Christmas Menu Plans

LadyMeowMeow

Is anyone making plans for their Christmas Day menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner plus any other treats!) yet?

C.K Dexter Haven

LadyMeowMeow wrote: »

Is anyone making plans for their Christmas Day menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner plus any other treats!) yet?

Yes, but only in my head right now.:D

I'm looking to do something different than turkey, or else do something different with turkey, fish will feature for starters-possibly a terrine of fish.

Breakfast will feature homemade brioche, French toast with bacon and a good coffee.

That's all I've got to so far:)

LadyMeowMeow

Well, if you want something different with turkey, here's the link to Jamie Oliver's turkey wellington - skip to 12:17 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwQ-WuqnA0k

I have thought about doing something other than turkey but something inside me says it's wrong not to have turkey on Christmas day!
Homemade brioche sounds gorgeous.

I only have breakfast so far..
Breakfast: Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and brown bread (although I like the idea of Christmas morning muffins)

hdowney

I have to re-jig mine slightly. Doing a 5k on Stephen's day so don't wanna over do it. Also having beef for mains this year (the turkey will feature on new years plates). I am doing something with lobster for starters.

LadyMeowMeow

hdowney wrote: »

I have to re-jig mine slightly. Doing a 5k on Stephen's day so don't wanna over do it. Also having beef for mains this year (the turkey will feature on new years plates). I am doing something with lobster for starters.

Oooh what way are you going to do the beef?

cassid

Am trying to get invited instead of cooking for hoards this year, most years so tired after cooking, I have lost my appetite, nothing like getting a meal handed to you.

C.K Dexter Haven

LadyMeowMeow wrote: »

Oooh what way are you going to do the beef?

I want to know how she's doing the lobster:P

cailinardthair

This is the first year in few years that there will be more than 15 people at dinner so we have kinda started because we have to say who is buying what!
But we kinda do the same thing every year

We'l have square sausage and bucks fizz and a mountain of sweets after presents.

Then we'l meet up with the rest of the family around 12/1 for lunch which is soup and smoked salmon/prawns and a lobster if my uncle catches on!

Then dinner is very traditional but no goose this year think we're having duck along with turkey, ham and all the trimmings

and god knows what my sister is making for dessert but im making fruit salad

Toast4532

My boyfriend and I have decided to spend Christmas together this year, instead of going to our families.

For breakfast we'll have a fry, but think we might get some fancy sausages from the butchers.

For lunch I dunno what we'll do - any suggestions appreciated. No prawns though, he's allergic!

For dinner we'll have either a four bird roast or duck, or something as I don't like turkey.

For dessert I will make something chocolaty maybe. Any suggestions welcome!

Can't wait for it this year actually

seosamh1980

We never have breakfast or lunch, we have dinner at about 1pm, then nibble on a few bits again at about 8, that's it! Usually just some mince pies for breakfast

Skill Magill

I am stuck with cooking for 7 adults and 1 child . My plan is to get 8 meals from a carvery lunch on Christmas Eve, cling film them up, lash them into the fridge and microwave them on Christmas day.
Bulletproof :cool:

seosamh1980

We have 19 for dinner this year, love the alternate years that we get everyone

leahyl

Yeah, we don't usually have breakfast either - just have the dinner about 4 and we be nibbling during the day then - I might have smoked salmon and brown bread or something around lunch time.

When I watch cooking shows like Gordon Ramsay though it makes me want to go all out and do the whole shebang - breakfast, lunch and dinner! I'd be stuffed!!

Toast4532

If I ate my dinner around 1pm, I'd be asleep for the day. Any time I eat a big meal during the day I am always exhausted after it. I don't even know why.

Plus, we're only having a small dinner, as it is only the two of us anyway, so no point cooking a big feast we won't eat.

seosamh1980

Toast4532 wrote: »

If I ate my dinner around 1pm, I'd be asleep for the day. Any time I eat a big meal during the day I am always exhausted after it. I don't even know why.

Plus, we're only having a small dinner, as it is only the two of us anyway, so no point cooking a big feast we won't eat.

After a big meal your body has to work harder to digest it, so all energy is directed to doing that and other functions are neglected, like being awake! So you get sleepy, food coma. My family have mastered eating loads and not getting sleepy, so dedicated

SCOOP 64

Seems alot have a big breakfast on xmas morning , so what time will you have dinner?
Last year my mother in law and sister in law stay xmas eve round one of the daughter's house ,had big breakfast, then the dinner was serve up at 12midday, they weren't hungry , but didn't say anything, just nipple on the dinner, i think 2/3pm a good time.

Toast4532

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Seems alot have a big breakfast on xmas morning , so what time will you have dinner?
Last year my mother in law and sister in law stay xmas eve round one of the daughter's house ,had big breakfast, then the dinner was serve up at 12midday, they weren't hungry , but didn't say anything, just nipple on the dinner, i think 2/3pm a good time.

Are you asking me?

Breakfast about 10am maybe, lunch about 1-2, dinner about 5 maybe.

We usually have dinner anytime between 5-7pm anyway, and Christmas dinner is the same unless we go to a relatives house, but we won't be doing that this year.

cailinardthair

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Seems alot have a big breakfast on xmas morning , so what time will you have dinner?
Last year my mother in law and sister in law stay xmas eve round one of the daughter's house ,had big breakfast, then the dinner was serve up at 12midday, they weren't hungry , but didn't say anything, just nipple on the dinner, i think 2/3pm a good time.

We usually space it out throughout the day because there is so much food, so this is the easiest way to enjoy it.
So breakfast with my Mom, Dad and the siblings around 9....Then we meet up with the rest of the family after santa has come around 12 and have lunch around 1 and then dinner around 5/6 we have to feed the babies before we eat and relax for the evening!

SCOOP 64

We don't bother with the lunch, serve xmas dinner around 3pm.
about 5/7 pm with have the xmas pudding, because no one wants it immediately after dinner.

seosamh1980

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

We don't bother with the lunch, serve xmas dinner around 3pm.
about 5/7 pm with have the xmas pudding, because no one wants it immediately after dinner.

...I do :P I have trifle and pudding right after dinner, then again later

SCOOP 64

seosamh1980 wrote: »

...I do :P I have trifle and pudding right after dinner, then again later

You would be a hero in my house!

leahyl

I have about 3 or 4 helpings of garlic cheesy potato over the course of the evening!:D MMMMM and turkey and stuffing sandwiches with mayo and black paper - on white bread! So bold but sooooo good!

hdowney

LadyMeowMeow wrote: »

Oooh what way are you going to do the beef?

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

I want to know how she's doing the lobster:P

Now there is a couple questions!! For the beef I am pretty sure I am just gonna slow cook it to keep it's medium rare deliciousness. Not put anything on it or the likes. But if I do put anything on it it'l be a herby crust. Then it is served with home made yorkies, spuds, the sprouts and green beans in lemon and pine nuts I do every year, some other veg and delicious gravy.

As to the lobster, no concrete plans as yet. Looking into doing some sort of lobster salad methinks (easier to prepare on Christmas day when you have a bazillion other pots and pans on the go than if I did a hot dish), possibly with crab/prawn etc I'll fill yas in more when I concrete it up.

We have a small breakfast on Christmas Day, and then head off to Church. Dinner is usually around 3pm (we don't bother with lunch). The year of the mega snow fcked my timings right up so it did. Our Christmas Day has a ritual and it all went right out the damn window due to the flipping white stuff (which I generally love but HOW DARE IT ruin my Christmas Day plans!)

SusieBlue

We have breakfast at about 9ish. There's two options, a full fry up with all the trimmings, or else fresh croissants, crumpets, brioche, home made scones and home made brown bread. Served with home made orange juice, teas and coffees.

We have Christmas dinner at about half 2. There's two options for the starter, gnocci, or home made soup. Maincourse will be chicken and spiced beef with 4 different types of potato and various different veggies.

We have desert at about 5 because everyone is too stuffed to have it straight after dinner. There's 3 choices, christmas pudding, home made banoffee pie, or lemon posset

At about 8 tea is served, usually eaten in front of the telly. This is finger food, usually things like cocktail sausages, vol-au-vents, sausage rolls, mozerella sticks, mini prawns, onion rings, things like that.

All washed down with copious amounts of good pinot grigio My mother is a ninja in the kitchen, how she does it all without breaking a sweat and a smile on her face is beyond me.

seosamh1980

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

You would be a hero in my house!

I am a hero in my house! :P I am "just a girl", and can out-eat all the men and the "adult" women in the extended family, it's a skill, requiring a dress with lots of space and years of prep

I could never eat a fry up for breakfast before it though, I can have that any day, I prefer to gorge on Christmassy food only.

SCOOP 64

seosamh1980 wrote: »

I am a hero in my house! :P I am "just a girl", and can out-eat all the men and the "adult" women in the extended family, it's a skill, requiring a dress with lots of space and years of prep

I could never eat a fry up for breakfast before it though, I can have that any day, I prefer to gorge on Christmassy food only.

You would be the best person to ask for xmas dinner, nice empty dishes!:D

seosamh1980

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

You would be the best person to ask for xmas dinner, nice empty dishes!:D

If I liked it, I generally only like my mum's food, she has me spoiled, she used to be a chef The one and only time I tasted a bought mince pie in someone else's house I spat it out, I only have an appetite for her Christmas food

My lot insist on turkey every year. I serve it with stir fried sprouts, marrowfat peas, roast and mashed spuds, stuffing and gravy. For dessert it's cheesecake with summerfruit topping, made with packet of frozen summerfruits, boiled and set with powdered raspberry jelly. YUM. Breakfast is usually scrambled egg and sausages. Breakfast 9ish and dinner 3pm.
Stephens day is bubble and squeak and cold turkey.

C.K Dexter Haven

Anyone doing spiced beef at all? Would be interested in how you prepare it/cook it.

Lisha

[Deleted User] wrote: »

My lot insist on turkey every year. I serve it with stir fried sprouts, marrowfat peas, roast and mashed spuds, stuffing and gravy. For dessert it's cheesecake with summerfruit topping, made with packet of frozen summerfruits, boiled and set with powdered raspberry jelly. YUM. Breakfast is usually scrambled egg and sausages. Breakfast 9ish and dinner 3pm.
Stephens day is bubble and squeak and cold turkey.

Would you mind telling me how you stir fry the sprouts please? Do you parboil them first ?
Thanks

Am cooking for husband and 2kids this yr. We always went to my parents but this yr we feel like being proper adults:)

Am going for traditional fayre .

We only like white turkey meat so I think I ll just get turkey escalopes and loads of ham ! Garlic spuds roasties mash carrots n parsnip mash broccoli and stir fry sprouts. Onion and mushroom gravy.

Might ham and mushroom vol au vents to start.

Dessert : pudding mince pies custard and ice cream.

I actually can't wait now

Lisha

Lisha wrote: »

Would you mind telling me how you stir fry the sprouts please? Do you parboil them first ?
Thanks

I don't have a wok, so I use a big saucepan. I cut the sprouts in quarters. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in the saucepan, toss in the sprouts and keep shaking them around until cooked. Takes max 10 minutes and they taste so different from boiled!

Lisha

That's exactly what I was thinking Maryanne84. Delighted no parboiling involved
Thanks a mil

eskimocat

Our dinner was somewhat planned this weekend gone by. So far its looking like this (Have done it menu style just for fun )

To start:
Delectable Crab Meat and Prawn Salad with tangy pineapple pieces, served with a creamy Marie Rose sauce, topped with a sprinkling of smoky paprika

For Main:
Succulent Free Range Chicken served with creamy buttery mash and crunchy roast potatoes
Accompanied with fresh of the stalk sprouts with bacon pieces, buttered carrots, and a tasty side of gently fried mushrooms and onions
Tasty trimmings include herbed sausage loaf, cocktail sausages and a deliciously thick chicken gravy.

Dessert:
A trio of desserts include: a luxurious tangy Lemon Cheese cake, wonderfully Tipsy Trifle, and not forgetting the family favourite Christmas Pudding served with brandy cream!

Drinks: Shlor White Grape and/or Champagne Bruit


That's everyone's favourites taken care of! The secret to a heavy menu like above, is a little bit of everything and not too much of any one thing and stretch it out over several hours

YUM!!

LadyMeowMeow

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

Anyone doing spiced beef at all? Would be interested in how you prepare it/cook it.

My mother does spiced beef every year. We always get it from Nolans Butchers in Kilcullen and it's lovely. You can just boil it in water for several hours (depending on the size) but I suppose you can add things to the pot to enhance the flavour, as you might do to a ham. The guy in this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6goAmMakd1A boils it in Guinness, water and root veg which intrigues me! I've always thought it was fine boiled in water because the flavour from the spices are strong enough that you might not want any other flavourings.

CrazyChick18

Our plan for food is a plate of rashers In the morning for breakfast and we all make a rasher sandwich and we hold off then until dinner usually about 2/3pm starters we all have vol-au-vents except for dad he has prawns and then dinner turkey/ham/stuffing/sprouts/carrots & parsnips and croquettes and then after that I don't know how we fit a dessert but there's usually trifle or flan up for grabs it's it to the couch and let it all digest and then around 8 o clocks some tins of sweets are going around.

D-FENS

Thought these looked savage on their Christmas show last year, they will be attempted this year

http://scrapbook.channel4.com/bookmarkBar/50cf077de4b09659198442c6

nosietoes

I'm a stickler for tradition. Been having the same Christmas food for the bast 15 years or more!

Breakfast: Bucksfizz, potato latkes, smoked salmon, chive creme fraiche, coffee

Lunch: some nibbles of sausage roll, spanish marinated anchovies, good farmhouse cheese...

Dinner: roast bronze turkey, glazed ham, parmesan roast parsnips, stir-fried sliced brussel sprouts with toasted pine nuts, glazed carrots with poppy seeds, goose-fat roast potatoes, sausage, walnut, apple stuffing, port wine gravy, and cranberry relish.

Dessert: plum pudding with brandy butter and/or sherry trifle

We don't tend to eat dinner till 7 or so.

Starter each year changes. This year I think I will do a chicken and foie gras terrine with pickled mushrooms and mushroom ketchup as we have a bigger number than usual and I don't want to be standing over a hot starter and worrying about it.

fussyonion

We've never gone mad with breakfast but this year we're going to have a traditional fry:
-Sausages
-White and Black pudding
-Bacon
-Beans
-Fried Egg
-Toast
Coffee/Tea/Orange juice

We don't have lunch because we eat our Christmas dinner at around 4pm.
The usual fare: roast turkey, smoked ham, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, potato croquettes (you can tell we love potatoes), Brussel sprouts, carrots, peas, stuffing and gravy.
All washed down with a cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

I'm planning on doing Tiramisu this year..we never have dessert..but I don't think we'll eat that til way after the meal.

Evening time, it'll be the usual turkey and ham sandwiches or crisps and nuts with some more wine.

Stephen's Day we have another Christmas dinner and in the evening, I'll do a platter of cocktail sausages, onion bhajis, sausage rolls and wedges for anyone popping round.

SparkySpitfire

All this talk is making me hungry :P

Our starters are usually mandarins and grapefruit. But I have decided this year that fruit for starters is NOT happening, and I've taken it upon myself to prepare some canapés. :eek:

Christmas dinner is best part of the day. We usually have the same thing every year:

Meat:
Turkey
Ham
Beef
Corned beef

Veg:
Boiled potatoes
Roast potatoes
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Turnip
Carrots
Peas

Extras:
Yorkshire puddings
Stuffing
Homemade gravy
Bisto gravy :P
Cauliflower sauce


mmmmm :P

Jude13

Drooling sitting at my desk in work. Fly home next week.

I used to hate breakfast on Christmas morning as I couldnt eat the pudding or sausages but the last few years I get clonakilty gluten free products and go mad.

I usually wake about 10am and my brother and his wife drop in for a full Irish Breakfast. My mother then throws a fit as no one will got to church with her, someone always breaks.

Lunch is the tough one for me. I always set out not to fill up on salmon and cold cuts but after being away form home and going without for the year I have become very weak.

Dinner is turkey and ham followed by my aunts lovely homemade ice cream. I never really drink on Christmas day. I am not a huge drinker anyway so I usually volunteer as the driver and have a drink late on Christmas night. If I can fit it in with all the food.

weetiepie

nosietoes wrote: »

I'm a stickler for tradition. Been having the same Christmas food for the bast 15 years or more!

Breakfast: Bucksfizz, potato latkes, smoked salmon, chive creme fraiche, coffee

Lunch: some nibbles of sausage roll, spanish marinated anchovies, good farmhouse cheese...

Dinner: roast bronze turkey, glazed ham, parmesan roast parsnips, stir-fried sliced brussel sprouts with toasted pine nuts, glazed carrots with poppy seeds, goose-fat roast potatoes, sausage, walnut, apple stuffing, port wine gravy, and cranberry relish.

Dessert: plum pudding with brandy butter and/or sherry trifle

We don't tend to eat dinner till 7 or so.

Starter each year changes. This year I think I will do a chicken and foie gras terrine with pickled mushrooms and mushroom ketchup as we have a bigger number than usual and I don't want to be standing over a hot starter and worrying about it.

That sounds devine!! Can I come to yours for the day lol!

Frigga_92

Going all out this year for our first Christmas as a married couple

Breakfast is going to be pancakes with bacon and maple syrup

We don't have lunch on Christmas Day but throughout the day there will be nibbles, chocolate and nuts and beverages.

Then for the dinner

Starters - baked camembert with garlic bread and homemade mini sausage rolls
Main - turkey crown, honey glazed ham, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, homemade stuffing, vegetable mash, pan fried green beans, roast carrots and courgettes and plenty of gravy
Dessert - homemade profiteroles

Then a rest with a glass of something lovely

hdowney

So changing up my starter. Now going to do my mushroom bruschetta (sp?) followed by all the usual

we'llallhavetea

this tread is making me so hungry it's ridiculous.

finix

Has anyone tried those 4 bird roasts from Lidl/Aldi ? There is only 3 for dinner this year and was thinking of trying something else instead. Its only the turkey I want to replace, still have the ham and veg etc, Thanks

miss no stars

I'm amazed by all the starters! We never do starters, between dinner and dessert there's so much food already.

Menu here is traditional:

Roasted (& well basted) bronze turkey
Ham - boiled in ginger ale and glazed with ginger preserves, Mustard and cloves (saw on nigella express and wanted to try)
Mash
Goose fat roast potatoes (the goose fat makes them incredible, par boil and then fluff the outside by shaking them in an empty pot, then roast in goose fat. Delightfully soft and fluffy inside, crunchy and crisp outside. Well worth the effort)
Marrowfat peas
Sprouts
Carrots
Parsley, sage, thyme and onion stuffing
Homemade cranberry and orange sauce.

Dessert is trifle
I'm thinking of also doing an apple, mincemeat and nut strudel, as if I won't have enough to be doing!

Eamo71

Toast4532 wrote: »

My boyfriend and I have decided to spend Christmas together this year, instead of going to our families.

For breakfast we'll have a fry, but think we might get some fancy sausages from the butchers.

For lunch I dunno what we'll do - any suggestions appreciated. No prawns though, he's allergic!

For dinner we'll have either a four bird roast or duck, or something as I don't like turkey.

For dessert I will make something chocolaty maybe. Any suggestions welcome!

Can't wait for it this year actually

I'd skip lunch and go staright to dinner. if you've a big fry in the morning. you'll be full at lunchtime.

fussyonion

We never normally do breakfast or dessert but this year we're going to, so here's our menu:

BREAKFAST:
Sausages, rashers, pudding, fried egg, toast, orange juice and tea.

No lunch

DINNER:

Roast turkey, cooked on a trivet of celery, carrot, onion, garlic and lemons, seasoned well with salt, pepper, butter and completely covered in foil
Boiled smoked ham
Sage and onion stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Croquette potatoes
Roast potatoes
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Gravy


DESSERT

Tiramisu

seanie27

Also if, by the sound of it, you're cooking breakfast lunch and dinner - that's a lot of work and if you don't prepare beforehand you'll end up cooking all day, hassled, frazzled and fit to pass out after the last meal. There's lots you can prepare beforehand by a day or two or three. Make the gravy today or christmas eve. Then when the turkey is done add the turkey juices to finish it off. Prep the veggies, blanch em, cool em, into freezer bags and whack em in the freezer. Stuffing - can be made today or tomorrow I always make two batches. If you're having ham - cook the ham on christmas eve then roast it in your oven on the day with the glaze for 20-30 minutes or so. Same for the desert - sweets such as trifle can be made well before the day.
Rermember the day is about enjoying yourself, having fun, being laxy, a few drinks. So try not to tie yourself to the kitchen. Get the heavy lifting done a day or two before. Happy Christmas!