Small intimate Christmas food ideas

[Maloneyb]

Dh and I have agreed to do Christmas just us and the kids this year (I’m due any moment for baby #2) and have a 2 year old.
We’re having parents and siblings over for “canapes” for a couple hours but then will have dinner just us.

im actually so excited about it.

I want a special dinner but nothing too onerous for either of us. Usually I do the turkey and roasties myself and it’s always so nice. But I’m concerned my hands will be full with the two babies!

can you give me some nice ideas for:

-easy canapes (frozen and stick in oven are totally fine)

-what you would cook and serve for dinner (your musts and non-negotiables)

-a really nice bottle of wine we can share - we both prefer red wine:)

anything else I should consider?

M&S sell a duck crown for £10. It's more than enough for 2 and you can put your roasties in the tray. I add pigs in blankets, some stuffing (cooked separately) red cabbage and mash.

It's delicious and can all be bought pre-prepared so you spend less time in the kitchen.

Good luck with your new arrival @Maloneyb.

What are your own non-negotiables? What do you want for this Christmas dinner @Maloneyb? You name it, Mnetters can find it.

@TooBigForMyBoots i think I need a traditional roast - definitely turkey
Its got to be something relatively easy considering the circumstances

a couple of years ago we bought some stuffing balls with cranberry - would love to find them again!

Can you not get everything from M&S - turkey crown, roasties, stuffing balls etc.? We are in Aus and I got everything for Christmas lunch from a food delivery service called The Dinner Ladies one year. It was absolute bliss for me but everyone else moaned that it didn’t taste like mine so I never got away with that one again.

With a toddler & newborn (congratulations!)

soup in a heated lidded cup 🤣
club sandwiches

canapes:

Brie & cranberry,
mushroom vol au vents
pinapple & cheese on stick - love a bit of retro!
Mini (veggie) sausage rolls
Mini (veggie) spring rolls

then I wouldn't want dinner!

but if I did:

yorkshire puds (Aunt Bessie's in Air Fryer as back up)

roasties & roast parsnips.

stuffing (only ever use the one in a box anyway) 🤷🏻‍♀️

bought beetroot & ?? Wellington

Christmas pud, custard & cream
anything (vegetarian) Triffle - ish

bubbkes - all day long until

cgeese & crackers, grapes, chocolate & baileys.

probably not as refined as you were looking for!

but actually with a lovely partner, toddler & newborn I could have water & gruel all day & be ridiculously happy all day!

I miss those days,

Merry Christmas 🎄. I hope you enjoy it SO much!! 💕

I get a rib of beef joint (two bones will be tons, with left overs to eat cold on sandwiches too). I then follow a recipe where you basically stick it in the hot oven and then, after a while, turn the oven off. Perfectly cooked, without any work.
But yes to buying in everything you fancy.
And wishing you a lovely Christmas and a good delivery.

😄@Maloneyb - I can only give you my experience

DH cooked Christmas dinner for me , 4 week old baby and him. We had duck which is lovely but a turkey crown would work. My advice would be buy as much as you can ready prepared so eg stuffing , pigs in blankets. A quick sweep around local supermarkets could get you the accompaniments

DH made our lunch that year and I have never laughed so much as him putting on his Christmas playlist and tucking into some wine , whilst I sat on sofa and watched him like Yossarian ( Catch 22 ) but it was a joyful day & he got a nice Christmas dinner out possibly my favourite ever - M&S and Waitrose do some nice canapés - I would buy those rather than fiddling about an also probably cheaper.

Have a lovely Christmas

🌲