Christmas survival guide (five recipes that will make your life so much easier on the big day.)

The season is coming quickly. I’m not quite decorated yet, these are pictures from last year. I keep things classic so not much will change except perhaps a feature flower for the season. I love all sorts of greenery and natural decorations with a few flowers thrown in. I have many vintage baubles from my mum and I think they look so pretty on our living room tree so I’m sharing those. I’m also sharing a few recipes I have found to be successful through a lifetime of family dinners and high expectations . Do you ever have an amazing family meal or function and fail to remember for next time what made it so effortless or so special? Yes, we always make mental notes at the time but that’s not always reliable (wink). When you finally get something right and everything falls into place it is such an ahhhhh moment! These are my past years successes, ahead of the game, for this year. I hope they can help and inspire you. If you have some tips and tricks of your own to survive the season, please leave me a comment. We are all in this together. These are simple and basic recipes. I have gone down the Bon Appétit type of meals many times and have found it doesn’t enhance the experience for the family, it is just a personal conquest. Now I’d rather pour myself a glass of rosé and relax.

When I hosted Christmas dinner two years ago it was one of those years where we had quite a few guests. Preparing food for a large number of people is not difficult really. Just increase the amount of food you make and you should be fine. My issue is that our house has a dedicated dining room which seats 8 comfortably and 10 if you squish together. Two years ago I think we were 16 people, so I thought it best that we have a buffet style from the dining room table and eat on our laps. I have learned from the decision to do that for Christmas dinner doesn’t work well and I won’t repeat that. So, my bonus tip here is, don’t over extend yourself. Know your limit. The more the merrier is not always feasible.

All that moaning aside, can we take a minute to appreciate the beauty of christmas trees? Aren’t they just the centre of the whole thing? This is our dining room tree. Since our dining room isn’t visible from the living room we put up two trees so that it feels festive no matter where you are. I love visiting people’s homes and seeing how they decorate their tree. We used to spend a fortune for trees and now we simply pick one up at our local supermarket. They are very reasonably priced and they look just as beautiful.

Here are some of my best tips for feeding my family on Christmas Day and a crowd of 8-10 for Christmas dinner.

Tip #1

Breakfast - This may be very tacky but my whole family loves the Christmas Morning Wife Saver recipe from the Best of Bridge. I’ve made it too many times to count.

Morning Wife Saver

16 slices of white bread with crusts removed

slices of Canadian back bacon or ham

slices of sharp/old cheddar cheese

6 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

3 cups whole milk

dash of tabasco

1/4 lb. of butter

crushed cornflakes or Special K cereal

In a 9” x 13” buttered glass baking dish, put 8 pieces of bread. Add pieces to cover dish entirely. Cover bread with slices of back bacon, sliced thin. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. In a bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, melt 1/4 lb. butter, pour over top. Cover with special K or crushed corn flakes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 degrees. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Tip #2

Turkey - I am sure some of you will cringe when I say that I used a pre-stuffed Butterball turkey that you cook from frozen. I also purchased the Butterball frozen stuffing so that we had loads of stuffing. I always find wrestling with the turkey and making the stuffing on Christmas morning quite challenging, messy and time consuming when I could be having a second cup of coffee. Years ago someone told me about the pre-stuffed, cook from frozen (yes, that right!) Butterball turkey and my life changed. I still do make my own stuffing and get a fresh organic turkey when time is not as crucial as Christmas day, but when you are stretched for time, sanity is more important.

Tip #3

Gravy - I made a batch of gravy on the 24th (just a butter, flour and store bought beef stock …and a glug of red wine) and so on Christmas day I was able to take the turkey drippings and make another batch of gravy (a roux with the dripping and stock…I use beef because of the robust flavour) and put the two together. My family goes through a lot of gravy and I’m always worried I might run out as the turkey itself only can provide so much gravy making juice. Doing the make ahead and putting the two together was a life saver.

Tip #4

Potatoes - This is another area where it is a dead simple dish but doing it at the last minute is simply a time issue. Also, the peeling is a time drain as well. I confess to having done it the old fashioned way for years and years. The recipe I found on line uses baked potatoes, so no peeling, and it is made the day before and heated in the microwave. (Finally, a use for my microwave!) This worked like magic and really cut down on that last minute nonsense. (last year I had NEVER done this before and it was amazing…trust me on this!)

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/creamy-make-ahead-mashed-potatoes.html#tabrecipe

Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Servings: 8 (easy to increase by a few potatoes and liquid to serve more guests)

3 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes

2 cups heavy cream

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Chives, for garnish and serving (haha…I forgot mine)

Preheat the oven to 450F and adjust rack to middle position. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until very soft, 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. (Err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking them.)

While the potatoes are still hot, cut each potato in half and scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. The flesh near the skin gets a little tough, so be sure to leave it behind. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a potato masher. Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and 6 tablespoons of the butter to a simmer. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. It will take a few minutes to mix it all in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt and taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly. Refrigerate for up to 2 days (do not freeze).

To reheat, microwave at medium-high (75 percent power) until the potatoes are hot, about 14-15 minutes, stirring halfway through the reheating time. Transfer to serving dish or dishes and top with a pat of butter and chives!

Soooo delicious!

Tip #5

Trifle - For ten people, trifle is a perfect finish to Christmas dinner. This version is from a Mary Berry recipe and is divine. Also, I made this ahead of time on the 24th and topped it with whipped cream and toasted almonds in the day on the 25th.

Mary Berry Victorian Trifle Recipe

For the custard

3 egg yolks

1 oz. cornflour (cornstarch)

2 oz. castor sugar (fine berry sugar)

600 ml (1 pint) milk

300 ml (10 fl. oz.) single cream

For the Filling

16 trifle sponges (I used a store bought two layer sponge cake that fit perfectly in my trifle dish)

Strawberry Jam

2 store bought macaroons or 20 ratafias (I used about one dozen crumbled amaretti biscuits)

1 tin pear halves in natural juice or light syrup

250 ml (8 fl. oz.) medium-dry sherry

175 g (6 ox.) red seedless grapes, halved

To Decorate

150 ml (5 fl. oz.) whipping cream or more if liked

50 g (2 oz.) flaked almonds, toasted

You will need a shallow 2.25 litre (4 pint) glass bowl

Put the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar into a large bowl and stir together with a whisk. Heat the milk and cream together in a pan until hot but not boiling. Gradually whisk into the yolks, then return the mixture to the pan. Stir over a high heat until the mixture just comes to the boil and the custard thickens. Take off the heat, cover and allow to cool.

Split the sponges and spread generously with strawberry jam. Sandwich together and arrange in the base of the dish, close together, cutting to fit if necessary. Crumble the macaroons or ratafias over the top. Combine 150 ml (5 fl oz) of pear juice drained from the tin with the sherry and sprinkle over the sponge and crumbled biscuits. Level the surface by pressing down with a spoon.

Drain the pears, discarding the remaining juice. Cut each half in 3 lengthways and arrange over the sponges (I might cut them a little smaller for easier serving next time). Scatter the grapes on top. Spread the custard over the fruit. Cover and leave until cold before transferring to the fridge to chill and set.

Beat the whipping cream until just stiff enough to hold a soft, floppy shape. Gently spread over the surface of the set custard and scatter with the almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

To prepare ahead: The trifle can be covered with clingfilm (I used a beeswax wrap instead of plastic) and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving

Let me know your tips and tricks for a Happy Holiday time. xo