Alternative Christmas dinner ideas please.

kittylester

Small, Bertha, come on it's Christmas!

😁🍾

Thank you everyone. The baked Camembert and ducks legs are staying in my head, but perhaps not together!

I don’t drink alcohol but I love the sentiment.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas dinners, less than 3 months to go 🤪

Whethertomorrow

Thank you everyone. The baked Camembert and ducks legs are staying in my head, but perhaps not together!

I don’t drink alcohol but I love the sentiment.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas dinners, less than 3 months to go 🤪

As long as I don't have to cook it!
Although, if I do, I shall head for the ready-prepared section of M&S!

Duck legs are a good idea, as suggested, but you can also buy duck breast, which is quicker to cook and equally as delicious. I make a port and orange gravy to go with it, but you can skip the alcohol and just add cranberry sauce and a little water to the orange juice and zest, thickened with cornflour (plus a little dried ginger if you like a bit of a kick). Serve with veg of your choice.
Small Xmas puds are available, too, if you like them, but any pud or fruit would be as nice.
Better get the sprouts on now, as mentioned 😂.

I don’t know if you like pasta but I think of pasta in a robust red sauce, freshly baked bread, salad and best of all your favorite dessert!! Make enough for a second meal as it’s always better the next day!

Another vote for Cooks meals, my daughter gets their Christmas food. The vegetarian range is excellent.

I'd get ostrich steaks (2 in the pack but each sealed separately - one for New Year too?). Delish - very quick to cook. www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/the-lions-kingdom-ostrich-fillet-steak-x2-250g?istCompanyId=1e096408-041f-4238-994e-a7cf46bf9413&istFeedId=689af7a8-5842-4d88-be59-1ee5688a81b5&istItemId=pxararpww&istBid=t&&cmpid=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20333793068&utm_content=shopping&utm_term=%257Bsku%257D&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=759-449-0952&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0t63BhAUEiwA5xP54cbpcLs6gfEj7Lnh8cFAwmL0oophZW8g7XJsLuznK-C5AoPjoDEiqhoCvboQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sounds perfect

A friend always orders a veggie Indian curry and all the trimmings late on Xmas Eve. She reheats it on the day and loves it.

I think that I'd probably do a duck if I was on my own, or maybe one of those duck in sauce ready meals - festive but easy.
Or a nice gammon joint would be nice, boiled then glazed in the oven? You could have a small one that wouldn't last long or a larger one to see you through the festive season. I looked on Ocado and M&S do one which is quite small and ready to cook: www.ocado.com/products/m-s-select-farms-gammon-with-honey-glaze-boneless-516392011?srsltid=AfmBOoqSAG9bprPtWrNWDhQl8jIziTw4jRQt7ODepwCGLVtknJKz8HsC

I'm definitely in the posh 'dine in' type meals brigade. Add in a couple of treats to have in the evening when you are watching a Christmas film or two! Or if you eat in the evening a posh breakfast instead I hope you have a lovely 'foodie' Christmas 🎄

I was on my own for christmas last year and made this - it was delicious!

That's an idea, LindaJ, stuffing instead of breadcrumbs!

Treat yourself to something from M&S ready meals which you wouldn’t cook normally and would be a real change for you !

Waitrose do quite nice ready meals for £12
You get a main, sides, starter and pud

Their jambalaya is nice, or fish pie

Look out for Christmas quiches in December. They often have seasonal ingredients like cranberries and Stilton, or other more unusual cheeses. These can be cut in to three or four slices and frozen, so they can be used after Christmas for further treats. Buy a red cabbage, carrots, spring onions and festive nuts add mayonnaise and a touch of white wine and there you have coleslaw, a healthy counterpart to the stodge. It keeps for several days in the fridge. For afters you could make a couple of simple trifles in decorative glasses.glasses. Or you could try a dessert that you've never bought before and, once again, buy one that you can cut and freeze. Make sure you have a candle on your table and you will bathed in soothing light.

After a very sad period before Xmas one year, and in no mood for festivities, we ordered Indian takeaway on Xmas Eve to heat up the next day. My husband, myself, dd and sil all agreed it was the best idea, comforting ourselves with some favourite food without having to summon up any effort.

Lisaangel10

A friend always orders a veggie Indian curry and all the trimmings late on Xmas Eve. She reheats it on the day and loves it.

That sounds like a good idea.

I booked an Indian restaurant as a change one Christmas Day. They had traditional turkey on the menu as well.
My adult children were in uproar!
"It won't be the same..."
No, that was precisely why I did it!
Reluctantly I rang to cancel and explained why. The waiter was very understanding!

Find a deli or market that will make a one person meal that you can take home and reheat. Then get a dessert or pudding for yourself. Done.

For cold selections: make a cheese and sausage platter you can munch on (or buy one) then supplement with a couple of premade salads (pasta, veggie, potato, coleslaw) in take out containers. You can eat for a couple of days off this and it’s delish.

Treat yourself!!!

semperfidelis I like the idea of a ready made quiche that you can have for breakfast or lunch… then a bought dinner.

And yes, candles… more than one, I love candlelight. Don’t forget the music! Throw a small poinsettia in there too, for your dining room table, or wherever. You’ll have a readymade Christmas setup that will last till New Year’s.

Fancy ready meal with a starter and lovely rich dessert, bottle wine, nice liqueur for after and some chocolates, heaven xx

We're going to have a full English.

I did a really nice special curry one year for Christmas lunch.

A tasty ready meal and pudding is a good idea. So suggests me who doesn't like cooking especially on Christmas Day - but still feels she has to do it! No filly faddling about. Perfect! Enjoy!