Get Prepared For Christmas

I just wanted to do a quick post with some tips for getting prepared for Christmas cooking. There's nothing worse than being half way through cooking a meal and realising you've forgotten something, here's some tips to make sure that doesn't happen to you.

• Get your Turkey ordered in plenty of time. Your butcher will advise on size. I would always buy it on the bone, Turkey can be dry and the bone helps it keep moist during cooking.

• Prep and Blanch vegetables a day or 2 before. Most of your vegetables (Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage etc) can all be cooked in advance. Boil or steam them until they are just under cooked and then cool them completely in iced water or cold running water. Put these in sandwich bags or containers in the fridge. To reheat I would melt some butter in a pan, add a splash of water and your veg and heat through. You could re boil or microwave them but be careful you don't over cook them.(See my Cabbage Recipe for a good way of getting ahead). Potatoes can be peeled and put into cold water the day before. Just give them a wash and change the water before cooking to get rid of the starch in it.

• Plan your meal. This is crucial if you want a successful meal. It doesn't matter how experienced you are, you need a plan. A good shopping list is crucial and I will write down or draw my final plate and work back from there looking at each element of the dish and taking down the ingredients for a shopping list. Write everything down so nothing gets forgotten, and from this write down how long things take and make a plan. Your plan should start a couple of days before Christmas to start getting sauces, veg prep and stuffing's made. Think about your oven and hob capacity when doing this, it can be a bit of a balancing act getting everything through.

• Check your cookware early. Make sure you have enough pans, baking trays, knives, chopping boards etc for catering for the increased number. I wouldn't recommend going out and buying them if you wont use the regularly but ask people to bring them or borrow from someone who has them.

• Check your serving cutlery and crockery. Again, as with the cookware, make sure you have everything you need. Count your plates, knives, forks, serving platters etc. Do this early and you have time to sort it. It's no good on Christmas day if you find you do not have enough plates for everyone!

• You don't need to do everything. If you are cooking for family make sure everyone has a job. They can help wash up, set the table, serve or just make sure your drink doesn't get empty! 

• Enjoy yourself! The most important thing is to enjoy it. Just remember that no one wants to see you stressed on Christmas Day. Ask for help when you need it and don't forget when planning your cooking to make sure you are not over the stove all day and have time to relax and enjoy the day. And the most important part of Christmas cooking is to have a glass of something with you at all times!

Hope some of these tips help, I could go on forever. If you want any more information on these or any other tips leave a comment and I will get back to you. You can also get me at www.facebook.com/mogfood or www.twitter.com/mogfood