If you celebrate Christmas, what will your Christmas dinner be?

[GloomyGraham]

The hospital sent out menu options for Christmas week earlier today & I decided on:

- Roast Lamb (not a huge Turkey fan here) with Side Salad and Potato Wedges instead of hot veggies.
- Pavlova(traditional Aussie xmas dessert) has been chosen for the sweet.

For the dinner at night I will have Roast Beef & Mash with Strawberry Cheesecake to follow.

Though I'll still be in covid-isolation, I ordered some non-alcoholic wine & bubbly from the local supermarket to make the day seem a little more festive.

It's going to be fairly cool here though with lots of rain forecast so probably a bit miserable for many local families.

[Katharine]

....... which includes pigs in blankets and stuffing balls, and sounds very nice. So we are having this on Saturday (at half time during a v important football match on Sky!)

I know people who have bacon butties planned for half-time.

[Courtenay]

The hospital sent out menu options for Christmas week earlier today & I decided on:

- Roast Lamb (not a huge Turkey fan here) with Side Salad and Potato Wedges instead of hot veggies.
- Pavlova(traditional Aussie xmas dessert) has been chosen for the sweet.

For the dinner at night I will have Roast Beef & Mash with Strawberry Cheesecake to follow.

Though I'll still be in covid-isolation, I ordered some non-alcoholic wine & bubbly from the local supermarket to make the day seem a little more festive.

It's going to be fairly cool here though with lots of rain forecast so probably a bit miserable for many local families.

It's a pity you have to be in hospital over Christmas, Graham, but that sounds like a pretty decent menu — hope it turns out to be very satisfying!

As an Aussie myself, I love pavlova — although our Kiwi friends like to point out that the earliest known pavlova recipe actually came from New Zealand — and unfortunately I have never yet found anyone in Britain who can make it properly. (A few sliced fruits and a dollop of whipped cream on top of an ordinary hollow-centred meringue does NOT constitute a pavlova. ) However, I have a theory that the famous British dessert "Eton Mess" was in fact created when someone dropped a pav and couldn't bear to throw out the remains...

[Bertie]

...I became vegetarian 20+ years ago, and my mum and brother later followed suit. So we have a lovely Quorn roast (with some meat for my dad on the side). Despite being vegetarian, I struggle with green vegetables (and fruit), so I avoid things like sprouts - and the stuffing, sadly - but I'll be having plenty of carrots & turnips, as well as mash, roast potatoes and (vegetable) gravy.

In doing the shopping for the meal, I saw some frozen Sweet Potato Chunks that I like but haven't had for a good while. It's going to be a potato heavy meal for me - Roast, Mash and Sweet Potatoes - but I'm very much looking forward to it. Especially the Quorn Roast, which also works very well on sandwiches. Every year I think, 'I must have that far more often throughout the year', and then tend not to, despite loving it every time I do.

[IceMaiden]

Doing the Christmas food shop in Aldi I found a turkey joint which looks just the the right size for us to have a bit of without it lasting more than the day. Perfect! Here's hoping it actually tastes nice. We have got a chicken to go with it though just in case .

[Courtenay]

It's going to be a potato heavy meal for me - Roast, Mash and Sweet Potatoes - but I'm very much looking forward to it.

Oooooh yum. I love potatoes in just about any shape or form, but especially roast and/or mash!!

Especially the Quorn Roast, which also works very well on sandwiches. Every year I think, 'I must have that far more often throughout the year', and then tend not to, despite loving it every time I do.

I'm not vegetarian (currently — I was at one stage, but I lapsed ), but I often prefer non-meat options, and I must say Quorn is by far the nicest meat alternative I've ever had. Never tried a Quorn roast, though — I'd like to give it a go some time!

[Bertie]

I really enjoy the Quorn roast, Courtenay. I'd definitely give it a go if you are fond of meat alternatives.

Yeah, I love a lot of the Quorn options. Though, for Bacon, my favourite is 'THIS isn't Bacon Rashers'. I struggled to find a really good Bacon alternative for some time, but they've been a brilliant find and I love the taste of it.

[Courtenay]

Ooer, I tried "THIS Isn't Chicken" once (in a ready meal, a Thai-style curry, if I remember rightly) and could only think it would be better named "THIS Isn't Edible". I've never tried their not-bacon, however, as I'm not a big fan of bacon, either real or vegetarian.

Quorn chicken-style pieces, on the other hand, are definitely THE best veggie substitute for chicken I've ever tasted — the texture is really nice and it feels and tastes like you're eating something substantial and enjoyable, not quite the same as actual chicken but totally fine as a substitute for it. I have a Quorn ready meal every now and then and I particularly like their tikka masala and their sweet and sour — and also their chilli con not-carne! I will definitely take your advice and try the roast some time.

[Boatbuilder]

For the first time in at about forty years I won't be having Christmas dinner in my own home but will be going to my daughter's that day where I understand we'll be having roast beef and roast pork for a change - no doubt with all the usual Christmas trimmings, etc., although it will feel strange not to have it at home.

[Bertie]

Courtenay, completely agree about the Quorn pieces. They're lovely. I often have them with a variety of meals - I think my favourite at the moment is frying them with diced tomatoes and peppers.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I'm going to my sister, where she says we shall be having a salmon for Christmas lunch. She has a theory that elderly parents will then be not so stuffed they can't eat at tea-time!

My conservation group had a splendid turkey dinner last weekend, so I haven't missed out.

My favourite thing to do with Quorn is to add it to a stir-fry mix

[Lucky Star]

I'm off home to my Mum's house where she, my brother and I will have the usual Turkey, Ham, roast potatoes, veg and pigs in blankets plus stuffing and gravy. Yum. I'll eat far too much as always and end up feeling bloated for the rest of the day. Perfect Christmas.

[Yak]

Our groceries were delivered today and happily nothing except the stuffing and some carrots were missing (they can be easily replaced; I was just worried that we might get a message saying that the turkey was 'unavailable'). All presents finally ordered though one is going to arrive after Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

[Yak]

Re Quorn I once dated a partial vegetarian (he did eat meat too but he liked vegetarian food) so I am familiar with various kinds of it, and other veggie or vegan food. Some of it was a good deal better than I had expected (I've had some very nice veggie burgers, for instance). Some of it was so-so ... bland but not actually offensive. And some of it was ... yeah, absolutely awful.