christmas food inspiration - what are you all having?

[hatwoman]

I am utterly uninspired this year...

need ideas for a couple of nice pre- Christmas suppers, plus the day itself. inc. starters and puddings. I'm a keenish cook, don't do pre-made stuff but quite keen on shortcuts...(eg things you can make in advance, or nearly make in advance).

nice but easy breakfast ideas wouldnt go amiss either

I was thinking of pancAKES FOR BREAKFAST.

Sadly lunch will be left over curry before I have to go to work.

per-christmas suppers could be a pasta dish - something just as simple as a tuna pasta bake or pasta bolognaise, jacket potatos with chilli. i tend to avoid veg coming up to christmas as you have them all with your christmas dinner and it doesnt make it special if you have eaten them the days before. i tend to stick with something like above, or a curry with rice.

Xmas day brekky is usually, crumpets, toast, sausage/bacon sandwhiches (which you can cook in the oven so need to watch over them)

then xmas lunch is turkey with all the trimmings - sometimes for starters we have soup with a bread roll, or a mini yorkshire pudding with a cocktail sausage in it and gravy. tehn turkey and trimmings, then for dessert i usually have xmas pudding, trifle, mince pie or ginger cake and custard - covers about everyone!

tea tends to be a buffet usually sausage rolls, quiche, salads, cold meats, cheese, pickled onions - the usual stuff

then boxing day is leftovers! - no one cooks on boxing day its a day of rest after xmas day

pre Xmas suppers -

Crayfish and Wild Mushroom Risotto

Honey Roast Duck Confit with Tomato and Flageleot Beans

_

Xmas Day

Cheese in a Box
Chicken Liver and Basil Pate

*

Roast Goose with Chestnut Stuffing
Roast potatoes
Brussel sprout puree
Carrots/Parsnips

*

Pannettone Bread and Butter Pudding

_

Breakfast

Eggs Benedict
Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg
Just good ole bacon butties

Breakfast could be smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or pancakes (with maple syrup, maybe bacon too), ham and cheese croissants

I know you said you don't do pre-made stuff but Sainsbury's have a chocolate brioche type thing atm which is really nice, also their Belgian waffles are good with maple syrup.

That's the sort of thing we would have.

How about coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon?

LAMB CURRY
INGREDIENTS
1LB DICED LAMB
HALF A MEDIUM ONION (DICED)
HALF A POUND OF MUSHROOMS (SLICED)
2 MEDIUM CLOVES OF GARLIC (CRUSHED)
1 JAR OF MANGO CHUTNEY
A FEW HANDFULS OF SULTANAS
1 MEDIUM APPLE (CORRED AND SLICED)
HALF TEASPOON OF MILD CURRY POWDER

METHOD

1. Put all the ingredients in to the cooking bowl and give it a good stir.

1. place the bowl into the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 hours

1. When cooked serve with rice

The above is done in a slow cooker so would make for an easy dish, if you have a steamer you could steam the rice to go with it and set it on a timer. Then someone can enlighten you for desert, maybe a lemon fool or apple and blackberry crumble with ice cream.

eggs benedicte is a big favourite...dh would definitely approve. pannetonne bread and butter pudding sounds good.

Pannettone B&B Pud is soooooooooooo easy and soooooooooo delish...............

give me more clues on what you like and I will inspire you............

Festive fayre will be

potted spiced crab with a rocket salad and melba toast

followed by

roast goose with apple, prune and almagnac stuffing and forcemeat stuffing,
nigella's coca-cola ham,
braised red cabbage with raisins,
stirfried brussel sprouts with pancetta and pine nuts,
honey glazed carrots,
cranberry sauce,
roast potatoes (in goose fat)
gravy.

Then a raspberry champagne sorbet,

followed by
cheeses,
homemade christmas pud with cream and brandy butter,
then christmas cake, homemade mince pies and homemadetruffles.

The evening buffet/boxing day will be a mix of cold meats, Gordons pork and boiled egg pie, poached whole salmon and salads.

For breakfast I do a dish with smoked salmon, cream, chives and egg.

Basically lay smoked salmon into a ramekin, crack in an egg, season, add chopped chives and a couple of spoons of cream. Place on a deep baking tray then fill tray with water to half way up the ramekins, bake in a medium oven until eggs are set. Serve with wholemeal toast.

Stripey, do you work for the NHS or something similar?

I'm not sure yet, I'd like reindeer OH would like goose.

cov's sounds good too...

ok clues...

last year we had venison with chestnut stuffing, braised red cabbage, stir fried brussels with bacon, glazed carrots (plus a turkey crown for dds). we often do a ham and dh makes an turkey and ham pie for boxing day. can't remember what we did for starters.

have made Nigella's chocolatey-orangey gooey christmas cake before -which I love but tends not to get eaten by anyone other than me.

we need to do a nice supper for my mum and fil on the 21st... plus something just for us on the 24th.

Xmas Eve:

Lunch: Homemade butternut squash & sweet potato soup & crusty bread for lunch.

Mince pies and mulled wine during the afternoon

Dinner: Fish, always. Last year we had lemon sole, with steamed green veg (asparagus, fine green beans, tenderstem broccoli) in lemon butter and rosemary-roasted baby new potatoes. This year we're having monkfish & king prawn Thai green curry w/ jasmine rice.

Xmas Day:

Christmas ham & eggs (plus champagne!) for breakfast

Lunch is usually the traditional turkey with all the trimmings (we go really overboard!) + Xmas pud, but we're eating out this year.

We have cold meats, crisps, a cheeseboard, crackers, nice bread, chutney, a fruit platter & loads of chocolate in the evening.

mercy - have you had a wrong thread shambles? or are you looking to create an NHS hospital style dinner?

I am doing a salmon, cod, smoked haddock and king prawn pie for xmas eve which I am making next week and will freeze so just need to defrost then bung in oven.

recipe for fish pie please CoV............

we're having partridge as it's actually quite cheap...£12 for the four of us (ds is only 13 months but god he eats for england!)

Mercy, Yes I do.

We're thinking of having wild boar instead of turkey.

xmas eve
chinese takeaway
xmas day
starter goats cheese & tomato tart
chicken liver pate
main chicken
beef
all the trimmings
pud xmas pud
white choc & raspberry cheesecake

Majeika

smoked haddock
salmon
cooked king prawns
cod fillet
creme fraicche
milk
bay leaves
pepper corns
potatoes
butter
grated cheese
bread crumbs
shallots finely chopped

poach the smoked haddock in the milk with the pepper corns and bay leaves until cooked. Flake all the fish into an ovenproof dish (removing the bones and skin). Add the prawns and shallots. Strain the poaching milk and mix a bit of it with the creme fraiche to make a sauce (not to runny or the pie will end up watery. pour this over fish and mix. Topp with mashed potatoes and (if you like) sprinkle top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Bake in oven (170) for about 40 mins until top is golden. Serve with peas.

yum! thanks!