Share your Christmas menu

Oh come on. You need more than 2 months to plan Christmas dinner for 2? ?

We are having soup for starter (not sure what flavour yet) then scallops for the fish course, then roast rib of beef for the main and not sure about dessert yet.

We ordered the beef this week as its limited availability. http://www.donaldrussell.com/Default.asp?&cookie%5Ftest=1

Turkey

? Of course not! There will be at least 5 of us and money is tight so I need to start buying a few things a week. Plus our butcher had sold out for pre-ordering by early December last year so I need to get in quick.

Sarky git!

Excellent idea. You could have sprouts with it too.

If I haven't planned what we're eating, what we're buying by the end of October, it gets so stressful. I do 15 minutes a day Xmas planning from the start of October, and it means we're all done, lists made etc by the end of November, and can have an enjoyable and relaxing December.

Mind you I have two young children and work full time so I have an excuse!

Good idea. Am also thinking ... wait for it ... roast potatoes. Would that go together?

Hmm. Roast potatoes do sound good. Do you think it needs a sauce though? Could be a bit dry otherwise. I was thinking maybe gravy? Too much?

I am not sure this year. We are renting a cottage in Yorkshire (hebden Bridge) from 20th-27th Dec. It will be just the two of us. We may cook the traditional dinner with all the trimmings, or I may do some research and let the local pub/restaurant take the strain!

Could work. I may try it out tomorrow. I'll call it Sunday Lunch.

It's a veritable revolution in lunchtime meals. You should write a book all about it.

I am thinking of having exactly the same as last year, so don't need to think.

We had goose, and I don't think I would have turkey again.

Also did red cabbage braised in mandarin juice, which wqas fab so having that again.

L
xx

Last year H had a huge slab of meat and I had some random veggie readymade thing which was vile so this year we'll probably go with a nut roast which we can both enjoy with the usual trimmings. We don't do starters/fish courses - it's only the two of us. Dessert will be a gluten-free Christmas pud from our local farmers' market and half a box of Hotel Chocolat truffles! ?

Planning Christmas dinner? What for 9 people including a vegetarian, a dairy-free autistic child plus my Mum and my Aunt (both competitive and silently critical about this kind of thing) and my Uncle (ex-Marines catering and used to doing it every Christmas)?

Blimey yes. Oven timings and everything.

It's going to be a turkey, beef fillet (Nigella's 'roast fast and rest for an age'), Mushroom wellington for the veggie and pasta for the autist ?. Mum's whinging about ham, so Nigella's one in coke's likely too.

Pudding - Christmas pud, Gypsy Tart (dribble) and Girdlebuster Pie. And ice-cream for the children.

And in all honesty, I love planning it. It's really enjoyable, and I'd like it to go smoothly. That's alright, isn't it?

I think the planning is quite fun. However, we never have Sunday dinner. I don't think we've done a roast dinner since last Christmas, we're always working

L
xx

I am pretty much doing the meal from Nigella Christmas minus a few dishes ?. I am doing Christmas for potentially 8 (could be 6 or 7 as I don't know if my sister is coming back from Dubai or if my 34 yr old brother will have gotten over his latest tantrum by then) and 2 small, overly excitable people. I even have dates in my diary telling me the earliest I can do somethings in advance so that I don't have quite so much to do on Xmas eve ?.

Gosh, I don't think there's anything wrong with planning for Christmas now is there? A lot of the fun for me is in the anticipation not just the actual event. We'll be having roast goose, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots, sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta and broccoli. Also stuffing. Gravy of course. No starter. Not sure about pudding yet. We're not fans of christmas pudding. Maybe cheeseboard.

Ok, what is gypsy tart and Girdlebuster pie?? I have a vision in my head of something fantastic and calorific, please don't disappoint me!

I was thinking Ham in Cola but possibly for Boxing Day. For dinner it is a debate between 2 of either turkey (my choice), Goose (H's choice) and beef.

Need to decide on veges as well as we keep ending up with a huge list of 'must have' veg and there is no way we could either cook them all or eat them all.

Is that book worth getting?

Cheeseboard is a definite here! Am thinking maybe 2 desserts - Christmas pudding and something else, maybe a chocolate based one.

Whether we get a shop in whilst we are away or go out for a restaurant Christmas lunch, I am a traditionalist and it has to be turkey with all the works. I like something like scallops to start. Dessert wise, it has to be rich, booze laden Christmas pud, mince pies or something like warm pear and almond tart- with cream being mandatory.

If at home, I like to eat later in the day, and have a nice brunch whilst opening pressies, watching tv (the only time I really do) to sustain me.

Well I have been dribbling over it for the last few days so I would say yes. Mind you I have all the Nigella's so I had to buy it, would have been a huge gap in my collection otherwise ?.

?I am just worried I would be buying it for food porn reasons and not actually use it!

You say that like it is a bad thing ??

Only as we are skint?

Today I have taken delivery of this:

And it's utterly fabulous. Not a great fan of Anthea but I love her perfect housewife stuff and this is fabberoony. Have already made mincemeat this morning and the kids and I have made some Christmas presents. Cake and pudding tomorrow ?

I don't think there's anything wrong with planning Christmas. Why not make it fun? We have 2 house guests for a week, 2 kids, 8 for Christmas dinner and a couple of evenings with friends in December to plan for.

I love all the run up and preperation to christmas and I've already started shopping etc,. And as for those who don't want to do it now, thats fine, but don't mock those that do want to do it now, it doesn't have a direct impact on you, other than a few christmas posts on the forum, which you can easily ignore.

Anyway, I've absolutely no idea what I'm doing on the day yet, not sure if I'm working it or not, so can't make definite plans. If I was at home, i'd probably do a traditional raost (and far too much of it) but have goose instead of turkey. I'm not a huge fan of christmas pudding, so i'd probably do toffee apple crumble and ice cream. One year I did chocolate mousse in chocolate bowls, it was lovely, if not a bit too much for pudding following a massive lunch.

My sister and I take it in turns each year. It's my turn this year, and the numbers are growing!

As the off-spring get older, they accquire partners and sometimes the partners come to dinner too!

This year I have 15 and have not got a scooby doo waht I'm serving!

I normally go full out when decorating the table with little menus giving a choice of starter, main meal and pud.

This year me thinks it will be a straight menu (no veggies attending!) there probably

Home made soup, turkey with trimmings, some fancy pudding, cheesboard, coffe and mint chocs.

Boring!?

This was saved on my pc from last year;

Starter - prawns and smoked salmon with soda bread.
Soup - gentleman's choice (it's the man's job in our family. ?)
Main course - Goose or turkey depending on what's available, roast potatoes in goose fat, roasted veg (carrots, turnip, parsnips, sweet potato, red onion and garlic), proper gravy, chippolatas wrapped in streaky bacon, sausage stuffing, oatmeal stuffing, brussel sprouts with chesnuts and bacon, and peas.
Dessert - Trifle then cheese board

My bi-annual Christmas dinner, which I have to look forward to next year is: (I'm not allowed to help with main course)

Starter - whatever I make (they only have a starter if I'm there to make it, usually prawns)
Main course - frozen turkey, pork, frozen roast potatoes, frozen carrots, frozen turnips and frozen brussel sprouts, instant gravy, saxo stuffing (although not stuffed), tinned peas and frozen yorkshire puddings. All overcooked.
Dessert - Trifle, made by me.

I'm so excited about Christmas this year, it's at my mum's house (we're going for 8-10 days) and it's going to be food, food, food. ? I can't wait to make mince pies and tree decorations with her on Christmas Eve, it's her first retired Christmas and it's the first time I won't have to do it by myself. ?

I neeeed this book! When I grow up, I'm going to be like Anthea. ?

I love planning, it's one thing I can do when I can't get out of bed most days.

Mrs magic, you and your mum...........

Aw that's so nice! I'm imaging the lovely christmassy music playing in the background as you both make the decorations and bake the pies ?

Is it sad to admit that typing that out made me blub? I am so happy and excited I have a wonderful Christmas to look forward to. ? Christmas day after church will be spent pottering around in the kitchen, just eating when it suits us. There will just be three of us this year, magic moments. ?