Building a 2.5 hour break into Christmas meal cooking

[PermanentTemporary]

So. I'm hosting teenage ds and very elderly dm for Christmas lunch. At 9am I will leave house to go and get my dm from her nursing home an hour away. Should be back with her by 1130. We need to eat about 1-130.

Im doing roast duck, roast potatoes, gravy, pigs in blankets, orange sauce, green peas, some sort of carrots, followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter and chocolate roulade with cream. Then at 3pm I have dsis and teenagers arriving for cheese and biscuits, chocs and fruit. I'll set off about 4-430 with dm back to the nursing home.

I think before 9am if the duck and pigs are defrosted, the potatoes parboiled, the puddings ready on platters with the orange sauce ready in the fridge, that we've got plenty of time to do nice jobs like decorate the table, whip cream and put chocs on pretty dishes with dm.

Are there any potential problems I've missed??

Only that it sounds like an exhausting day for your DM. Mine isn’t even very elderly but would find that too long a day.

You are going to be exhausted too!

It sounds lovely. Personal preference, but I'd also whip the cream in advance, as it tastes so much nicer when it's been back in the fridge for a bit. I'd definitely premake or buy pigs in blankets, too.

Hope your DM has a lovely Christmas. Very precious, this time together.

Could you set and decorate the table on xmas eve? One less job to think about on xmas day.

Yes it's going to be exhausting for her and us. I've contemplated not doing it and spending the day with her but she hates her situation so much that I feel I have to try. Another drive for me the following day to see my father in law and take him a meal but should get a lie in at least. Also with the driving I can't drink so that will help.

The saving grace is that she absolutely loves being taken for a drive and doesn't find it as tiring as you'd think.

Thanks for the tip about the cream. Yes, premade pigs already in the freezer - basically I'm buying everything in except the veg.

Sounds wonderful OP and you sound like a very kind daughter. I would do as much as possible the night before - you can peel all the spuds and carrots and chop and put in water for example. Have a lovely time!

If you eat a big meal 1/1.30 you won’t want to eat cheese, chocs etc so soon after. Would just do a drink for your guests then, and take your mum back sooner.

And your guests can have any nibbles etc while you’re out.

Definitely do things like set table, whip cream etc the day before.

The only problem I’m seeing is you’ll not want to look at the cheese and crackers so soon after Xmas lunch But it sounds wonderful and you’re doing a great job!

Sounds lovely, you can skip the parboiling for the potatoes if it makes life easier, although they need longer in the oven.

Mary berry does her roast potatoes the night before and re roasts on the day. Gravy and sauce could be made the day before too. I find those are the things I have to keep a close eye on so good to get them sorted. Can your son prep the carrots/veg?

I'm going to pile my plate with veg and a bit of duck, ds is 17 so will manage all the roasties and chocolate roulade... unfortunately I'm more than capable of a cheese course within a couple of hours, I wish I wasn't! There'll be 3 teenagers attacking the food so they'll eat most of it.

Oh God. Stuffing. I guess I can make balls of it and have them ready.

Could your mum stay overnight with you and you could take her back when you go to FIL or is that not allowed?

In a word, no - no spare room, stairs a deathtrap, we've tried her staying here in my bedroom even before she was as frail and cognitively impaired as she is now and it was a disaster. The nursing home she is staying in is actually a rehab unit and highy specialist. They think this can be done though.

Have fun and don’t forget to take some lovely family photos.

Is your DS coming with you to pick up your DM or will he be home to do some prep and pre heat the oven?

I would do everything you can in advance.

Xmas Eve:
Defrost duck and pigs in blankets in the fridge - you could actually put them into roasting trays and cover in cling film if you have space
Par boil potatoes and keep covered in the fridge overnight
Peel and prepare carrots, store in water in the fridge overnight
Make the gravy, orange sauce and brandy butter, refrigerate
Put the chocolates on nice dishes and cover with clingfilm - if you think your DM would enjoy this job, you can always secretly tip them in a tupperware so she can redo it if there is time but it's done if you are running late
Make up cheese board and refrigerate covered in cling film
Wash and make up fruit platter, cover with cling film and refrigerate

Xmas morning:
Whip cream, cover so moisture doesn't get in and refrigerate
Plate up puddings, cover and refrigerate
Check the duck and PIBs are defrosted (if you remove the duck from any packaging/cling film, the skin will dry out and it will be crispier on cooking)

Xmas 11.30am
All you have to do is cook the food and enjoy decorating the table with your DM

Xmas post lunch
Arrange the crackers on a plate

@chesirecat99 that's what I've needed to do and have been avoiding working on!! Thank you x

Without sounding trite can't the teenagers get on with the cooking whilst you get your mum?

I was also going to say that will your mum want to ‘help’ I know she’s possibly frail. But I know how some parents do want to feel they are doing something. She could sit at the table, arrange the cheeseboard for later or something. May make her feel more part of the organisation

Have a lovely day!!

@bowlingalleyblues

Mary berry does her roast potatoes the night before and re roasts on the day. Gravy and sauce could be made the day before too. I find those are the things I have to keep a close eye on so good to get them sorted. Can your son prep the carrots/veg?

I started doing this a few years ago and it works really well. Would recommend.

I mean roasting potatoes day before a la Mary Berry

@GettingStuffed

Without sounding trite can't the teenagers get on with the cooking whilst you get your mum?

Not any teenagers I know, bless them. It's Christmas dinner, important to have an experienced cook at the wheel who knows all the timings like the back of her hand.

Glad my list helped. If forgot stuffing as it wasn't in your first post! You can prepare that on Xmas Eve too but shop bought ones are good and will make your life easier.

I should have said it takes at least 24 hours to defrost a whole duck so put it in the fridge first thing on Xmas Eve, possibly even the night before if it is a large duck. Alternatively (or in an emergency), you can defrost it submerged in cold water in a watertight bag in a couple of hours. You need to change the water every 20 mins so it stays below 5C.

You could be even more efficient by putting everything you need to lay and decorate the table together in one place the night before so it is all at hand for your DM. I find a written schedule of cooking times and alarms on my phone are helpful if there are lots of dishes to go on at different times.

Have a lovely day! Just relax and enjoy being with your DM. It's not the end of the world if lunch is a tiny bit late so don't stress and spoil your day by rushing around.

Do you have a DP/DH? If so, get them onboard with the preparation/cooking, even if it's helping get veggies ready early morning and putting the duck onto cook while you relax with your DM for a few minutes. Also, if you there are teenagers (even young ones) they're capable of laying the table, bringing items through for washing up (and even doing it). Anything that takes the pressure off.

Hate to say it, but do you really need to do that much when the family arrive in the afternoon. You'll have had what's probably a leisurely meal and it'll be a rush to get kitchen cleared and other foods out - would a coffee and mince pie be enough?