Early Christmas family get together

[ChorizoDog]

I’m having my family over on Saturday, as we won't see each other on Christmas Day.

In my head it was Sunday and I was going to do a big roast, but feels odd on a Saturday (not sure why 🤷🏼‍♀️)

Then I was going to do more of a buffet, but don't want to be in the kitchen all day. There will be 8 of us.

Happy to do either, but have a mental block!

Help please!!

We have out non-family family coming over on Saturday for the same reason. I have ordered buffet food from Sainsbury's, collecting it Saturday morning. I didn't want to spend the day cooking so this seemed like a good idea. Tomorrow is probably the last day you could order that for Saturday though.

Chilli/veggie chilli with warm tortillas and/or tortilla chips and/or rice, plus accompaniments like cheese, salsa, sour cream etc? Easy to prep in advance and warm up?

We have a roast most Sundays but I always avoid in the run up to Christmas so that we appreciate the Christmas roast more.

I find that buffets are a lot more work and often work out more expensive, and can easily be a bit 'beige'

PP's suggestion of chilli is a good one. I'd add in guacamole as another side .

This is a lovely pasta bake, with the added advantage that it is easier to serve than lasagne. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

A side of salmon with something like dauphinois potatoes and various salads is something I've often served as it's lighter. Salmon koulibiac (salmon topped with rice wrapped in pastry) makes the salmon go further. Serve with a variety of green veg (asparagus/green beans/sugar snap peas etc) and some roasted cherry tomatoes.

Irish cream tiramisu is a fab make ahead dessert.

Or if you wanted to be more festive, a selection of Christmas goodies like mince pies, chocolate log - I'd walk up the Christmas aisle and see what takes your fancy

A cheeseboard is always a good option as a filler or if people get the munchies later.