Have you left the planning for your Christmas menu as late as I’ve left this post?? Well here’s a stress free EASY Christmas menu for you! 7 dishes for a Christmas Feast that takes just 1 1/2 hours to prepare. Everything can be prepared in advance and reheats wonderfully, without compromising on crispiness or the meat drying out! I’ve included steps for the order in which to prepare each dish, how and when to reheat etc.
I love to host parties because I love spending quality time with my family and friends plus (this will surprise you…..) I love to cook. But no matter how good my intentions are to plan ahead, I always end up changing my mind at the last minute and scrambling to get organised. People think I’m an organised person – I have lists and lists of lists. But I always end up changing those lists at the last moment!
Such is how this menu evolved. Though I was not hosting an annual Christmas get together with my friends this year, I offered to provide the mains and sides. I told my friends I would keep it simple – something to slap on the BBQ and a few salads. But then the festive spirit hit me.
“Though the cook time for some of these is long, it is low maintenance – no basting and no turning is required.”
No matter how much festive spirit I had, the fact was that it was the day before the party and I had limited shopping and preparation time. And every dish had to be “make ahead” without compromising on flavour or losing crispy skins!
I like this menu because there’s a nice flow to making it. The total active prep time is only 1 1/2 hours and the baking time is very low maintenance – no basting, no turning.
“I was very deliberate with my selection of ingredients to make this cost efficient.”
Here’s a snapshot of what I made. If you scroll down you’ll see photos of each of them.
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Easy Maple Sticky Glazed Ham (15 min prep, 1 – 1 1/2 hrs inactive baking, can be made ahead)
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Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (5 min prep, then set and forget, reheats well but best slow cooked overnight on the night before serving)
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Festive Duck with Apple Cider Drizzle (5 min prep, 1 1/2 hr inactive baking, reheats very well)
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Pork Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups (20 min prep and worth every second. Reheats extremely well)
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Julia Child’s Potato Dauphinoise Gratin (15 min prep, 45 min baking, reheats very well)
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Red, Green and White Christmas Salad (10 minutes prep)
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Warm Red Cabbage and Spinach with Garlic Herb Butter (10 minutes prep)
“You just need to commit yourself for 1 1/2 hours. Your kitchen will look like a hurricane swept through it. But I promise, it’s worth it!”
Step by Step Work Flow
Day Before (Active Prep 1 hr 15 min)
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Prepare and bake the Easy Maple Sticky Glazed Ham first. (15 min prep)
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Prepare the Potato Dauphinois Gratin (15 min) and the Pork Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups (20 min), ready to pop in the oven.
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When the ham is done, bake the Potato Dauphinois Gratin, then the Pork Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups. You can do them at the same time (the stuffing will come out first) but it will increase the cooking time.
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Blanch the vegetables for the Red, Green and White Christmas Salad and make the dressing. (10 min prep)
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Cut up the vegetables for the Warm Red Cabbage and Spinach with Garlic Herb Butter and make the garlic herb butter, ready to sauté just before serving (which only takes a few minutes). (10 min prep)
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Evening – season the Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and set the slow cooker to cook overnight. (5 min prep)
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Rinse the duck, pat dry and place in the fridge (uncovered) to dry so you get really crispy skin.
On the Day (Active Prep 15 min)
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Prepare the Festive Duck with Apple Cider Drizzle (5 min) and roast.
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Remove turkey from the slow cooker and place onto a heatproof serving dish. Cover loosely with foil.
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Make the Turkey Gravy (5 min) and Apple Cider Drizzle for the Festive Duck (5 min).
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Take the salad dressing, ham and potato dauphinois out of the fridge a few hours before serving to bring to room temperature.
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Take the stuffing cups out of the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating.
Prior to Serving
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Cover the potato dauphinois with foil and place in the oven with the ham.
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Cover the turkey with cling wrap and microwave on LOW per recipe instructions.
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Dress and finish the Red, Green and White Christmas Salad.
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Sauté the Warm Red Cabbage and Spinach with Garlic Herb Butter.
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When the potato and ham are warmed through, pop the stuffing cups in the oven for 10 minutes, or until crisp.
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Depending on when you roasted the duck, you can pop that in with the stuffing cups to reheat / recrisp the skin.
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When the stuffing cups are crispy, switch to the grill/broiler. Place turkey breast under the grill/broiler to crisp up the skin.
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Warm up the Turkey Gravy and Apple Cider Drizzle.
SERVE, EAT AND BE MERRY!!
Easy Maple Sticky Glazed Ham – insanely easy to make and cost efficient with a super sticky and glossy skin. A fantastic centrepiece for any festive gathering!
Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – a surefire way for your turkey breast to come out juicy and moist. Only 5 minutes prep! Plus how to make an incredible, rich gravy using the slow cooker juices.
Festive Duck with Apple Cider Drizzle – just 5 minutes to prep a duck to roast it to crispy perfection! Reheats perfectly, juicy inside with crispy skin. Far easier to roast than chicken!
Pork Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups – this was by far the star of the Christmas party I catered for. Everybody went nuts over these – the men, the women AND the kids!
Julia Child’s Potato Dauphinoise Gratin – creamy potato bake by the Queen of French cooking. A great alternative to roast potatoes because it’s perfect for making ahead.
Red, Green and White Christmas Salad – all the colours of Christmas! This salad is perfect for making ahead.
Warm Red Cabbage and Spinach with Garlic Herb Butter – I love the bright colours of this salad! The garlic herb butter makes the humble cabbage irresistible.
Thankyou for this amazing dinner plan! I followed it for Christmas lunch and I felt so calm having all the steps planned out – and the food was show-stoppingly good!
Hi Nagi Do you have or could you recommend a good Peking Duck recipe please….. I have a whole duck in the freezer which I’d like to use….thanx
I don’t have a Peking duck recipe yet, one to add to the list!
Hi Nagi. First attempt at what seems so special. Question, do you put all food put at once and have people help themselves? Did you put food cards up so people knew what they were choosing from. Also, do guests just bring back a few items at time to eat so we can all eat and talk together. Many thanks
HI Mary, how exciting!!! The way we do it here with my family, we lay it all out and people help themselves. We usually do a cheese board, oysters, prawns and things like that for appetisers and have it on the table when people arrive. Then we put the main feast out all together! N x
Nagi
I love your web site and blog. I have downloaded most of the recipes you offer. Holy Cow, today I came across this Christmas Special, and it was like me reading about myself. I make a million lists for recipes and menus for family gatherings, and ALWAYS change them at the last minute. Also, I make brand new recipes that I invent or change at the last minute and serve my poor pathetic family all of my experiments. I guess that is why I relate to you and your recipes. Good luck with your career, and keep on trying it ALL.. I am a 68 year old Canadian, from Nova Scotia, and your would LOVE our food. I also subscribe to your mother’s blog, and download herrecipes as well. Keep it coming, I wish I could blog as well, but am not that computer savvy.
Hi Linda – I’m so glad you found me! It sounds like we are just alike!!!! I’m looking forward to thinking of a menu for this year! N x PS I am not computer savvy either….. you should seriously consider starting a blog! Great way to collate all your favourite recipes in one place!
Ready to try them all!
YAY!!! I’m so looking forward to creating THIS years’ menu too!! 🙂
This roundup is so helpful for Christmas meal planning. And it’s convinced me you are one of the most skilled meat makers I know! All the savory meats look so good.
Thanks Sarah, you’re so sweet! 🙂
Nagi, I LOVE this post! I came across the problem too, that I spent too much time in the kitchen instead of friends and family! This is such a thoughtful post and I’m learning a lot! Even if I don’t cook exactly the same dishes, the party plan idea will be super helpful! Thanks so much for sharing this 🙂
Thanks Maggie! So glad you find this helpful!! 🙂
Nagi, you continue to amaze me! What an array of mouthwatering dishes and all prepared in less than 2 hours!?!? Thank you so much for your creativity in putting this together…
Thanks Marissa! You’re too sweet! 🙂
SO much thought put into this amazing post! And I can’t believe how LITTLE time that all takes to prep. Those pork apple stuffing cups look SO GOOD! Hope you have a great Christmas 🙂
Wow! Everything just looks warm and tempting. I don’t know what we are having for christmas dinner. Probably more of an African theme menu. My family is not as adventurous as I am. I don’t like ham but yours look so darn good, would love a a slice of it .Happy holidays!
Imma, I truly truly hope you share your Christmas menu!! I would absolutely love to see an African themed Christmas feast!!
What a stunning and clever line up!
Thanks!
huhu Nagi! =D
Just WOW, you are a wonder woman. I am drooling scrolling down, stopping, scrolling back up and drooling again. I wish we had proper christmas meals like that. We are all too busy during christmas but my mother in law makes a feast at times for christmas if she has time, but of course with Indian christmas treats.
Thanks for sharing, I am spell bound!
Thanks so much Helene! I am soooo jealous that you get an Italian Christmas!! I might have to do an Italian feast for my next menu series!! 🙂
The cabbage and spinach mix = MY JAM! 🙂
I think you are the only person who would notice that salad out of everything in this spread! Thank you!! I love it so much 🙂
Nagi, what a fantastic work! I just read through most of these recipes, and I’m so impressed! Love, love them all!
Thank you SO much!! I had great fun cooking and photographing it all 🙂
Wow how beautiful Nagi. What a beautiful menu. I can’t believe yu had time to photograph it all. When I am doing an entire party I hardly ever take photos cause Im in such a rush to get it done and take it there. You are awesome
I’m usually like that Tania!! But luckily my mum came round to help because I was running soooo late preparing everything!! 🙂
Nagi, you are simply amazing! Truly, all of your posts are so thoughtful and not only show your amazing talents but the incredible amount of time and effort you put into these posts! I feel like I spend more time planning and timing the dishes I’m making for a holiday dinner, than I actually spend on cooking it! Here you’ve done all that work for us! That in and of itself is invaluable! Not only have you done all of that pesky work for us, you’ve created an entire spread of mouthwatering dishes! I seriously want ALL of it! Very nicely done!
Thanks so much Kathleen! It was super fun, especially because I had my mum with me helping out!! Your stuffing was without a doubt the highlight of the whole party. People couldn’t get enough of it!!
Is it just me or the recipe for the •Pork Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups is not to be found? Can you please email it to me?
Thanks,l
Hi Cristina! I’m so sorry, technical glitch, fixed now! I’ve also emailed it to you 🙂
This is so incredible! You have the entire Christmas menu planned out! Totally gonna bookmark this! And gosh I love your beautiful pictures! They are so drool-worthy!
Thanks Sammie! Hope you get some inspiration for your Christmas table this year! 🙂
Oh, delicious Nagi – your ham, irresistible!
Thanks Rachel! Merry Christmas!
Wow!! So impressed, Nagi! My fave parts are definitely the stuffing cups (genius) and those amazing-sounding creamy potatoes. I don’t have to cook a whole dinner this years, but I do need some veggie dish ideas. Might just steal your cabbage recipe!
Of all of these, you notice the cabbage recipe?? SO English Helen!