A bit early but can anyone offer any recipes to make my Christmas dinner one to remember !!

[Flossydrop]

Hiya

I am hosting Christmas this year and would love to hear from anyone who can suggest any recipes to make my Christmas dinner really special ?

Thanks for your time
Floss

Not sure I can really, but I do know, if you stress too much about it, you'll end up having a horrid time!

My DH is in charge of the food party of Chirstmas, I do the table decorations. I can suggest ideas to make it look nice!

Hi Floss, I tend to keep my food simple and boring like soup and a hot bun for starters, followed by turkey/goose or duck with all the trimmings and then xmas pud or trifle for afters. I make mine special by adding little gifts for everyone at the table so they have a nice surprise.

I agree DLI. It is only a roast dinner with the added bonus of pigs in blankets, afterall!

Its the finishing touches that make it special.

Canapes (asparagus wrapped in parma ham, cherry tomatos stuffed with pesto and mozerella) and cold starter (you can even plate day in advance and refrigerate). Salmon, prawns, fish pate that kind of thing quite easy, light and flavour not to strong before the big meal. Thinly sliced white bread or ciabata drizzled with oil and dried out in the oven can be put on the table in baskets as a touch to go with this.

For the main meal I like a turkey crown with bacon on it. It cooks faster - but more importantly means I can fit two other shelves in the oven for potatoes, roast veg, stuffings, sausages and pigs in bacon and stuffing in bacon. On the hob the gravy and brussel sprouts. I have on ocassion brought gravy in jars from M&S as all the other stuff can be prepared the day in advance (or weeks and frozen in the disposable metal trays) its then a slam in the oven job. Then all the plates go in the dishwasher and I can enjoy the rest of the day.

Cheese and biscuits with grapes/ celery is a good extra easy in advance course.

Pudding christmas pud and my personal favorite mixed berry platters with minature chocolates and maybe a honey/ yogurt dip as a light alternative that can stay out for the afternoon for people to graze on.

What time do you want me, ANT?

MMMMM Antagony that sounds yum !!!

I am going to stick to the traditional turkey and gammon, with all the normal trimmings. I am going to skip starters as we aren't huge eaters so get too full. So I will concentrate on a lovely dinner and puds and a small buffet for the evening.

Thanks