Magic in the Madness
The Perfect Christmas… and other Fairy Stories.
Christmas Cooking Countdown Gameplan
#12 Cooking Countdown Gameplan
This is for people who are cooking for other people.
If not, feel free to pass this one on by.
If you’re on chef duty, you’ve probably got a plan in mind already.
But if not, (or maybe you want to check things off), here’s my timeline, which I hope is useful.
As I write this on 21st Dec and count down the final days to Christmas, I am always going to focus on maximum enjoyment and minimal kitchen stress.I’ve served my stressful Christmas dinner time in the past.
It wasn’t that fun, I didn’t even get a certificate, 1 star – not recommended.
When I chilled out – it got much better.I recommend a strategic game plan to keep that chilled vibe going,starting today, through Christmas, and onto Boxing Day.
This is the art of the potter.
The amble.
The Radio 4/1/2 on (depending on your persuasion), glass of mulled wine in hand and gently, unhurriedly enjoying the ride tasting things as you go.
And if you decide at some point ‘screw brandy butter, no one likes it much, I’m not doing it’ – then I’ll raise a glass to that with you.
Whatever you finally do will be wonderful.
No one is going to starve, but let’s the aim be for everything to be a pleasure – not a chore.
December 21st:
Pantry Prep
Take an inventory of your pantry/cupboards/freezer, making sure all your staples are stocked up – without going berserk.
We focus on that big Christmas meal.
But by making sure you’ve got baked beans, eggs, baking potatoes, and quickie things from the freezer to throw in the oven – you won’t spend any more time than necessary in the kitchen – or scouring the internet for shops that are still open.
If you’ve got a big turkey –
* Begin defrosting your turkey in the fridge, if it’s a frozen one*.
You could do this tonight or tomorrow morning.
But remember, it can genuinely take 3 full days to be safe, and it isn’t ideal to do it at room temperature.
You’ll have to make space for that so maybe take a shelf out and rearrange/thin things out a bit..
You don’t need to chill drinks yet – so they can be elsewhere if you need the space.
Chuck out anything that’s obviously empty, out of date or you’re not going to use.
If you want to get super-Delia you could organise your ingredients by grouping them by recipe.
But that’s an advanced, non-essential ninja-move.
(Plant-based centrepieces have a couple of days yet)
December 22nd:
Advance Prep Make your stuffing mixture; it’ll taste even better after the flavours have a chance to meld together.
Prep your veggies – peel and chop carrots, prep the sprouts, and whatever else you plan to have store them in the fridge.
Prepare any cold desserts or puddings today.
Most should keep fine until 25th if you keep them in the fridge, or even freeze and defrost (depending on what they are).
Make sure you have foil, freezerbags, clingfilm and tupperware.And enough glasses etc.
December 23rd:
Baking and Boxing
If you’re baking – this is the day.
Bake any pies or bread you plan to serve.
They’ll be fresh enough to enjoy but one less thing to do on the day.
Or, obviously… buy them.
CHRISTMAS EVE BOX.
OK I give in – this is a thing now.
Assemble your Christmas Eve Box complete with cosy pyjamas, a book, maybe a Christmas movie lined up, popcorn and a hot chocolate kit.
Also, if you’re feeling it – why not get a ‘make your own pizza’ kit ready and include it in the box:
Make/buy the dough in advance, tomato sauce (premade-or homemade) Grated cheese and toppings ready, in little ziplocks or tupperware.
I did this for all my daughter’s friends on Valentine’s Day in lockdown.
They all cooked it at the same time and watched a film with Zoom on, chatting away in the background.
They loved it.
For you at home, any children there will get to roll, add toppingsand do some cooking.
That’s a fun dinner organised for tomorrow too.
It will keep them busy and fever pitch down to a manageable level.
This is a great thing for adults-only houses too.
Christmas Eve: The Set-Up
Get Christmas Breakfast Ready the night before.
You want to go for maximum pizzazz and minimum effort.
Think overnight oats, hard-boiled eggs, pancakes, croissants etc..
We do something that UK people tend to find weird – an American breakfast casserole!
This is because generally, we won’t have Christmas lunch until the afternoon, most people are up early and it’s a long time to wait from an early breakfast.
Breakfast Casserole will impressively feed a crowd, without starting the day as a short-order chef.
If you want to have a go, it’s perfect in the slow cooker.
I’ll grant you -it does sound a bit suspect, like one of those annoying videos on Facebook or Mrs Cropley’s food from the Vicar of Dibley’s.
It’s not – it’s brilliant, try it.
Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Components:
- 1. Vegetables,
- 2. Meat/(or extra veggies for a vegetarian option),
- 3. Carbs (bread or potatoes,)
- 4. Egg-milk-cheese mixture.
The precise details are loosey goosey, whatever you like.
- 1. Vegetables:
Peppers, spinach, mushrooms, or broccoli.
Aim for 1000g in total.
Sauté with onion and garlic for extra flavor.
- 2. Meat:
Brown uncooked, chopped sausage, bacon, beef, or chicken.
If using pre-cooked meat like ham or shredded chicken, mix it with the cooked veg.
- 3. Carbs:
Use slightly stale bread such as sourdough, artisan, or French bread.
For a gluten-free option, replace bread with potatoes.
- 4. Egg Mixture:
Whisk a box of 12 eggs with whole or plant-based milk.
Stir in your favorite grated cheese, like cheddar, pepper jack, feta, or gouda.
ASSEMBLY:
Layer the vegetables, meat, and carbs in a baking dish.
Pour the egg mixture over the top.
Customise with your favourite herbs, seasonings.
Once it’s done, add toppings like salsa, hot sauce, or avocado.
Assemble the night before and bake in the morning for an easy and delicious breakfast or brunch.
also…
- Defrost anything that needs defrosting, that you might have forgotten about.
- Prep pigs in blankets and any other side dishes that can be refrigerated overnight.
- Peel and cut your spuds in put into water so they don’t go brown.
- Set the table for Christmas dinner, crackers and all to save time and stress tomorrow.
- Don’t forget to move ‘Elf on the Shelf’ to his final spot – perhaps he’s heading back to the North Pole tonight.
Christmas Day: Showtime
- Morning:
Preheat the oven to 180? as soon as you get up.
Take your coffee to the bottom of the garden, for some calm before the storm.
- Bake your breakfast casserole:
Cook until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown, it puffs up a bit like a cheesecake.Stick on some toast to have with it.
Exchange gifts after a hassle-free breakfast.
- By Midday:
Get your turkey in the oven, depending on cook time.
- 1 pm:
Par boil (5-10 mins), fluff up against the sides of the pan, add butter/duck fat and begin roasting your potatoes.
Warm up or finish any side dishes like your prepped carrots and sprouts (add a dash of pancetta for extra bouginess).
- 2 pm: Set out any appetisers or nibbles.
- 3 pm: Dinner is Served
Bring everything together, pull the crackers, and enjoy the feast.
Have a break before pudding and consider some table games.
- Evening:
Relax with family, play games, watch movies – bask in the afterglow of your brilliance, with everyone already deployed to sort the dishwasher, recycling, drinks topped up etc…
Boxing Day: The Encore
- Early Morning:
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast of leftovers with minimal clean-up.
- Mid-Morning:
Begin assembling your cold-cuts buffet, if you’re doing that.
Use leftovers and add fresh elements to keep things exciting.
Or go to the pub.
Which would be my choice.
- Afternoon:
Open house?If so, down tools and let guests serve themselves from the buffet, ensuring a relaxed and social day for all.
Stay 5-8% tipsy (and no more) if you drink.
That’s advanced level game play.
Storage and Safety:
As you prep/cook, make sure you’re storing foods at the correct temperatures.
Use airtight containers to keep prepped food fresh.
This timeline is just an example and is designed to get a ton done – while making space for those special Christmas moments.
It does make sense to write your own plan, however wildly you end up deviating from it.
Don’t rush through; savour each step.
Actions:
Delegate tasks:
Remember the advice on not being staff.
Remind your family members of their roles for each day – from peeling veg to setting tables.
And a reminder to take those moments of pause –
even adding them into your time plan.
One final idea:
Tell everyone dinner will be served half an hour later than you actually plan it to be.(You could push that to an hour, quite honestly.)
Then it’s a lovely surprise if it’s a bit early, but there are always extra bits and pieces you might have forgotten about.
That way you have some wiggle room.
Good luck and happy Christmas.