Festive but extremely quick and easy Christmas lunch ideas

[LazyCrazyAndStupid]

Have at the last minute invited some friends for Christmas day for lunch. I'm a lousy cook and also have two very young children so very little time to prepare anything. I'd still like to dish up something tasty and special. Any ideas? I'm a vegetarian so have got no idea how to cook meat but wouldn't mind offering meat dishes for our friends.

I'm also happy (in fact very, very happy) to use ready made food or any short cuts if anyone can recommend anything but nothing insanely expensive, please.

Go to your local supermarket and buy prepared foods, tray of roast potatoes, meat that just needs putting in the oven and follow instructions on the box/packet, or nut roast or there are plenty of other vegetarian/vegan roast options around, tray of veg job done.

I was in Asda, Aldi and tescos today, all had great options. Aldi definitely had the best.

I got 2 gammon joints today, I plan on trying to get the Aldi dauphinois potatoes to go with them. Got my DH a small bag of Brussels spouts with bacon and maple syrup and will just add some carrots. There were so many pre prepared options to choose from.

P.s if I was having a meal at a vegetarians home, I’d never expect them to serve me meat.

What is it you struggle with with cooking?

Is it timing everything right, looking after lots of dishes, or maybe how ingredients go together or what something looks like when it's done?

I'm just thinking that depending what you find difficult would probably change what I suggested.

How many will there be in total for lunch? Do you want to serve pudding as well? So you want a full traditional lunch or would something that's not a roast but still festive work for you?

Yes, I think, I will do that. We've done that in the past. Got stuff from costco but it just wasn't very nice.

Are there any particular brands you'd recommend? Also, what goes with what? Sorry, I know I'm being really silly about this but somehow the idea of dishing up a nice but easy meal has totally stumped me.

Being Christmas Day (of course only if you are happy) I would do soup

Turkey and ham (Turkey joint in a tin foil tray and it will have the timings on the box

buy prepared veg and trays of garlic potato and some kind of nut roast or veggie bake

Or what about a big tray of roasted veg and baby potatoes (that would be far easier)
then serve that with the meat or meat alternative

I agree with PP - you don't need to serve meat. Serve up pre prepared food you like the look of, lots of yummy sides, red cabbage, a nice gravy.

Have fun setting the table too, get the bling out.

Everything. There are a few staples I can make that the kids like but apart from that I've got no sense of what might go well with what and somehow things never turn out well or taste good. I can barely even follow a recipe.

The biggest problem though is time. Dh is away so it will just be me and two young kids. The only time I have to cook is when they are sleeping (and they aren't great sleepers).

I have invited 5 other adults, my two young kids and three older kids.

They don't expect traditional fare and no one is expecting a stuffed turkey with all the trimmings (whatever that means) but I'd like to serve something a bit more special than pasta or pizza (which I'd normally make) and especially something that the older kids will enjoy and will make them feel a bit festive.

Great idea. Will definitely do this. I actually make decent roast vegetables.

Turkey joint sounds good but is it like chicken? I always worry with meat about not preparing it properly and giving everyone food poisoning.Tried to make chicken breast in the oven last week but it took 2.5h longer in the oven than the instructions stated. Could I get pre-prepared turkey that is already cooked and just needs to be heated?

Starter: mushroom pate and toast/bread
Main: pre-done stuffed joint (loads around for Xmas), veggie alternative and roasted veg
Dessert: frozen chocolate pudding of some sort

Lots of drinks and chocolates!

I would make Delia’s roasted butter nut squash soup

(sorry can’t link but Google; it’s very easy, delicious and goes a long way if you serve it in small espresso cups or similar)

followed by sausage roll wreath

Served with a green salad of Romane lettuce, spring onions, cucumber, maybe watercress and radishes?

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sausage-roll-wreath/amp

then cheese board, crackers, grapes

followed by mango ice cream or sorbet?

Failing that I would buy a pre-prepared gammon ham and roast that, serve with green salad and new potatoes

Followed by Christmas pudding ice cream

Are you exaggerating OP? No chicken breast took 2.5hrs in the oven unless your oven is broken

not sure wh there to offer advice or it’s a piss take

I normally don't make meat but this time I would like to as I think the kids will enjoy it. As they aren't spending Christmas at home I want it to be nice for them. They are nice kids so it's not like they'll complain but I don't want them to be disappointed with the food or feel it's boring.

I don't have any bling tableware though I love the idea. I'm really not set up to host 🤔😶

No, it's true. Maybe the oven is broken but also because I don't eat meat myself and haven't eaten any for decades I don't really know when chicken is done so.kind of nuke it to make sure I've killed all bacteria. But yeah 2.5h is crazy. What a waste. I should have just given up.

The Turkey join I buy takes 50 mins (it will say it on the box)

but if you so the roasted veg and potatoes you could do something like salmon fillets (I oven roast these) or shop bought meat free something or other ??

I think I would do a nice tomato soup (buy it) and heat and leave in the slow cooker and serve with garlic bread

then chill for an hour while roasted veg cooks

simple sausage tray bake?

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pesto-sausage-traybake

followed by individual Ben and Jerry ice creams?

maybe some pre- prepared mango and pineapple slices?

That sounds great. Thank you for ideas for an entire meal. Especially the pre pre-prepared gammon ham. I can't do puff pastry. Always turns out soggY.

Hot rolls;

Sliced Turkey, Brie & cranberry sauce in big bread rolls with warm stuffing if you want

Nibbles- finger foods / pastries/ crisps/ crudités to fill up the rest of the plate

Trifle / Yule log/ Christmas pudding & custard for puddings

Crackers, cheese, grapes, chutneys

Variety of soft drinks / alcohol

Check your oven first in that case op! Have you got a thermometer?

chicken breasts should take 30 mins max, probably less

if oven isn’t working do a simple chilli on top of the stove? With easy cook rice? Or in baked spuds?

Also, I need a bit of flexibility and the option to freeze stuff or use at a later date as especially with the kids it's difficult to say what, if and how much they will eat.

Do you mean the pre-prepared pastry comes out soggy?

If that’s the case, it definitely sounds as though there is something wrong with your oven op, and it’s NOT your cooking at fault! :). Usually jus-roll pastry is very easy to burn!

Cheese fondue. Buy ready grated Gruyère and emmental. Dash of kirsch and a rub of garlic. Literally tip it all in a pan and stir for 10 min. Done.

Yes we've got a meat thermometer. We tried to get the temperature in the meat up to 75C and that took 2.5h.