Tips to Make Christmas Day easier

dolphin city

okay just thought I would post this for anyone with the responsibility of doing all the catering from Christmas Eve up until Christmas Day.

Any tips you might have to make the day go easier could be posted in here and everyone could learn something new - whaddya think?

My first tip is to peel and prepare the potatoes and veg the day before, i.e. Christmas Eve. You can keep the potatoes in water and put the prepared veg into ziplock bags in the fridge until you need them. Saves A LOT of work on Christmas day.

Butterflylove

My mother sometimes cooks the turkey the day before, or when we were small she would put it on as she was doing 'santy'.

She would go to bed when we would then get up at 2/3 and do it all then!

It meant she had more time to play with us and our toys and we always had dinner early to save us eating crap all day

magentas

Yes preparation is key soldier, I mean dolphin city!

Seriously though, it helps sooo much to have spuds and veg done the night before.

Also you could have starters prepared if you're serving cold.

Just don't get carried away with all the "chores"
It'll mean nothing if you don't get to enjoy the day yourself too!

I actually enjoy the prep and cooking, it's the clean up that's the killer.
Times like that I am so appreciative of my dishwasher!:D

Das Kitty

Last year I could barely stand so we got out veg all prepared from M&S and a ready prepared turkey that came in a roasting bag and all. My husband thought he was brilliant telling everyone he made the Christmas dinner! The only two qualms I would have were the price (although it was worth it for the saving in labour) and the roast spuds weren't nice.

It took all the hassle out of the day.

This year I might just get the prepared veg and ready peeled spuds and do the rest.

I'll make French onion soup two days before (tastes better after maturing!) and that will be the starter.

littlemis

Use paper plates and plastic cutlery and foil roasting tins all disposable of course......That way you can recycle,,,cuts down on water usage for those like me who don't have dishwashers and for those who do it saves on electricity.....
FUN TIP ONLY.......{seriously though we do it cause we are too lazy to wash up.}

Butterflylove

littlemis wrote: »

Use paper plates and plastic cutlery and foil roasting tins all disposable of course......That way you can recycle,,,cuts down on water usage for those like me who don't have dishwashers and for those who do it saves on electricity.....
FUN TIP ONLY.......{seriously though we do it cause we are too lazy to wash up.}

+1 on this even if you replaced the childrens plates you can get some really nice festive ones the look great!

lord lucan

I do the turkey,ham and sausage meat stuffing on xmas eve. Just leaves the spuds,sprouts and veg for xmas day. I used to do it all xmas day but grew tired of spending most of xmas day in the kitchen whilst the wife flaked out in front of the tv with a selection box!

carolinespring

Mkae and freeze the soup a week or so ahead. If you are making posh breads that can also be done ahead of time and frozen. Last year I make salmon and prawn cakes and froze them raw. Just defrosted over night in the fridge and cooked. Mince pies, tart and brownies can also be made in advance and frozen. I also make and freeze the stuffing, just defrost well before stuffing the turkey

Again prep all the veg in advance. Make dessert the day before if poss and keep it simple. If you have a dining room that you wont be using in the day or so before christmas dinner, set the table and you are ready to go. As I have both sides of the family mine could be set a week before the big day. Last year it ended up as only my husband and I on the day due to the awful weather.

To me, my freezer is my best buddy in the run up to Christmas.
Ham cooked in coke in lush and on the day just add the glaze and stick it in the oven for 45 mins and you are ready to go.

Posy

lord lucan wrote: »

I do the turkey,ham and sausage meat stuffing on xmas eve. Just leaves the spuds,sprouts and veg for xmas day.

We do that in my house too. Makes Christmas day a lot more fun and a lot less work!

Daisy Steiner

carolinespring wrote: »

Ham cooked in coke in lush and on the day just add the glaze and stick it in the oven for 45 mins and you are ready to go.

What?

I agree with the veg and potato prep beforehand. My mam also cooks the ham the day before and we all horse into it after the pub on Christmas eve.

My mam and dad love doing the Christmas dinner, I've offered several times to do it and they always decline. I tear into the washing up after though, which everyone appreciates!

I ♥ Christmas!

deisemum

I'm a big fan of Nigella and over the last 2 weeks I've been trying out some of her recipes from her Christmas cookery book that I hadn't tried before.

The christmas before last I tried her Turkey in Brine, it was the tastiest turkey that I've ever had and it wasn't dry. The brine full of spices, seeds, sugar, syrups etc left a lovely christmassy smell in the house. I just put all the ingrediants into a cool box with some ice blocks in food bags and it keeps it cold. You can leave the bird soak in the brine for up to 2 days.

I alternate how I do the ham but Ham in Coke is delicious, I've been doing it for years and it's a family favourite, did it here during the week and it didn't last long. It's a twist on creole cooking. I did a different glaze last year.

This year I'm not going to do a plum pudding as my children do not eat it so last week I made Nigella's Chocolate Pudding with Hot Chocolate Sauce. OMG it was so good and very easy to make. I'm going to make it on Christmas Eve and make the sauce on the day which is so easy to make.

I'm going to use foil trays for anything that's going in the oven, use the steamer for the veg which I'll prepare the night before. I'll set the table the night before or get the boys to do it in the morning. They're past the santa stage.

carolinespring

deisemum wrote: »

I'm a big fan of Nigella and over the last 2 weeks I've been trying out some of her recipes from her Christmas cookery book that I hadn't tried before.

The christmas before last I tried her Turkey in Brine, it was the tastiest turkey that I've ever had and it wasn't dry. The brine full of spices, seeds, sugar, syrups etc left a lovely christmassy smell in the house. I just put all the ingrediants into a cool box with some ice blocks in food bags and it keeps it cold. You can leave the bird soak in the brine for up to 2 days.

I alternate how I do the ham but Ham in Coke is delicious, I've been doing it for years and it's a family favourite, did it here during the week and it didn't last long. It's a twist on creole cooking. I did a different glaze last year.

This year I'm not going to do a plum pudding as my children do not eat it so last week I made Nigella's Chocolate Pudding with Hot Chocolate Sauce. OMG it was so good and very easy to make. I'm going to make it on Christmas Eve and make the sauce on the day which is so easy to make.

I'm going to use foil trays for anything that's going in the oven, use the steamer for the veg which I'll prepare the night before. I'll set the table the night before or get the boys to do it in the morning. They're past the santa stage.

I also love Nigella and her Turkey in brine is devine. Have you made Derina Allens chocolate christmas tree. Really simple and a nice change from christmas cake. I have also made mini ones.

The ham in coke really is my fav way of doing ham.

Posy

Wait.. boil the ham in Coca Cola?!

Sharpshooter

It appears to be lush.:D

I drink lots of diet coke, I might try it.:eek:

Those turkeys in the tin foil tray are excellent btw, and there is nothing wrong with pre prepared vegetables either.

The more free time you have on the day the better.:pac:

Posy

Sharpshooter wrote: »

Those turkeys in the tin foil tray are excellent btw

They are very handy. No scrubbing out the tray at the end of cooking, it just goes in the bin! And more importantly, no 'my turkey is too big for the baking tray' type disasters either! :eek:

phasers

Boiling the ham in coke is actually really common believe it or not!

I'd never do it though, I don't think cabbage boiled in ham flavoured coke would be very nice :pac:

ordinarywoman

i've always boiled the ham in cider...and then glaze it with honey and mustard...

Posy

Damn thread- making me hungry!

carolinespring

Posy wrote: »

Wait.. boil the ham in Coca Cola?!

Yep, look up Nigella Lawsons ham in coke. it is really lush and you will never want to eat ham any other way. The cooking juices can be frozen and make a really fantastic beef stew in the new year

dolphin city

for one of my desserts I always make a white chocolate and cranberry cheesecake - make it a few days ahead and stick it in the freezer.

olaola

Clean as you go - nothing worse than having a mahoosive pile of pots to clean up after dinner!

RoryMurphyJnr

+1 for clean as you go

Ham the night before.
Keep the water though for the sprouts the next day.

Veg and spuds prepped, stuffing made.

Boned and rolled turkey, much easier to cook and no waste

-=Shamrock=-

Butterflylove wrote: »

My mother sometimes cooks the turkey the day before, or when we were small she would put it on as she was doing 'santy'.

She would go to bed when we would then get up at 2/3 and do it all then!

It meant she had more time to play with us and our toys and we always had dinner early to save us eating crap all day

oohhh come on.... its all about the crap eating all day

angelfire9

Best labour saving tip:
Go to your mother's for Christmas dinner

That's what I am doing
Then again I will HOPEFULLY have a brand new baby to deal with so I've already had 3 offers of Christmas dinner this year

OH is working so i'll be pampered at Mammy's til he collects us

az2wp0sye65487

angelfire9 wrote: »

Best labour saving tip:
Go to your mother's for Christmas dinner

That's what I am doing
Then again I will HOPEFULLY have a brand new baby to deal with so I've already had 3 offers of Christmas dinner this year

OH is working so i'll be pampered at Mammy's til he collects us

Sounds like a nice way to spend your day! - And congratulations!

Posy

olaola wrote: »

Clean as you go - nothing worse than having a mahoosive pile of pots to clean up after dinner!

RoryMurphyJnr wrote: »

+1 for clean as you go

+2!! The giant pile of pots and pans is a real dampener on Christmas night. Preparing some things the night before and cleaning as you cook at least lessens the load. I've never had a dishwasher so this is a real time saver Christmas day. I hate having horrible visions of the terrible mess that awaits me in the kitchen while trying to enjoy my dinner!

goat2

i make the stuffing the day before, i wash and prepare the veg the day before also, you can put in buckets of water in the garage, as the weather is nice and cold no need to fridge the veg, the dessert is also done the day before, i also buy local veg
i buy my turkey from a neighbour it is free range and local, i prepare the turkey for oven the day before also, put butter under skin, and cover it with streaky rashers, put in a bit of celery carrot and parsley and onion to the roasting dish to add a bit of taste to the gravey that would be made out of the juices of roast pan, it is ready to be put in oven christmas morning, i cook ham the day before also, i do find that if you do all this, two hours of your time the day before, gives you a nice and easy christmas day and of course also the wrans day for the leftovers

Butterflylove

-=Shamrock=- wrote: »

oohhh come on.... its all about the crap eating all day

Not when u have a family as big as mine I still get like 4 selection boxes and Im 22 and havent lived at home for nearly two years now! I use to get a box off everyone when I was a kid My mother got to the stage where she would re gift the boxes we'd have so many!

LittleBook

Butterflylove wrote: »

Not when u have a family as big as mine I still get like 4 selection boxes and Im 22 and havent lived at home for nearly two years now! I use to get a box off everyone when I was a kid My mother got to the stage where she would re gift the boxes we'd have so many!

I'm [a tad ] older than you and I don't even like chocolate ... but the year I don't get a selection box at Christmas will be a very sad one indeed.

Anyway, yes ... cook everything except the meat and potatoes (i.e. soup starter, veg, dessert) the night before. Remember to slightly undercook the veg and then run them under cold water ... when you microwave them the next day they should be perfed.

Boned and rolled turkey saves so much time and waste.

Highly recommend McCain goosefat roast potatoes ... 45 minutes in the oven (from frozen) for perfect tasty tatties.

chucken1

dolphin city wrote: »

for one of my desserts I always make a white chocolate and cranberry cheesecake - make it a few days ahead and stick it in the freezer.

Have you a handy recipie for this? Sounds good

dolphin city

grenache wrote: »

The best advice for Christmas Day - stay in bed. Nothing more than a day of consumerism bull****.

good idea - don't think anyone would be interested in your moaning while they are having fun and enjoying company. take a sleeping pill if you need one.