Open the selection box- Christmas Forum Chat Thread

Three months from now probably in a food coma asleep, what is it, 5am in Ireland. Probably dreading getting up St Stephen's day to drive the Mrs to her folks. In the past it would have been up early to run off the food at a married vrs singles match but those days are gone.

I defo have the crankiness today, must have spilled over as yesterday I was grand. First day in a long time I was seriously contemplating not bothering with work. Good old Chrimbo forums perked me up though.

Posy

Loughc wrote: »

OOOoh interesting. One comes with a little Christmas organiser and everything. They know their market.

How did I not know that there are Christmas magazines!?

I'm going to Easons the minute I finish work to look for them!!

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Aldi also have frozen turkeys in stock!

This is one aspect of Christmas that I should really learn about. The only turkey I have cooked have been abroad, butterballs, they have an ingredients list for gods sake. So whats the crack, free range, organic frozen, all the same?

Toto Wolfcastle

I've only ever cooked two turkeys. Well, turkey crowns. The first was from M&S and after following the instructions, we ended up with a dry turkey. The second was frozen from Lidl and we researched how to cook it first. It was better than the M&S crown, but not exactly memorable! I suppose turkey is rarely memorable unless it's like sawdust!

[Deleted User]

I don't know what the story is with turkeys. I have tried them all, and the most delicious one I ever made was a frozen one from Aldi, pre basted. I cooked it breast side down for thanksgiving last year (I have a lot of American friends) and we were all astonished at the succulence. It was really was much better than any turkey I'd ever made before - including organic butcher and M&S offerings. I used a meat thermometer and took it out when it just reached the right internal temperature. Ah it was divine, and the gravy was magic too.

Don't get me wrong the butterball ones are amazing, so juicy and tasty. I brined it overnight and I BBQ'd them, real Braai/BBQ no gas. So nice and so easy. On for 3-4 hours and sip cider in the sun beside it. But it was too nice and juicy, can't be good for you.

Anyway Ham is where its at.

Maybe I'm strange but I much rather Turkey over Ham.

I still enjoy both, but Turkey is my favourite.

Never made Christmas dinner so no experience of buying or cooking turkey yet but I would love to make it! Probably not until when there is more than 2 of us. For those who cooked Christmas dinner, did you enjoy cooking or did you find it stressful and would rather avoid it?

My family is a bunch of hoteliers so we always get a turkey from one of hotels and I think hubby's mum buy hers in Dunnes- to be honest I won't think there is any difference, it is more the way dinner is cooked for me e.g. his family it is boiled vegetables with butter whereas in mine it is steamed vegetables.

Whispered

My husband loves turkey! He has ham because it's traditional. Toddler loves ham, says turkey is "yuck". Between the two of them they'll lick their platters clean.

Christmas thread over in the cooking forum. Go elves. Spread your cheer!

Loughc wrote: »

Maybe I'm strange but I much rather Turkey over Ham.

I still enjoy both, but Turkey is my favourite.

I put that down to standing up too fast or the like.

I like both, not sure which one I would prefer but if it had to be one or other it would be turkey!

freshpopcorn

If I am ever going to an event with a meal I always hope they have Turkey & Ham. I much prefer it to beef/etc because these are standard every day dinners to me!

miamee

I always have a slice of ham with my Christmas dinner, however I won't eat it again after that, e.g. for St. Stephen's Day dinner or in a sandwich - I actually don't like it very much but when it's warm and just cooked it's not so bad. I think it's more a case that I hated having bacon for dinner when I was a kid and this is basically the same thing to me

I think because I lived in a country where I couldn't get a ham for a long time that it has skewed my view on this. I dream about ham. Turkey I can take or leave.

Also I always have cheesy potatoes at Christmas but never at any other time. And after eights.

Jude13 wrote: »

Also I always have cheesy potatoes at Christmas but never at any other time. And after eights.

Cheesy potatoes as in cheesy mash?

Same I only have After Eights at Christmas time, despite loving After Eights.

Ditto with the after eights although I'm not a sweet person unless it's haribo.

Yeah chessy mash, never have it any other time.

God Im hungry need to go home and eat.

Jude13 wrote: »

Ditto with the after eights although I'm not a sweet person unless it's haribo.

Yeah chessy mash, never have it any other time.

God Im hungry need to go home and eat.

Cheesy mash is soooo good. That features outside of Christmas as well as Christmas for me haha.

DvB

Ham cooked on Christmas eve, a few slices in a batch bread sambo after coming home from a few festive beverages was always a tradition for me until I moved out, I still associate the cooking of the ham with Christmas eve. This year we have everyone coming to us for dinner on Christmas day so its now my turn to do the ham on christmas eve, so I suspect once the kids are in bed I'll have a drink or two & have a ham sambo before bed.... bliss.

Turkey was always a christmas morning cook, I'll stick to that as well.

The only food I'd leave for eating exclusively at christmas would be Baileys whipped cream... it goes into coffee, onto christmas pud, ice cream, everything!! I love it, thank the stars its only available at christmas or I'd have even more trouble keeping my weight down!!

SusieBlue

On Christmas Eve morning, my mum gets up early to make a madeira cake. So when I lived at home I always woke to the smell of baking, which was lovely. In the afternoon, she'll start on the spiced beef, which we have that evening after mass in fresh breadrolls and thick doorstep bread, along with other picky bits.
Both of those smells remind me of Christmas, because she doesn't make them at any other time of year. The spiced beef used to be for part of our Christmas day dinner, but we all always ended picking at it and it would be demolished before bed time on Christmas Eve

freshpopcorn

There is a video online with Maria and Tyrone from Coronation Street talking about Liz Dawn Dawn(Vera) dying. They are in The Rovers and it's decorated for Christmas!

Baileys whipped cream... oh hello...

I'm still pining for the limited edition of Bailed Mint to come back, they released it a few Christmases ago and it never reappeared.

Also lads ye are entering dangerous territory here I could talk about food all day haha. I love my food.

WhiteRoses wrote: »

On Christmas Eve morning, my mum gets up early to make a madeira cake.

This is me too!

a wee tradition passed on from Grammy as she used to make it for us every year and would have Grandad dropping it at our house on Christmas eve for Santa! But she stopped doing it few years ago as it is too much for her so I kind of took over from her

With loads of 'snow' icing. And of course all mince pies too ha!

Speaking of Baileys whipped cream, it is delicious with mince pies!

Whispered

I've never had baileys whipped cream! I'll definitely try it this year. Is it alcoholic or just flavoured?

DvB

Whispered wrote: »

I've never had baileys whipped cream! I'll definitely try it this year. Is it alcoholic or just flavoured?

You dont know what you're missing!!! You'll have to give it a try this year.

As for its content, its just flavoured IIRC. Or at least if theres any alcohol its at such a low level as to make little difference.

Toto Wolfcastle

I got Glenilen Farm double cream last Christmas and if it was available all year round I'd have died of heart failure by now. It's incredible.

Glitzgirl

Just logged on and I'm starving here reading these hahah

I never cooked turkey crown I order a turkey from supervalu but will try kildare farm foods this year meant to be fab.

I Cant abide a dry turkey. And while I like turkey I love my christmas ham

Allow it to sit in cider 48 hrs before christmas. Steep overnight in the cider. Christmas eve I boil it. Make a cheeky sambo for myself and mr glitz to fend off the starvation while we try get 2 smallies to sleep and keep ourselves awake.

Next day I make up a honey and mustard paste and oven cook the ham . Drooling thinking of it now

We also have after eights after dinner and I always have viennetta for an Ice cream choice

I find if stuffing is dry too turkey can be dry and a lot of it is basting and prep work with the turkey before and during cooking. Thankfully we haven't had any dry turkey incidents in a few years lol