Christmas Dinner

[highlandjambo3]

15 hours ago, Cade said:

I usually do a sprout dish as follows:

Prep a load of sprouts by slicing off the dry end and removing the dark green outer leaves, then slicing the brussels in half.

Put them on to par-boil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, dry fry some lardons of bacon. The fat will render out in no time.

Once the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Finely slice some garlic and very quickly soften it in the bacon fat.

Push the garlic to one side of the pan and scoop out most of the fat from the other side of the pan.

Add in the parboiled and drained brussels and enough chicken stock to come about halfway up the sprouts.

Cook over a low heat until the sprouts are done to your liking.

If you think it needs it, optionally thicken the sauce with a roux (equal parts butter and plain flour mashed together).
Just before serving, mix the crispy bacon through the dish.

*Other optional extras include chestnuts, pickled walnuts, dried cranberries, flaked almonds.

The sprouts can also be shredded instead of just cut in half, in which case they won't need the parboil, just being cooked in the stock.

 

I’ll give this a go 👍

[highlandjambo3]

12 hours ago, That thing you do said:

Ill be with my in laws this year so a Mexican christmas. The turkey thing isnt a tradition here so we are doing a Mexican version of the christmas menu with a Mexican and Scottish mix of flavours

 

Starters

Salmon Salad with Chiles

Pozole Soup (a very hearty winter soup)

Small Tortilla Tacos de Camarones (shrimp tacos)

 

Main

 

A range of opt in dishes

 

Mole Ne gro(pictured dark dish)

Chile Relleno con Picadillo (pictured Chile dish though our family wraps it in egg as well)

Turkey breast with haggis stuffing and gravy

Sweet potato mash

Rice

Milanesa de Res - méxicos version of the schnitzel

 

Desserts

Rice Pudding

Ice Cream

Corn Cake (pictured)

Marshmallows toasted with chocolate sauce

 

 

What’s your address and, how long is the flight over?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Starter probably Fried Brie.

Main Beef Shin , roast tatties, Yorkies, Veggies and pigs in blankets..

Pudding, I have no idea yet 

 

Christmas dinner is overrated anyway, it’s all about leftovers curry on Boxing Day..

[Japan Jambo]

15 hours ago, Cade said:

I usually do a sprout dish as follows:

Prep a load of sprouts by slicing off the dry end and removing the dark green outer leaves, then slicing the brussels in half.

Put them on to par-boil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, dry fry some lardons of bacon. The fat will render out in no time.

Once the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Finely slice some garlic and very quickly soften it in the bacon fat.

Push the garlic to one side of the pan and scoop out most of the fat from the other side of the pan.

Add in the parboiled and drained brussels and enough chicken stock to come about halfway up the sprouts.

Cook over a low heat until the sprouts are done to your liking.

If you think it needs it, optionally thicken the sauce with a roux (equal parts butter and plain flour mashed together).
Just before serving, mix the crispy bacon through the dish.

*Other optional extras include chestnuts, pickled walnuts, dried cranberries, flaked almonds.

The sprouts can also be shredded instead of just cut in half, in which case they won't need the parboil, just being cooked in the stock.

 

 

Oh my days, any spare seats at the table?

[cheetah]

1 hour ago, Pap said:

 

I've had nut roast a few times. Awful. I mean, i wanted to enjoy it.

My nut roast is brilliant, the one I will get served on xmas day is not so great.

[hmfc_liam06]

14 hours ago, PaddysBar said:

What time should we come round😂

 

😂 buzzing for it

[Morgan]

It’s just another day.

 

Why, oh why, does ‘special’ food need eaten on the 25th of December?  🤷🏿‍♂️

[Jeffros Furios]

Stick yer ****in Christmas dinner up yer arses ! 

[Tazio]

9 minutes ago, Jeffros Furios said:

Stick yer ****in Christmas dinner up yer arses ! 

I might swap the turkey for a sausage in that case. 

[Tazio]

1 minute ago, Jim_Duncan said:

Because Mary got pregnant when god was messing about with his new Turkey baster and three wise camels farted out sprouts into Jesus’ crib. Or something. I didn’t pay attention at Koran camp. 

And then the 3 wise men parted the Suez Canal and brought them a burning bush. Again I may be paraphrasing. 

[Cade]

To paraphrase Mark Forsythe:
"It doesn't matter what your Christmas traditions are. What's important is that they are there.
Christmas is a great and grand Truth even if it's a Truth made of turkey and tinsel.

Great Truths are eternal and exist all year but those can only be understood all year by the mystics, those people who can directly connect with the universe (or God).

For the rest of us mere mortals, we need a great Truth to have a time and a place. That way we can see it.

We dress Love as a wedding and Death as a funeral, so that we can see them and come together to mark them, despite love and death being great Truths that are ever-present.

What is true at Christmas is also true at midsummer's day, but we cannot see it then.
The greatest Truth of Christmas is that for all of us the perfect Christmas is one from our childhood, which will never come again.

The annual feast is always missing a dish.
The empty chair that is now missing a loved one.
For children, Christmas is about everything they will receive.
For adults, Christmas is everything we have lost.
Christmas traditions continue because we need them.
Underneath the wrapping paper we are doing something important, even if we do not know what it is and are unable to put it into words.

We cannot say what we are doing, but we do it anyway, together.

And we do it at Christmas."

[Morgan]

7 hours ago, Jim_Duncan said:

Don’t ruin the ending for me. I’ve only seen up to the part where Jesus hates the gays. 

 

 

[Morgan]

8 hours ago, Jeffros Furios said:

Stick yer ****in Christmas dinner up yer arses ! 

[Morgan]

8 hours ago, Tazio said:

And then the 3 wise men parted the Suez Canal and brought them a burning bush. Again I may be paraphrasing. 

Susie’s canal was worth parting, imo.  😎

[Pap]

19 hours ago, Japan Jambo said:

 

Oh my days, any spare seats at the table?

 

Bolt.

 

Taken by me and Uly (as mentioned earlier in the thread 🤭)

[Greedy Jambo]

Xmas dinner is overrated man. 

Stuff yourself full by 4pm and then you're getting desserts pushed in your face. 

I'd rather just have a cheeseboard, some nice hams, olives, gherkins etc. 

Leave enough room for the wine, know what i mean?

Edited December 18, 2023 by Greedy Jambo

[martoon]

Chinese delivery for us this year.

 

We've finally all accepted that Turkey is crap and we only have it out of tradition/habit.

 

We'll have the "trimmings" on Boxing Day. P's in b's, lots of stuffing, roast potatoes, cranberry and gravy.

 

 

[Greedy Jambo]

5 minutes ago, martoon said:

Chinese delivery for us this year.

 

We've finally all accepted that Turkey is crap and we only have it out of tradition/habit.

 

We'll have the "trimmings" on Boxing Day. P's in b's, lots of stuffing, roast potatoes, cranberry and gravy.

 

 

 

Aye, we've not had Turkey in years, it's usually beef, but even that a bit meh, left overs for the next day etc, no thanks. 

[martoon]

2 minutes ago, Greedy Jambo said:

 

Aye, we've not had Turkey in years, it's usually beef, but even that a bit meh, left overs for the next day etc, no thanks. 

 

Turkey leftovers stink oot the fridge, looks awful and gies me the boak, GJ.

 

I don't think I'll ever eat it again, tbh.

[Locky]

Whatever she makes. She'll probably do something like Chicken or Gammon with all the trimmings. Personally I couldn't give a ****. I'd happily eat sausage roll, chips and beans.

[Greedy Jambo]

29 minutes ago, martoon said:

 

Turkey leftovers stink oot the fridge, looks awful and gies me the boak, GJ.

 

I don't think I'll ever eat it again, tbh.

 

It's up there with the Tv Licence. 

[Greedy Jambo]

26 minutes ago, Rick James said:

Whatever she makes. She'll probably do something like Chicken or Gammon with all the trimmings. Personally I couldn't give a ****. I'd happily eat sausage roll, chips and beans.

 

 I take it she enjoys cooking though? I mean, surely you've had a conversation about this? It just sounds a bit awkward to me.

[ArcticJambo]

On 13/12/2023 at 21:55, Cade said:

I usually do a sprout dish as follows:

Prep a load of sprouts by slicing off the dry end and removing the dark green outer leaves, then slicing the brussels in half.

Put them on to par-boil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, dry fry some lardons of bacon. The fat will render out in no time.

Once the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Finely slice some garlic and very quickly soften it in the bacon fat.

Push the garlic to one side of the pan and scoop out most of the fat from the other side of the pan.

Add in the parboiled and drained brussels and enough chicken stock to come about halfway up the sprouts.

Cook over a low heat until the sprouts are done to your liking.

If you think it needs it, optionally thicken the sauce with a roux (equal parts butter and plain flour mashed together).
Just before serving, mix the crispy bacon through the dish.

*Other optional extras include chestnuts, pickled walnuts, dried cranberries, flaked almonds.

The sprouts can also be shredded instead of just cut in half, in which case they won't need the parboil, just being cooked in the stock.

 

[Greedy Jambo]

Aye, everyone round to Cade's for dinner like. 

I'm sure he wouldn't mind. 

[Negan]

Iv always had a typical christmas dinner but interested to hear more on the chinese takeaway front. Are they even open in the afternoon? Or is that a stupid question. I dont get takeaway very often 😅

[Cade]

We do usually have a chinese kerry-oot on xmas eve.

 

Mainly because Xmas dinner prep is underway and nae danger is the kitchen getting touched the day before the Big One.

[moz]

9 hours ago, Negan said:

Iv always had a typical christmas dinner but interested to hear more on the chinese takeaway front. Are they even open in the afternoon? Or is that a stupid question. I dont get takeaway very often 😅

Aye, we used to do a Chinese for Xmas day...pre order and they set a collection time.....takes the hassle out of it

 

This year we are doing coconut prawns for starters, Fillet steak [done in the pizza oven] - tremendously rare but with a nice crust on it...with mustard mash and asparagus, and homemade brownies for dessert

 

Indian takeaway for Xmas eve

 

[Sergio]

Out for a Indian this year can't wait

[Negan]

20 minutes ago, moz said:

Aye, we used to do a Chinese for Xmas day...pre order and they set a collection time.....takes the hassle out of it

 

This year we are doing coconut prawns for starters, Fillet steak [done in the pizza oven] - tremendously rare but with a nice crust on it...with mustard mash and asparagus, and homemade brownies for dessert

 

Indian takeaway for Xmas eve

 

sounds tremendous! 

 

usual Xmas pish for me on Christmas day but out for an Indian on Xmas eve! 

[Seaside Dave]

Egg whites for starter

 

Turkey, ham, stuffing, cocktail sausages, roasties, carrots peas gravy. 

 

Homemade pavlova 

 

Plenty of beer 

[AlimOzturk]

It’ll be soup to start, turkey and ham for dinner with the trimmings and probably apple pie and custard for dessert. 
 

Left overs all get used next day. Usually do a sort of pit in a pan with all the left over out into a pan with gravy. 

[mrcrisps]

Mum deliberately makes too much Christmas dinner (turkey and trimmings). Everything then goes in to Christmas Dinner soup. There can be family conflict over the following days on who gets how much!

[il Duce McTarkin]

On 14/12/2023 at 23:56, Cade said:

To paraphrase Mark Forsythe:
"It doesn't matter what your Christmas traditions are. What's important is that they are there.
Christmas is a great and grand Truth even if it's a Truth made of turkey and tinsel.

Great Truths are eternal and exist all year but those can only be understood all year by the mystics, those people who can directly connect with the universe (or God).

For the rest of us mere mortals, we need a great Truth to have a time and a place. That way we can see it.

We dress Love as a wedding and Death as a funeral, so that we can see them and come together to mark them, despite love and death being great Truths that are ever-present.

What is true at Christmas is also true at midsummer's day, but we cannot see it then.
The greatest Truth of Christmas is that for all of us the perfect Christmas is one from our childhood, which will never come again.

The annual feast is always missing a dish.
The empty chair that is now missing a loved one.
For children, Christmas is about everything they will receive.
For adults, Christmas is everything we have lost.
Christmas traditions continue because we need them.
Underneath the wrapping paper we are doing something important, even if we do not know what it is and are unable to put it into words.

We cannot say what we are doing, but we do it anyway, together.

And we do it at Christmas."

 

 

[Locky]

11 hours ago, Greedy Jambo said:

 

 I take it she enjoys cooking though? I mean, surely you've had a conversation about this? It just sounds a bit awkward to me.

Aye we have. Not so much that she enjoys cooking, she just thinks that's what you should eat on Christmas Day, but she doesn't really like turkey hence the less traditional meat. She knows I couldn't care less about what we eat. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

People should embrace the Xmas meal time instead of viewing it as almost a chore. 

 

From my experience of getting older, the xmas table sadly has less and less people at it. 

 

So enjoy the day. 

 

Gratitude. 

[cannonfoda]

On 14/12/2023 at 22:38, Tazio said:

And then the 3 wise men parted the Suez Canal and brought them a burning bush. Again I may be paraphrasing. 

The number of kings/wise men is never mentioned evidently.  

 

Got dragged to church aged nearly 50 to watch mum sing in choir... The lines about the virgin Mary and god cumming to her. It's either abuse or coersion.   How stupid are these people!  And Joseph's a bit dense.  Engaged, yet doesn't complain when the "virgin" ends up in the club.  

 

This in a church that's spent over £650,000 on getting a bit of glorified tinsel put up when the country and the local towns in particular are skint and kids are freezing in their own homes.

 

No time for religion.  My at the time 11yo laddie nailed it by saying everyone's allowed their story but don't force it on others and don't let it lead to bad stuff happening - he also calls religious education in high school story time.  

[Ulysses]

2 hours ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

From my experience of getting older, the xmas table sadly has less and less people at it. 

 

 

This, unfortunately, is true for many of us.

[JudyJudyJudy]

5 minutes ago, Ulysses said:

 

This, unfortunately, is true for many of us.

Sadly true . 🥲

Edited December 19, 2023 by JudyJudyJudy

[davemclaren]

2 hours ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

People should embrace the Xmas meal time instead of viewing it as almost a chore. 

 

From my experience of getting older, the xmas table sadly has less and less people at it. 

 

So enjoy the day. 

 

Gratitude. 

It changes through time but grandchildren arrive as well.  That's the way of life.  

[JudyJudyJudy]

3 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

It changes through time but grandchildren arrive as well.  That's the way of life.  

Yes the circle of life 👍

[1953]

Prawn cocktail for starters (Didn't realise it was so popular till I read this thread).

Turkey , roast tatties, sprouts, parsnips, carrots, pigs in blankets stuffing and gravy.

Trifle and xmas pudding, As I'm usually stuffed the xmas pudding gets left for boxing day.

 

So a very traditional xmas menu for us but what I have never understood is why do we have to have it in the middle of the afternoon. Lunch is usually 1.00pm and dinner is usually around 6.00pm so why on this one day of the year do we eat at 3.00pm?

[highlandjambo3]

7 minutes ago, 1953 said:

Prawn cocktail for starters (Didn't realise it was so popular till I read this thread).

Turkey , roast tatties, sprouts, parsnips, carrots, pigs in blankets stuffing and gravy.

Trifle and xmas pudding, As I'm usually stuffed the xmas pudding gets left for boxing day.

 

So a very traditional xmas menu for us but what I have never understood is why do we have to have it in the middle of the afternoon. Lunch is usually 1.00pm and dinner is usually around 6.00pm so why on this one day of the year do we eat at 3.00pm?

Something about 3 wise men……or 3 blind mice……or the 3 degrees……not sure but definitely a 3 in there somewhere 🤷‍♂️

[Cade]

Xmas Dinner is at 3pm so you're ready for the cheeseboard at 8.

 

Traditionally it was a lunch, but the prep and cooking takes so long that the time slipped to 2-3pm.

The monarch's speech was then moved to 3pm to match, not the other way round.

[davemclaren]

Looking forward to the sage and onion stuffing.  Not a fan of all this fancy chestnut stuff.  

[JudyJudyJudy]

3 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Looking forward to the sage and onion stuffing.  Not a fan of all this fancy chestnut stuff.  

Love that too 

[PaddysBar]

6 hours ago, Cade said:

Xmas Dinner is at 3pm so you're ready for the cheeseboard at 8.

 

Traditionally it was a lunch, but the prep and cooking takes so long that the time slipped to 2-3pm.

The monarch's speech was then moved to 3pm to match, not the other way round.

I’m 53 and never watched the monarch’s speech in my life. 
 

Do people actually tune in? 

[Cade]

3 minutes ago, PaddysBar said:

I’m 53 and never watched the monarch’s speech in my life. 
 

Do people actually tune in? 

10.6 million bootlickers tuned in last year to listen to Chaz banging on 

[Tazio]

1 minute ago, Cade said:

10.6 million bootlickers tuned in last year to listen to Chaz banging on 

To watch a man sit in a massive house in a massive estate who’s never wanted for anything in his life tell us what a shame it is that some families live in poverty. 

[Cade]

27 minutes ago, Tazio said:

To watch a man sit in a massive house in a massive estate who’s never wanted for anything in his life tell us what a shame it is that some families live in poverty. 

 

gawd blessim

[Greedy Jambo]

I nearly canceled xmas, not gonna lie. I'd rather get a chinese and chill. 

But a wee burdy told me that i should think of other people, even though the other people are selfish.