Christmas dinner for 15

[Knockon]

Hello knowing Christmas mumsnetters

I have invited 11 other people to Xmas this year, which is approximately 8 more people than I have ever made Xmas dinner for - so quite the step up.

The numbers are 11 adults 4 children (8, 6, 3 and 3). We are staying across 3 different houses so don't need to worry about breakfast luckily!

I plan on serving christmas dinner as a one meal roast, with dessert and cheese to follow once the first dishwasher load has gone through !

If I intend to have the following food on my dinnerplate, could any one help me guesstimate how much I would need to buy/prepare for this number (and ideally, also to ensure there are some leftovers on boxing day for an easy bubble and squeak and cold meats lunch before my guests depart.

Turkey
Glazed slow cooked Ham
Chicken
Roast potatoes
cauliflower cheese
carrot and swede mash
roast carrots
roast parsnips
broccoli
peas
stuffing (sage and onion)
stuffing (chestnut - de-skinned butter beans, butter and pureed chestnuts)
stuffing (onion pudding - its made with chopped onions and suet, with milk to bind)
pigs in blankets
chipolata sausages

I think that is probably the sum total of all the food expected!

Does anyone know how to work out quantities?!

When I did a roast for 13, I made quite a lot ahead of time and froze it. I part roasted the potatoes, froze them and then defrosted in the morning and they only needed 20 mins in the oven while the turkey rests. I did 3 meats, but served the gammon/ham cold and the lamb reheated in gravy.
I did cheesy leeks instead of cauliflower cheese, the was frozen ahead and defrosted overnight. Same with stuffing balls, pigs in blankets and Yorkshire puddings. I think I froze the carrot and swede mash too and microwaved it.
No one noticed anything had been precooked.
Like you, I did a lot of veg sides as I love them.
Parsnips are less dry if you parboil them (oh I froze those too, parboiled and tossed in butter, honey and wholegrain mustard).

Gravy, lots of it

2 are mine .. and the littley is currently going through the “chicken nuggets are king”’ phase so her xmas dinner is like to be quite simple 🤣

Peas on Christmas Day would make me sad. I'd have to have red cabbage and Brussels sprouts with bacon, loads of gravy. Twice as many pigs in blankets, in fact when my kids were small they'd often eat those instead of the 'main meat'.

@Knockon I think you misunderstood me. Are you going to spend most of Xmas Day (and probably Xmas Eve) prepping/cooking all this and actually missing out on having time with DC? Can you spread the load?

Definitely add sprouts, they are traditional!!

Way more pigs in blankets

Are any of the guests really close to you (Mum, sibling, best friend?). If so, could you not ask one of them to cook something for you (I've offered to cook the turkey for my son who is hosting the whole family on Christmas Day). Also carrot and swede mash freezes really well, as does cauliflower cheese and chestnut stuffing. I'd definitely go with a rolled turkey (or 1 large or 2 small turkey crowns). My son brought the cheese board when I hosted Chrstmas dinner, saves on fridge space, which can be a problem too. I also agree, that you can never have enough roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and gravy - over merchandise on all of them!

Definitely missing the sprouts. For 15x people you'd need around 125 sprouts! 😊

We've done that number of people in the past but my beloved late MiL would always bring something like her tomato and pepper soup for starters.

We use to go canapes about noon then soup or garlic and chilli prawn at around 3.30, the main dish would follow between 4 and 4.3. We never cooked more than one bird , a ginormous turkey so everyone could chose between the white and dark meats or a bit of both. Veg was normally carrots, peas, broccoli (for DD as it was the only cooked veg she'd eat) roast potatoes, roast parsnips, pigs in blankets and two stuffings.
Forgot the sprouts for those who would eat them

I'm sure they all came for the gravy though. Made with the juices of the turkey and the bottle of white wine it was cooked with.

This year we are embracing the three ingredient plate.

Scallops, pancetta and pea puree.

Rare beef fillet roast (maybe Beef Wellington), dauphinoise potatoes and green beans.

Trio of deserts.

I have changed my life and now only ever have 3 components on one plate.

Cheese, black cherry compote, grapes and crackers in the evening.

I have had 19! So anyway, you don't need a turkey of the size they recommend - you will have loads left over.

The main thing is to work out what will cook where. Write down all your cooking times on a chart, including when they go in and when they come out, and where they are going - on which hob, into which oven etc. Also work out who you will delegate to. And oven temperatures, so you have stuff going in with similar things.

And work out what trays and dishes and pans will be used for each item.

I do Nigella Lawsons ham in coca cola. It goes on the hob. Oven space is usually at a premium and stuff takes longer to cook as you have so much stuff in, and so much opening the oven.

And work out where you will serve it all I clear a section of the kitchen worktop and everyone queues up.

I cook for 20 OP, its very doable and i love it.

Set the table xmas eve INCLUDING cutlery, one year i forgot to lay out the cutlery and it was pandemonium 😂

I have a hostess trolley, if you can get one it would help alot!!.

My turkey is 18lbs i cook her xmas eve until about 10.30pm and then cover in tinfoil and tea towels and by the time its ready to carve around midday its still warm, exact same with the ham, boil in coke then cover then xmas morning baste with honey and mustard and whack in oven.

My starters are prawn cocktails with smoked salmon or soup. All done xmas eve.

Roast potatoes take so much longer than you think, ive been caught out a few times with them.

Bin bags are essential and more tea towels than you can fathom.