Bugger, yes I know its me and I'm always haughtily dismissive of this topic till December BUT have gone from always the guest to the host

[TwigorTreat]

for 14 people including 2 vegetarians

need recipe help

have never cooked a turkey in my life ... its not just a big chicken is it

how big do I need? (lot of meat-eating blokey appetites)

If you have a Home and Bargain near you they are selling Jamie Oliver's Christmas Dvd plus recipe cards for 99p! It includes everything and tells yu when to start making thm including a count down nd step by step Turkey cooking guide.

Hahahahahahaha.

MIL always cooked it the day before, then carved and reheated it on the day. Meant she had more time for drinking on the day.

or get it for £3 odd on ebay?

Delia's Christmas Book has a countdown in it - she does overcook the turkey I find.

If you want a nut loaf recipe (make in advance and freeze until Christmas eve) I will try to find my link to another thread about this.

M&S get everything pre done and sling it in - DH cooks roasts so let him do it but if it was down to me M&S would be my first port of call!

euwwwww Jamie gor blimey guv Oliver

you must be jokin'

no I am looking for the expert MNer advice a la wong-of-suzy and her ilk who can talk me a turkey-virgin through it

Message withdrawn

I had 13 here last year and had about a 16lb turkey I think. We had lots of leftovers but I planned for that. It was quite easy really, I prepared the veg and potatoes the day before. Made all the mince pies, christmas puddings beforehand along with snacks such as sausage rolls, cheese and onion rolls, truffles, chocolate torte and some other things too.

I made most of the snacks the week before and put them in the freezer. I use delia smith's christmas book and I find it very good. We ate around 3pm so I wasn't up too early putting the turkey on. I was 37 weeks pregnant at the time as well so I couldn't even have a drink!

Oh but my 13 included 2 small children and me and my mother who are vegetarians so less people eating the turkey. I didn't do anything special for us as the roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings, loads of different veg was quite enough after the starter and before the christmas pudding.

OMG Twig!

What the hell are you doing in the Christmas section? You, you...... traitor.

Good Food magazine christmas edition (wait for Dec one out 3rd Nov I think).

Has recipes from elaborate to simple (for everything) including vege alternatives. Timing guides, preparation guides (how long everything can be made in advance, what can be frozen) etc and every other bit of info you need (including where to find good turkeys etc).

I always cook it like it is just a big chicken tbh
I never understand why people go on about Xmas dinner so much
Tis just a roast
can use ready made bread sauce from M&S, ditto gravy to make it easier
expensive cranbery sauce too to jazz it up
make sure the table looks divine and bingo, Christmas sorted

go out

saves on dishes

last year we cheated and used Aunt Bessie's roast potatoes - half an hour in the oven as the turkey was standing and then being carved.
Cut down on prep time, space in the oven and most importantly... washing up

Make sure the turkey will fit in your oven if you are getting a really big one.

Peel spuds and parsnips the night before and cover with water and a slice of white bread to stop them browning. Make bread sauce, cranberry sauce the week before and freeze. Make gravy by using a turkey drumstick, bay leaf generous slug of red wine water etc to make a stock and freeze rather than faff around with giblets on the day (just use it along with the juices from the cooked bird.)

I would say not to use the frozen potatoes as they taste vile they really do, much easier to peel the night before and then roast on the day. A large turkey will stand for an hour covered loosly with foil and still stay hot so that's time to cook the roast potatoes.

Agree with upside down. There was a very embarrassing incident the first time I cooked a turkey, I was about 20 at the time and had completely underestimated how small pub measures of gin were compared to what I had poured into my glass whilst cooking the turkey.

I lovingly basted the blasted thing and it looked all golden brown. So set about carving it only to find there appeared to be practically no meat on it, cue gin-fuelled near hysterics. Once everyone else had stopped laughing and pointed out it was upside down, we managed to eat, very tender it was !

dh makes a fabulous NUT ROAST that everyone loves. Let meknow if you want it.

14 is not that many btw.

Nigella Turkey is great

well saggar me love its not so much christmas as pre-planning entertainment

yes please beety

I know 14 isn't that many .. its the feckin' veggies that bugger it up really

do I need to make a christmas pudding if I hate them?

lol mmj
I guess it all depends how much you enjoy cooking and eating and washing up on Xmas day
round here we enjoy drinking loads and opening the presents and going for a long walk in the fresh air
but a great cook I aint!