Christmas lunch.

As ever I over cooked the turkey, but this time DH did suggest I reduce the time next year. The legs fell off as I was transferring it from the roasting pan to the carving dish!

However, it tasted delicious, the flesh was moist and the flavour unbeatable.

The problem is that I really do not like meat unless it is fully cooked and always worry about poultry because there is that deep thick part where the leg joins the body that always needs half an hour extra.

I've been on my own - family far away and I'm very happy with
a whole day of peace and quiet - and I thoroughly enjoyed my Xmas dinner of ready-made nut roast, lots of sprouts, roasted red grapes, gravy & Smash. Yum!

Our dinner was great. I did the turkey as Jamie Oliver suggested, and it was moist and perfectly cooked. The only thing I didn't do was the roast parsnips I forgot all about them.
We didn't have the Christmas pudding, as we were too full to manage anything else.
DD, SiL and grandchildren came after lunch, and had tea with us. I made one of my best pavlovas ever. There's nothing left!

Thanks phoenix will try that (the nutcrackers) when I open another bottle tomorrow. I had no idea the proper cork had been replaced with plastic (never heard of it before)

Nutcrackers? I find firecrackers slightly too exciting.

As fans of a bit of the old fizzy stuff (albeit ones with proper corks, not plastic ones) who have also experienced difficulties removing them occasionally, may I suggest that you try using firecrackers to grip the " cork", Oldwoman?

Still stick to the rule of turn the bottle not the cork though!

Cheers!

Everything here was going well, turkey cooked to perfection, roasties crisp and brown, veggies firm - just the way I like them.

I set the table, got the wine from the fridge - that's when things started to go wrong. Got the metal cage off OK but the cork had been replaced by a plastic "cork" which I couldn't push out of the bottle, tried a corkscrew which just bit through the plastic but didn't shift it, finally managed to get it out and started to pour myself a glass - dropped the bottle spilling half on the table and floor, being a sparkling wine it foamed up and left a trail as I rushed to the sink. By the time I had cleaned up the mess the roasties were darker than I like and the veggies were soft.

In the spirit of full disclosure I admit I had previously had one or two glasses of "refreshment"!

Boxing day good has GOT to be cold turkey, cold stuffing, gammon and bubble and squeak, it's the law! Oh, and cold pigs in blankets, which is why there are 24 about to go into the oven, even though there are only 2 of us for dinner

Mr P doesn't like sprouts, or roast parsnips (not particularly keen on cartots, either), but will always declare that Boxing day bubble and squeak is delicious, even though it contains things he professes not to like!

Our local pub did ours this year, and my dear diplomatic SIL had the grace to assure me that it wasn’t as good as mine! DH didn’t look convinced (I’ve made a note of that ). The great advantage was that they did all the clearing up as well. The disadvantage - no turkey sandwiches later, and no traditional heart attack on a plate bubble and squeak from the leftovers tomorrow!

Glad to hear that, Charleygirl I cursed- cooked the gammon yesterday, so for supper we had that got with jacket potatoes, broad beans and white wine and mushroom sauce.

The full turkey dinner today, which we will eat when it's ready!

The joy of it being "only us" no timetables to adhere to, scrambled egg and smoked salmon for brunch, again at a time that suits.

Oliver Sprout and Minnie, on the other hand expect to be (and are) fed at their usual times!

I am with you, phoenix I prefer dinner to lunch. As I am on my own I like to sit down watching TV eating what I have prepared and washed down tonight with Pinot Grigio.

I usually have the first on Christmas Eve and a repeat performance on Christmas Day. Last night was perfect so I am looking forward to 2-3 hours from now.

We haven't had ours yet, (tend to go for dinner, rather than lunch) but it all seems to be under control (so far, fingers crossed!)

Hopefully this year I won't manage to completely lose a tray of stuffing, we never did find it

I always think King Edwards make the best roast potatoes. This year I used Cyprus potatoes which turned out almost as well...plus a veggie version of roast turkey. Everything was perfect, but as I'm alone this year, I was the only one to appreciate it.