Help Ive never cooked xmas meal (Ive assisted).  My partners is an excellent cook but he is working till around 4 am xmas morning so I will have to do the prep work any advise from anyone would be great.
They are all arriving about 1pm and I want to give Bradley a long run before.  Ive also got to drop my little one off at her dads. 
Ive gone from spending xmas alone to a housefull,  Im very greatful just a little scared.

Make yourself a list - start at the bottom with the time you hope to serve (don't cast it in stone - just aim for around a certain time) and work backwards from there - so about 10 mins before serving - make gravy, about 30 mins before put on veggies, and prep bread sauce,45 mins before take Turkey out of oven (if done - check, it's not worth guessing) and put stuffing and accompaniments (sausage and bacon rolls etc) about an hour before put roast potatoes on, about an hour and 30 mins before par boil potatoes for 10 mins. Cooking time for the turkey should be calculated from it's weight.  Pudding depends on how you're going to cook it - they reheat very well in just a few mins in the microwave, but if you want to steam it then it could take an hour or more - check.  Most things can be kept warm in the oven or over a pan of simmering water if covered with foil........
Relax, have a glass of whatever is your tipple, and don't become a martyr - friends and family will probably be happy to help with little jobs like laying the table (my 6 year old thinks it's his 'special job' and he loves it........) so don't forget to ask.

We usually have family and fiends for xmas day digger has said it all. Eveyone wiil be in the kitchen beside you so keep the wine at the ready.Most of all enjoy yourself. Just for a change this year Jim and me are going to be on our own with the dogs . I am looking forward to it we have never been ourselves at xmas. having folk in the evening though

Jean

I tend to get a little bent out of shape if I get stressed.  In all honesty its knowing what to expect.  My partner has worked out the starters homemade salmon mouse and fresh muscles cooked in red wine, garlic, basil and chili.  Ive insisted on a turkey for main course with all the trimmings.

You'll be fine remember you know these folk. Once they arrive and the wine flows everything will fall into place its surprising how a glass of wine will help you relax. The meal sounds delicious I can taste the salmon mousse already .

Jean

Blimey I have never heard of the salmon mouse :D :D I bet it is pretty :D :D :D

I don't know never tried it.  The other half works in an Itallian restaurant (he is Spanish) so the head chief shows him how to prepare things from scratch. We also have the luxury of the fish/meat market at the docklands. 
On Boxing day we are going round his fathers house he is also a head chief at a very posh restaurant in Marlow for starters we are having king prawns, muscles, octapus and whole lobsters mmmm.  

Salmon mousse is beautiful very smooth & creamy & ofcourse fishy. You are a lucky lady with two chefs in the family.
Jean

Becoming a very fat lady

If i was you i'd book a meal :P My god i panic when i have more than 2 pans on the go!!! :o

Sarah

Hi Emma.

I always cook my turkey overnight too - that helps me. I cook it high to kill the bacteria and then turn it down. But dont do like I did one year and had one glass too many on Xmas Eve and woke up to find there was stuffing on the ceiling :p :p

Gina

As Gina says cook turkey on low overnight, it will be beautifull and fall off the bone.  as for anything else just do as you would for a couple and increase proprotionally the helpings... (god I sound OLD), work out your timings and if stuff is late they'll have to wait, if early then keep it warm, Do any of us really get it bang on?
My lot are inisting on a 'what you want xmas dinner', so far we have 1 x chicken Korma and 2 x Sunday Dinner (but not turkey)!
HELP!
Fi x

Oh - if we're talking about cooking the bird - cook it on it's front, not as we usually do - on its back - this means all the juices drain down into the breast and keep it even more moist - yummy!

But if you do that Digger it looks sort of ........ weird? :P

Gina

Not really - but the taste makes up for it - you could always put it on the table already carved......

Ooooooohhhhhhhhh Emma didn't realise that you are so 'local' to me!!
Fancy having another diner at the meal, LOLLOLOLOL :D
My other half is a chef at a place near to where your 'father-in-law' works.
(Greenlands, Marlow Road).
He's half Portugese and used to be a chef de partie and is now Sous Chef, his
Dad also used to work at the same place and was head chef.
Cepting my other half isn't getting off cooking xmas lunch this year... as it's down his
mum's so I've been informed and guess who lands up cooking it! Yep the chef...poor lad.
But don't feel too sorry for him....as muggins has to drive home so can't have a drink, and
he has lots of red wine.....
Don't worry you'll have a fabulous time...........
If you are bored and not working on Sat the 27th Dec there's an open dog show at the Montem
Leisure centre in Slough.....I shall be there with my Boxer fur-kids :)

Blimey we are close.  The father inlaw is head chef at villa deste in Marlow.  I also like to do a little shopping in Noa Noa. 
I really fancey the open show.  Can Bradley come just to spectat (and cause havoc)

Hi Emma,
You wouldn't be allowed to walk Bradley in the hall, but as it's a public place
you could walk him around in the car park and the grassed areas.
If you aren't doing anything then come along! It'll be nice to put a face to the
name :D
I haven't been shopping in Marlow for years......
I tend to stick to Reading...boring ol person that I am :D

Kindest Regards
Kirstine :)

What time does it start?  I might leave Mr B behind but I will bring some pictures.
Bradley was funny this morning.  He is so not a morning dog.  At about 6.30 this morning I asked him if he was coming to the park to chase a ball. He got up on the bed and curled up,  so I got his lead,  so he curled up even tighter so his head was pressed into his belly and I could not get to his head.  So I roled him over so access his head and convince him this is a great idea.  he got up off the bed with lips powting and just as the collar was going over his nose he backed up and hid under the bed.
 

Hi Emma, you can set the table the night before & if your using fresh veg prepare them & leave in pan covered with water, do the same with the spuds. Put the condiments in the bowls your serving them, cover & in the fridge with them too.You can also get the stuffing prepared, cover & leave in fridge. If you still have room in the fridge or could put it in a cold garage/room, stuff the turkey & get it ready for roasting in the dish so all you have to do with it on xmas morning is pop it in the oven. I try to get as much done on xmas eve so theres only the actual cooking left on the day :)

Christine, Spain.

Agreeing with christine there!

get it all done christmas eve so you have more time to walk the dog in the morning!!:D

Also cooking for 7 is abit like cooking for 2 but you just need to get bigger saucepans out!:D

Rox

If its a big turkey that will fill the oven without room to spare, put it in before bed on Christmas eve and set the timer so it will be done before you need the oven for anything else. And use the microwave for christmas pud, so youve not got a kitchen full of steam all Christmas morning. Also the M and S Brandy sauce is yummy, and only needs to be warmed through.

Oh yes...most important on your list..put time aside for opening the pressies!!! :D

Ooh, I can smell the turkey now!!  I always loved Christmas mornings at Mums as she cooked the turkey overnight and we'd go downstairs to that gorgeous smell!! 
Staying at home this year though, just me, hubby and the dogs.

I'm going to do what lots of people suggested, and what Mom does....get everything prepared on christmas eve.

As a matter of interest, what do the rest of you do for a starter?  I couldn't even attempt salmon mousse!!

Lisa

I love LOTS of trimmings with my turkey - various stuffings, lots of different veggies, sausages with bacon rolls and so on, so I never bother with a starter.  No one can ever manage a dessert until teatime with one of my familys Christmas dinners so we have an enormous main course!  I prepare everything the night before (bit of a pain when you have to sort out the kids pressies too, but saves wasting time in the morning).  I cook my turkey overnight, as I always have another joint to go with the turkey and theres never enough room in the oven. 

I am expecting delivery of a new oven on Monday, so will have to get used to that pretty quickly as everyone is over to me this year - there will be twelve of us!!! :0.

Don't worry about what might go wrong, but do allow extra time to cook things such as roast potatoes as I found out one year - a whole roasting tin or two takes much longer to cook that just a few!

Can't wait though - I love Christmas.

Emma, you sound as if you are very close to me too - I live in Romford.

Fiona and Saffy

Open a bottle of champagne at around 9am, drink it, then take Bradley for a walk (though he may prefer lager). When you get home, eat breakfast, then open another bottle of champagne. Then ... ach, the potatoes will peel themselves!

Sorry, not very constructive I know, but that's how I intend to handle Christmas this year. :D

Jo

Read this post with great interest...we've got 12 for xmas and right through till new year..and we're ALL staying in my little 3 bed semi LOL...must be bonkers!!!
Archer

Jo,  I think the champagne method works for me and Bradley.  We have to pass a total of 7 pubs on the way to the park so there and back makes 14 stops.  Probably won't be to popular at home but id be to sozzled to care

Out of interest, how do people manage when they have, say, 10 or 12 people to cook for? It's just that i can't imagine having enough room in the oven for roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing, (veggie sage and onion from my mum's old stork book) a main thingy (either vegetarian or meaty) sprouts on the hob, bread sauce.....oh YUM! my favourite..) and carrots....and gravy which may be homemade.....

I can do that for 4, but 12? !!!!!  How DO people do it? :)

Lindsay

You just don't think about it ;):D I have got 5 for dinner every day ....Boxing day there will be 8 of us ...a week on Saturday (20th) there will be 13 of us :D

I cook whatever I can in advance so I can just quickly zap it in the microwave pre serving .....and I get sloshed :D :D :p

Melody *hic*

its not as hard as you think I have 9 for diner most nights and this christmas there will be 15 trick is not to try doing to many fancy things that keep you at the stove and plan ahead peal veggie the night befor keep in plastic sealed bag in fidge you will be fine

Mel and Maglaura, :) usually i only cook for 2 or 4 so respect to you who do it for more !!!

I guess the secret is being used to bigger numbers and also as Mel says, a slurp of wine or something to take the worries away!! LOL!! :D ;)

Lindsay

Sad but i only cook for one and thats me.  If I have a little left over Mr B has the rest.

My children decided it would be nice to have a family Christmas at my house! 14 adults and 5 children. Hubby and I decided it was a quick exit so we are going away in the caravan over Christmas, the peace the quite and no t.v. or phone, we did it the year befor last and to wake up on Christmas morning to a nice frosty view lovely and warm with nothing to think of but a good book a bottle of southern comfort just hubby me and 2 dogue, a nice walk along the beach in the afternoon and retire early to bed to finish the bottle off. Bliss, and get all the Christmas Present on the way home after new year in the sales

Britney,   you have got the right idea. Sounds like bliss.  Im doing something similar. Between xmas and ne year I shall be trapsing around the downs with Mr B.  Can't wait.  We are staying in a lovely motel which allows dogs almost everywhere and have a safe field  (3 acres) for dogs to excersise off lead.
Just me, bradley and my thoughts. mmmm