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00:00Christmas should be full of fun and cheer, but too often it's stressful, especially in the kitchen.
00:07Oh, got a bit of cinnamon in my eyes.
00:09Oh, but Joe, it doesn't have to be.
00:11Go!
00:12With good preparation and planning.
00:14Another recipe ticked off.
00:16I'm going to show you how you can spend just 30 minutes in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
00:2130 minutes? No way.
00:23It's a batch cook programme. That's what I do.
00:26Not only that, we have a wealth of tricks and hacks.
00:29This is controversial. I don't peel my roast potatoes.
00:32To reduce stress over the festive period.
00:35Amazing.
00:36So this year, say goodbye to seasonal stress and hello to family fun.
00:42Come on!
00:43If you can't beat it, batch it.
00:46Merry Christmas, everyone.
00:48Merry Christmas.
00:53We're in Lancashire, hoping to offer up some Christmas miracles.
00:57Joe!
00:59Hello, Suzanne.
01:00Hello.
01:00Yeah.
01:01Look at all these trees, taking that smell.
01:03You know me, I am a Christmas fanatic and every year I like to find myself the biggest tree I can find.
01:08Have you just brought me here to buy a tree?
01:09Yes and no, because around the corner live the Waddington family.
01:12This year, Mum Amy, for the first time, is hosting.
01:16It's a lot of pressure, but I'm going to show you in the Waddingtons how you can spend just 30 minutes
01:22on Christmas Day in the kitchen, making an amazing feast that even Father Christmas will want to stay for.
01:27That does sound like a Christmas miracle.
01:28Right, you wait there, I'm going to grab myself a tree.
01:30Don't worry, I've spotted the perfect one.
01:32Oh, is it a big one?
01:33It's just the right size for you.
01:35Oh, lovely.
01:36That wasn't quite what I was after, Suzanne.
01:39Hmm.
01:41You do the bottom bits?
01:43No.
01:44Are you going to be this excited when we have to take it down?
01:46No.
01:48Down the road are the Waddington family.
01:51Mum Amy, Dad Dwayne and kids Jackson and Maggie.
01:55Oh, my gosh, it's terrible.
01:57And like many families, Christmas is their favourite time of the year.
02:01I love Christmas because it is time for everybody to get together, isn't it?
02:06Yeah.
02:07We have, like, all family out there, play games, have fun, our aunties, our uncles, friends.
02:12You're getting excited now.
02:14Yeah.
02:16Amy and Dwayne have never hosted Christmas Day.
02:18That task falls on Amy's mum, who lives just five doors down the road.
02:24We've just piled down to Mum and Dad's house, really, and Mum takes control.
02:30Oh, hello.
02:31We revert back to being teenagers, lounge around, and Mum does all the hard work.
02:40I've always cooked Christmas dinner for 40 years.
02:44They're all having a nice time, and I'm in the kitchen, generally on my own.
02:49So, yeah, I feel like I miss out a little bit.
02:52Shall we start writing?
02:54Yeah, start a food list.
02:55With the average Christmas dinner cook coming in at over three hours, that's a lot of time Julie's lost with the family.
03:02I'd love to give my mum the chance to sit down and enjoy spending time with the children.
03:09Wroth potatoes, sprouts.
03:11Yeah.
03:12Carrots.
03:13Yeah.
03:13I think it's probably time we did take over.
03:17I can't believe this is what my mum does every year.
03:19I know.
03:19But how do you go about taking on Christmas when you rarely cook from scratch?
03:24I've probably cooked two Sunday dinners, and even then they were all pre-packaged, frozen.
03:32You hungry?
03:33Yep.
03:34Mm-hm.
03:34Most of my cooking skills are turning the oven on and putting frozen meals in.
03:40You want, Maggie?
03:42Garlic bread pizza.
03:43It's not just at Christmas where Granny Julie picks up the slack.
03:47Probably at least once a week.
03:50At least once a week we go down.
03:51We just turn up and say, what's for tea?
03:54Granny does a lot for the Waddingtons, but Amy is keen to learn the ropes for hosting Christmas before it's too late.
04:01In 2022, we lost Dwayne's sister.
04:05She hosted Christmas for her side of the family.
04:09And it sort of made me think that one day my mum might not be here for Christmas and we would lose that.
04:18That's where I felt that I needed to step in.
04:22Sorry.
04:25It's time now to be a grown-up.
04:27I'm ready to continue that Christmas tradition.
04:30If I don't do it now, when will I ever do it?
04:35It looks like they've called us just in time.
04:38You know what, right?
04:39We're like Santa's little batch cook helpers.
04:42We are.
04:43While the family are out, probably at Granny Julie's.
04:46Oh, nice wreath.
04:48We're going to have a little snoop.
04:50It's shiny and clean.
04:52Maybe it's never been used.
04:53Maybe they have, like, servants and cooks.
04:56Christmas health.
04:57I did bring me soup.
04:58Did you?
05:00Let's see if the freezer is just as spotless.
05:03Right.
05:04My domain.
05:05What have we got?
05:06Oh, the dreaded chicken nuggets.
05:09It's not exactly your healthy batch cooking, is it, Suzanne?
05:13My children's dream freezer.
05:15Yeah, my kids.
05:16They'll live on chicken nuggets and chips if we let them.
05:18Oh, hold up.
05:21There's another freezer here.
05:24Who don't love a waffle?
05:26Come on.
05:28Two freezers full of convenience food explains the underused kitchen.
05:33Oh, what is that?
05:34I can't believe it's a hard day, Jo.
05:36That's going to be you later, after preparing Christmas dinner.
05:40Don't worry about me, Jo.
05:41I make cooking for Christmas so easy that even the most novice of cooks can deliver a delicious
05:47feast, spending just 30 minutes in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
05:51Hello, you lot.
05:52Nice to see you.
05:53Thank you for letting us into your lovely home.
05:55You're welcome.
05:56And we hear that you guys are big fans of Christmas.
06:00We are.
06:01And we hear that you might need my help.
06:03Definitely.
06:04Right.
06:05So, Mum and Dad, we're going to whisk you away and we'll catch up with you two a little
06:08bit later on, if that's all right.
06:09Yeah.
06:12So, I thought it'd be good for us to get a little taste of what your Christmases are
06:16like.
06:16So, I've got the old Christmas photo album app.
06:20The obligatory matching PJs I inflict on everybody every year.
06:24Stacey does exactly the same to us every year.
06:27Is that you?
06:28So, that is you and your mum?
06:29Yeah, 30 years ago.
06:31Is that a young Julie?
06:32That's a young Julie.
06:34Cooking Christmas dinner.
06:35Yeah.
06:36My mum has done it forever.
06:38I'd like to give her a break and let her sit back and enjoy Christmas.
06:42But I have barely even cooked a Sunday roast.
06:46Do you cook?
06:47No, not particularly.
06:48Other meals, really, for the kids.
06:50Or even down to Julie's during the week.
06:53God, don't we?
06:54We all need a Julie in our lives, don't we?
06:57So, how does your Christmas day work?
06:59We wake up, open presents, and then we would head down to my mum's house for breakfast.
07:05And then mill around drinking Prosecco or playing games.
07:08Dwayne, Christmas is cushy, you know?
07:10Yes, yeah.
07:11This year, not to be horrible, that could be at risk.
07:14I'm actually probably going to have to get up and do something.
07:17You're in very good hands this year.
07:20Do not worry about Christmas dinner.
07:22That's easy for you to say, Joe.
07:25We've analysed Julie's Christmas efforts,
07:27and the figures show us just what a mammoth task we have in store.
07:32Wow.
07:32In total, Julie's spending 23 hours getting Christmas ready,
07:36and 10 of them hours is just on Christmas Day.
07:40I don't think I realised how much behind the scenes she was doing.
07:44And then in terms of the money, the cost is £479.
07:49Wow.
07:50That's a lot of money, isn't it?
07:51And that's just for those three days' worth of Christmas.
07:53A huge £300 of that spend is going on the Christmas Day feast for 11 people.
07:59This is three times the national average.
08:02That is more than you would spend as a family of four for a whole month, isn't it?
08:07Yeah.
08:07Definitely.
08:08Easily, yeah.
08:09You know, Christmas is round the corner.
08:12Where would you say your stress levels were right now?
08:14In the red.
08:14So we go, ooh, what the hell for you?
08:19But the thing is, we're not going to have you spend this amount of money
08:22or spend this amount of time or be in the red for stress,
08:27because we're going to make it all way easier than this for you.
08:31Amazing.
08:32Sounds great.
08:32Yeah, I'm so glad that you're here.
08:35I feel really guilty knowing that my mum has not only taken the financial toll of Christmas,
08:42but also how many hours she spent in the kitchen, that's unreal, really.
08:49I didn't want to say it to Amy, but to suddenly do Christmas dinner for 11 people,
08:54I feel like she may have bit off a bit too much,
08:58but if anyone's going to make this possible, it's Suzanne, the batch lady,
09:01so she's in the best possible hands.
09:05You're too kind, Joe.
09:07And over at the test kitchen, I've got plenty of hacks up my sleeve
09:10to help any first-timers.
09:13I'm starting with a favourite of mine, the mince pie,
09:16and I'm not alone, 800 million are sold each year.
09:20I've been perfecting this mega mince pie
09:22that you can make in advance to wow the festive hordes.
09:26It's not Christmas at my house until I have my first mince pie.
09:30They're not my cup of tea.
09:31The name put me off as a kid.
09:33I was expecting meat and there was fruit in there,
09:35but I'm going to enjoy making it.
09:37I'm making my own mince meat,
09:39which means I can vary the ingredients to my tastes.
09:42Maybe Joe might even like this one.
09:45This is so simple to do.
09:47We're just going to put everything in the one pot.
09:49I'm mixing apple, raisins, sultanas,
09:51and mixed peel with some sugar.
09:53You can use any combination of dried fruit.
09:57Right, orange.
09:59Then zest and juice and orange.
10:02Lastly, we want to add in some brandy.
10:04A little bit for luck.
10:07Whiskey, rum or sherry are all good alternatives,
10:10or tea if you want it to be alcohol-free.
10:12Oh, now it feels like Christmas.
10:15Heat until the sugar melts and we have our mince meat.
10:19Batch into sterilised jars
10:21and it will last unopened for many months.
10:24You can use it to add a Christmas twist
10:25to all sorts of baking, like cookies or crumbles.
10:29Hold up a minute.
10:30That's a bit of a big pie, isn't it?
10:32I'm going to make a mega mince pie.
10:34This is so much quicker than messing around
10:36with a lot of little ones.
10:38And I'm using pre-made pastry too,
10:40all saving you time.
10:42I'm going to fill it with our lovely mince meat.
10:44Okey-dokey.
10:45But I've got a job for you.
10:46You always have.
10:47You're going to make the top to the pie.
10:50Instead of pastry, we're adding a crumble topping.
10:53Just flour, butter, brown sugar and some cinnamon.
10:56How's this?
10:57Not great, Joe.
10:58Not going to lie.
10:59Sorry.
10:59Once the crumble is crumbly,
11:02you're just going to sprinkle on top.
11:04Easy peasy.
11:06That's going to end the oven and that is it.
11:08Ah, well done.
11:10Oh, got a bit of cinnamon in my eyes.
11:13Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the oven at 180.
11:17You can get 12 good portions out of this,
11:20so having a few of these in the freezer
11:21saves spending on shop-bought boxes.
11:24I don't want to upset you,
11:26but even you could make me eat a mince pie.
11:30Look at that.
11:31Maybe we could do something in the edit where I'm like...
11:34Mmm.
11:36Nice.
11:37Well, I can promise you, Joe, it's delicious.
11:41Still to come,
11:42we show the Waddington family
11:44that perfect prep turns the nightmare of Christmas
11:47into a dream.
11:48Go!
11:48And help them batch their way
11:51to spending just 30 minutes in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
11:55It's dress-free for all of us.
11:57It's amazing.
11:57This Christmas, we're in Lancashire,
12:07helping novice cooks Amy and Dwayne
12:09take the reins from Granny Julie
12:11and host Christmas for the very first time.
12:14My mum's a really, really good cook.
12:16There's a high standard for me to follow
12:20taking on Christmas and making it my own.
12:24Amy doesn't need to worry.
12:26Christmas doesn't have to feel scary.
12:29Prepping in advance and using some of my clever hacks
12:31will take away the fear.
12:33What bits are stressing you most
12:35when you think about cooking Christmas dinner?
12:37Erm, probably the time spent in the kitchen.
12:41It's time away from watching the kids enjoy themselves.
12:44It can all be made in advance.
12:46You're going to only spend 30 minutes in the kitchen
12:48on Christmas Day.
12:49It's that simple.
12:51Suzanne's a pro at prepping Christmas and saving time,
12:54but I am the guru when it comes to saving money.
12:59So have you ever been Christmas shopping before?
13:01Other than maybe some crackers last minute.
13:03We're going to get a few more things in a couple of crackers.
13:05Yes.
13:05What we do know is that the average UK family
13:08spend about £700 more in the December period.
13:11Granny Julie, in December,
13:13she went Christmas shopping nine times in one month.
13:17Now, that is too many times to go shopping.
13:18Granny Julie is not alone.
13:21Over half of us admit to buying too much at Christmas.
13:24But armed with Suzanne's shopping list,
13:27that is not going to be the case today.
13:29Let's get it done, shall we?
13:30Let's do it.
13:31Let's go, yeah.
13:32And the advantage of getting the festive shop done early,
13:35no crowds.
13:36I don't know how you make your roast potatoes in your house,
13:38but in my house.
13:40It's all about the crunch on the outside.
13:41Yes.
13:42And the fluffy potato.
13:42Fluffiness on the inside.
13:43You know what we're talking about.
13:45You're on the potato level with me.
13:47To achieve maximum fluffiness,
13:49we're after a flowery potato.
13:51For me, the best roast potato
13:54is made from a Maris Piper.
13:56Yes.
13:56Let's get a couple of bags to feed your lot.
13:58Yes.
13:58Lovely.
13:59Let's do it.
13:59Chuck them in.
14:01We need to grab some other veg.
14:02And of course,
14:03it wouldn't be Christmas without sprouts.
14:05Not the biggest fan.
14:06You're not the biggest fan of these?
14:08No.
14:08At Christmas,
14:09there are 750 million of these.
14:12That's a lot.
14:13That's a lot of rats.
14:14That's a hell of a lot.
14:15But do you also know
14:16that only half of them get eaten?
14:18The rest of them are chucked in a bin.
14:19I get that.
14:20What a waste, eh?
14:21But they're not like the old ones.
14:22In the old days,
14:23they were quite bitter.
14:24They've bred the bitterness out of them now.
14:26They are a great vessel for flavour.
14:28Right.
14:29Let's talk about the star of the show, shall we?
14:31Yep.
14:32Chicken wings.
14:33Chicken wings.
14:34Don't worry,
14:35you're still going to get your turkey.
14:36We're talking gravy.
14:38Homemade gravy has a rep for being time-consuming
14:41and a bit of a faff to make
14:42alongside your Christmas dinner or your roast.
14:45But it's no bother if you're making it in advance.
14:48Me and Suzanne have got a great gravy recipe
14:50using chicken wings.
14:51And you can batch this gravy weeks before Christmas,
14:54stick it in the freezer.
14:55That's another job you don't have to worry about.
14:57The scraps of chicken wings.
15:00What is life about a bit of gravy, eh?
15:03Back at the house,
15:04Amy and I are making space for Christmas batching.
15:07I thought we'd start with this cupboard here.
15:10The key to a stress-free Christmas
15:12is getting organised before Santa has even dusted off his sleigh.
15:16There's no point in being organised if everybody eats it.
15:19OK.
15:20Definitely Christmas cupboard.
15:22Keep off.
15:22Yeah.
15:23Once you've got this space,
15:25you can grab bits on your weekly shop
15:27in the months before Christmas,
15:28which helps to spread the cost too.
15:31We can also get the freezer ready well ahead of time.
15:35We need one full freezer drawer
15:37for a family of four for Christmas.
15:39That's how it generally works.
15:40You're going to be feeding 11,
15:42so we're going to need at least two drawers,
15:44if not a little bit more.
15:45You can maximise space by removing cardboard packaging.
15:49I'll get you some freezer bags.
15:51Another tip is to spend a week eating up your freezer food.
15:55This both saves money on that week's shop
15:56and creates space for Christmas batching.
15:59And with all that space freed up,
16:01there's plenty of room for the main event,
16:03the turkey.
16:05At Christmas, do you know there's 10 million turkeys sold?
16:08A lot.
16:08That's a lot of people looking to get themselves a turkey
16:11for Christmas.
16:12Now, the trick is for me,
16:14frozen turkey.
16:16Because not only do you get them nice and early,
16:18because the supermarkets haven't been weeks before Christmas,
16:21if you get yourself the crown,
16:23it's got all the best meat around it,
16:24it cooks evenly,
16:26cuts nice,
16:27tastes beautiful.
16:28That all sounds good to me.
16:29Christmas game changer, this is.
16:32Winner, winner, turkey dinner.
16:34Hello, mate.
16:35Are you all right?
16:35How are you?
16:36Thank you. How are you?
16:37Not too bad, thanks.
16:38Excellent.
16:39All ready for Christmas?
16:41We are now.
16:42Excellent.
16:44Make a plan, make a list.
16:45So simple to get your shopping done in next to no time.
16:48Planning is the way forward.
16:49There we go.
16:51Good job, man.
16:51Let's go.
16:52One trolley, one shop,
16:54Christmas done.
16:55Brainy Julie is not going to believe
16:57that we've done Christmas in one guy.
16:59No.
16:59Hello, everyone.
17:04How are you doing?
17:06Shopping is all done.
17:07Listen, when you're gallivanting,
17:09we've cleaned out the cupboards.
17:11No, don't.
17:12We're not going to put anything away just yet.
17:13We are going to go from shopping bag to freezer bag.
17:18No need to put the food in the cupboards.
17:20We are going to prep our delicious Christmas roast right now
17:23so it's in the freezer ready for the big day.
17:26And this can be done months in advance.
17:29So it's stress-free for all of us.
17:31This is the first step to making sure
17:33we'll spend just 30 minutes in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
17:37So you guys are going to start with some streaky bacon.
17:40Lovely.
17:40And make a lovely lattice that goes over the top of our turkey.
17:43Okey-dokey.
17:43Let's go, mate.
17:44Let's do this.
17:46Frozen turkeys are a budget-friendly option.
17:49And this lattice turns it into a real centrepiece.
17:52I'm going to try and plait this.
17:54Don't worry about the turkey in the Christmas dinner.
17:56I'll be talking about the lattice.
17:58It doesn't just look pretty.
18:00The bacon adds moisture and flavour while it's cooking.
18:04It's a little bit like that.
18:05What's that thing?
18:06Ghost.
18:08We'll do the lattice together.
18:12Another trick I like for preventing a dry and bland turkey
18:15is flavoured butter.
18:17Mash it together.
18:19This is going to add so much flavour to your turkey.
18:22I love using sage, but any dried herb works.
18:25Or even chilli if you like your Christmas a bit spicy.
18:28We're going to make a little parchment Christmas cracker.
18:32Twist each end, keeping all the butter in.
18:34That's it.
18:36And we are going to freeze that.
18:38You can use this butter all year round on things like steak, fish or steamed veg.
18:42Just chop a bit off and then add it to whatever you're cooking.
18:46Yeah.
18:47Yeah.
18:47I can't have a roast turkey without stuffing and it freezes brilliantly.
18:52You'll be able to use it for Sunday lunches when you come to it as well.
18:56We're starting with a standard packet mix but elevating it by adding sausage meat.
19:00If you can't get hold of sausage meat, you can just use normal sausages and just take the skin off.
19:05Yeah.
19:06Then we are adding cheddar cheese and a Christmas twist with some orange juice.
19:11It's making it a bit more festive.
19:12Yeah.
19:13Yeah.
19:14We're rolling the mix into balls and then placing in the freezer on a baking tray for a couple of hours.
19:19This method is called flash freezing.
19:23Generally takes about an hour and just makes sure that they are solid enough to be bagged up later.
19:28Look at this.
19:29We are very proud of ourselves, by the way.
19:31I'm impressed.
19:32I had a brainwave, right?
19:34So if we're going to freeze this stuff, could we roll it like this?
19:37That would save you some space in the freezer.
19:39You after my job, Joe?
19:40Well, no.
19:41You can have that one free for your next book.
19:43There you go.
19:44Well done.
19:44Grab your veg.
19:45You're off.
19:46See you later, ladies.
19:47Bye-bye.
19:47Good luck with the gravy.
19:48Right, gravy.
19:49Have you ever made it?
19:51No.
19:52Many of us end up with basic gravy because it's too much hassle to make on Christmas Day.
19:58But making it in advance takes all the stress away.
20:01I've had some chicken wings and veg roasting away for about 40 minutes.
20:05And now Amy is smooshing that down with some flour over a low heat.
20:10Then add stock and time for flavour.
20:13The white wine is optional.
20:15Bring this to the boil for five minutes.
20:17And all that lovely flavour is going to end up in the stock.
20:20It smells delicious.
20:22It's starting to smell a little bit like Christmas now, isn't it?
20:24It is.
20:25Dwayne and I are prepping all the veg now, so it won't take up loads of precious time on the big day.
20:31We can enjoy the day as well.
20:32That'll be you then.
20:33Every Christmas.
20:34Every Christmas.
20:34I'll be peeling carrots and parsnips.
20:37Yeah.
20:39The final step to the gravy is to strain it at Hey Presto.
20:43Once it's cool, we can get it in the freezer bag.
20:46A faff that you don't want to be doing on Christmas Day.
20:48Definitely don't want to be doing that on Christmas Day.
20:50And you don't want to be doing these little fellas either.
20:55The trick is to make the sprout not look like the sprout.
20:59So shredding them like this.
21:01That's a lot less intimidating for people.
21:03It is than that on your plate.
21:06Amy and I are moving on to the roast potatoes.
21:09You really can prep every bit of your Christmas dinner in advance.
21:12And these can even be cooked straight from frozen.
21:15Have you ever made them before?
21:17I've done shop-bought roast potatoes before.
21:21Now this is controversial.
21:23I don't peel my roast potatoes because that's why it takes an hour and a half.
21:27The skin is good for you.
21:28It still crisps up really well.
21:30Just give them a quick scrub and pop them in a pan of cold water
21:33before boiling for seven minutes.
21:36I would have naturally just put them in boiled water.
21:39If you put them in hot water,
21:40they're going to actually start to cook on the outside and not cook on the inside.
21:44You want to drain them?
21:45Yep.
21:45Everyone has their own technique for a crispy roasty.
21:49I like to put mine back on the heat for a bit after draining to dry them out.
21:53You just want to get it before it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
21:58Then add a sprinkling of corn flour and drizzle generously with olive oil.
22:02I'm just adding salt.
22:04But to jazz them up, you could add garlic, herbs or parmesan at this stage.
22:09How easy was that?
22:10What did you think?
22:11Really easy, yeah.
22:12I'm excited to have proper roast potatoes for Christmas dinner.
22:17You're just cooking straight from frozen, so they're that simple.
22:20Parsnips and carrots are just as easy, but start them in boiling water.
22:25Seven minutes and then drain and season.
22:28You could add a few crushed garlic cloves or, like me, add sage.
22:31Once cooled, all the veg is flash frozen.
22:35How are you feeling?
22:37More confident.
22:38The more and more recipes we get through, the more and more confident I'm feeling.
22:42Excellent.
22:43That's what I like to hear.
22:44On to the final veg preparation, the beloved sprout.
22:48It's so easy, especially when you have a Joe who's already shredded them for you.
22:53They're just cooked in oil with some onions.
22:55I always use frozen, of course.
22:58And then once softened, we add cranberries, pecans and a pinch of nutmeg.
23:04This is my take, but sprouts work with all sorts of flavours.
23:07Chestnuts, bacon, maple syrup, even anchovies.
23:11Another recipe ticked off.
23:13Yeah, you have literally prepped all your Christmas dinner.
23:17That's amazing.
23:19We'll get everything bagged up and into the freezer,
23:22and then later on I'll show Amy how to get it all cooked in just 30 minutes.
23:27Batching is such an easy way to do a Christmas feast.
23:30If a novice like Amy can do it and do it that quickly and successfully, anybody can do it.
23:36So come Christmas Day, 30 minutes in the kitchen,
23:39that's all you need to go from this to a Christmas feast.
23:43Amazing.
23:44The rest of your Christmas Day is for you.
23:47Excellent.
23:48Well done!
23:50The confidence is definitely growing,
23:52so what started off as a really overwhelming task is less overwhelming,
23:58and the stress level's reducing, so that's looking good.
24:01It's not just Christmas dinner you can prepare in advance.
24:06We're back in the test kitchen with some speedy snack recipes.
24:11Cheesy twists, pesto parmiers and Christmassy sausage rolls.
24:16At Christmas time, in terms of having people over, what's it like in your house?
24:20We generally just have like an open door policy, so we need a constant flow of food.
24:25These picky bits can be made months in advance and cooked straight from frozen,
24:30so you can focus on hosting rather than cooking in the busy lead-up to Christmas.
24:35This ready-made puff pastry is all you really need.
24:38Joe is making the cheese twists.
24:40Cover half the pastry sheet with yeast extract.
24:44This is my Stacey's favourite thing to have on toast.
24:46And then sprinkle with a handful of cheese.
24:50Then you just fold over and cut into strips.
24:53And twist to make them look fancy.
24:56I hate to say it, but I'm sure people are going to think it.
24:59I feel like my twister is better than your twister.
25:02Oh, really?
25:04Well, let's see how I get on with these parmiers.
25:07Cover the whole pastry sheet with tomato puree, pesto and a sprinkling of parmesan.
25:12You keep banging on about me being untidy,
25:15but yours looks like someone's dragged it in from the night out.
25:18You wait till you see the end result.
25:20Oh, you're all right.
25:21He's got it in for me today.
25:23To make the classic parmiere shape,
25:25take the long edge and roll the pastry into the middle from both sides,
25:29then cut into individual portions.
25:32It's like a pastry butterfly.
25:35Now, on to the sausage rolls.
25:37Oh, I love a sausage roll.
25:38Well, we're going to make a Christmassy version.
25:40To make the filling, add chopped bacon to turkey mince.
25:43Get in there and give it a good mix around.
25:46Then I've cut my pastry in half lengthways and I'm adding some cranberry sauce.
25:50Here you go.
25:52And add the filling.
25:54Fold it over and then we can crimp that edge.
25:58The word is here, gentle.
26:00My middle name, that is?
26:01Yeah.
26:01I was listening to you, but it's just gone a little bit.
26:04Not so cocky now, Joe, are you?
26:07Then we just need to cut up the sausage rolls.
26:10Remember, this is just a little nibble.
26:12We're not feeding somebody a lunch.
26:14We don't want them there all day, do we?
26:15No, no.
26:16And there we have our three pastry snacks.
26:19Egg wash and then flash freeze on trays for an hour before bagging them up.
26:24You can just grab out however many you want,
26:26cook them directly from frozen for whenever people arrive.
26:29Into the oven at 180, 25 minutes for the sausage rolls,
26:3420 for the cheese twists and just 12 for the parmiers.
26:38I love these.
26:40To buy your 12 of them.
26:41So simple and such good value.
26:44And I can feel nice and smug serving up homemade snacks to people
26:48popping over at Christmas.
26:49This year, Amy and Dwayne are taking on Christmas for the very first time.
27:00It's so overwhelming.
27:02I can help, can't I?
27:04If you're letting me.
27:05Yeah, I feel like you would help.
27:07Granny Julie spent 10 hours in the kitchen last Christmas,
27:10but I'm showing Amy my hacks to deliver a delicious feast in just 30 minutes.
27:15But I know only too well that stress isn't limited to just Christmas Day
27:20where you have a big family that like to socialise.
27:23Dwayne, what do you usually do for Christmas Eve?
27:25Amy's working, so usually she'll get back a bit later
27:28and then we have all the family round.
27:31Everybody brings a different pie and we all just tuck in.
27:33So how about this year you are the host with the most
27:37and you're going to supply it all for them?
27:40Yes, why not? Let's give it a go.
27:42This fancy take on a family favourite will be perfect
27:45for the Waddingtons' Christmas Eve.
27:47This lobster mac and cheese can be made weeks in advance
27:50and then frozen to be used later.
27:53These are lobster tails.
27:54Yep.
27:54So they just come like this.
27:56Buying lobster tails is a really good budget way of having lobster.
28:00We've defrosted these and are cooking them in the butter they come with.
28:04They're so easy to do.
28:06You're not having to figure out what to do with the whole lobster.
28:08Mac and cheese is so versatile,
28:11we're going to knock up a chorizo version too.
28:13It always makes sense to cook extra and keep that freezer stocked.
28:17Smells good, doesn't it,
28:18when you've got fresh food cooking in the kitchen?
28:20You only probably smell that
28:21when you go to your mother-in-law's along the road, don't you?
28:23Yes.
28:25Next, we part-cook the macaroni just three minutes.
28:29Remember, we're making it in advance for the freezer.
28:31When you bring it out of the freezer,
28:33we're going to put it back in the oven.
28:34Right.
28:34So we don't want to overcook your pasta.
28:37We're going to get on and make the cheese sauce now.
28:39We need to make a roux.
28:41I'm assuming you haven't made a roux before.
28:43No.
28:43OK.
28:43It sounds very fancy.
28:45It's super easy.
28:46Just mix flour and butter in a pan.
28:49That's the roux.
28:50You look so scared.
28:52The food is going to bite me.
28:55It's going to get really thick,
28:57but don't worry about that,
28:58because we're going to start adding our milk.
29:00It starts off a bit lumpy,
29:01but don't panic, just keep stirring.
29:04This is a white sauce,
29:05which can be used in lasagna or chicken pie.
29:08If you're making one portion,
29:10you may as well make more.
29:11Freeze that into bags, you know,
29:13so that you've just got them mid-week ready to grab out.
29:16Mid-sauce!
29:18Dwayne!
29:19Now we just add the cheese.
29:22At Christmas, this is a great way to cut food waste.
29:25If I've had a big cheese board and I've got lots left over,
29:28you can make a big cheese sauce with anything.
29:31Next, add some paprika and cherry tomatoes,
29:34along with the macaroni.
29:35And you give it a stir around.
29:36For two tasty meals,
29:38mix the lobster meat into one
29:40and the chorizo into the other.
29:42This is the great thing about something like mac and cheese.
29:45You can add all different flavours to it.
29:47You know, ham, a leftover ham at New Year.
29:50The final touch is Parmesan shavings
29:52and some breadcrumbs for a good crunch.
29:55We have now made...
29:57Mac and cheese.
29:58This has taken less than 20 minutes.
30:01Now into the oven.
30:02180 for 40 minutes until golden brown.
30:06And Dwayne even has a spare for a mid-week meal.
30:09Oh, here we go.
30:11Shall we get Amy in?
30:12Hello, hello.
30:13This smells gorgeous.
30:18This is absolutely amazing.
30:21It is.
30:21Now you know how to do it,
30:23you are going to be doing this on a regular basis.
30:27I was blown away by it.
30:29He is definitely the mac and cheese man now.
30:32Having this is just amazing
30:34and knowing that you are taking control of Christmas Eve
30:37is even better.
30:40I've never really cooked from scratch before,
30:41so it was great fun
30:43and it's great now to know that I can now contribute
30:45towards Christmas.
30:47It was lovely working with Dwayne in the kitchen.
30:48I can already see that I'm getting him away
30:50from those chicken nuggets and frozen ready meals.
30:53He'll be batching his own meals in no time.
30:56The last piece to the Christmas puzzle is dessert
30:59and we're off to Granny Julie's.
31:01So, Julie, what is the protocol when it comes to dessert at Christmas?
31:05Well, we have Christmas puddings in the cupboard,
31:09but they never come out.
31:10Right.
31:10And we make trifle, but often we don't even touch it.
31:15There's a lesson here.
31:16Don't stick to traditional Christmas desserts
31:18if no-one likes them.
31:20Wow, Granny Julie.
31:21It's 2013.
31:23That is older than your grandkids.
31:27Tiramisu is a great alternative to a Christmas pud.
31:30It can be made well in advance
31:32and involves next to no prep on the day.
31:35My turn to cook,
31:36so I'm enlisting the kids as my helpers.
31:39It's a big responsibility doing the dessert for Christmas, isn't it?
31:42Yeah.
31:42We're going to get this right.
31:43Shall we get cracking?
31:44Yeah.
31:45Literally.
31:46First...
31:47Crack it.
31:47Separate the eggs.
31:49That's it.
31:51That's it.
31:52Keep the yolk in there.
31:53Perfect.
31:54Chuck the yolk into this side.
31:56Good job.
31:57Perfect.
31:58Nice scale.
31:59Then whisk the whites until they're fluffy.
32:02Hold on to the ball.
32:03Hold on to the ball.
32:04Good tip.
32:05Forgot to tell them.
32:06Go!
32:09It's going to go faster.
32:11Yeah!
32:13And everyone knows how to test when they're done, right?
32:16One.
32:17Two.
32:18I hope this goes well.
32:20Three.
32:20Go!
32:22Give it a little tap.
32:23That's brilliant.
32:24Liv, give yours a tap.
32:25Come on.
32:27Brilliant job.
32:28On to the ball with the egg yolks.
32:30Another opportunity to make a mess.
32:33We add sugar and mascarpone and mix.
32:36I don't know if to run for cover or not.
32:39Go!
32:40I think you're done.
32:45You're the winner.
32:49Then gently fold in the egg whites.
32:52Like you're putting it to bed.
32:53That's it.
32:54Because you want to try and keep as many of the bubbles in there as possible.
32:58So now what we're going to do is we're going to make two different versions.
33:01Jackson, you're going to do the adult one and you'll do the kids one, all right?
33:04So we're going to layer this up like a lasagna.
33:08Both versions start with a base of sliced cake.
33:11Shop bought is inexpensive and saves time.
33:13Chocolate marble for Maggie, soaked in cold hot chocolate.
33:17And the adult one uses hazelnut cake, soaked in coffee and Irish cream liqueur.
33:22We'll let your nan decide how much of this we should use.
33:25How good do you want your Christmas to be?
33:28Okay, Joe.
33:29Stop, stop, stop.
33:30A little bit.
33:30Stop, stop, stop.
33:31Sorry.
33:32I didn't hear you.
33:33The next layer is the mascarpone and egg mix.
33:37That's it.
33:38Great bit of spreading.
33:39Nice and even.
33:40You could be a bricklayer without the sort of spreading.
33:43Now I'm in the Christmas spirit.
33:45Why does everyone love Frosty the snowman?
33:48Don't know.
33:48Because he's such a cool guy.
33:50Yeah.
33:52Hold up.
33:52I've got another one.
33:53What do you call Santa when he stops moving?
33:56Santa paws.
33:58Do you get it?
33:59No?
34:00Enough of that.
34:01On with the tiramisu.
34:03Keep building the layers of cake and cream to the top of the dish.
34:06It's pure finesse with Joe.
34:08Pure finesse.
34:09Look at that.
34:10A final sprinkling of nuts or chocolate and job's done.
34:14Look at these.
34:15Look what you've made, guys.
34:16Look.
34:17I think it's going to go down an absolute treat.
34:19Is this something that you might want to do again?
34:21Yeah.
34:22These can now go straight into the freezer and just need to be defrosted on Christmas Eve,
34:26ready for the big day.
34:28How exciting is that going to be for you two on Christmas Day,
34:31knowing that after dinner, it's your dessert.
34:34And here's some I made earlier.
34:36Maybe not quite so boozy, Joe.
34:39Look at this.
34:40Oh, look at this.
34:41Oh, that's delicious.
34:45Yeah.
34:45Oh, it's scrumptious.
34:46Well done to the pair of you.
34:49It was very nice seeing Granny relaxing because she's usually always up helping us.
34:54And it'd be nice to take the pressure off Mum on Christmas Day because she's already got
34:57a lot of cooking to do.
34:58Do you think Nanny Julie's going to stay out of the kitchen?
35:00She's probably going to say, oh, you're doing this wrong.
35:02Oh, you're doing that wrong.
35:03Me and Jackson, we've both got like our parts now so we can just make the tiramisu every
35:09year.
35:11I've got loads of kids myself.
35:13They love getting involved with the cooking.
35:14You keep encouraging them.
35:16Next year, you know, they could do the roast potatoes.
35:19They could do the stuffing.
35:20They could do the bacon lattice.
35:22There you go.
35:23In Lancashire, Suzanne and I are preparing the Waddington family for Christmas.
35:35And it's time for me to put my theory to the test.
35:38Can Amy serve an epic Christmas dinner while spending just 30 minutes in the kitchen?
35:44What we need, Suzanne, is a real test run.
35:47Christmas jumpers and all.
35:49Who's go is it?
35:50Phil.
35:51One more.
35:52All right.
35:53Frozen!
35:57While the family enjoy the festivities, it's time for Amy and I to get started on our super
36:03speedy Christmas dinner cook.
36:05I'm hoping that I can do it within 30 minutes.
36:08We are going to do it.
36:09I've got your help.
36:11Our 30 minutes in the kitchen will be split into small chunks.
36:15We're starting three and a half hours before we want to serve.
36:18This will allow enough time for the turkey to cook and rest and plenty of time for us to
36:23relax, too.
36:24Put the butter that we've made under the skin.
36:27Swidge it down like it's a bit of the kids' Play-Doh.
36:29That's it.
36:30All the food has been defrosted in advance, apart from the roasted potatoes and veg, which
36:35we'll cook from frozen.
36:36That's perfect.
36:38We add Joe and Dwayne's bacon lattice to the top of the turkey crown.
36:41This is all adding moisture and flavour.
36:44No dry, tasteless turkey here.
36:46And our first job of the day is done.
36:49Stop the timer.
36:51While the turkey cooks, Amy has two hours to enjoy time with her family.
36:55Oh, just inside.
36:57Smells delicious.
36:59It's looking fab.
37:00And while we wait, we're back in the test kitchen with some great ways to make use of Christmas
37:06leftovers.
37:08Do you like a pie?
37:09I love a pie.
37:11I just think they're so versatile.
37:12You're easily pleased.
37:13I love it.
37:14Two hundred and seventy thousand tons of food are thrown away at Christmas.
37:19My turkey and anything goes pie will feed the family and help reduce seasonal food waste.
37:25We start with a white sauce, flour, butter and milk.
37:29Add some creme fraiche and then some frozen peas and allow the sauce to cool.
37:34We want to make the pie cold so that we're able to heat it up whenever we want it.
37:39Gotcha.
37:40Then in goes all our leftovers straight from the fridge.
37:43Turkey, ham, carrots and parsnips, but this could be anything you want.
37:48What veg do your kids like?
37:50Stacey does a lot of growing in the garden.
37:52We have loads of veg on our plate at Christmas.
37:54Then add the sauce to the dish.
37:57Looks lovely, that, doesn't it?
37:58And lay the pre-made pastry on top.
38:01Don't even have to find a rolling pin.
38:04Brush it all with egg wash.
38:06Have you done painting and decorating?
38:08No, I'm banned from doing that in the house because I'm too messy, apparently.
38:13And there's our finished pie.
38:15At this stage now, we could put this in the freezer if we wanted to, or we can put it directly in the oven.
38:20That's why we've done it.
38:21It's a batch cook programme.
38:23That's what I do.
38:24Now it makes sense.
38:26Come on, Jo.
38:27While the pie cooks, I've got a slightly out there idea for another way to use up those Christmas leftovers.
38:33We are going to make a Christmas dinner ice cream.
38:40No, no, hear me out.
38:41Hold up a minute.
38:42It's got that sweet and saltiness about it.
38:45It's like salted caramel.
38:47Bear with me.
38:48I think you've lost it, Suzanne.
38:50But this might be a fun thing to do with the kids.
38:52If you can't have a laugh at Christmas, Jo, when can you?
38:56The process is simple.
38:57Softened vanilla ice cream in a bowl.
38:59This is some leftover gravy.
39:03Then I add some cranberry sauce like a raspberry ripple.
39:07I'm still trying to figure out whether this is a big wind-up.
39:10It's not.
39:11You're going to love it.
39:12Then some more gravy, stuffing sprinkles and a pig in a blanket.
39:17And then I've just got a little bit of turkey skin as our wafer.
39:21Oh, great.
39:23Swashy's Christmas Sunday.
39:25Don't attach my name to this, mate.
39:27You going to try it?
39:29It's got gravy in it.
39:31Just try it.
39:35It tastes better than I thought it was going to taste.
39:37It's like salted caramel.
39:39Suzanne loves it, but for me, the jewellery's still out.
39:42I'll leave it for you lot to the side.
39:45Amy and I are back in the kitchen to tend to our turkey.
39:49Right, timer is on.
39:51We're going to get the turkey out.
39:53This next bell in the kitchen should be about an hour and a half
39:56before you want dinner on the table.
39:58We haven't had to worry about basting this turkey
40:00because we've already got the bacon on the top of it.
40:03It smells fantastic.
40:05Look at that.
40:06It looks amazing.
40:07You've done that.
40:09Resting the meat will make it juicier when it comes to carving later
40:12and also frees up space in the oven for the roast potatoes.
40:16Win-win.
40:17Cooking these from frozen.
40:19They're literally coming out of the bags and onto the trays, OK?
40:22This is so simple.
40:23I'm starting to wish I'd have done this sooner.
40:27All the hard work has been done already
40:29and now we're reaping the rewards.
40:31These and the parsnips and carrots need 40 minutes at 200.
40:35They're just going to crisp up lovely.
40:38Amy has so much spare time to enjoy with the family.
40:42Right, OK, are we ready?
40:44So, TV, I mean, film.
40:47No talking, Joe.
40:48What was it?
40:49Two words.
40:50Two words.
40:50Second word.
40:52Second word.
40:56Ghost!
40:56Ghost!
40:57Erm, pottery.
40:58Pottery throwdown.
40:59Pottery throwdown.
41:00Harry Potter.
41:01Yes!
41:02Hang on!
41:05Hang on!
41:07Well done!
41:09With just 40 minutes until dinner,
41:11we're back in the kitchen to check the veg.
41:14Joe is such a change.
41:16Cheeks every time.
41:17Excuse me?
41:18Right, we're going to start the timer.
41:20We're going to get the rest of the sides out.
41:23The potatoes and roasted veg are coming out of the oven,
41:26but we'll go back in five minutes before serving
41:28to get the perfect crisp.
41:30Look at those.
41:32Do they look as good as your normal freezer-bought ones?
41:36Even better.
41:37They look amazing.
41:40Our homemade stuffing,
41:41along with some shop-bought pigs and blankets,
41:44can go in now.
41:45They need around 30 minutes.
41:47We have done so well.
41:49We've got a bit of time,
41:50so let's just do the clearing up
41:51so we don't even have to do that later.
41:53A great way to keep on top of the kitchen.
41:56Then it's back to the family.
41:59Hooray!
42:00The perfect preparation
42:04for your first relaxing Christmas.
42:07Bottoms up.
42:09Cheers!
42:10Merry Christmas!
42:11Merry Christmas!
42:12Merry Christmas!
42:13At this stage,
42:14we could serve up the pastry snacks
42:16we made earlier to tide over our guests.
42:18Right.
42:19OK.
42:20Going to start our timer again.
42:22This is our final stretch in the kitchen.
42:2516 minutes to get everything ready
42:27and on the table.
42:29Let's get our gravy and our sprouts on now.
42:33And with those on the hob,
42:34we can get ready to serve.
42:36This dinner set I have been collecting for years.
42:40Your matching stuff is gorgeous.
42:42But if you don't have things like this,
42:45maybe you don't have a gravy bowl.
42:46I've got a friend who just uses a teapot as a gravy bowl.
42:49That's such a good idea.
42:51Yeah.
42:52Amy, we have cooked everything.
42:54And we've still got eight minutes
42:56to get it all plated up and on the table.
42:59Amazing.
43:00I literally couldn't believe
43:03that I was ever, ever going to do Christmas Day,
43:05especially in under 30 minutes.
43:07Let's give everybody a feast tonight, shall we?
43:09I hope they're all hungry.
43:10Yeah.
43:11So, in records time,
43:13the Waddington Christmas dinner
43:14is ready to be served
43:16with a new head chef at the helm.
43:19Come on, you lot.
43:20Look at this.
43:21Wow.
43:22It may be a practice run,
43:24but for this feast,
43:25we've pulled out all the stops.
43:27That looks amazing.
43:29That looks really good.
43:31I love the way you've done the bacon on the top.
43:33Oh!
43:34Oh, girl!
43:36Thank you, Grandma!
43:37Come on, Granny.
43:39Shall we do our crackers?
43:40Crackers?
43:41Three, two, one!
43:43Whee!
43:45Right, I reckon we should tuck into this dinner.
43:48Kids, are you having a bit of everything?
43:50Yes, please.
43:52So far, so good,
43:53but the proof is in the eating.
43:56The stuff is really good.
43:57This food is absolutely amazing.
44:01Does this taste like a 30-minute Christmas dinner?
44:04It's exceeded my standards.
44:06It's absolutely beautiful.
44:08Never in a million years
44:10did I think I could pull something like this off.
44:13It's amazing.
44:14Immensely proud.
44:15She's done absolutely fantastic, yeah.
44:17Job done.
44:18Job done.
44:19Over the Christmas period,
44:21the family were spending almost £500 on food,
44:24and Julie was prepping in the kitchen
44:26for almost a whole day.
44:28Wow, that is a big task.
44:30So, have we managed to make the Christmas merrier?
44:33You ready, everybody?
44:35Yes.
44:35Here we go.
44:36Wow.
44:37Wow.
44:38We've compared the same three-day period as before,
44:42and my festive recipes and batch cooking
44:44has more than half the cost of Christmas food,
44:47saving over £270.
44:50Incredible saving.
44:51I think that goes in the holiday fund.
44:53Absolutely.
44:53And as for time,
44:57they've saved 12 whole hours,
44:59nine of which are on Christmas Day itself.
45:02I'm blown away.
45:03That's half a day of Christmas I can get back.
45:06And I've got to ask you,
45:08how are your stress levels?
45:09Definitely in the green.
45:10No doubt in the green.
45:12So, what we really want to know is,
45:14are you feeling more confident
45:16about putting on the water on Christmas dinner this year?
45:18A hundred percent.
45:20I can't wait for Christmas now.
45:22Granny Julie is going to be having her feet up.
45:24I absolutely am, yeah.
45:26Here's to Granny Julie.
45:27Cheers, everybody.
45:28Cheers.
45:29Cheers.
45:29Cheers.
45:30Cheers.
45:32I think this evening's been ace, hasn't it?
45:35Yes, yeah.
45:35Even Granny was more than happy.
45:37Yeah, yeah.
45:39She's just been able to sit down and do nothing.
45:42A hundred percent well-deserved.
45:44It seems to be going down great, doesn't it?
45:46Really, from now on, I think Amy's got this.
45:49I'm going to let them take it forward.
45:50I think that's the future of Christmases from now on.
45:54I definitely feel I'm ready to take the reins from my mum
45:57and take on Christmas for the next 30 years.
46:01Do not, yeah.
46:02We're leaving you in good hands
46:04and I'm sure you'll have the most stress-free Christmas.
46:06Yeah.
46:07And Merry Christmas, everyone!
46:09Cheers.
46:10I think Santa brings you what you want.
46:12LAUGHTER
46:13That's definitely something we can see us doing more.
46:16Absolutely.
46:18It's something that we really need to introduce
46:19into just day-to-day life, not just Christmas.
46:23There we have it, Suzanne.
46:25Batch cooking is for life, not just for Christmas.
46:27Also helping us to keep chilled and organised,
46:35Jamie is getting all his turkeys in a row
46:37with Cook Ahead Christmas starting this Monday at 8.
46:40And on Tuesday, we're off to see The Wizard,
46:42a very festive Wizard of Oz.
46:44Castle Howard is getting a bit of a wicked makeover.
46:46A very British Christmas is at 8.
46:49Up next, new goggle box.
46:50We'll see you next time.
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