BeckyBoo Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 ...should probably be in the all things nice section but just a quickie, how far in advance can you get the veggies ready without them going yukky? Ony the kids are still in bed, dog's walked, chooks are out, washing up from last nights party is done, coffee is on, I have a spare few minutes but don't want them going brown or horrible! (I'm in danger of being organised!!) Mind you, haven't got a present wrapped yet! Mrs Festive Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Most of them will be fine - carrots, sprouts etc prepped and in bags in the fridge will be OK. I don't do potatoes until late on Christmas Eve and cover with cold water. They go a bit 'fizzy' if you do them too early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 Thank you! Just remembered still got another cake to ice and a pudding to make, so will do them a little bit later on anyway. Must go, kettle's boiled! Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 James Martin told me (and the rest of the world watching!!) that you can cook all the vegetables in advance and then plunge them straight into cold water. Just before the meal drop them into a pan of boiling water for a few minutes and they will be fine. I've done it and it really works. If you run out of things to do, do drop round Mrs B - you'd be very welcome and I have plenty for you to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 I've been reading this and thinking 'what a good idea'. I'm organised, presents are wrapped, if I prepare my veg then I really will be organised! Then I read about icing the cake I knew I'd forgotten something Oh well, one more cup of tea and I'll get onto it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 I've just iced my cake! Still got to make bread sauce, onion sauce, stuffing, nut roast, fruit salad, yule log and prepare all the vegetables. I haven't wrapped a single present. I have to go out at 2:30pm and I suspect my father might call in this morning - he usually does I shouldn't be on here I just don't have the time You would think it would all be easy with 3 daughters in the house (18, 15 and 12), but no! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 I'm with you Ginette! OH is going out (buying my present! ) shortly and I have persuaded him to take at least one of the children with him. I've got all the veg to do, stuffing I'll do in the morning, getting him to pick up the turkey from the in-laws plus the MP3's for the girls (had to get SIL to load them up - I haven't got a clue! ) have just iced the second cake, alcohol free pudding type thing for mother is steaming away, kitchen is foggin up, finished the last 8 of 32 letters to children from santa at 0300 last night and delivered them on the dog walk at 6.45 this morning! Do you think it's OK to start on the wine yet?! Feels like I've been up hours already. Oh! I have!! Mrs Bertie - Luvvin' every minute of it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 there's a lot to be said for going to the parents for Christmas dinner, no preperations, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 My dinner has to magically be ready soon after 1pm, even though we will have all been out from 9:30am till 12:15pm. That's why I have to do it all today (and I'm out from 2:30 to 6pm today as well)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 I've just iced my cake! Still got to make bread sauce, onion sauce, stuffing, nut roast, fruit salad, yule log and prepare all the vegetables Can you make bread sauce in advance then? I've just been looking up recipes and they all say make just before serving. I love proper bread sauce, if I can make some today it'll save a lttile bit more work. Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Well, I always make mine on Christmas Eve. I just don't have time tomorrow. Mine is always thick and served with a spoon If it's meant to be runnier than that, maybe you need to make it on the day. "Ooops, word censored!"ody complains about mine and it all goes! I love it! My father has just been here for 2 hours so no time to cook anything now! I'm not sure I will get to bed at all this year!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 p.s. This is the recipe I use: Bread Sauce 75g white breadcrumbs 425ml milk 1 medium onion 1 bayleaf 15 whole cloves 6 black peppercorns 50g butter 2 tbsps double cream salt and pepper Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it. Place the onion, bayleaf and peppercorns in a saucepan with the milk and leave in a warm place to infuse. Over a very low heat, bring the milk slowly to the boil (15 minutes) Remove the onion, peppercorns and bayleaf. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and add 25g butter and some salt. Leave on a low heat until the crumbs have swollen and thickened the sauce. Replace the clove-studded onion and leave in a warm place until needed. Remove the onion and spices before serving and beat in the remaining butter and the cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Yum - sounds nice - I think I might try that. We've got everything sorted pretty much and I've always fancied trying real bread sauce. (veg being prepped tonight, presents wrapped, children separated into different floors of the house!!!!) )Oh and a lovely hubby who does just about everything because of my ME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 We peel all our veg & leave it in water in the cooking pans overnight. We don't pre cook it. We always have mountains of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 Thanks everyone, that recipe looks just the job - have already got the bread out of the freezer that I save to make breadcrumbs, I'm so excited, Christmas is TOMORROW!!! Weeheeeeeee Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Yep, our stuff is all in pans. We just need to sweep in and turn the gas on in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 It's now 10:10pm and I have done nearly all the veg (not the PSB yet). I have made a Nut Roast, onion sauce, bread sauce and stuffing. Just starting on the Yule Log. Then I have to do a fresh fruit salad (I hate doing that, but it's quite nice at the end of the meal and my Mother is diabetic so has to be a bit careful). OH has wrapped all the presents - I have to keep checking what he's wrapped though as he's giving all the wrong things to the wrong people!! He seems to have forgotten about the turkey, which he does EVERY Christmas Eve before going to Midnight Mass. In my female way, I am diligently NOT reminding him The sausages and stuffing are on the working top! Oh dear! The tension . . . I just need to go to bed! Have a great day tomorrow everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 I don't remove the onion from the milk before adding breadcrumbs - I zap it with a thingy and it tastes wondeful. Too tired to think what the proper word might be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 He didn't forget (or didn't admit to it) but time ran out and he had to go to church - so I did it myself. I even used the special string! Lesley and Carl - the turkey was absolutely delicious and approved of by all. Thank you very, very much. I hope you had a good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 I'm glad you all enjoyed it - thank you for letting me know! We enjoyed ours as well. It took me an hour and a half to bone it and stuff it and tie it all back up but it was well worth it (despite what Jamie said about not bothering to bone a turkey!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 I didn't bone ours - I wouldn't know how either! It was still delicious though. And there's some left for today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 So who else is having turkey, chipolats & chips for tea? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 We are Emma.............. With warmed up christmas pud. for afters lovely........... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 Fried left-over vegetables, turkey and sausages. Nut Roast too. Followed by Christmas cake, pudding, yule log or brown bread ice cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 26, 2007 Share Posted December 26, 2007 We're having chicken noodle soup made from some of the leftover cockerel and some homemade pasta noodles followed by what's left of the mincemeat streusel cake and rum sauce and we'll have chicken pie tomorrow. I love leftovers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
