What are you preparing for Christmas?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

We're not very "chefy", there's no way I'll be doing Jamie's Christmas gravy, it I want to get a few things sorted in the days before Christmas. I'm lucky that my workplace is closed on Christmas Eve.

Usually I make the red cabbage ahead and I think I'll park boil the potatoes the day before.

What else could I do? Out fridge/freezer isn't very big so there is a limit on what we can store.

Par-boil potatoes (for roasting) and freeze. Tip straight into hot oil to roast.

Make and freeze stuffing.

Cranberries will be in the shops soon, a huge vat of homemade cranberry sauce is dead easy to make and lasts ages.

I have a friend who makes and plates up the Christmas dinner and freezes it a week or two in advance. Genius.

I'm not making a traditional Christmas lunch this year. A ham joint and a turkey crown then a few simple sides such as chipolatas in honey and mustard, a winter slaw and a warm potato dish. What can me made 1/2 days before will be and what needs to be oven baked (I try and not use the hob, thus ending up with pots and pans that need cleaning when I want to relax!) will be cooked in disposable foil trays and I pick dishes that can be served warm/at room temperature.

Not cooking this year (fingers crossed), but I usually make space in the freezer starting from now - use up everything you can to make room for Xmas stuff.

I also utilise outside storage space when the fridge is full. Shed or garage (must be animal proof of course), or car boot if the car is not going to be used for a day or 2.

It depends on what you are serving?

I will be : blitzing leftover bread into breadcrumbs for bread sauce and infusing the milk, parboiling potatoes, carrots, parsnips and carrots ...

I Pickled red cabbage and beetroot last week, prefer to cook fresh on the day as no hassle for 4 of us

Mostly my prep is consulting my Christmas pinterest board, writing lists and timings.

I made the basis of our gravy last week and it's in the freezer. We always have carrot and swede mash so I'll make and freeze that next weekend. Thinking about trying to make my own blinis next weekend too. I'll make cranberry sauce on the day.

Depending on what are you planning to cook.
I have the roasties and pigs in blankets in the freezer. I use bisto for my gravy but I will be making stock and freeze it for using it with the gravy instead water.
This week will be making cheese cakes for dessert and freeze them too.
At some point will prepare cauliflower cheese and stuffing balls and also go in the freezer
Xmas eve peel carrots and parsnips and trim green beans
Xmas eve