Christmas Menu help

[Sugarandsalt]

I'm cooking Christmas dinner at home for the first time this year. 4 adults and a toddler (3 grown men with large appetites!). I've ordered a goose, which I will do with potato stuffing. And Brussels sprout gratin.

Looking for inspiration on starters, sides and desserts please! Preferably something which can be made in advance as I only have one oven. We eat anything except mushrooms.

no...it's as well as gravy. Nothing could ever be instead of gravy.

I am worried about the sprout gratin tbh :) ....but then I am no fan of sprouts :o

What's the recipe for that...I do have sprout lovers weirdos in the family

I'm not a fan of bread sauce tbh, but I know others are. When I cook goose ( and yes, it really doesn't go far) I always do a family forcemeat stuffing recipe using sausage meat .I make it separately the day before, it freezes , It's delicious and everyone fights to take some home for sandwiches .
Everything else sounds lovely!

Do not plan on having any leftovers from one goose if there are four adults, three of whom are hungry men. It's worth having less of it though as it's so good. And remember to save all the goose fat!

This is the sprout gratin. It's delicious!

I've lived all my life (50 years) in England and never had bread sauce.

I was going to suggest chicken liver pate as well.

Other simple starters - smoked salmon wither on brown bread or rolled around some cream cheese. Filo pastry parcels containing brie and mango chutney or mushrooms.

I'm doing this Cranberry cheesecake as an alternative to Christmas pud.

Fledgling - not too rich for xmas dinner! They go really sweet and soft.

Doing a few peas and plain ish carrots always in my plan as the children love them. Along with Yorkshire puddings (not very traditional)

Monday actually one of my guests loves cheesecake so that's an option too. And I do make a good cheesecake. Not mad about cranberries, maybe a Ferrero Rocher one with some gold sparkle?

Smoked salmon also an option, could bake soda bread the day before maybe.

I don't bother with a starter as once you've done roast, red cabbage, stuffing, pigs in blankets, potatoes, carrots, parnips, sprouts, cranberry sauce and bread sauce there is ENOUGH!

Also I hate gravy and you can get away with out it with a goose + cranberry and bread sauce as it's v moist. Both go really well with goose.

Delia (the saint of Christmas) has a great cranberry sauce, bread sauce and red cabbage all of which you can make ahead.