Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: libby1 on December 15, 2015, 12:58:01 PM
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Hi All
Anyone got any get ahead tips for Christmas lunch? What do you do to prepare ahead? I'm fed up with running around like a lemon on Christmas day ::)
Libby
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I solved all my Christmas cooking issues by handing over to my daughter! She is one of those weird people who thrive on cooking, read recipe books with relish. I claim no responsibility for her cooking skills, other than she might have developed them in desperation! Whatever, I enjoy the results of her endeavours.
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This year, frozen roast tatties, frozen parsnips. Prawn cocktail, make sauce earlier in the day. Dessert this year is chocolate mousse so making day before. If using fresh vegetables prepare the day before.
Like you I used to spend whole day in the kitchen whilst everyone else enjoys a few drinks, games, TV. Only us two this year so much less pressure.
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My Aunt does lunch. She has always done all the peeling and chopping of veg and pots the night before, she puts meat in when she gets up, only really spends last hour in the kitchen and only my Dad allowed in to cut meat and help out.
If it was me I would be eating out ;)
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Mum makes the bread and other sauces on C.mas Eve and the vegs get peeled and put into cold water in the cool.
We eat pheasant which don't take long to cook. No hours and hours over a turkey! Puds can be made months in advance and cooked on the morning they are required, gently bubbling away with spicy scents around the house ;-). Buy fresh mustard and horse radish sauces.
The week before, wash all the crocks and cutlery, dry thoroughly and put on the table if there's room. Iron any table laundry required and check that plastic table cloths are clean.
Bulk up on washing liquids, toilet rolls and Rennies ;)
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I'm making the shortcrust pastry for mince pies this weekend so it's ready to roll when I need it for next week. The mincemeat was made ages ago so it's nice and mature.
MIL is making the clootie dumpling for me.
BIL, DD, DS and DH have had their veggie preparation skills honed over the past month and they all know where everything is in the kitchen so no excuses for not helping. All veggies prep'd the night before.
The bird will be stuffed and weighed on Christmas Eve so I can do my timings on the kitchen blackboard.
The bulk of the cooking time will see me with a sherry in one hand. I think I shall try to be Hyacinth Bucket for the day ;)
The last hour is the big one for getting the last bits done. I like to make my own gravy
M&S will be doing the bread sauce, cranberry sauce, trimmings etc.
Table linen is all sorted.
DD is going to clean the silver candelabra for me too.
Like you CKLD, I've bought in extra loo roll, washing up liquid and antacids ;D
Galadriel x
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I've hidden mine Galadriel ;D
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I'd love to have someone else cook it but it's always down to me :P
So, I want to do as much as I can the day before.
CLKD - how do you reheat bread sauce? Saucepan or microwave?
Libby
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I lay the table, make the bread sauce, stuff the bird, make the pigs in blankets and peel the veg (and put in water) the night before. I also work out the timings the night before so on Christmas Day morning, I just keep an eye on the clock and pop out to the kitchen every time my timetable says something needs to be done. It's been simpler since we gave up Christmas pudding - none of us like it much, so now we have a choice of Christmas cake, mince pies, fruit or ice cream/sorbet, so I don't have to worry about dessert!
On Christmas morning, I walk the dog first thing, then pop the turkey in the oven before getting ready for our church service - usually home by about 11.30 and then I start on the veg - the potatoes get par-boiled and shaken about in the pan to roughen the edges & then popped in to roast - it speeds up roasting time and also gives them a nicer texture than roasting from raw. This year, I'm feeding 6 - it's been years since we had more for Christmas dinner, but even then, the only change was to pop the turkey in first thing and then do everything else.
If you have other people in the house, I suggest making communal veg preparation part of your Christmas tradition! I used to do the veg with my dad when he was alive and it was part of the fun of getting ready on Christmas Eve. Since he died, I prefer to do it on my own as my mother in the kitchen causes more hassle than it's worth. So I stick on a carol CD and sing along while peeling and chopping! I'm actually quite looking forward to having a bit of peace and quiet with the sprouts ;D
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Mum puts it into the microwave for a few seconds. Read what it says on the packet!
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Packet? ??? You make bread sauce out of a PACKET?!!!! ::) :o
That counts as heresy in our house ;D
But being the season of goodwill, I'll still speak to you ;)
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We're eating out. (Hangs head in shame!) Well, I'll have played for the midnight service the night before and the 10.30am service on the day, so I've got an excuse! ::)
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Packet? ??? You make bread sauce out of a PACKET?!!!! ::) :o
That counts as heresy in our house ;D
But being the season of goodwill, I'll still speak to you ;)
Dorothy, how do you make bread sauce? I'd love to be able to make some but I wouldn't know where to start!
D.
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I have to say, I have made bread sauce before and bought already made bread sauce but I prefer the packet one :P
Libby
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I do all the prep on Christmas Eve - peel veg and put it in water to keep fresh, wrap the pigs in their blankets, make stuffing, stuff the turkey and make stuffing and sausagemeat loaf, make the giblet stock for gravy, and write my game-plan for cooking it all the next day. I also set the table. All I have to do on Christmas Day is follow my timetable and the feast appears on the table with the minimum of fuss. I LOVE it!!
BTW - we prefer packet bread sauce in our house too - Colemans to be precise!
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Ditto above, all done Christmas Eve, although I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I put it into food, but on Christmas Eve that would be a waste, and it seems to help the proces. ;)
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We do it all on Christmas Day! My husband's birthday on Xmas Eve so we go out to the coast for fish and chips and chill out generally en famille so don't spoil the day with Xmas Dinner preps. I just get up when I feel like it and make the stuffing for the turkey bung it in the oven, work out when it's going to be ready then do a plan of when other stuff needs to go in eg ham etc, pudding on. Obvs make pud earlier on but steam it on the day. My (four) children were brought up on communal veg preps so that's not a problem and if I need something done I get someone to do it. Daughter does the bread sauce - she loves doing it, and also some weird but yummy salted caramel sauce or something for the pud. She's another that thrives on cooking! She also does the pigs in blankets. There are only 7 of us so it's no big deal really.
I do get a bit stressed during the last hour when having to take things out and where to put them in our small cottage kitchen where we also eat - but nothing that a G & T won't sort out! One of the offspring usually sorts out all the pre-drinks. Daughter lays the table! My husband tries to calm me down and lift heavy turkey etc. We're away this year so breaking tradition and daughter is doing trifle on Xmas Day as we've decided (after 30 years) that no-one eats pud!
I love it too especially when we open some fizz just before starting to eat and everyone's mellow :) !
Hurdity x
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Here is my bread sauce recipe - the uncivilised persons who prefer bread sauce out - of - a - packet >:(can ignore this post! ;)
Peel a small onion and stick 2 or 3 cloves in it (optional if you don't like cloves). Put into a saucepan with 1/2 pint milk, a teacup of breadcrumbs and 1-2oz butter. Bring to the boil SLOWLY then remove from heat and stand as long as possible. Just before the meal is ready, reheat sauce gently, beating with a wooden spoon. Remove onion just before serving.
This is how it goes in the cookbook. I amend it slightly by leaving the sauce to cook for a few minutes on a low heat after it comes to the boil. I also remove the onion and chop a bit of it very, very finely to mix in with the sauce and then put the rest of the onion back in until it's ready to serve. I like to make it the night before so that it has plenty of time for the flavours to mingle.
It's important to use a really good bread, not some cheap sliced rubbish - the better the ingredients, the better the sauce will taste. ( I should confess to being a bread-sauce-aholic - in my view, turkey is simply the excuse you need to eat bread sauce!)
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This is great, Dorothy. Thanks! Do you use brown bread or white?
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I use brown as I make my own brown bread (mandatory with smoked salmon for Christmas Day supper!) but have made it with white in the past. I prefer the slightly darker colour and the flavour of sauce made with brown bread, but it's really personal preference.
Shame I don't live near you or I'd be happy to volunteer as a 'bread sauce taster' if you wanted to practice. I love the stuff! (As long as it's not out of a packet, of course ;D )
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Thanks girls, lots of good tips ;D
When you prepare the veg, do you put them in the fridge overnight in water or just on the side in water? Our fridge is usuallly overloaded this time of year :o
Does everyone have christmas pud? I usually find it too heavy so I'm making a raspberry and mango pavlova instead :P
Although it is a bit of pain because you have to put it all together just before it's served although most people are glad of a breather before dessert ::)
Anybody got any ideas for easy canapés? My husband likes smoked salmon with creme fraiche on blinis but not me :sick02:
Libby
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Can't help with canapes, as we don't have them (or starters - we like to have plenty of room for the main event!).
My prepped veg are just kept in bowls of cold water (enough to cover them), covered with cling film and left on the side - no room in the fridge! They are fine like that. Just remember to dry off any that you intend to roast without par-boiling (I don't par-boil roast pototoes).
And we don't have pud - see comment above about room for the main event!! I often make a trifle, into which we dig later in the day as the fancy takes us, along with grazing on cold turkey, pickles, sausage rolls, etc!
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We don't do Christmas pud, but we have bought 2 yummy ice creams and a lemon sorbet for those who don't want Christmas cake, fruit or mince pie for their dessert!
Veg is always fine on a worktop overnight here, but our kitchen is pretty cold!
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Cold water in a deep bowl with plate over the top - in the coolest room keeps veg. fresh for 2/3 days - can always ad a spoonful of ice cubes !