Christmas can be a stressful time with all the shopping and Christmas food. One way to avoid this is to be well prepared and you can never really start too early but one month before is when things usually start to kick-off.
Read a few of my tips on helping to
AVOID STRESS
The weeks in the run up to Christmas are a good time to start cooking any recipes that can be frozen and taken out to defrost on Christmas Eve.
- One Christmas food that benefits from preparing in advance is a Christmas Pudding. Making the pudding well in advance gives it time to mature. Traditionally the Christmas Pudding is made on 'Stir it up Sunday' the Sunday before Advent in November.
- This is a good time to make the pastry for Mince Pies. Make it in batches and freeze then it's ready whenever you fancy making a tray. If you are in a baking mood then Mince Pies also freeze very well.
- Bread Sauce is an important sauce for the Christmas turkey or goose. It can be made in 10 minutes and as it freezes well, make it now and pop it in the freezer ready for the big day.
- Make stock for the gravy now and freeze it.
- Finish all the store cupboard shopping for non-perishable items. Buy now and you'll avoid that pre-Christmas panic when supermarkets look like a siege is taking place.
- Order or buy in all the drinks you will need over Christmas; wine, sherry port for the Christmas pud and non-alcoholic drinks and juices.
- Clean out the fridge and freezer and make space for all the extra food and drinks for the holidays.
- Sharpen kitchen knives. Sharp knives make cooking so much faster and easier.
- Check through all table linens, crockery, glasses and silverware to make sure you have everything you will need.
- Order flowers or table decorations if you are buying them.
