First time cooking for Christmas.

mapaca

trixychic wrote:

Guys is it sad that this is bugging me so much. I just don't want to do a beef on the day (again we don't eat it) and it feels like I already have enough to do.

I know that the girls eat ham and Turkey. And they are adults. Shouldn't they just take what they want and eat it?? I don't know. Maybe it's just cause its the first yr.

Does she mean spiced beef maybe? Is this something they always do at home? Maybe talk to the two girls themselves and see what they want (or get your OH to ask). It would annoy me too, you have enough to be doing besides roasting an extra joint of meat!

sadie1502

It's annoying me too that they want beef. Tell em scratch off the menu is a set menu tough. Jesus you'd know they never cook or entertain for anyone.

dee_mc

Appeal to her human side: tell her you're getting stressed at the thought of it all, you want the day to be lovely for everyone, you're not confident about cooking beef as well as a full Christmas dinner, so if it's important to her to have beef for her girls could she cook it herself and bring it along, please and thanks.

trixychic

dee_mc wrote: »

she cook it herself and bring it along, please and thanks.

She's gonna do this. I dunno it's still annoying me. And she wants to bring dessert... but I'll be making a tart, trifle and chocolate cake. I don't know. I just want our first yr to be perfect.

dee_mc

trixychic wrote: »

She's gonna do this. I dunno it's still annoying me. And she wants to bring dessert... but I'll be making a tart, trifle and chocolate cake. I don't know. I just want our first yr to be perfect.

So ask her to make the tart, the trifle or the chocolate cake? She won't be happy til she's doing something to help, and it'll take some of the pressure off you. Win win.

SarahLil

Loving this thread taking on board all the tips as it's my first year too

P.S trixychic I agree with dee_mc

Stheno

@ op my OHs daughter who joins us for Christmas each year has 29 food intolerances so we take plain eating to a new level.

For a starter we do smoked salmon on brown bread which she cant have due to gluten so I make bread from rice, potato and tapioca flour in advance.

Then for dinner, my OH loves turkey his kids love goose and all love ham, so we have both a turkey and a goose, I brine the turkey the day before, cook that in the morning (we eat late) then the goose, and do the veg and potatoes at the same time as the goose. The ham gets done the night before and is reheated along with the turkey

For dessert, we do something pre made, and ice cream for the intolerant one.

As we eat late it's very relaxed

trixychic

Stheno wrote: »

@ op my OHs daughter who joins us for Christmas each year has 29 food intolerances so we take plain eating to a new level.

Now see that I get. Food intolerance or even if I know someone doesn't eat something. For example. My sis in law hates fruit and fish. Therefore I would never cook salmon and expect her to eat it or put something she dosent like in front of her. Grand. Or kids. I'll always accomodate the kids to the best of my abilities.

But these 2 are grown ass womem who have eaten carvery both beef and Turkey/Ham and have had this food all their lives. I just don't get why she would be picky over this.

I think I might let her do the trifle when she comes up. (Mine has no jelly and can be made fresh just before eating. It's lovely). That might keep her happy. Ha.

Spanish Eyes

Will just say this. With due apologies.

If someone is coming for Christmas Dinner and they have preferences/intolerances/allergies, they bring their own. That's the ONLY way I know I won't kill them! And they understand completely, because I am upfront about it.

Of course they can pick and choose from what I have cooked, but that's up to them. Everyone is happy all round really.

Biggest time saver for me is just doing a cauli/broccolli, cheese made ahead, and a carrot/parsnip roast ready for the oven.

After that, cook Turkey night before along with the ham. Next morning slice and prep like a hotel does, and reheat in the oven in a bain marie.

It's just a dinner, but for more people!

Plenty of grog is essential though, then people will just EAT for soakage! lol.

For the non drinkers, well they do kitchen duties.

dee_mc

Re the two girls and the beef, it sounds like a family tradition thing - is the mammy anxious to keep their Christmas tradition alive even though they're eating dinner in someone else's house?
I wouldn't have a big issue with it to be honest as long as they weren't putting extra hassle on me or bringing in a food I was morally opposed to or something. There's a lot to be said for letting certain things slide for the sake of peace (and comfort and joy, for the day that's in it ).

Spanish Eyes

dee_mc wrote: »

Re the two girls and the beef, it sounds like a family tradition thing - is the mammy anxious to keep their Christmas tradition alive even though they're eating dinner in someone else's house?
I wouldn't have a big issue with it to be honest as long as they weren't putting extra hassle on me or bringing in a food I was morally opposed to or something. There's a lot to be said for letting certain things slide for the sake of peace (and comfort and joy, for the day that's in it ).

Indeed it is, and a good way to look at things too. Most people will eat beef.

It's the intolerances and potential for killing people with allergies that worries me, so as I said, it's BYO there!

Stheno

trixychic wrote: »

It's the intolerances and potential for killing people with allergies that worries me, so as I said, it's BYO there!

You can't kill people with intolerances as opposed to allergies.

One of the high points of Christmas dinner in our house the past few years is my OHs daughter getting food she wouldn't normally such as ice cream

I can make it in advance so it's no hassle but it's too much hassle on a normal day.

And it makes it more special.

Jude13

I have allergies but never expect anyone to accomadate me, I eat what I can or eat before I go.

Whispered

The year we had my in laws here for dinner I was worried. My mother in law is a fantastic cook. I knew she'd find it hard to sit back and let someone else do the cooking and I knew I'd find it hard to sit back and let someone else do dinner in my house. In the end I sat down with a glass of wine and asked if she needed help to let me know. It ended up being a joint effort and a really lovely day. Took a lot of pressure off me on the day and she contributed as she wanted to

This year it'll be just me and my husband and toddler. First year for us to be home alone and I'm planning on having the laziest, child-centric day possible. I'll be spending very little time cooking. My menu is

Starter (may be eaten as brunch depending on toddlers schedule on the day): prawn cocktail for the two gentlemen and a beetroot, walnut, red onion, feta and pomegranate salad for me

Main: turkey (cooked on the day in a turkey bag), honey glazed ham (cooked night before), sprouts, carrots (both prepped day before, roasted on the day), mash (travesty but I'm thinking of using the frozen mash from tesco. It's actually pretty delicious), roasties (frozen) and potato croquettes (also frozen), stuffing (ready made just pop tray into the oven) and gravy.

Dessert: not decided yet but will be ready made as I cannot bake!

Now in my defence I usually make everything from scratch. From pasta sauces to bread, we buy very little ready made. However, it's the one day I want to do the least amount of work possible so it'll be frozen and pre-made all the way.

trixychic

Whispered wrote: »

The year we had my in laws here for dinner I was worried. My mother in law is a fantastic cook. I knew she'd find it hard to sit back and let someone else do the cooking and I knew I'd find it hard to sit back and let someone else do dinner in my house. In the end I sat down with a glass of wine and asked if she needed help to let me know. It ended up being a joint effort and a really lovely day. Took a lot of pressure off me on the day and she contributed as she wanted to

This year it'll be just me and my husband and toddler. First year for us to be home alone and I'm planning on having the laziest, child-centric day possible. I'll be spending very little time cooking. My menu is

Starter (may be eaten as brunch depending on toddlers schedule on the day): prawn cocktail for the two gentlemen and a beetroot, walnut, red onion, feta and pomegranate salad for me

Main: turkey (cooked on the day in a turkey bag), honey glazed ham (cooked night before), sprouts, carrots (both prepped day before, roasted on the day), mash (travesty but I'm thinking of using the frozen mash from tesco. It's actually pretty delicious), roasties (frozen) and potato croquettes (also frozen), stuffing (ready made just pop tray into the oven) and gravy.

Dessert: not decided yet but will be ready made as I cannot bake!

Now in my defence I usually make everything from scratch. From pasta sauces to bread, we buy very little ready made. However, it's the one day I want to do the least amount of work possible so it'll be frozen and pre-made all the way.

It sounds fantastic!!!

My mother-in-law is not my biggest fan but she'llbe driving the girls up. Gonna be interesting. But I'm in my home and I'll be comfy. She can feck off. Ha. Yay!!! Started planning today. Gonna go all out... On a pitiful budget. Yay.

Posy

Whispered wrote: »

Now in my defence I usually make everything from scratch.

Feck making things from scratch! Life's too short!

I always get ready made marks and spencer creamy mash for Christmas- it's gorgeous and washing/peeling/chopping/boiling/mashing is such a pain for a dollop of spud that's sitting on the Christmas dinner plate obscured by 15 types of stuffing and mountains of other food! :pac:

PressRun

My dad usually likes cooking and does a good job of it, but I said I'd pitch in a bit this year. I'm going to make the dessert and a stuffing. Does anyone have any good stuffing recipes beyond the classic one?

Loughc

Our friends over in the cooking forum have started their Christmas Dinner 2016 thread. This thread is always great for tip, hints and recipes, you can check it out here;

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=101777295