what are you having for Christmas dinner

[hatterselfamerrymerrychristmas]

just fancied hearing your mouth-watering plans - what starters are you doing, what trimmings, what kind of stuffing? Feeling like I deserve a pat on the back as I have just made carrot and coriander soup (actually for Boxing day) and chestnut, bacon and fennel stuffing - all ready to go in the freezer.

We're not having turkey - I don't like it. Soit's organic ham (am planning to cook it in cider the previous day, and bake it in mustard/sugar crust on the day itself) with dauphinoise potatoes, puy lentils with dark mushrooms in red wine (previous day as well) and steamed leeks. A friend is bringing champagne syllabub for pudding.

Yum.

my ideal xmas dinner would be a chinese but as they are not open on xmas day i will put up with my dad's wonderful cooking, and yes it is wonderful, if only I could persuade him to do something with his talent!!

Oh god aren't you both very clever!! I'm having everything from Marks and Spencer!!! What would I do without them!!!

Roast Turkey
Roast Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts, Honey Glazed Carrots, Mashed Swede with Nutmeg, Roast Parsnips, Green Beans with Lemon
Bacon wrapped Sausagemeat, Chesnut Stuffing, Gingerbread Stuffing, Bread Sauce, Cranberry Sauce
Xmas Pudding, Iced Rum Sauce

On Xmas Eve Oxtail stew, and Boxing day Roast Beef. All for 13 of us

We're having a brace of pheasants (2 cock birds) served with potatoes, bacony brussel sprouts, julienne carrots, chestnut stuffing, home-made gravy...starter....smoked salmon...sandwich style with creme fraiche, watercress, ground pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice and gsrlic mushrooms ...followed by very warm home made mince pies and lashings of cream

Do your children eat pheasant then lavender? You are obviously making a big effort!

not at all...from local butcher, roast it and fill it with stuff(not sure what yet) thing is turkey too big for 4 of us(they love Indian takeaways so no worries about pheasant...just pop it in the oven with stuffing and cook for much less time than a turkey..

Me, DH and DD are going ou to a restaurant for Christmas Dinner. It's walking distance from home and we have never been out like that on Christmas day before. So going to see what it is like. We get 7 courses:

• Rustic garlic bread, with olives and roasted cherry tomatoes

• Starter choice: both DH and I are having pan fired mushrooms in peppercorn sauce on toasted bread.

• Melon with grapes and orange juice

• Main choice: I am having salmon and spinach en croute with a creamy mushroom auce; DH is having fillet steak with diane sauce

• Dessert choice: I am having Christmas pudding and brandy sauce; DH is having pot au chocolate with double cream

• Cheese Platter

• Coffee and mince pies

All washed down with a couple of bottles of wine.

can I come too prufrock? The stuffing will keep

We've got PIL and BIL comming. Just standard food, no starters. Turkey crown with home made chestnut stuffing, which is really easy to make and lush. I have cheated and bought sausages already wrapped in bacon - Theres only so much faffing that I can do. Roast potatoes, carrots, sprouts (of course!) cauliflower, parsnips (ds's favourite) and brocolli. Topped with homemade gravy and a bit of shop bought breadsauce and cranberry on the side. Followed by christmas pudding with brandy cream or double cream. finished off with coffee and mints. Not very exciting but a meal I always look forward to.

Tea is normally, turkey and stuffing sandwichs, sausage rolls, trifle (my own), mince pies and christmas cake, which is bought this year. Followed by being unable to get off the sofa for about 3 days due to vast over eating!!!

I envy you hulababy!I am doing turkey and lamb with loads of roasted organic veggies Would like to do a starter thats not the usual soup or smoked salmon.Any suggestions- something to wipe the smile off my mums face!there are 9 of us

It is only ever the 3 of us on Christmas Day anyway - we have decided that from the start and like it. Have 15 of us on Boxing Day, but it'll be a buffet I reckon.

noddyholder - fried pear and blue cheese salad is a GORGEOUS starter - put butter, sugar and coriander in a frying pan, fry thin slices of pear in it, then serve with rocket, red onion and lumps of creamy blue cheese. Pur the pan jiuces over it all. It might be a bit fiddly for 9 but it is lovely

Going to MIL's so probably potato and peas as everything else will have an egg snuck into it!

hatters I am going to do that never had it and sounds yum!

It's a Donna Hay recipe - she's my real favourite - virtually everything is striaght-forward and also the kind of thing where you don;t need to worry too much about quantities or substituting things and it's all yummy

This is our first christmas at home for 10 years, normally skiing, but DS off to Canada for 3 months to train to be a ski instructor and DD home from Uni in Paris. The family decided that s we are at home they are coming to us.

Today I went to the farm and ordered a rib of beef, which we will have with lots oftiny roasties and youkshires. I then went to the fishmonger and ordered 2 doz oysters and some lobsters, prawns,, clams, mussels, crabs etc and we will have amssive sea food platter to start.

Puds are Delias Choclate roulade and Raspberry pavlova, provided by my dear sis. Mother and Father are paying for thr seafood, so all in all a great day to look forwardtoo.

Venison for new year, which I got in Borough market last saturday and some pan fried foie gras.

Diet starts Jan 10 after skiing!