Make Christmas 2023 a cracker...
These tips will help you make the most of the festivities
IF CHRISTMAS is creeping up on you, don’t despair. Bring the whole family together to make the season magical whatever your budget or timescale.
Here, author Rebecca Wilson – the mum behind the popular family food account @rebeccawilsonfood on Instagram – shares her tips about preparing for Christmas.
Which Christmas dish or dishes do you enjoy making the most?
At Christmas time I always have a few rolls of puff pastry in the fridge or freezer. I now can’t have a Boxing Day without making my leftover Christmas dinner sausage roll.
I gather all the leftovers from the big dinner the day before, chop them up small and pop into a bowl. Then add a generous handful of your favourite grated cheese along with enough leftover gravy to bind everything together.
Pile a generous amount down the centre of a pastry sheet which has been halved lengthways, and roll up into a large sausage shape.
Egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you like, and bake till golden and flaky.
The best Boxing Day leftovers meal!
What is your least favourite job in the kitchen at this time of year?
Oh there’s always too much washing up, right?
Thankfully there tend to be little helpers around to lend a hand, particularly at this time of year.
Do you have any tips for chefs on a budget?
Buy frozen. You can get
really good quality ingredients that have the cost hugely slashed simply because they have been frozen.
How can I put together a menu to suit all the family?
Involve everybody. Ask them what’s one thing they would like to eat at Christmas time, they will feel like they are involved with the food decisions and may even want to try other family member’s picks if you make a fun game of it.
My daughter always picks macaroni cheese to have alongside Christmas dinner, and I tend to pick a side made with a vegetable she doesn’t like too much, which she has a go at because it’s “mummy’s Christmas food pick”.
Do you have any hacks to make cooking at Christmas easier to save time – and sanity?
Prep ahead. This will definitely save you time around the big day.
Make your Yorkshire puddings in advance, or the gravy, stuffing, even roasties, ahead of time and pop in the freezer. Then thaw on Christmas Eve before reheating on Christmas Day with the rest of the meal, and you’ll feel much less overwhelmed.
But the trick for me is to just take a relaxed approach, you don’t need to go above and beyond, the meal doesn’t need to be perfect or have a million sides that will hardly be eaten.
So take the pressure off yourself and don’t worry if things don’t go exactly to plan, Christmas is about being together, that’s what everyone will remember.
■ Rebecca Wilson’s new book, Budget Family Food, will be published by DK on February 28, 2024 and is available for preorder now. For more ideas see rebeccawilson.com