10 things to do now to make your day EASIER!
EVEN if you have to keep an eye on things in the kitchen, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy the festivities too. Just follow these tips to find out what you can do NOW to make this Christmas Day the easiest – and most enjoyable – yet!
1. GET THE PEELER OUT!
AVOID mass peeling by planning ahead with your veg. Parboil wedges of carrot and parsnip for three minutes, drain, cool and freeze. Slowly thaw on Christmas Eve, drizzle with dark honey or maple syrup and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and roast for 30-40 minutes. You can also save time by prepping and freezing your potatoes in advance. Boil for 6 minutes, drain and steam-dry. Shake over some flour and seasoning, then coat with goose fat before freezing on a tray lined with baking parchment.Or save even more time by picking up Iceland’s Luxury Goose FatRoast Potatoes (£1.50 for 1.17kg).
2. GET GOING ON THE GRAVY!
Gravy is one of those last-minute things that can really add to the chef’s load on Christmas Day. So why not make a really good one now and pop it in the freezer, ready to take out on Christmas Eve so it will have defrosted by Christmas morning. Google ‘get ahead gravy’ to find delicious recipes that will give you the edge – Jamie Oliver has a nice one.
3. WORK OUT TIMINGS
DECIDE what time you’ll serve lunch, then timetable backwards, based on when to put the turkey into the oven and what else needs to be cooked, when.
4. BUY YOURSELF TIME WITH CANAPÉS
Don’t be stressed by hungry guests when dinner isn’t ready. Shop now for delicious party food that will keep the wolf from the door. Iceland’s 10 Luxury Mini Coquilles St Jacques (£3.49 for 200g) are creamy and decadent.
5. PLAN WHERE YOU’LL COOK
WORK out now howmuch there is to cook and whether you’ll have space in the hob and oven. It avoids last-minute glitches when you find you don’t have enough space.
6. GET STARTER-SAVVY
FOR starters, stock up with Iceland’s Luxury Seafood Platter (£8.99 for 620g). This selection of cooked prawns, smoked mackerel fillets with cracked black peppercorns and smoked salmon mousse is served on a platter with a lemon and chive dip – so no washing up!
7. MAKE YOUR SAUCES NOW!
FOR easy-peasy homemade cranberry sauce, just heat fresh or frozen cranberries on the hob for about ten minutes with sugar and orange juice until the berries pop. Allow to cool, then freeze. Bread sauce and brandy butter are easily frozen, too.
8. SORT THE STUFFING
NOW’S the time to make stuffing, freezing it in an ovenproof dish or rolling into balls so you can cook straight from frozen.
9. SAVE TIME WITH COLD PUDS
MAKE sure any desserts are simple and don’t require oven space. Cold desserts that can be made in advance, such as a lovely festive chocolate yule log, are ideal.
10. EASY-CHEESY
AFTER all that preparation and cooking, forget having to mess around with bits of Brie. Try something different with Iceland’s Luxury 12 Breaded Cheese Selection (£2.99 for 300g). Your guests will all find something to please them in this tasty mix of breaded mozzarella cheese with red pepper and jalapeño chilli pepper, French Camembert with sweetened onion, and Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese with apricot.