Xmas Dinner - Mentor required!

BlazingSaddler

Hi all, I've taken the plunge and invited the extended family around for xmas dinner this year. In total there will be 8 of us (6 adults, 2 kids). Now I'm a little concerned to say the least, I've never cooked a Turkey or Ham before and my culinary skills would be fairly limited! My sunday dinner usually consists of Pork Chops, frozen veg, potato croquettes, mash potatoes and gravy. All knocked up in 30 mins. I obviously want to do a good job but I need some guidance. Would anybody be prepared to act as an on-line mentor to me please?! It would be most appreciated.

andym1

I assume you are doing the traditional christmas fare ? I would gladly help you with shopping list, prep, cooking and your moment of glory !!.
Not too many to feed so easy peesy ! I am a chef and the secret is not to complicate things and get into a tizzy !
Andy

Photo-Sniper

Hello!

I am a chef living in Berlin but will happy give you some guidance if you wish. Can use Skype etc, just write to me if your interested.

Pretty easy affair with only 6 adults and 2 kids

greengold9999

Hi there, I am a confident cook but I still find the Nigella Lawson Christmas book really useful (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nigella-Christmas-Family-Friends-Festivities/dp/0701183225) - I know she is not everyone's cup of tea but she gives a lot of information on what can be cooked in advance (with lots of instructions) and then brings you minute by minute through the cooking on Christmas morning - I think the biggest problem for a lot of people is the timing of so many different elements - especially if you are getting in the Christmas spirit! You can also find a lot of the recipes on youtube.

Cheshire Cat

Also have a look at the various cookery magazines on sale right now. They are all about Christmas at the moment and some have step-by-step instructions and detailed timings.

Do as much a possible in advance and you'll be fine!

lookitsme

the secret to a cooking a good christmas dinner is to relax and take it easy. an easy way to feck a meal up is to panic about it. look around the web for things you think will be both nice and be within your capabilities to cook. get as much prep work done the day before to reduce your work load christmas morning.

ps its still only november

gotthebug

I did this last year for the first time cooking for 7 only 24 and found it a lot easier then I thought. the day before is when you can get a lot done like stuffing,boiling the ham,preping all the veg and kept them in water with a bit of lemon juice to keep colour. The day its self went off very easy just try to work out the timing as best u can before you start . The only trouble I had was keeping everything warm while serving but with a little help from someone there easily done. Looking forward to doing it this year again

Melendez

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Do at least one rehearsal dinner before.