Pre-Christmas party meal.

I recently made a beef bourguignon, and made it with 100% red wine (no water added whatsoever!🤣) and it was absolutely delicious. I cooked it on a very low temperature for about 4 hours and the meat cut like butter.

Beef Bourguignon ALWAYS for festive Christmas (if you can’t do a standing rib roast.) Made one or two days ahead to meld flavors for even more deliciousness. Served over mashed potatoes.

Chicken Divan is very good. Go to www.Allrecipes.com and search recipe. So easy! So tasty! Flavorful comfort food and easy on your tummy.

My mouth is watering already 😛
USA Gundy

Goulash with noodles or rice or potato. Make ahead and then heat through. Tastes better after couple of days. Red cabbage. Garlic bread. Or just crusty bread for the sauce Easy 👍🏻

Oh, yes, jacket potatoes may be a lot easier, I’ll have to give all of this some thought but reckon I’ll have enough ideas from you lovely, helpful people that I never need to panic again about what to offer. Can’t tell you how grateful I am for everyone taking the trouble to help a granny in a quandary!

Beef Strogonoff - easy peasy - tastes wonderful with potatoes or rice - freezes really well (just leave out the cream / creme fraishe until ready to serve) - this is my go to recipe (but I often make with Roast leftovers rather than steak

We had an old sailing boat and I bought from a charity shop a hi dome prestige pressure cooker. It saved on the fuel and more importantly if it fell off the stove or whatever nothing leaked out, so no burns scalds of stuff to slip on. Personally I think that shin beef gives you the best gravy of all, and I dont like meat cooked in microwave etc . Also can do a decent amount. I use firstly onions plenty of them lightly fried first as the taste is quite different to raw onion added. So it is onion and then green pepper chopped small lightly fried and put in pressure cooker, followed by the shin beef sealed in the pan first too. Then I add lots of celery and carrots chopped up. Think celery gives a lovely flavour, So cook all this and allow to cool. Then I would freeze it in a couple of bags . When you want to use it let it defrost slowly perhaps the night before and then I add mushrooms and some red wine to the contents of one bag, and leave the other without mushrooms. Then all you need do is jacket potatoes for however many are coming (I stick them in the microwave to start them off , but absolutely must put in the oven to get the really good skin. Then I would probably just do some cauliflower as an extra vegetable but this way you have a lovely casserole with very little work to do on the day, and you can even give a choice of with or without mushrooms or wine etc.The casserole tastes much better when reheated and can sit and wait for latecomers so you are not worrying about it being spoilt. Oh I could just eat some now!!

Yes, it’s useful to have a selection of veg in one dish to hand round, much easier. Red cabbage would also work well with that menu, Teabagwoman. You can make and freeze that in advance and just reheat too. I use good old Delia’s trusted recipe but add a couple of tablespoons of redcurrant jelly into it too. Funny how we lose our confidence in cooking for larger groups, isn’t it? I used to feed a houseful without batting an eyelid in my younger days, now I seem to stress over every detail! Tried the celeriac and potato mash, thank you for the suggestion. Definite winner, have now frozen half and will thaw and reheat over the weekend as a practice run - that would go with the beef too if dauphinoise is too much of a faff. We’ll get there, feeling much more confident now!

Thanks Pigma, menu organised. I like your idea of mixing peas, broad beans and leeks too.

I'm going to save/watch this thread for future reference!!

Teabagwoman - I’ve done it too many times but Boeuf Bourguignonne is a fail safe recipe and freezes well. I also make Mary Berry’s dauphinoise potatoes which freeze too. Nice and easy and very popular, both just need thawing and reheating. Hope that helps but agree there are some great suggestions here too. Spoilt for choice aren’t we?!

Reading this thread with great interest. Have to host a supper party soon and have rather lost confidence in my catering abilities. Some great ideas here.

Likewise, Callistemon, we love it, it’s seasonal, it freezes, it’s colourful …it’s now on the menu! I’m thinking some sort of potatoes, spiced red cabbage, roasted glazed carrots and a mix of peas, broad beans and leeks for the accompaniments. Does that sound ok?

You should Callistemon , it’s quick and easy and re heated from frozen is even better.

I love it and don't know why we don't eat it more often!

We always had it as children but friends only knew it as uncooked pickled in jars st Christmas. Everyone I have cooked it for liked it and if I see it in a restaurant menu will always choose it. Just to encourage the chef,

Am about to cook some red cabbage now. It freezes brilliantly so I divide it up into portions and pop it away for another time.

Pigma

Oh, what fantastic ideas, what an adventurous lot you are!! Thank you so, so much for all your suggestions. Practice sessions coming up!

We'll all taste test for you

Oh, what fantastic ideas, what an adventurous lot you are!! Thank you so, so much for all your suggestions. Practice sessions coming up!

silverlining48

How about red cabbage cooked slowly with an apple etc. It looks and tastes great with most meats and adds colour to any plate.

Ooh, yes please!

I often make a Moroccan style lamb tagine with diced lamb shoulder. It can be made in a casserole or tagine in the oven and cooked on a low heat for approx 3 hours or done in a slow cooker for 6 or so hours. It is possible to make it beforehand and freeze.
I serve it with couscous flavoured with chopped apricots and chopped dried dates.

How about red cabbage cooked slowly with an apple etc. It looks and tastes great with most meats and adds colour to any plate.

I have done this beef. red wine and carrot recipe several times
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/beef-red-wine-carrots

It is also the base of Italian Cottage Pie - which is just the casserole topped with parmesan and bacon potatoes
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/italian-cottage-pie

We confit duck legs and do a kind of cassoulet. My GD when small who loves cooked duck being born in the Orient misheard and called it Dog leg stew and so Dog leg stew it is.
Or a duck stew with orzo.

What about a beef with horseradish casserole?
Potatoes mashed with a little horseradish sauce are delicious with beef - for those who like horseradish!

Oooh, thank you, I’ve got everything in the house for the chicken stew so will have a go as it sounds like a really useful slow cooker recipe, always on the lookout for those. I usually do Moroccan Chicken in the slow cooker - chicken with chickpeas, sweet potato and spices so this will make a nice change. Really appreciate everyone’s help, not feeling quite so panicky now!