oven from frozen. They are even crisper than normal roast potatoes. Same with parsnips. You can do gravy and bread sauce now, they freeze really well.

For timings, we use Delia (although cut back severely on turkey cooking times).

Our must haves are turkey, potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, carrots, cranberry, gravy. We will add in trimmings as we feel like it, bearing in mind that we have already had an American Thanksgiving, and several works meals (also turkey and trimmings).

My biggest effort at Christmas is planning all the other meals, including how to manage leftovers.

Roast potatoes - make more than you think you need
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I just do turkey crown with stuffing roast potatoes. Braised Cabbage, sprouts and carrots. Nowone has noticed I haven't cooked 500 different items

@70isaLimitNotaTarget All of the extra ones will be going on my plate! Best bit!

elland a veggie (well fish eating) and a separate dairy free toddler is the norm in my house. Unfortunately is rules out loads of prepare stuff.

KiaOraAura what do you shake the roasties in? How long will they take to cook from frozen?

I agree with Helly we are really toning things down. I know that when you host you feel like you want to do the best you can and the most food etc, but I think having enough well prepared food alongside a non stressed hostess is probably preferable.

If you're going to have a practice run of some stuff - I trust either Delia or Mary Berry for recipes.

Our pigs in blankets will be ready bought from frozen probably as only 2 of the 4 of us eat it. If I was catering for more, I'd be tempted to make gravy and par boiled spuds beforehand.

chaos just drain the roasties into a colander and give them a bit of a shake round in that. I believe that they take sort of the same amount of time 45-60 minutes, but I've never done frozen ones.

Chaos just par boil, drain them and shake them in the colander or back in the pan to roughen the surfaces. Then as above, open freeze them and once they are frozen, put them into a freezer bag or container. On the day, just cook as normal, so tip them into the hot fat from frozen. Allow about 10 minutes longer, so around 55 mins, but they may be ready a bit sooner depending on your oven.

You can do the same with your parsnips. Also, I roast carrots with onions and balsamic, that's one less pan to watch.

Open a bottle of wine and drink it whilst you are cooking, it makes the whole day so much less stressful 😂

Sprinkle roasties with ground cornmeal (in world food section at supermarket) makes them super crunchy. Heat plates and se4ving bowls so really piping hot before serving, really helps to keep things warm.

Pigs in blankets are quick and easy to make and IMO much nicer than bought ones. Buy best quality sausages and cut into three with kitchen scissors. Wrap each in half a rasher of streaky bacon and skewer on cocktail sticks, two on each. I always make loads - there are never any left!

For the cooking, work back from the time you plan to sit down to eat. Plan to take the turkey (if you're having one) out of the oven a good hour before eating (wrap in foil and tea towels - it will keep nice and hot.) That will give you plenty of time to cook the veg.

Once you've worked it all out, write it out in order, starting with when you need to switch the oven on to heat up. Stick your timetable on the front of the fridge or anywhere else where it's easy to refer to.

And remember, it's just a glorified roast, so needn't be at all stressful as long as you're reasonably organised.

Not read thread op I think drowning roast potatoes in goose fat, is different from ordinary roast, alcohol in gravey, upgrading a few items.. Atmosphere, lighting etc lifts it from that normal meal..

Has anyone made mash potatoes in advance and frozen?? (I know a bit controversial but everyone loves mash and roast pots in this house!!!)

Last year, I cooked the turkey on Christmas Eve. I carved it and lay the sliced meat in my lasagne dish, covered it in foil, and stuck it in the fridge. Stripped the rest of it etc..
I prepped all the veg too...par boiled potatoes, shook them and put them on a buttered foil tray, same with parsnips etc.. and put it all in the fridge.
Christmas Day, I reheated the sliced turkey as everything was finishing cooking and as a pp said, poured boiling hot gravy over everything.
It was lush! So much less stressful and messy in terms of clearing up.

Each to their own, but I don't understand this cooking the turkey the day before and reheating slices in gravy.
It's just not Christmas here without a whole turkey coming to the table in all its glory.

Must admit I'd like Dh to be a bit quicker with the carving, though! I always tell people to dig in once they've got their portion, not to wait for everyone else.

We do what most would consider Christmas dinner more or less every Sunday.

Joint
Pigs in blankets
Stuffing
Cauliflower cheese (Home made)
Roast pots (done with semolina and parmesan)
Parsnips
Yorkshires (Home made)
Sprouts
Carrott and swede mash (Aunt bessies)
2 x veg

I do bread sauce some weeks no matter the joint because I like it so why not. Don't get hung up on whether you should or shouldn't have certain items with the meat your cooking, cook what you like :) We like some of everything in proportion.

My tips, don't put pressure on to be sat down to eat at a specific time. I always let guests know it will be sort of within an hour slot ;)

Start with an empty dishwasher and sink, clean as you go and where you can re-use stuff after giving them a wash.

Double check everything will fit in the oven (I have some issues with this most weeks and it can take some logistics depending how many I am feeding)

Open a bottle of your favourite wine.

Your kitchen, your rules, if you want space and everyone out then off they go. Personally we are open plan so everyone sits up at the breakfast bar and we all chat whilst I cook. If they don't like my chaos and mess they can cook their own food ;)

I try and have cheese board, grapes pickles etc laid out ready and covered up plus an easy to serve pudding with custard/cream etc ready to go in nice jugs so once the main meal is done I can relax. I also get all crockery and cutlery out ready and put to one side.

Candle light and fairy lights make an atmosphere, as does a nicely laid table.

Napkins are not optional!

Delegate, I like to do all the cooking but try to aim for cleaning up with one person clearing the table, one scraping and rinsing and one loading the dishwasher, sides wiped down, leftovers in fridge etc.

Keep the left overs, next day bubble and squeak with cold meat and cheese and pickles is awesome. We chop all the veg, stuffing, pigs in blankets and pots and sort of mush together like a stuffing texture but with discernible bits still, then fry or oven bake till piping hot and golden/crisp. Really lovely, esp with brown sauce if not doing cheese etc.

All that being said, as I do this most Sundays I have treated myself to a M&S Christmas dinner so I can chill drinking champagne, so thats always an option ;)

Loads of good tips already. Here are mine.

• buy a good quality fresh turkey. It will c

Oops pressed send too soon!

Buy a good quality fresh turkey. It will cook loads quicker and taste better.

Prepare everything on Xmas Eve. Peel and chop all veg, wrap pigs in blankets etc.

Buy disposable foil trays for everything except the bird (which will be too heavy and need a proper tray).

Make gravy in advance or buy it.

Get everyone to write down what they want to help when dishing u

Possibly a bit late to be helpful, but if anyone ever offers you a Hostess Trolley, don't turn it down. We inherited my DM's and it lives in the utility room, provides a home for the 'decent' china and is a godsend when a big meal is underway, especially at Christmas when it keeps the veg, sauces, stuffing sausages, bacon etc and the plates warm and out of the way. I wouldn't be without it.

So much unnecessary stress! Go to cook, purchase food, cook as per their instructions then serve

Preparing the food is part of the magic of Christmas. I don’t see the point in throwing money at making it effortless. Santa Claus just doesn’t do it.

Thanks everyone! Got some great ideas