What’s going on the plate this year?

Each year I try something different to cook Xmas Dinner for one – trying to improve on my experience from last year. But, there’s a limit to how much one person can actually eat too!

Last year I’d decided I couldn’t easily make roast potatoes and roast parsnips with my little mini oven (they take far too long, it was arduous waiting…) so I’d bought an air fryer specifically to be able to cook my own roast potatoes and roast parsnips this year.

That being the Xmas Dinner Meal Plan this year, how do I think dinner will be shaping up? Here’s my first thoughts. I like plain/simple food, I don’t want to spend time sourcing unusual ingredients that I won’t be using again. I want to keep it as a simple, enjoyable, Xmas Dinner for One!

• Turkey: Non negotiable; compulsory. This year it’ll be my standard (Aldi usually) Turkey Breast Joint, 800g – which I’ll cook in the slow cooker, as I’ve done every previous year.
• Roast Potatoes: I’ll be cooking these in the air fryer, probably the day before. Air Fryer Roast Potatoes give me the best roasties and are straight forward.
• Roast Parsnips: I’ll be cooking these in the air fryer, again probably the day before. Air Fryer Roast Parsnips are quick and simple to do. I’ll start these by following my microwave parsnips method and then transfer them to the air fryer to brown/roast.
• Yorkshire Puddings: I could make my own, in the air fryer, but at the last minute I decided to just buy some medium sized Yorkshire puddings at a supermarket. Not feeling any guilt… trying to reduce the prep/cooking time and washing up really, that’s my “Xmas Gift” to myself 🙂
• Xmas Dinner Side Vegetables: Brussels are compulsory, carrots possibly, a few peas perhaps. These will all be cooked in the microwave – they’ll all take under 3 minutes and I’ll prep on the day. Microwave Brussels; Microwave Carrots.
• Cauliflower Cheese: I hope to make a cauliflower cheese; they are nice, but is it food overload for the sake of it? I’ll use frozen florets and make a sauce; it’ll be cooked in the microwave then browned off in the air fryer if I do make one.
• Stuffing: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE stuffing. This year I’ve got two boxes of Paxo stuffing: 1/ Paxo Chicken & Bacon; I’ll add a pack of dried apricots to this. 2/ Paxo Chestnut & Cranberry Stuffing, just because it caught my eye in Tesco so I grabbed the box (makes 12 balls) for £1.50. I’ll make up the two, whole, boxes (170g apiece) as I love stuffing + it’ll be eaten over the next couple of days + it’d freeze in any case. I’ll cook these in the air fryer, stuffing then gets a crispy top. I used to settle for microwave stuffing, but that doesn’t crisp up. Air Fryer Stuffing.
• Mashed Potato: I’ll make some the day before, using the cheap veg potatoes. It’ll then be in the fridge in case I’ve room on the plate.
• Gravy: This year I’ve gone for Bisto Pigs in Blankets instant gravy granules. I’d been using Bisto Turkey gravy (which was gorgeous, but I picked up the Pigs in Blankets at a good price, so that’s what I’ll have

Avoiding Food Overload at Christmas

As I’m cooking for one, I do have to rein in what I think I want – I can’t eat an unlimited amount of food just because the date is 25 December! It’s for that reason that I don’t bother with any starter, nor cranberry sauce, there’s no bread sauce, there’s no pigs in blankets, no red cabbage. None of these are “important” to me, so I am happy to go without. There’s also no dessert! No room for dessert 🙂

For me, the main enjoyment of Christmas Dinner is: Turkey, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing, brussels sprouts… and gravy. I’m happy to go without anything else if those are present 🙂

I’ve also no need or desire to make fancy rubs, or marinate things, or buy products the media/marketing have thrust in my direction at every turn. I know what I like and I’ll stick with it!

I’ll already be eating this one dinner for the next 3-4 days, without trying to squeeze more onto the plate! That’s why the cauliflower cheese might not make the final cut.

What’s on Your Christmas Dinner Plate?

Always a hard question to answer! Hopefully, this year, I’ve nailed it! A balance of my “must haves”, without too much excess.

I hope you’ve got it nailed this year!