christmas eve, xmas day and boxing day menu ideas for 10 people!! An ideas?

[supadoula]

Hi there, super mumnetters. I foolishly invited my family and DH family over Xmas and now I have to feed them all for 3 days for the first time in my life! HELP!
Any quick recipes and stuff that I can make in advance and freeze much appreciated!!
THANKS!

I love eating buffet and salady stuff on the days following a big xmas dinner. I get some cold meats, coleslaw, dips, celery, french bread or tiger bread, branston, a nice cheeseboard.

Alternatively you can get a big pot and make a nice chili with some rice or bread. Not too much effort involved either and people can help themselves. Plus you can cook it now and freeze it, then defrost it so it's ready just to be reheated.

WE have family over on Boxing Day. In the past I have done cold buffets but fine it such a faff, and also works out expensive. o last year I went with hot food and it was somuch easier. I served up:

• beef casserole
• wild mushroom, sun dried tomato and parmesan rissotto
• pork casserole

with lots of crusty bread and butter, and some Yorkshire Puddings for the casserole. Went down a treat

This year I am think of a big chilli, but need a non spicy veggie or fish alternative as well. Mind you, 5yo DD has requested sausage and mash, lol!

Couldn't you do sausage and mash? People always love it.

I do sausages cooked in oven in roasting dish with quartered onions and splash of oil. and roasted veg. once sausages are cooked,lift out and kee warm. make gravy with roasted onions, serve with mash, sausages on top, roasted veg (i do, mushrooms, pepers, toms & garlic) plus a green veg if you can be bothered.

do a ham for boxing day with leftovers and jacket potatoes.

christmas eve how about smoked salmon, olives, bread antipasti type thing....no cooking given that on christmas day you'll be doing turkeytastic ness

OOh yes, ham. I do like nigella's ham in cherry coke and it serves loads!

womblingalong - maybe DD's idea is doable then, she'd be ever so pleased

lovely fish pie for Christmas Eve (prepare it ahead, serve with veg)

turkey overload on the day

ham on Boxing Day (we do Nigella Ham)

Hula I'm doing Boxing Day as well and DH suggested sausage and mash last night Not yet decided.

But I do love Nigella's ham in coke. But then that leads to the whole buffet chinanigans (sp?)

Could I make yorkshire puddings, and then freeze and reheat them to go with it? Does anyone know? Also love the roast veg idea.

Hula could you do a chilli bean thing?

Bozza, You should be able to freeze yorkshires. Roasted veg is great as it is so easy to do, and looks and tastes good.

I would serve the ham with green veg, Nigella suggests creamed spinach and jacket pots, so no buffet shenannigans required. Leftovers can be used in sandwiches or with eggs for brekkie.

I also do roasted/baked fish with lemon and herbs on xmas eve, or a huge shepherds pie, or keema (indian minced lamb curry) and rice.

Could do veggie/bean chilli but TBh it is for me, and I just don't do spicy or hot.

Might go for sausage and mash now. Could make myself some yummy cheese and leek sausages (have a nice recipe somewhere that can be made in advance) Some caramilised onion gravy, some roast veggies in the oven and a few Yorkshire puddings. Mmmmm. Tempted

I still have decided on Christmas day ey.

i can totally recommed nigellas ham in cherry coke.
I hosted boxing day last year, i did that with crusty rolls. Also had cold meats left over from xmas day. Few ready done buffet things from m&s. Dips, crisps, veg and humous.
Then nigellas snow flecked brownies.
Went down a treat and wasnt really any effort.

hmm still undecided. I think sausage and mash would go down better with the children. I don't want it to be a sitdown meal really although i think I could seat 9 adults and 3 children. And I would certainly make the children sit to a table with that.

Might have a practice at the yorkshires and freezing them.

Hula,

What about roasted veg with pasta for you? Or is that a bit too everyday. I hae a brilliant recipe for a shallot tart. is good with the stuff w the roast.

Tend to have pasta and roasted veg a fair bit TBH. Mind you we do have sausage and mash a lot too, lol!

What abou veg lasagna or casserole. I love spicy food, so most of my veg options are, so prob not very inventive suggestions!

I think for Christmas Eve I will go for a Lasagne or a cottage pie as they can be made in advance and all you have to do is put it in the oven and do some veg.

Boxing Day will be cold turkey, new potatoes, salads, probably some veg and a piece of boiled ham.