Boxing Day without leftovers…

[Margaritawithlime]

This year we are going to my parents for a huge get together. Very unlikely we will be coming home with many leftovers (there are so many of us whatever we can share around will be shared, but i doubt it will be lots)
normally on boxing day we do leftovers style buffet with a few things added as I cannot be arsed to cook
What to do this year?! MIL will be with us so three adults two children. What do you do if it isn’t leftovers style and isn’t another day in the kitchen?

You order a Chinese for dinner.
Cheese and crackers, cocktail sausages, that sort of thing for lunch.

I usually do a gammon joint with lots of crusty bread and picky bits.

We never have leftovers for Boxing Day as we go out on Christmas Day.
We just buy food specifically for Boxing Day.

Do you have a naice supermarket nearby? We did a booths and M&S order one year for a similar reason, then had a giant fancy nibbles board - was almost the same! Even got one of the mini crowns that cooks quickly for some hot meat, mini pastry nibbles and bites too, cold meats and cheeses etc. Worked really well, could all be cooked at the same temperature and stacked neatly in the fridge for our return!

One of those frozen turkey wrapped in bacon and stuffed popped in the oven. Then you can have some for your buffet on Boxing Day and some for sandwiches if any left.

Our family has always done a ham for Boxing Day. My vegetarian option and the puddings are left over from Christmas Day, but everything else is cooks fresh, and prepared in advance. Ham (which cooked on the day, but is very hands off), Dauphinois potatoes (prepared in advance and frozen), pigs in blankets, vegetables and then if there’s anything left over from Christmas like cold meat or cauliflower cheese, that gets added too. And there’s always a cheeseboard for afterwards.

One of those Indian party box things from Iceland where you shove it a in the oven. Cut up some cucumber, pepper, carrots etc. Houmous, breasticks, cocktail sausages, falafel etc.

Oh I’d like it all!
@monsteronahill we are in a town with booths so was also wondering about playing Xmas eve roulette to see what we could find on a bargain.

Cheese, crackers, chutney. Warm Sausage rolls ( homemade but I freeze raw and then cook on the day), mince pies.

Cheese, crackers, pate

sometimes I roast a chicken Christmas Eve if we aren’t going to be home for Xmas day and I have “leftovers” from that

Cheese

When we’ve rarely been away, I will at least cook a piece of gammon beforehand - that keeps for ages.
When we’ve stayed with friends (one of whom a Scandi) and I’ve suspected that we won’t be having any sort of ‘ proper’ Christmas dinner (her Scandi one is mostly fishy things) I’ve been known to buy a small frozen turkey, leave it in the fridge to defrost and cook it after we get back a few days later.

We love the leftovers - nothing ever gets wasted.

@Margaritawithlime Ooo me too - tbh my local is always really well stocked on Christmas Eve, we're a seaside town if that helps! Has pretty much everything in stock!

If I hadn’t cooked on Xmas day, it wouldn’t be ‘another day in the kitchen’ so I’d just cook something.

If you don’t want to cook, do a cold spread of cheese/crackers/pickles etc

Booths Christmas Eve last-minute reductions is exactly up my street! I’d definitely do that @Margaritawithlime. It’s great fun making something fabulous out of whatever you can find - we’ve done it a couple of times and always had plenty for feasting.

MIL is well up for it she laughed her head off and almost cheered at the idea so roulette it is!

Please update us after your Christmas Eve haul! 🎄🎄🎄

Haha I will

Update!
potato dauphinois £4
a beautiful glazed duck reduced from £49 to £6!!!
All done for a tenner.
amazing.
booths had the most incredible turkeys half price but I couldn’t face that much Turkey after tomorrow’s Turkey feast so another type of bird it is.

Your Mil sounds fun! Hope you have a lovely dinner!

Oh what a steal! Duck will be perfect.