Christmas Day Virgin... help!

[Strawberries]

HELP! I have offered to put on Christmas lunch this year, the first time EVER in my 31 year life. we normally do boxing day, but I don't have the pressure of having to do it traditionally (ie roast)

I want to use the Thermie as much as i can AND we can't have eggs (my toddler is anaphylactic).

I want to cook something special as its always been at my MIL and its the same roast as she'd cook on a sunday, meats are cooked the day before and reheated (yuck). its the same trifle done the same way every year, the same bon bons, same pickled onions, same same same... all about quantity and not about quality at all and honestly, i'm over it and its aweful. I suggested its time for me to do it so our children don't have to leave all their new toys all day and the offer was accepted!

What are you cooking for a traditional chrissy lunch???

I was thinking to start with some Lemonade, beillnis (berry ones?)...
caps and tom dip and basil dip (red and green theme!)
coconut, mango and mint sorbet (green) and berry sorbet (red) with coconut cream in lieu of eggs
dinner rolls
no idea for mains** - maybe 2 nice roast meats (lamb and glazed ham?), steamed baby carrots, caulie au gratin, colourful roast vegies with rocket and feta salad and beetroot salad??
then pudding for dessert - with custard? still trying to perfect egg free custard that doesn't set like jelly when cold.
orange shortbread and coffee for afters.

what have i forgotten? please give me any suggestions and tweaks!! Thanks...

[judydawn]

Strawberries, you have some great ideas there for a first timer and sound so confident that you can pull this off.  That's what will make it such a success for you and your guests will be very impressed.  This custard recipe is lovely for Christmas, with or without the brandy but have a practise first to see what you think of the consistency.  I think it all boils down to the type of cornflour that is used but once you make it, you will get it right every time.  A lot of custard recipes are way too thick once they go cold.

I have let the kids take over now so I can understand your MIL accepting your kind offer.  Like you, I never precooked my meat and reheated it although a lot of people do.  I always cooked my meat in the weber to free up inside oven space for other things and I always found a turkey roll to be the easiest thing in the world to cook, full turkeys I find to be a little on the dry side.
Of course we don't have to have traditional meats and if I was doing it myself I would probably cook a standing rib beef roast as my sons-in-law love it. The cauli-au-gratin can be made the day beforehand - it's nice to get as much as possible done early.

You will do fine, being so organised and having a menu already planned shows just how keen you are to do this and I know you will do it well. Good on you for taking over.

[cecilia]

Dear Strawberries,
Good luck!  Sounds as if you have heaps of great ideas.  Do you have the little Thermomix recipe book Festive Flavours?  That also has a lot of lovely ideas.  We love the Lettuce Soup.
There is a tweak for Beetroot Salad we have used at our cooking class - to the normal recipe was added pomegranate molasses and feta cheese.  The new Thermomix recipe book In the Mix has something like that, I think with real pomegranates.
For dessert, I am going to make tiny individual Christmas puddings steamed in the Varoma with brandy custard made in the bowl (can't be done at the same time, though, as they require different temperatures).  Mind you, I still have to find the recipe for steamed Chrissy pud! I'm sure there's one out there.
Although you don't want to do the actual cooking on the day before, you could do the "prep" earlier - getting all your ingredients weighed out, chopped up and in containers ready for a quick cook-up, as  consultants do at demonstrations.
Plus maybe you could ask someone close to you to help you with the plating up, washing up etc.
Here is an occasion when that second bowl and blade set will come into its own!!
Go well.  
cecilia

[thermoheaven]

have you got the festive flavour cookbook? i like the red and green shortbread recipe from there.
looking at what you're doing, it sounds great, but the most important thing is to keep it simple. good luck.

[andiesenji]

One of the reasons that I love turkey (or a big capon) for holiday lunches is that it tastes as good the next day as it did the day it was roasted. 
And it is a good contrast to a ham. 

Plus, the sides are always good,  potatoes, mashed, boiled new potatoes or ??, sweet potatoes too.  Naturally the stuffing and I usually fix two kinds, one with sausage and one with chestnuts.
Carrots, usually glazed, baby onions in cream sauce, green beans with almonds, Brussels sprouts. 
For some reason, nobody usually wants a salad...
Cranberry sauce - or a similar tart jelly if you live in a place where cranberries are not common, but people have told me that canned cranberry jelly is available in most places now. 
(My hair stylist is from Korea and told me that she found cranberry jelly in a market there when she visited her folks.)

[Strawberries]

Thanks for your reassurance ladies...

i don't have the festive cookbook (and apparently its out of print/stock ?) maybe they will do another reprint this year. I'm also heading to the christmas cooking class in a few weeks too.

LOVE the mini pud idea! and the shortbread, i've seen an idea with pistachio and cranberries maybe that's it!
I might slow cook some meat, and could put it outside to free up room in the kitchen. although i haven't used it since thermie came along!

I Agree, the KISS principle will be the key, and just combining recipes i already do frequently with a few new ones thrown in.

I'm hoping to make some little dukka, oil and bakers delight voucher packs with some preserves and biscuits for pressies ths year too, time permitting. I LOVE MY THERMIE!

keep the ideas coming though!
Amy

[Halex]

Andiesenji,

Your chrissy meal sounds like a wonderful english style.

I always do the same, its what i was brought up with, if its really hot we sometimes have salads, but i like to do the tradional style. I love rosst turkey, i tend to buy a rolled breast for us 3 and a large ham, we all love the chrissy ham.

Strawberries sounds like your doing really well. Try a turkey breast, absolutely yum, you coukd hsve a practice this minth, thats what i woukd do. But yes cook fresh

H

[judydawn]

I've pm'd that shortbread recipe to you Strawberries.  Sounds like you are going to be very busy during the month of December.

[Halex]

Ooh JD pm me too pleasexxxxxxx
H

[judydawn]

Emailed yours Hally.

[jeninwa]

JD can you send it to me too please. 
 

[judydawn]

All done.

[achookwoman]

No problem with steaming Xmas Puds,  especially if small.  Can be made now and kept in fridge or frozen and reheated in Microwave. I have posted one with lots of healthy carrot in it.  I make many and give them as Xmas pressies.  Friends are already putting in their orders.

You sound like you are very well organized,  and Cooks NEVER WASH UP.   You definitely need help plating up unless you have a Buffet.   As host,  you cook what you wish and everyone will enjoy it,  especially MIL.

[obbie]

  Strawberries, sounds like great fun.
You will be fine. Keep it simple, yes.

Ice cream cake can be made days before, with red and green color scheme. ( I did them last year, last week too)

plan, and prep as much the day before like I do.
plus, enjoy the day too.

Robyn

[cookie1]

Strawberries we have a cold Christmas lunch so I won't be much help to you. I make my puddings in the varoma and steam them ahead of the day and freeze them. Then just reheat. The beetroot dip in the Festive book is also lovely for Christmas. Here's the link for that.  If you want the pudding recipe let me know, although you have Chookie's.