Going live effective immediately – and open right through to Christmas Eve, JB and I are on duty to answer your Christmas cooking questions. ✨Welcome to our Christmas Cooking Hotline!!✨
JB and I are on call!
I’m so excited to be doing this! I’ve had the idea of a Christmas cooking hotline bubbling away in my mind for years, but I always hesitated because I worried it would be too much to handle on my own.
But now that JB is part of the face of RecipeTin and it’s not just me, there’s two of us here to answer your questions. So for the first time ever, we’re opening up a hotline for Christmas cooking questions, bringing together home-cook practicality and actual proper chef experience (JB!), which means more ideas and better problem-solving for you!
So drop your question in the comments section below and we will answer as many as we can (we need to sleep, and we have some other work things to finish!). Ask anything you want, like:
Can I make this ahead, freeze it, or reheat it?
What can I substitute if I can’t find an ingredient?
How do I scale recipes up or down?
Help, something’s going wrong – how do I fix it?
Menu planning, timing, or oven logistics chaos 😅
Even though our last day of work is this Friday, JB has generously agreed to continue helping me with questions right through to Christmas Eve. Thank you JB, you’re the best.
And now…. the Christmas Cooking Hotline is now officially open. So drop your questions below and we’ll jump in to help wherever we can, because Christmas cooking is much more fun with backup! 🎄 – Nagi x
PS Few out-takes from today’s little Christmas shooting session. We know how to cook better than taking selfies. Promise. 😅
PPS Who nailed The Wink? 😉
Life of Dozer
My favourite Dozer Christmas outfit.
Though to be honest, Santa spends most of his time like this:
Which I’m sure is Santa after a few too many Christmas wines. This has absolutely nothing to do with his ride – or the stable hand who saddled up his ride. 😂
What are your absolute best roast potatoes??
best roast potatoes
What a fabulous idea, thankyou Nagi and JB.
I have 2 questions and would love your advice.
1. Pavlova is my go to dessert and I am making it again this year. How do you get the pav to turn out glossy white, my always brown a bit.
2. Can I substitute frozen pomegranate seeds in a salad?
Thankyou both and Merry Christmas
Can I substitute vegan creme fresh for sour cream in the Christmas salmon recipe please.
Hi Nagi,
I have to bring a main dish to Christmas lunch for 20 people. What would you suggest that I could cook ahead and transport? I’m not sure if there will be an accessible oven. (My brother is already doing ham).
Hi Nagi. Are there instructions for reheating the 12 hour lamb shoulder?
That’s actually a very good point
Hi Nagi and JB! I have made brioche and tasted delicious however the dough seemed to have collapsed in the oven? everything was perfect up until the bake when the dough collapsed. My mixer did start overheating right before I had to add the butter, so I hand kneaded it for the rest (Maybe I needed to develop the gluten more?) I would really appreciate your and JB’s help!
Hi Nagi and JB, I would like to make your Ultimate slow-roasted lamb (12 hour lamb shoulder). Yum! how long would I put the lamb in the oven for, if it weighs about half the weight in your recipe? I have 2 small pieces, both around 1.3-1.5 kg? thank you so much!
Help me Nagi. You’re my only hope! And JB, of course. This afternoon my husband mentioned that he has run into friends and acquaintances around town this week and invited them to drop by for Christmas lunch. He has no idea how many – he says maybe 10 or 12. He’s not sure. He did not ask them to RSVP. Now, it is very possible that none of these people will show up. It is possible that some of them will show up. To make matters worse, he’s not even sure who he has asked, so even if I could think of some plausibly tactful way to ring them and ask if they are coming, I don’t have any names. The two that he remembers are almost certainly no shows so that’s no help. Nagi, I had planned for a quiet Christmas lunch for just the two of us and our three dogs as all of our families are overseas at the moment. Can you help me plan a menu that can accommodate 2 – 10 people so that leftovers will be able to be frozen or consumed and is still respectable enough for guests? Also, I have no idea about any dietary requirements! I’m trying not to panic.
I have a suggestion!
Go and purchase a bottle of champagne, a wheel of brie, some fancy crackers and maybe some lovely grapes.
Then book a hotel room for 2 nights and go there on Christmas Eve and have your wine and cheese, just relax and leave your husband to deal with his invited guests.
It will be much less stressful (for you!) and I absolutely guarantee you that next Christmas will actually be a quiet one at home with just the 2 of you and your dogs 🙂
Amusing, but not helpful 😢
Well, I was legitimately being serious, but I’m glad you found it amusing, at least. Best of luck and godspeed in the kitchen.
Maybe a couple of Nagi’s Cobb salads? But it’ll be really hard when you aren’t sure if it’s 2 or 10. The Cobb salad has the salad and the protein so makes a meal.
Hi Nagi, can I make the Italian stuffed pork tenderloin up until the bake stage and then bake later? If so, how long do I need to leave it out of the fridge and does it need longer baking? Thanks
Hi dear Nagi and JB, please help, I was planning to do a beef rollade, but have no idea what to put in the meat before rolling it up and for how long I have to cook it. Our kids don’t like mushrooms, so I cannot use them. Also I am doing a rollade of turkey breast, stuffed with a duck breast, chopped walnuts and dried cranberries in port. Thyme and rosemary. How long does it take to cook please. We will be with 6 adults, is a kilo p/rollade enough after cooking please. Also can I prepare the meat beforehand?
Thanks for your advies, much appreciated, wishing you a wonderful Happy Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year, to you and your loved ones!
Bye from The Netherlands xxxx
Merry Christmas Lovelies, can I make cauliflower mornay (cauliflower cheese) the day before Christmas day & then reheat on the day or do I make it up to the assembly stage the day before & then cook on Christmas day? xxxxz
What is an alternative to ham for vegetarians to have for Xmas supper when offering leftover ham for sandwiches and pickled onions ? Thank you 😊
How big a snapper would I need for 8 people? We’ll also have some sliced leg ham and a small turkey roast so it’s not the only main. What would be the easiest way to cook it in the oven?..I have several Asian style recipes but it’s the oven-bit I’m hesitant with!
Not specifically a Christmas question, but when a recipe calls for cloves of garlic how big are they? I’ve just pulled a bulb apart and the cloves vary from 2.5g to 11g!
I like to keep a Christmas Ham in a pillow slip for slicing in the lead up to Christmas, however would like to use some of it to glaze on the day. Can I glaze and bake a 1/4 leg? I’d glaze the 1/2 leg in advance but that will get messy in the damp pillow slip, right?
I want a salad for 3 people for Christmas day please
Halve any of the salads in the Show Off salads collection 🙂 – N x
Always had trouble getting smashed, whole, roasted potatoes nice and crispy on the outside while remaining fluffy on the inside. What’s your best tip? 🙏
Have you used my recipe? High heat and it does take a fair bit of time! Longer than you think 🙂 – N x
Can I make scrolls all the way up to shaping and cutting and then freeze it? So that im ahead of my xmas cooking/baking.
You sure can. So, make the log, cut then place the slices in a tray. Put in the fridge overnight before doing the rise. Remove from fridge and let it come to room temp (1 – 2 hours) then move to warm place to do the final rise before baking! – N x
Can I cook your sausage stuffing with pork sausages ahead of time and freeze it? If so, Should I cook it first or leave it raw.
I would do all the cooking of the sausages celery etc and then mix it all up with the cream etc, right up to the point you’d ordinarily put it in the oven. Except put it in a container or ziplock bag, freeze. When ready to cook, thaw, pour into pan, bake! – N x
Hi Nagi and JB, what are your favourite Christmas vegetarian mains? Thanks a bunch, we’re having scallops and a prawn and mango salads, but we wanted to offer guests a vegetarian option. Merry Christmas.
Hands down the most Christmas worthy vegetarian main I know is the stuffed pumpkin in Dinner. That is JB’s invention and it is magnificent!! – N x
How soon is too soon to buy fruit and veg for salads? We are travelling interstate for Christmas and don’t want to risk having to shop on Christmas Eve and ingredients not being available.
Depends on the fruit and veg but I personally would be happy doing the fruit and veg at least 3 days before if not 4 🙂 – N x