Do you have a starter at Christmas dinner?

[ElfPantsAtMidnightMass]

...if so, what do you have? My mother is insisting on three courses and I'm in charge of all non-main course stuff.

I suggested french onion soup - or some other v small bowl of soup.

Any other ideas?

Ooo yes we're having bucks fizz too, can't wait

pate (bought from Waitrose), chutney, warm rolls and rocket. Easy.

Brilliant juneybean - I can do pastry and shops should have the rest

GodRest - I was thinking of a light breakfast of mince pies with brandy butter, followed by a mid-morning half hour later carpaccio of brandy butter by itself, and then a health-giving vat glass of mulled wine/bucks fizz. Afternoon with commence with huge piles delicate boxes of chocolate, followed by more pies fresh fruit, cake roasted chestnuts, chocolate bran cupcakes and then, at long last...dinner.

HOT ROLLS! Now there is a thought. But I am really worried about being too full to eat all of the mass of roasties/gravy/stuffing/parsnips and other delicious foods made all the more appetising by the fact that I won't be cooking it.

If I have a starter I would not be able to eat hardly any christmas dinner :( get full to easily, altough I really want prawns :)

Boring, but always something fishy, prawn cocktail or blinis with philadelphia and smoked salmon (my DD's like the blinis just with philadelphia on). How about antipasti, sundried tomatoes, chorizo, that sort of thing?

We have no starter, but do have a huge plate of Xmas dinner, with the works, so like to keep room for the main attration!

juneybean try another good food recipe!

Ooo thank you bumpybecky

Used to have melon slices with chopped up stem ginger or port.

Refreshes the palate after a morning nibbling chocolate, so you can eat more Christmas dinner!

THen for 10 years it was lots of booze for me while the ILs faffed for England over laying the table. I'd munch on anything in the kitchen and enjoy dinner when it finally happened.

Now with toddlers the plan is cheese straws and pieces of fruit that can be eaten while getting food on the table. My mum's bringing them.

Oh thanks so much everyone. Am going to use a couple of these ideas, and just make them teeny tiny so I can still stuff myself enjoy a delicate morsel of the main course

Mushroom Stuffing perfect for Christmas Roasts!

Ingredients

* 500g Fresh mushrooms - sliced
* 7 tbsp Butter
* 1 cup Celery - chopped
* 1 cup Onion - diced
* 1 tsp Poultry seasoning
*  Salt and Pepper
* 13 cups Dried bread crumbs
* 2 cups Hot chicken broth
* 2 Eggs
* 2 cups Apples without peel
* 1/3 cup Parsley - chopped

Method

* Butter a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

  Rinse, pat dry and quarter mushrooms. In large skillet heat butter and add mushrooms, onion and celery and saute 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat. Stir in poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

  In large mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs with broth and eggs, add mushroom mixture, apples and parsley; mix well. Turn into casserole dish.

  Cover and bake 190 degrees C for about 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer to brown top.