I cooked my family’s Christmas dinner a month in advance and froze it – it saves time on the big day and I’m confident it tastes better
A mum who is prepared for all eventualities has revealed she has prepared her Christmas party more than a month in advance – meaning she only has to cook one thing on the big day.
Claire Gillies, 45, from Harpenden, has already prepared everything she needs, apart from the turkey for Christmas Day, so she can spend as much time as possible with her loved ones. deposit.
Claire revealed she made and froze her gravy, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, homemade cranberry sauce, pigs and blankets and even mince pies. And it’s a tradition she’s been following for a while.
Claire explains: ‘It started when my husband and I got our first house, we had a very small kitchen and I didn’t have enough space to cook everything on Christmas Day – that’s when I realized how much easier it made my life. ‘
There is another advantage to Claire’s ultra-smooth preparation: she has to do significantly less dishes on December 25th.
Claire Gillies, 45, from Harpenden, has revealed she cooked her Christmas feast over a month in advance – meaning she has nothing to do on the big day
While people wondered how good her potatoes would be frozen, Claire has discovered that in her experience this makes absolutely no difference to their quality.
Claire said she has reaped the rewards of being ahead of the game at Christmas and said it meant she could spend more time with her children when they were younger.
The mother, who helps others plan meals through her business Heerlijk en Echt, said: ‘When the children were small it meant I wasn’t confined to the kitchen; I was able to be there to open presents with them and we could have dinner together. dog walk on Christmas morning.
‘I also write down all the times. I make a list, which saves me time when it comes to defrosting everything I need.
“So the turkey just goes in the oven and it cooks. Then I take the turkey out and let it rest. While it rests, I cook everything else. So there is actually no preparation required on Christmas Day. It’s just a matter of heating things up and cooking them.
‘I think some things, like mince pies and cranberry sauce, actually taste better when prepared so far in advance.
‘As far as potatoes are concerned, it’s the same concept as with triple-cooked chips. When you freeze them, you stop the cooking process. I can’t tell the difference between baked potatoes I prepared this way and the potatoes I made that day.
She has already prepared everything she needs, except the turkey for Christmas Day, so she can spend as much time as possible with her loved ones (Brussels sprouts prepared for Christmas dinner)
Pigs in blankets ready for the holidays which she will freeze in the run up to Christmas Day
Claire even pre-cooked the potatoes before freezing them and she said she couldn’t tell the difference between regular or frozen baked potatoes
Claire even prepared the mince for Christmas and divided it into jars
Pastries ready for Christmas Day, so Claire just has to spoon the prepared mincemeat into the cups that day
Claire even prepared her gravy before the big day and froze it in a silicone container
‘I’ve been cooking Christmas dinner this way since I started entertaining at Christmas.
‘I’m lucky that my mother-in-law makes a starter and my mother makes a dessert. I am only responsible for the main dinner.
‘With the exception of the turkey, I literally just heat everything else so I don’t have to peel, chop or cook it, which also means less washing up at the end of Christmas.’