Help me to not spend Christmas in the kitchen please

[SugarAndLemon]

I see people here speak of a cozy and fun Christmas Eve, going for walks on Christmas morning, and I don't know how they do it. My husband does an equal amount of food prep/cooking but it feels like Christmas is spent in the kitchen rather than enjoying the day. Even the night before we are prepping food rather than relaxing. Can you help us?

We don't have many people to feed and want to do a traditional roast with sides. Ordering or relying on pre-prepared food is not an option unfortunately. Where are we going wrong and how can we better arrange our days?

I suspect it might not work allergy wise but I've given up on a whole Turkey- I buy a rolled breast sometimes stuffed and wrapped in bacon. I have got them from Waitrose before but you could ask a butcher to do it too.
This takes up far less space and cooks quickly so that I can use the oven more and really go to town on sides- which are my favourite bits anyway!
It's also easy to carve.
I love cooking but I hate massive Turkey carcasses and leftover meat so it's the perfect solution for me.

@SugarAndLemon
Unfortunately those and many other vegan foods aren’t suitable for people with egg allergies as they may still contain egg.

I think you'll find that anything VEGAN most definitely does not contain egg.

But yes to what everyone else has said - cut down and make ahead.

It might depend how big your oven is and if you have a single or double one. I would do:
Turkey in the main oven (because I can't usually get both shelves in with a big bird in) - pour yourself some fizz and put your feet up while that's cooking.
Parboil potatoes to coincide with the turkey coming out.
Whack the oven temp up and put roasties, pigs in blankets and stuffing (usually buy ready made but if making your own I'd do in advance and freeze) in the main oven when the turkey comes out. Wrap turkey in tin foil and tea towels to rest.
Meanwhile parsnips go in the top oven at the same time and carrots / sprouts on the hob to steam shortly after.
I make red cabbage in advance and freeze and buy fresh ready made gravy so they both go in the microwave.
If you're using serving dishes for the table leave them to stand with boiled water in to warm and then they'll keep the contents warm for longer. (I would normally use the oven but it's generally too in demand on xmas day!)

I scrapped a sit down starter in favour of "nibbles" and fizz - either smoked salmon canapes or even easier is the deli nibbles type of platter - olives, some nice cold meats, hummus & bread sticks. You don't need loads if you're having a big roast dinner, just something to stop everyone moaning about being hungry before the main is ready!

OK, so firstly, I would bin off the yorkies!

Cook all of your meat the night before, or roast your turkey the night before and put your beef/gammon in the slow cooker overnight, if you cover your turkey in tin foil and warm tea towels it will stay warm for a good while.

Boil and ruffle up your roast spuds now and freeze them, and then cook them from frozen in beef dripping/goose fat on xmas day.

Go to your in-laws for Christmas dinner? or could you ask them all to bring a dish and you put it all together?

Eating later, much later is the key I think!
I would HATE to be eating a large meal at 1pm on Christmas Day. SWe never eat until about 7pm.

And I would really hate to eat Christmas dinner so late. Generally aim for 2pm in our house.

OK, so firstly, I would bin off the yorkies! 😳 you monster!

Pigs and home made stuffing is done and in the freezer. Just have to remember to take it out in time to defrost. Sometimes I might freeze home made yorkies too, depending on how much room I have. Once they’re defrosted, ten minutes in the oven to crisp them up again and they’re perfect.

Also, I’m a big fan of Birdseye steamed veg. They come in individual portions and take a minute in the microwave. Taste exactly the same, loads of varieties and no messing about with pans over boiling on the hob.

If they want a million sides, they can make them and bring them. You are not a restaurant. It is your Christmas too!

We're the same, DH refuses to buy pre-prepared as he says it's a waste of money. I do all the prep and he cooks everything.Our freezers are always chocablock so we can't do anything in advance. A lot of the problem is DH buying too much stuff like cheese I reckon at least 20 varieties are usual, salami and ham which also fill the fridges so we can't even chill stuff .
He hasn't learnt to potion size now we're not dealing with 7 adults and 3 children. This year we'll be 5 adults and one child( who eats a lot less than his uncles did)

[quote LeaveYourHatOn]@SugarAndLemon
Unfortunately those and many other vegan foods aren’t suitable for people with egg allergies as they may still contain egg.

I think you'll find that anything VEGAN most definitely does not contain egg.

But yes to what everyone else has said - cut down and make ahead.[/quote]
To be fair to OP, many vegan foods are not certified 'free from' because there could be cross-contaminants during production if the factory produces dairy items as well. For the average vegan it won't be an issue, but if someone has a severe dairy or egg allergy then it could mean the difference between an enjoyable meal or a trip to hospital.

@goose1964

We're the same, DH refuses to buy pre-prepared as he says it's a waste of money. I do all the prep and he cooks everything.Our freezers are always chocablock so we can't do anything in advance. A lot of the problem is DH buying too much stuff like cheese I reckon at least 20 varieties are usual, salami and ham which also fill the fridges so we can't even chill stuff . He hasn't learnt to potion size now we're not dealing with 7 adults and 3 children. This year we'll be 5 adults and one child( who eats a lot less than his uncles did)

What’s to stop you buying pre prepared and then decanting!

Honestly posts like this make me so happy I’m a single parent

I do a cold starter that takes minutes to prepare - dressing for this already pre-prepared.

Soup course is one that gets done in stages -the stock base gets done in early December, frozen and then just dumped in the slow cooker Christmas morning with the few fresh ingredients and defrosted meat and job done there.

Dessert is trifle - also done the day before except for the cream layer.

Main is fine, just goes straight in the oven.

Gravy also pre-prepared ahead of time and just reheated.

Red cabbage can be done beforehand and reheated. So after that it's just the carrots, sprouts and roasties.

Breakfast is a grazing affair of coffee, selection boxes and smoked salmon on brown bread with cream cheese and chives. And a mountain of sticky sausages (cocktail sausages tossed in hoisin sauce mixed with honey & baked, then sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds before serving)

We fight over who’s in the kitchen in our house! It’s warm cosy and fun making yummy stuff and the other gets stuck cleaning up wrapping paper, filling glasses and doing o early cheery Christmas talking with aged family members.
Even better if they all go out for a walk. Then you get a bit of peace with lovely Christmasy smells and a glass of wine whilst simply taking things in and out the oven at various times.

This is my Christmas lunch list, complete with where it’s stored (fridge or freezer) and how it’s cooked. Almost everything is prepared ahead and frozen. I prep the carrots, parsnips and sprouts the day before, and also lay the table and and set out serving dishes etc. On the day I just shove stuff in the oven and fry some sprouts. Removing the bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings would make it even easier.

Turkey - fridge - oven
Chipolatas in blankets - freezer - oven
Stuffing loaf - freezer - oven

Yorkshire puddings - freezer - oven
Potatoes - freezer - oven
Carrots and parsnips - fridge - oven
Red cabbage - freezer - microwave
Sprouts w/chestnuts - fridge - hob
Gravy - freezer - hob
Bread sauce - freezer - hob
Cranberry sauce - freezer

Loads of good advice on here @SugarAndLemon so won't repeat

When the children were really small we have used COOK - and it was a lifesaver. Now they are late primary I do my own but with lots of it pre - prepped and from the freezer.

When we ran out of sweets at Halloween I was encouraging the children to give away ice lollies as I wanted to make room !

My MIL is an excellent cook and they had a very traditional Christmas. But it was always highly stressful - they are coming to us this year so I'm clear we will do it our way which is different so not to draw comparisons. MIL also enjoys doing the puddings which is fine by me..

We will be doing bagels and smoked salmon (chocolate spread for the kids ) for breakfast and then snacks followed by lunch at about 1.30

We do compulsory walk at about 3pm before it gets dark and then puddings with cheese, sausage rolls and quiche plus salad bits at about 8. Lots of fizz, very relaxed

@TheLovelinessOfDemons

Ours is very simple:

Roast pork (the only meat acceptable to everyone)
Roast potatoes
3 veg
Gravy
Cranberry sauce
Apple sauce

Mine is similar but with turkey.

I make a trifle in advance which everyone likes, only DH likes Christmas pudding so he has that on Boxing Day.

We also have a big breakfast so no lunch and big meal later. People having nibbles during the day, whatever they want from fridge or fruit bowl but after a big breakfast they don't want much.

Did a Christmas dinner for 24 a few years ago. We prepped the veg a week before, and froze it, so all we had to do was roast them on the day. Any sauces - same.

@JamesWilbysAbs

2nd meat?? cauliflower cheese? Yorkshire puddings?? It would never have occurred to me to have any of these with Christmas dinner.

@JamesWilbysAbs you have to have Yorkie’s with a roast

That’s all Christmas dinner is

A glorified roast 😂😂

It's just a big roast.

Turkey on, prepare spuds and veg.
Go for a walk.
Come back, put spuds and longer timed veg/sides on.
Play a short game.
Put short timed veg, and so forth on.
Get everyone to lay the table.
Serve up.

Have a look at the Batch Lady Christmas cooking ideas. Most things can be prepped in advance and frozen according to her recipes. I've followed it for two years and it's been a lifesaver!

Tell your DH it is his turn.

Or else you go out to lunch.

There is still time to book somewhere.

We are going to a restaurant this year
Last year I worked and DH made Christmas dinner
The year before DH was working and DD and I enjoyed a feast of our favourite dishes from the Chinese on the floor in the living room while we played monopoly.
it's been 3 years since I made Christmas dinner and I don't intend on ever doing it again.

I start prepping the day before xmas eve

peel all the vegetables and put in saucepans in water
make Jamie Olivers cauliflower cheese - ready to go in the oven and red cabbage if having - cook it up ready to heat in microwave or rehab through

xmas eve make Yorkshire pudding batter, stuffing and prepare meat ready in tin foil tin, so it can go directly in oven xmas day. par boil spuds ready to go into hot fat in oven on xmas day

xmas day bung meat in oven

have fun

we buy gravy ready made

take meat out of oven one hour and a half before eating - this was a revelation to me, keep meat wrapped up - but now oven ifsfree for Yorkshires, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes etc

really after the meat is in the oven - nothing else needs to be done until an hour and a half before eating

then boil any other vegetables you need

goose1964

We're the same, DH refuses to buy pre-prepared as he says it's a waste of money. I do all the prep and he cooks everything.”

So basically, you do everything and he takes it in and out of the oven?

We do the gammon and Yorkies on Christmas Eve, we also prep all the veg then too. All left to do is veg, potatoes and chicken. There’s 3 of us that put a hand In so someone is always with the family.

@JumperandJacket

I make things ahead and freeze- gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce etc.

It also helps to have your meal later- dinner rather than lunch.

…you can freeze gravy?!