17 December 2012

Preparing for Christmas - week 4


Next Monday is Christmas Eve so this is the final week to organise ourselves enough so that we enjoy the festivities as much as the rest of the family. We're having our family lunch on Boxing Day and we'll have eight adults and two toddlers here. The menu is:

SNACKS PRE-LUNCH
  • Homemade guacamole with corn chips
  • Yoghurt cheese with homemade chilli jam and crackers
LUNCH
  • Leg of ham
  • Cold roast chicken
  • Potato salad
  • Garden salad
  • Homemade beetroot and kimchee
DESSERT
  • Tropical fruit pavlova - homemade pav using six egg whites, local fruit
  • Homemade vanilla ice cream using the six egg yolks
DRINKS
  • Homemade ginger beer
  • Beer
  • Wine
SNACKS AFTER LUNCH WHILE WATCHING THE CRICKET
  • Chocolate truffles
  • After dinner mints
  • Home roasted cashews and macadamias
I've just made the yoghurt for the cheese, the chilli jam is in the fridge.
Ginger beer is on the go.
Will make the dip after breakfast on the day.
Roast the chickens the day before so the house stays cool.

I have my eye on IGA's KR leg ham which starts a week-long sale tomorrow. I'll go shopping on Wednesday, when I get a 5% seniors' discount and 5% discount for using my swipe card, and pick up the ham, a pork leg roast, free range chickens and some fresh salad.

I'll start making ice in the chest freezer tomorrow so we'll have plenty of ice. On Thursday I'll prepare the guest rooms and do a big cleanup, then I'll be right until I cook the chickens on Christmas day.

What's on your list this week? I hope you've been able to get yourself organised and on track for the festivities.

Don't forget to check the threads on the forum today. There are a lot of Christmas threads over there now so if you're looking for ideas and motivation, that is the place to go.

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11 comments

  1. Hi was wondering what your recipe for ice cream is, I've never seen one with egg yolks before Karen

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  2. Wow, that all sounds delicious! I love the idea of having a Christmas gathering on Boxing Day, it takes all the pressure off in the great relative-juggle, and it would be so lovely watching the cricket after a big meal. I hope you enjoy your day!

    We'll be having a ham on Christmas, and definitely some pud with brandy sauce (the Great Great Aunt still makes it, complete with pennies saved year to year, it's her main role in our family, and considered the most important!)

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  3. Reading your list Rhonda, I realise I'm not as organised as I thought I was!
    Congratulations on the ebook, best of luck with it.
    And thank you for mentioning my place on Friday for weekend reading. It's great to meet new people.
    Have a great week x

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  4. Sounds like you're ready to go! I've made our Christmas cake and am simply feeding it brandy until it's time to be served. We're going away for Christmas so most of our preparations are getting the house ready and secure for our departure, and packing bags. It's such an exciting time of year, especially with young children around.

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  5. This year, because both Mom's (Alzheimers) companions are going out of state for the holidays, I will be staying with Mom. That means 7 days at 22 hours a day, followed by 13 days at 12 hours a day, while running my shop (at the busiest time of the year) thru employees and the telephone. My family won't be home until things settle back down and I can be home too, which is after the first of the year. But it's fine, because it's all about the people who are there, and not the place or date.
    I am blest to have an understanding family and excellent employees, although I haven't many good thoughts about the company that provides the companions at this point!

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  6. I have 3 christmas parties in a row to cater beginning tomorrow (Monday). I then have Thurs thru Monday off work. We celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. We'll be having a cheese & olives platter, as well as pickled herring (all with crackers). For the main dinner, it's ham, turkey, potatoes, stuffing, a vegetable casserole and whatever else we feel like making. I'm sure there will be pumpkin pie in addition to the cookies I'm going to bake this coming weekend. All of my pressies are wrapped and ready to go and I'm going to be starting my giftees for 2013! Lots of crochet and sewing and quilting to be done!

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  7. Hi Rhonda

    All I have to do is my big clean

    Linda

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  8. I will be preparing for my husbands side of the family here on the Sunday, I plan to have desserts made on the Friday...cheesecake is always better made ahead of time..I organise my shopping so that most of the unperishables are bought already, picked up on sale and put away...I may have started this around three weeks ago, crackers etc...my other shopping, meat etc was done today, and put in the freezer for my family as I hate going to the shops for anything in that week after xmas...so my grocery shop at then of this week in prep for the xmas party and normal menus will be relatively small and stress free....my little family will be heading off to the beach for xmas day for a change, we are taking the portable barbie down to a beautiful surf beach, silver sands and driving the car onto the beach for the day.......the kids cant wait! It will be just the three children and myself and my husband, ...not all families are happy ones, and unfortunately my side of the family is unable to overcome their differences...so I have opted out this year, been a big girl and decided that my little ones come first...so sausage in bread in bathers it is............x I hope you have a lovely celebration with your family next week Rhonda, I love to read your blog and still gather inspiration and ideas ......best wishes to you all...Suzanne, Adelaide..x

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  9. ICE! I totally forgot about ICE! Thanks a million for the reminder. :)
    - Kristin

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  10. I like your ementa for the christmas dinner. Is light and tasty at the same time with a biological care. I like it very much! I'm a biologist and my home is in the countryside in Portugal, so that your ementa just sparkles at my eyes by the combination of bioligical/homemade and sustainable construction of your ementa.

    Hope you have a very good Christmas!
    *

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  11. You sure are busy. I am intrigued by the menu you posted. It's such a variety. Have a happy Christmas.

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