Sorry @ChastMastr I only just saw your question about festive salads. We are very basic with our menus most of the year, but I do have a lovely rice salad recipe given to me by a friend at Church. It has 3 kinds of rice, currants, parsley and other veg with a nice dressing. It looks really colourful as I use capsicums (peppers) in red green and yellow, so it's bright and cheerful. I also have a yummy bean salad that my Dad used to make, but I rarely bother with it as I'm the only one that enjoys it. So we'll have a normal tomato/lettuce salad, the rice salad and fancy potato salad (from Costco) and maybe a coleslaw because it's going to be quite hot. I love a good old Waldorf salad, but again my family won't touch it.
I'll also do some baked veges when I cook the lamb roast. We also buy prawns, which we only do at Christmas as Cheery husband and daughter enjoy those. I don't like them at all, so they won't have any competition from me or Cheery son.
Did the dash up the road this morning, said a quick hello to sister in law and gave presents for their side of the family. That worked out perfectly as they can distribute the presents for their (adult) kids and granddaughters. My sister will be spending Christmas Day (if all goes well), with her son's former partner and his two children, so we also ventured out of town to her sweet house (a former church) but as Ms partner is a bit under the weather we did a drop and dash to avoid germs.
We also did the cemetery visiting, with flowers for both lots of parents. I was thrilled to get a really nice bunch at the local supermarket this morning and Cheery husband had misunderstood the cemetery instructions so he bought nice artificial ones from the Swedish shop for his Mum. We also visited the graves of his father and sister and those of his grandparents. The latter are looking in need of attention, so that's something to think about in the new year.
Tomorrow will be present drop off to a close friend and a couple of cards to friends that I took off the posting list as they live locally and I can just pop a card in their mailbox.
A food delivery has arrived and that's now in the fridge, so tomorrow afternoon I will start on the food prep and salad making, so I can be a bit more relaxed on Christmas Day. I am sure there will be a last minute run to the shops for something we've forgotten.
When I made the biscuits for friends on Sunday night, I tried using my biscuit dough as a base for mince pies and I'm so thrilled with how well it turned out, that if I have time I'll try to do another batch tomorrow as well as digging out all the table setting stuff and getting it ready. There is no point laying the table until the last minute as the cats will just walk all over everything and I'll have to wash everything before we've had a chance to use any of it!
I think I'm all set for 'CHRISTmass', at least as far as food and drink are concerned, but I may sally forth to the Co-Op again tomorrow to make sure of Bread and WINE supplies.
I'm quite looking forward to The Day Itself, as Arkland is generally very quiet and peaceful, and I know I can rely on kind Neighbour T (or one of her sons) to bring me a huge plateful of Festive Food. I also generally have a phone call from my Sister in France, or from my Brother in Shropshire - we don't see each other more than once or twice a year, so it's nice to catch up!
I picked up my rib roast yesterday, after having ordered it the 8th of this month. The butcher shop was an absolute madhouse, as it is every year at this time! There were even two cops to make sure everyone behaved themselves! This place has the best meat in town, and has been a staple here for decades. Mom and Dad used to get their holiday roasts and such there, too.
Some folks left the butcher shop with woe begotten expressions and empty hands. If you don't order beforehand, there is a good chance you will not find what you're looking for!
I think everything is ready to prepare for Christmas dinner. I found a cherry pie, and also a mince pie which I've never seen at Publix before!!! So, I think we're ready to cook!
@Cheery Gardener: "I love a good old Waldorf salad, but again my family won't touch it."
Is outrage!I love Waldorf salad and folks at my church have taken a liking to it. I also remember my mom making a tasty rice salad, different to yours, but alas I never found the recipe among her things.
I'll be heading out into the rain for church Xmas Eve and Xmas morning. Then I brave the freeways to go to my niece's family in Santa Ana or possibly to her hub's parents place in San Clemente. Rain, rain, rain! They aren't big planners but the rain is beyond everyone's control. At least I don't think they are in flood danger terrain.
I know I've asked this of our Australian friends around here before but never mind: in the northern hemisphere we have Christmas and New Year to help us through the long dark days. But in the south you have about the same length of darkness in June, how do you cope without a festival to get through it?
We have long term friends that used to live in Cooma, where it gets cold in June. We used to visit them for the queen's birthday weekend in June and have a Christmas in June then. When our sons were small we put out a saucer of water in the evening to show them the next day that it had turned to ice. That would never happen in Sydney or Brisbane which were the places we lived when our sons were children.
Thank you. Normally he spends one night with me, but due to changes in scheduling this year he's spending two nights and we're going to my daughter's for Christmas. Looking forward to the whole thing.
I hope you have a lovely time with your brother and your daughter @NicoleMR.
Cheery husband is cooking a chicken in the airfryer for tonight's dinner and I've now finished making the fancy rice salad and it's chilling in the fridge. I might make an early start on it with the chicken. I have also just cleaned the floors after looking at them all week. I am looking forward to my bed after running around doing various jobs today including getting creamy treats for the cats' stockings. I must set up the nativity before going to bed tonight.
@Sojourner . Sounds like you will be having a wintery Christmas.
At our son's place we have hung the stockings, bought/brought the turkey, chipolatas, and streaky bacon in readiness to put it in the oven about 10am tomorrow.
Son's gas oven seems to be 20-30 c below what its setting says based on cooking a biscuit base for a fruit Christmas pizza this afternoon.
His fiance's relatives are arriving about midday tomorrow.
It's been an interesting few days exploring/shopping in the Adelaide Hills.
@Cheery Gardener . Seems we are having similar preparations to you.
We are in Adelaide too. I went to the Markets in the city centre and bumped straight into some in-laws. There were also a few thousand strangers, quite crowded. We are staying in the city, pleasantly cool so far but warming up over the next few days.
I remembered I needed a couple more presents so popped up to the garden centre. Busy but not crazily so.
I was amused to see that some parents are willing to pay for a children’s entertainment with Santa on Christmas Eve. Singing and dancing, not just a visit to a grotto. Why isn’t he too busy filling his sleigh with presents?
I also thought to top up the petrol tank whilst I was passing, so I can make any unexpected journeys as well as planned ones.
The tree (a real one, 7 feet) is up and the Moravian star is glowing. We're not sure what to do about about the rest of the decorations, because the three orphan kittens we are caring for have gone delirious, happy to have been given a new climbing toy for their first Christmas.
You sound very similar to us. Our tree—also real and 7 feet—is also up, but that’s as far as we’ve gone. As it’s also our cat’s first Christmas (at least with us, but he was only 2 months old a year ago), we’re taking it slowly. Just the tree for a day or two, then the lights (and Moravian star) for another day or two, then ornaments, probably avoiding breakable ones until we see how he does. I may also use a little fishing line to anchor the tree.
We’re planning to put a little nook for him under the three—maybe a box with a blanket he can “hide” in.
Just reporting that the cat has done quite well with the tree. We didn’t need to use any fishing line to anchor it, and we never got the under-tree “nook” set up for him, but no mishaps at all.
The table cloth on the dining room table, on the other hand, he seems to think is his personal skating rink.
I collected the duck from our local butcher's shop this morning; all the presents are finally wrapped; and the cake is iced. Presents for the family and the cake will be dropped off at the parental abode later today in between bouts of ringing for carol services, to save us having to remember them on Boxing Day morning.
The first batch of service ringing starts in about 50 minutes, so I have about 25-30 min in which to drink tea and load the car. Might just manage it...
In a fit of energy I wrapped the presents this morning, including those for my husband's birthday. Everything is pretty well set for tomorrow. Husband and son have gone off to pick up a few last minute bits and pieces and I guess we'll need a planning meeting sometime as to who is doing what in regards to the cooking. Its our first year with a new kitchen so interesting to see how all the appliances do when at full stretch.
Mr Heavenly made pressed tongue yesterday and mince pies this morning; he’s currently making a chocolate Yule log which I will decorate later with chocolate frosting and an abundance of plastic figures of children playing in the snow. Present wrapping will happen this afternoon. I might make a giant vegetarian (lentil and cheese) sausage roll later, ready to take to the in laws for Boxing Day.
Mr Heavenly made pressed tongue yesterday and mince pies this morning; he’s currently making a chocolate Yule log which I will decorate later with chocolate frosting and an abundance of plastic figures of children playing in the snow. Present wrapping will happen this afternoon. I might make a giant vegetarian (lentil and cheese) sausage roll later, ready to take to the in laws for Boxing Day.
I'll be over later to help eat the tongue!
I love it, but when I've cooked one myself* I've never yet got the gelatine properly gelatinous, I end up with tongue with glop stuck to it.
*especially the pleasingly gruesome bit where you v pull the skin off
Yesterday, while we were at hospital for my back procedure, someone placed a small tin of homemade cookies on our deck table. I have a feeling it might have been our neighbor. While she has little time to bake, her mother is an excellent baker. Quite a surprise, though.
Tonight, Christmas Eve, and baby Jesus will be placed between Mary and Joseph. Woops, I almost said his parents. The tree lights will come on for the first time. A simple meal will be enjoyed. My gifts will be opened, and the Christmas Eve service will be streamed. Merry Christmas, Ship Mates.
I went to pick up my Dad’s Christmas order from Sainsbury’s and discovered some genius had substituted the turkey ! Fortunately, the lady at customer services took this as a personal insult and went on a mission to fix it - a turkey was sourced and we were given a choice of freebie by way of apology - so got a rather swish bunch of flowers. My blood pressure is still recovering.
I have made my contribution to tomorrow's lunch - Red cabbage with apple - to a Nigel Slater recipe involving the juice of an orange and a lemon. It also called for crushed juniper berries, but as my jar is on the hard and shrivelled side, I tipped in a spoonful of Brinjevec (a Slovenian juniper distillate normally deployed for quelling nausea).
Dating back to a time when things were not so easy, it has been important to me to make sure the credit card account is zero by Christmas Eve - everything is paid for, even if the payment isn't due. It has always felt good.
I'm in Australia for Christmas. Near Adelaide @Sicut Cervus.
It's made me think how much climate and ambience play into these things. This is the least 'Christmassy' Christmas I've known since my wife died. I can't get used to seeing Christmas decorations in the heat of summer, although it is pleasantly cool and breezy here in South Australia for the time being.
My relatives here are very secular (and also quite right-wing I'm afraid) so Christmas is seen as something only white Australians celebrate and which is under threat from Albanese's 'woke' government.
I've been very polite so far but finally told my uncle he was talking bollocks yesterday. In the spirit of good will to all men, of course.
I've enjoyed my trip but must admit am looking forward to flying back to the cold and wet and proper tea and proper beer. The wine's very good here, of course.
As a guest I've not had anything to do with the Christmas meal preparations but I've contributed a good bottle of Coonawarra and some cheese - including Stilton of course.
Oh, Cooper's Original is OK, as is their stout. Little Creatures Pale Ale is good too.
As for the rest I'll damn it with the faint praise my future son-in-law offered, 'It's cold.'
Hasn't anyone told them that beer is supposed to taste of something?
No, seriously there was a Melbourne craft beer that was tasty despite being chilled to death.
The spuds don't taste of anything either but the coffee's invariably been good and Aussie portions are generous. They seem to go in for E-Numbers and Day-glo pastries but the bakeries are good and the local butcher friendly. The mangoes and other fruit are impressive.
I went to pick up my Dad’s Christmas order from Sainsbury’s and discovered some genius had substituted the turkey ! Fortunately, the lady at customer services took this as a personal insult and went on a mission to fix it - a turkey was sourced and we were given a choice of freebie by way of apology - so got a rather swish bunch of flowers. My blood pressure is still recovering.
Do tell - what did they substitute for the turkey?
My favourite Tesco experience had them substituting lemon fresh scented bleach for lemons. So I have visions of your Dad being stuck with Turkey in gravy cat food or something similar. Glad you found a sensible person who got it sorted!
Turkey crown dressed with bacon and stuffed with sage and onion stuffing. Whilst this does sound reasonable on the face of it - my mother is allergic to onions. (We had just ordered a plain free range turkey.)
(Worst come to the worst, we could have scraped the stuffing out but that is far from ideal.)
Glad to hear turkey problem is resolved @Doublethink and commiserations on the RW relative @Gamma Gamaliel . One thing I love about staying home with just the 4 of us is not having to fit in with others and trying to have a peaceful day through gritted teeth.
I haven't gotten around to doing another lot of mince pies, but there is home made cake and biscuits and the lamb will be going into the airfryer soon. We will have cold chicken from last night as well as ham and prawns and the lamb and a mixture of hot veg and salads. For dessert there Christmas cake and kids can have either icecream or custard with it. We also have mangoes and cherries if people want fresh fruit instead. There is champagne in the pantry, but I'm not meant to have it with my medication, so I guess it's staying there, perhaps a Lemon Lime and Bitters or Ginger beer instead!
The cat is sitting on the end of the table, I'll have to wash up the knife and fork he was just sitting on. I'm going to leave him where he is as I don't have the energy to move him 10 times before lunch.
Just heard from my daughter, she and her boyfriend are back from their trip and will be getting ready tomorrow to host me, my brother, and a friend. Ham is the main course.
One thing I love about staying home with just the 4 of us is not having to fit in with others and trying to have a peaceful day through gritted teeth.
We always had Christmas just the 4 of us when our children were young and I always really appreciated it. So this year, while we could have gone over to our daughter's late this afternoon to share the meal and to stay over we have chosen to go tomorrow instead, so that they can have the same. It has rather cost me, not seeing either of my children on Christmas Day (our son is with his husband's family this year), but I am (privately) regarding it as part of my Christmas gift to them.
Meanwhile, the turkey crown is in the slow cooker for our consumption later, the ham is baking in the oven for tomorrow and there will be port and cheese for lunch.
Had ham for Christmas for the first time and lovely it was too. All glazed and succulent. Prawns, salmon, cold meats, salad and potato salad. Very different to what I'd have had at home.
I haven't been able to observe the Nativity Fast this year as it would have put pressure on relatives and friends. Perhaps I ought to have an abstemious January to compensate.
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I'll also do some baked veges when I cook the lamb roast. We also buy prawns, which we only do at Christmas as Cheery husband and daughter enjoy those. I don't like them at all, so they won't have any competition from me or Cheery son.
Did the dash up the road this morning, said a quick hello to sister in law and gave presents for their side of the family. That worked out perfectly as they can distribute the presents for their (adult) kids and granddaughters. My sister will be spending Christmas Day (if all goes well), with her son's former partner and his two children, so we also ventured out of town to her sweet house (a former church) but as Ms partner is a bit under the weather we did a drop and dash to avoid germs.
We also did the cemetery visiting, with flowers for both lots of parents. I was thrilled to get a really nice bunch at the local supermarket this morning and Cheery husband had misunderstood the cemetery instructions so he bought nice artificial ones from the Swedish shop for his Mum. We also visited the graves of his father and sister and those of his grandparents. The latter are looking in need of attention, so that's something to think about in the new year.
Tomorrow will be present drop off to a close friend and a couple of cards to friends that I took off the posting list as they live locally and I can just pop a card in their mailbox.
A food delivery has arrived and that's now in the fridge, so tomorrow afternoon I will start on the food prep and salad making, so I can be a bit more relaxed on Christmas Day. I am sure there will be a last minute run to the shops for something we've forgotten.
When I made the biscuits for friends on Sunday night, I tried using my biscuit dough as a base for mince pies and I'm so thrilled with how well it turned out, that if I have time I'll try to do another batch tomorrow as well as digging out all the table setting stuff and getting it ready. There is no point laying the table until the last minute as the cats will just walk all over everything and I'll have to wash everything before we've had a chance to use any of it!
I'm quite looking forward to The Day Itself, as Arkland is generally very quiet and peaceful, and I know I can rely on kind Neighbour T (or one of her sons) to bring me a huge plateful of Festive Food. I also generally have a phone call from my Sister in France, or from my Brother in Shropshire - we don't see each other more than once or twice a year, so it's nice to catch up!
Some folks left the butcher shop with woe begotten expressions and empty hands. If you don't order beforehand, there is a good chance you will not find what you're looking for!
I think everything is ready to prepare for Christmas dinner. I found a cherry pie, and also a mince pie which I've never seen at Publix before!!! So, I think we're ready to cook!
Is outrage! I love Waldorf salad and folks at my church have taken a liking to it. I also remember my mom making a tasty rice salad, different to yours, but alas I never found the recipe among her things.
I'll be heading out into the rain for church Xmas Eve and Xmas morning. Then I brave the freeways to go to my niece's family in Santa Ana or possibly to her hub's parents place in San Clemente. Rain, rain, rain! They aren't big planners but the rain is beyond everyone's control. At least I don't think they are in flood danger terrain.
We have long term friends that used to live in Cooma, where it gets cold in June. We used to visit them for the queen's birthday weekend in June and have a Christmas in June then. When our sons were small we put out a saucer of water in the evening to show them the next day that it had turned to ice. That would never happen in Sydney or Brisbane which were the places we lived when our sons were children.
Cheery husband is cooking a chicken in the airfryer for tonight's dinner and I've now finished making the fancy rice salad and it's chilling in the fridge. I might make an early start on it with the chicken. I have also just cleaned the floors after looking at them all week. I am looking forward to my bed after running around doing various jobs today including getting creamy treats for the cats' stockings. I must set up the nativity before going to bed tonight.
At our son's place we have hung the stockings, bought/brought the turkey, chipolatas, and streaky bacon in readiness to put it in the oven about 10am tomorrow.
Son's gas oven seems to be 20-30 c below what its setting says based on cooking a biscuit base for a fruit Christmas pizza this afternoon.
His fiance's relatives are arriving about midday tomorrow.
It's been an interesting few days exploring/shopping in the Adelaide Hills.
@Cheery Gardener . Seems we are having similar preparations to you.
I was amused to see that some parents are willing to pay for a children’s entertainment with Santa on Christmas Eve. Singing and dancing, not just a visit to a grotto. Why isn’t he too busy filling his sleigh with presents?
I also thought to top up the petrol tank whilst I was passing, so I can make any unexpected journeys as well as planned ones.
The table cloth on the dining room table, on the other hand, he seems to think is his personal skating rink.
The first batch of service ringing starts in about 50 minutes, so I have about 25-30 min in which to drink tea and load the car. Might just manage it...
I'll be over later to help eat the tongue!
I love it, but when I've cooked one myself* I've never yet got the gelatine properly gelatinous, I end up with tongue with glop stuck to it.
*especially the pleasingly gruesome bit where you v pull the skin off
Now just off to do rack of lamb for tonight.
I'm in Australia for Christmas. Near Adelaide @Sicut Cervus.
It's made me think how much climate and ambience play into these things. This is the least 'Christmassy' Christmas I've known since my wife died. I can't get used to seeing Christmas decorations in the heat of summer, although it is pleasantly cool and breezy here in South Australia for the time being.
My relatives here are very secular (and also quite right-wing I'm afraid) so Christmas is seen as something only white Australians celebrate and which is under threat from Albanese's 'woke' government.
I've been very polite so far but finally told my uncle he was talking bollocks yesterday. In the spirit of good will to all men, of course.
I've enjoyed my trip but must admit am looking forward to flying back to the cold and wet and proper tea and proper beer. The wine's very good here, of course.
As a guest I've not had anything to do with the Christmas meal preparations but I've contributed a good bottle of Coonawarra and some cheese - including Stilton of course.
Peace be to all! God bless us every one!
As for the rest I'll damn it with the faint praise my future son-in-law offered, 'It's cold.'
Hasn't anyone told them that beer is supposed to taste of something?
No, seriously there was a Melbourne craft beer that was tasty despite being chilled to death.
The spuds don't taste of anything either but the coffee's invariably been good and Aussie portions are generous. They seem to go in for E-Numbers and Day-glo pastries but the bakeries are good and the local butcher friendly. The mangoes and other fruit are impressive.
Do tell - what did they substitute for the turkey?
My favourite Tesco experience had them substituting lemon fresh scented bleach for lemons. So I have visions of your Dad being stuck with Turkey in gravy cat food or something similar. Glad you found a sensible person who got it sorted!
(Worst come to the worst, we could have scraped the stuffing out but that is far from ideal.)
Happy Christmas everyone.
I haven't gotten around to doing another lot of mince pies, but there is home made cake and biscuits and the lamb will be going into the airfryer soon. We will have cold chicken from last night as well as ham and prawns and the lamb and a mixture of hot veg and salads. For dessert there Christmas cake and kids can have either icecream or custard with it. We also have mangoes and cherries if people want fresh fruit instead. There is champagne in the pantry, but I'm not meant to have it with my medication, so I guess it's staying there, perhaps a Lemon Lime and Bitters or Ginger beer instead!
The cat is sitting on the end of the table, I'll have to wash up the knife and fork he was just sitting on. I'm going to leave him where he is as I don't have the energy to move him 10 times before lunch.
We always had Christmas just the 4 of us when our children were young and I always really appreciated it. So this year, while we could have gone over to our daughter's late this afternoon to share the meal and to stay over we have chosen to go tomorrow instead, so that they can have the same. It has rather cost me, not seeing either of my children on Christmas Day (our son is with his husband's family this year), but I am (privately) regarding it as part of my Christmas gift to them.
Meanwhile, the turkey crown is in the slow cooker for our consumption later, the ham is baking in the oven for tomorrow and there will be port and cheese for lunch.
I haven't been able to observe the Nativity Fast this year as it would have put pressure on relatives and friends. Perhaps I ought to have an abstemious January to compensate.