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[holidaylover]

Ditto above, all done Christmas Eve, although I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I put it into food, but on Christmas Eve that would be a waste, and it seems to help the proces.   

[Hurdity]

We do it all on Christmas Day! My husband's birthday on Xmas Eve so we go out to the coast for fish and chips and chill out generally en famille so don't spoil the day with Xmas Dinner preps. I just get up when I feel like it and make the stuffing for the turkey bung it in the oven, work out when it's going to be ready then do a plan of when other stuff needs to go in eg ham etc, pudding on. Obvs make pud earlier on but steam it on the day.  My (four) children were brought up on communal veg preps so that's not a problem and if I need something done I get someone to do it. Daughter does the bread sauce - she loves doing it, and also some weird but yummy salted caramel sauce or something for the pud. She's another that thrives on cooking! She also does the pigs in blankets.  There are only 7 of us so it's no big deal really.

I do get a bit stressed during the last hour when having to take things out and where to put them in our small cottage kitchen where we also eat - but nothing that a G & T won't sort out! One of the offspring usually sorts out all the pre-drinks. Daughter lays the table! My husband tries to calm me down and lift heavy turkey etc. We're away this year so breaking tradition and daughter is doing trifle on Xmas Day as we've decided (after 30 years) that no-one eats pud!

I love it too especially when we open some fizz just before starting to eat  and everyone's mellow !

Hurdity x

[Dorothy]

Here is my bread sauce recipe - the uncivilised persons who prefer bread sauce out - of - a - packet  >:(can ignore this post!   

Peel a small onion and stick 2 or 3 cloves in it (optional if you don't like cloves).  Put into a saucepan with 1/2 pint milk, a teacup of breadcrumbs and 1-2oz butter.  Bring to the boil SLOWLY then remove from heat and stand as long as possible.  Just before the meal is ready, reheat sauce gently, beating with a wooden spoon. Remove onion just before serving.

This is how it goes in the cookbook.  I amend it slightly by leaving the sauce to cook for a few minutes on a low heat after it comes to the boil.  I also remove the onion and chop a bit of it very, very finely to mix in with the sauce and then put the rest of the onion back in until it's ready to serve.  I like to make it the night before so that it has plenty of time for the flavours to mingle.

It's important to use a really good bread, not some cheap sliced rubbish - the better the ingredients, the better the sauce will taste.  ( I should confess to being a bread-sauce-aholic - in my view, turkey is simply the excuse you need to eat bread sauce!)

[Dulciana]

This is great, Dorothy.  Thanks!  Do you use brown bread or white?

[Dorothy]

I use brown as I make my own brown bread (mandatory with smoked salmon for Christmas Day supper!) but have made it with white in the past.  I prefer the slightly darker colour and the flavour of sauce made with brown bread, but it's really personal preference.

Shame I don't live near you or I'd be happy to volunteer as a 'bread sauce taster' if you wanted to practice.  I love the stuff!  (As long as it's not out of a packet, of course  )

[libby1]

Thanks girls, lots of good tips 

When you prepare the veg, do you put them in the fridge overnight in water or just on the side in water? Our fridge is usuallly overloaded this time of year 

Does everyone have christmas pud? I usually find it too heavy so I'm making a raspberry and mango pavlova instead 
Although it is a bit of pain because you have to put it all together just before it's served although most people are glad of a breather before dessert 

Anybody got any ideas for easy canapés? My husband likes smoked salmon with creme fraiche on blinis but not me 

Libby
x

[Scampi]

Can't help with canapes, as we don't have them (or starters - we like to have plenty of room for the main event!).

My prepped veg are just kept in bowls of cold water (enough to cover them), covered with cling film and left on the side - no room in the fridge!  They are fine like that.  Just remember to dry off any that you intend to roast without par-boiling (I don't par-boil roast pototoes).

And we don't have pud - see comment above about room for the main event!!  I often make a trifle, into which we dig later in the day as the fancy takes us, along with grazing on cold turkey, pickles, sausage rolls, etc!

[Dorothy]

We don't do Christmas pud, but we have bought 2 yummy ice creams and a lemon sorbet for those who don't want Christmas cake, fruit or mince pie for their dessert!

Veg is always fine on a worktop overnight here, but our kitchen is pretty cold!

[CLKD]

Cold water in a deep bowl with plate over the top - in the coolest room keeps veg. fresh for 2/3 days - can always ad a spoonful of ice cubes !