Planning Christmas

This year I feel a huge responsibility for the success of Christmas day.

This year is the first year that we will be staying at home and I will be cooking Christmas dinner.

Of course I have cooked plenty of roast dinners and Christmas dinner is just a glammed up Sunday roast, but it is an important day for us as a family.

This is not just any Sunday roast.

This is a day when we really do spoil ourselves and enjoy food that little bit more special. I find that at Christmas time we really do indulge in treats that we often go without during the rest of the year, so I hope to make this years Christmas meals truly special for my family!

So, as always, my cooking mind is on the go and I have plans flying around.

I am terrible for scribbling on scraps of paper ideas and notes. But then when it comes to needing those ideas I can not find the piece of paper.

This is where my blog will come in this year!

This is going to be where I keep my plan up to the big day and will hopefully be able to record the final, successful result!

So far I have got our Christmas cakes baked. I have made 2 small sherry Christmas cakes which are being given to mums in their Christmas hampers, 12 mini, cupcake sized sherry Christmas cakes, a large whisky Christmas cake and a small whisky cake for my dad. Next week I will be busy getting them all decorated!

I have our Wee Dram Christmas pudding on a shelf maturing.

Turkey and vegetables have been ordered.

First half of the Christmas treats and drinks are arriving today then the second lot on the Monday before Christmas.

Everything that needs to be ordered has been ordered.

Now it is just down to precise timing on the day so everything goes to plan!!!

This makes me feel both excited and nervous. I love being in my kitchen, I love preparing food for the people that I love so I am confident that I will love cooking Christmas dinner. I may need a glass of wine while I do it to stop me stressing but I am sure that it will be as perfect as I hope.

So, what is on the menu?

So far, this is what I have got...

Christmas Breakfast

Toasted bagels with a layer or cream cheese and topped with smoked in whisky salmon (plain smoked salmon for the kiddies!) served with either fresh orange or bucks fizz!

Christmas Lunch

Starter

Venison & Red wine Pate or Farmhouse Pate with Mulled Cider and bruschetta

Main Course

Roast Turkey stuffed with cranberry, orange and chestnut stuffing, wrapped with streaky bacon
Roast potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Honey roasted carrot and parsnips
Brussel sprouts and peas with smoked bacon lardons
Red cabbage with red onions
Pigs in blankets
Gravy and cranberry sauce

Dessert

Wee Dram Christmas Pudding for the adults
Chocolate Yule Log for the kiddies

Later in the day, if we have any room for any more food there will be fresh bread, left over turkey and treats!

We have 12 more sleeps to go!

I have 12 more sleeps to get all my timings exact so that everything is ready and perfect at the same time!

It will all start once the turkey is in at 10am!

However I am going to prepare a lot of the vegetables on Christmas eve so that I can not only spend time in the kitchen but also spend time with my hubby, playing with the children and enjoying quality time as a family.

The Christmas excitement has begun!!!