Christmas Dinner for 9

Pigletlover

I'm making Christmas dinner this year, it's my first time so I could do with a few pointers . I'm cooking for 9 so I'm going to serve a selection of canapes instead of trying to find a starter to suit everyone's tastes (recommendations welcome). I'm keeping it traditional, turkey ham, sprouts etc, but I'm a bit worried that one turkey won't be enough to feed 9 so does anyone have suggestions for another meat that I can serve? Thanks .

Faith

I'd imagine one turkey would be plenty. I cooked for 8 last year and just used a large turkey breast from M&S and there was even some left over.

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Pigletlover wrote: »

I'm keeping it traditional, turkey ham, sprouts etc, but I'm a bit worried that one turkey won't be enough to feed 9 so does anyone have suggestions for another meat that I can serve? Thanks .

Well, I've been involved with the cooking of a christmas dinner for twelve or thirteen people before.

I was the one sent on the beer run on Xmas Eve

A decent sized turkey, plus a good whack of ham will certainly be enough for nine people.

Especially with starters and dessert to come after, and all those veggies on the plates too.

olaola

A turkey will easy feed the troops. My aul pair get a > 20lb one. Keeps our family going for two days - now we eat A LOT! :eek:

But you'd get more than 20 portions out of it.
Add the hang in there too, and yer laughing.

Pigletlover

Thanks guys, I just wanted to be sure. You know how it is, I didn't want to make a balls of my first Chrismas dinner! So I'll definitely have enough in one turkey for 9 meat lovers, without having to serve legs and wings and that?

olaola

Oh yeah - I'd say so. Ask your butcher how big you need it.
We would usually serve some white + brown meat. Some people prefer the brown, so don't count out the legs!

babyguinnessfan

Canape ideas: I have a great little book from Australian Womens Weekly called 'Bites' which has a fab selection of canapes.

Mini Caesar Salads: Cut out rounds of white sliced bread and press them into patty tins and bake until crisp. Rub with garlic clove. Chop up cos lettuce, bacon bits & anchovies very finely and mix with caesar salad dressing (Dunnes do a lovely one). Pile into the bread cases. Easy because you can do everything way ahead of time, looks great and they are really tasty.

Potatoes with smoked salmon: Roast those tiny salad potatoes in their skins in the oven for about 30/40 mins. Leave to cool and cut a cross in the top of each one and squeeze slightly (as if you were doing a baked potato). Top with a small dollop of sour cream/ creme fraiche and a little smoked salmon.

Mmmmmmmm

Tree

forget about turkey, you need oodles of ham. well... in my ham loving opinion anyway. usually take a slice or two of turkey at christmas dinner and about eight slices of ham, it's teh business. besides, if you do damn fine spuds, the meat lovers will fill up on them as much as the meat.

Pigletlover

Thanks everyone, planning on getting a huge ham anyway so I'll have plenty of that. I know what you're saying olaola about a bit of brown meat so I'll serve a bit of that too, and anyone who wants it can take it. Thanks for the canape ideas babyguinnessfan, caesar salad always goes down well so I'll add that to my list. I actually have a couple of those Woman's Weekly books and i've found them very useful so I'll check to see if I can get the one you're talking about. Thanks again