what will you be doing for Christmas?

Oh yes, threatened to rip down all the decorations that daughter had put up because they belong to her & told her if dad hadn't named her Willow she would have named her mistake.

Sounds evil to me.

 

You are a good man John, thats good to know

Toying with the idea of going fishing on Christmas Day, at least i'd have the beach to myself, except for Dim's barbeque:D

 

You see, this is my problem with Christmas. If you're having a lousy time, somehow it just makes everything worse. And what happens if something really bad happens on the big day? Every year when the Christmas trees start appearing, it just brings it all back. I can see why people end up having a liquid Yuletide.

 

You and your wife will be in my prayers tonight Dai and hope for a speedy recovery for her hope you enjoy a peace full christmas and a speedy recovery for the new year big hug to the misses and hope she gets well soon nick :yess:

 

Couldn't you feed her some magic mushrooms or something?

 

Oh, yes, Clara, I look forward to January quickly appearing.
But to get by will stock up on good spirits.

My food debate for Christmas is between a standing rib roast, yorkshire pudding, roasted brussel sprouts, baked potato, or Osso Buco over riscotto.
Dessert still in a cloud. And of course will pick up some good cheeses for munching with crackers.
Martini's, wine, beer--have in stock now, getting more.
Both above meals are farely easy for me.
Was asked today, but what which would your brother-in-law like. I responded that if I was considerate of that all these years I'd still be serving pillsbury dough boys and canned green beans for a holiday dinner, (what I experienced at in-laws first Thanksgving with them)
I cook for me, you can come along and join me if you wish, or there is a McDonalds down the street.

Heard of another good receipe of cornish hens simmered in chestnut sauce, have to check that out, never made, but looked really interesting and rustic. Love good rustic.

Now I am getting hungry, sitting in office now at 6:10PM, have to drive home and find something. Well, later.

 

Cornish hens and Yorkshire pudding! It sounds great, Redstar. Have a lovely time and don't mind miserable moaners like me.

 

I'll be doing the Christmas Turkey - and all the prep work for veg's etc the night before.

All the Catering experts say "Don't stuff the carcase" - Tosh

I make my own stuffing, including mucho-extra Onion, Sausage meat and a few other additives. Cooking it in the bird both enhances the flavour of the turkey and the stuffing.
Any and all available orifices are packed. The resultant stuffing is really tasty, well attacked on the day and just as popular cold the following day with the cold turkey.
In 30+ years we have only ever had one unsatisfactory turkey - that was the year OH lashed out £45 for a hand reared, corn fed Cumbrian turkey.-It was dry, skinny and definitely not worth the money.

We get a 14lb-ish frozen bird and its usually excellent - I insist it's the stuffing that makes the difference. It's stuffed and in the oven before 8am.
Give the additional time for the weight of the stuffing and make sure it's completely cooked through.
My method is to slice through the skin at the leg joint and check the colour of the liquid that escapes from the breast when pearced deep in the joint. It should be clear when ready.
Uncover the turkey for the last 30-40 mins to ensure golden colour.
The lashings of bacon used on the skin during the cooking process NEVER gets to the table. Even Grandson (at 2 last year) was there with his hand out for a share as soon as the turkey came out.
We serve the turkey hot to the table - none of this cook it the night before and serve cold twaddle.

 

I always stuff my Turkey. And I am still standing, rarely get sick. The only thing to remember is always put cold stuffing in the cold raw turkey.

My stuffing has evolved over the years, the current one I make is sauted onions & celery I make the day before to chill out in the fridge, dry bread cubes, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, lose sausage, handful of walnuts, one cubed apple. And that is it.
I also start the gravy making a month ahead of time. I buy turkey gizzards, necks, back bones assorted root veggies and celery and make homemade stock from it, and freeze it. Then that is used for basting when I roast the Turkey.
Been roasting a Turkey for 44 years, at least one a year.

I remember, at my moms house, they had a unheated enclosed back porch. In Ohio at Thanksgiving, weather got really cold. At the end of the day on Thanksgving the huge roaster with turkey in it went out to the porch to keep until snacking time the next day.

 

Nothing to add to that other than the warning that, if using a Frozen turkey, allow plenty of time for it to thaw out slowly - 2 to 3 days in a cool place for my turkey (6.8kg/14lb)