Non Christmas Food for Christmas week

[Todaynotalways]

Thought I'd share a few non-Christmas food we have planned - not least because I've been so distracted by Christmas goodies, I almost forgot that we'll need food between the Christmas-themed-meals.

I'll make a big saucepan of minestrone soup and freeze half, so it's good for a quick and vegetable-focused dinner. I serve it with grated cheese on top.

Same with (red) lentil soup. We always get some take-and-bake baguettes this time of year, so we can whip up a quick soup and bread.

I'll make a herby white bean casserole (a recipe of my own design) which I'll serve with breaded haddock on top (again, I made this up).

I must've been on a bean-tip that day, because the same day I ordered stuff for a white bean and tuna bake (with gruyere and panko breadcrumbs on top).

We always have some packets of thick noodles, and some ramen sauce (itsu do a nice one with a long fridge life) - so we can always plonk some veg and a soft boiled egg, chilli etc. in to make ramen.

If anyone else has any low-effort, but reasonably healthy ideas, I'd love to hear them. Esp if they are high on cupboard stocks, and low on fridge space!

This sounds delightful! I also find that minestrone is a cracking boxing day food since it reeeally benefits from that good carcass stock and sucks up all your leftover veg.

As for what else - what's languishing in your fridge and cupboards? Anything that would lend itself to a stir fry or pasta dish? Or a fried rice/veg biryani is always fridge detritus-friendly. A risotto? Oven baked for ease

Monday - beef baguettes and chips (leftover beef from last night)
Tuesday - going to an all you can eat buffet after a day out
Wednesday - whatever we have in and need to use up
Thursday - whatever we have in and need to use up
Friday - going to an all you can eat buffet after a day out
Saturday - Toby Cavery
Sunday - Buffet Food
Monday - Takeaway

We love a Mary Berry ragu (she uses pork and beef mince, we just use beef). The slow cooking of this is the secret and it goes well with pasta, baked potatoes or just garlic bread. Also a "veg sauce" curry ...lots of veg thrown in a casserole dish with oil, curry paste and chicken breasts. Take out after 1.5h or so, lift out chicken breasts and whiz the veg into a delicious sauce. Kids love it and is packed with veggies and pull apart chicken.

@Todaynotalways good idea for a minestrone. I think I’ll make a big pot of it this weekend so we can have a vegetable respite as well on Monday and Tuesday. I’m going to make a chicken curry/yellow lentil dhal for dinner tonight and possibly freeze half for next week for easy food.

I always buy a couple of nice pizzas in and freeze them. Quick and easy option for dinner the days after the turkey is finished and you fancy something different.

good point about cupboard rather than fridge ingrediants. i discovered a fantastic bean soup, so might do this,

We are having a spicy veggie chilli soup Xmas Eve with crusty bread.
Next week
*cauliflower cheese with mushrooms , leeks and bacon
*veggie Thai curry
*pasta with roasted veg and mozzarella
*sweet potatoes baked, prawns and avo salad

Any of you who have plans for minestrone soup have a fail safe favourite recipe you can share? It's a good idea - may follow suite.

We are having an Indian banquet Wednesday, Italian Thursday and Chinese Friday, party food Saturday

@marlowe5 this is the basic recipe I follow and it's extremely flexible www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/minestrone_soup/. You can sub or add so many vegetables in there and I tend to add in ground beef as well for extra protein. Instead of cabbage, it may be cavolo nero or basic kale; I add parsley while cooking, etc. I also tend to add some lemon zest at the end along with extra parsley. If there's an extra Parmesan rind laying around, I'll add that during the cooking process. It's delicious!

I like having the stuff in to do a Thai sort of style salad. Highly inauthentic but sliced cabbage, spring onions, red peppers, salted peanuts, coriander, lime juice, fish sauce and chilli...that sort of thing. It's crunchy and light and nice after all the heavy stuff and goes well with leftover turkey or ham.