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. 😂
Our two daughters are coming home for Christmas. Yay. They have become vegetarians. What do you suggest to replace the ham, prawns, oysters, turkey etc that have been our staples for years. They both won’t do pumpkin. Any suggestions would be great.
Nagi & JB, the 2 most gorgeous elves.
I don’t have any questions, l just want to wish you both a VERY Merry Christmas & a safe, happy, prosperous New Year full of wonderful surprises.
Hi Nagi and JB,
You’ve given this formerly nervous entertainer so much confidence! I’m hosting 10 people for a pre-Christmas gathering and have decided to cook your delicious pork tenderloins with honey garlic sauce.
I’ll be doubling the recipe and, as I don’t have a pan that can go into the oven, I’m planning to place the four tenderloins on a baking tray instead. As they’ll still be cooked individually, will the increased quantity affect the cooking time?
Thank you so much. Wishing you both, the whole wonderful team, and of course Dozer, a very happy Christmas 🎄
Hi Colleen – I’m not Nagi! I don’t have her expertise and skills, but I probably have a similar passion. And I adore this website!
To your dilemma I can only add that entertaining my dearest friends is one of my greatest pleasures. They, mostly younger people, support me as I live alone in my unconventional retirement. For me it is a chance to express my love, whether it is cheese on toast or an elaborate Rijstafel.
So do not be shy!
But it also often means challenging oven space and implements. The only tiny novice advice I can give you is, if you have to use multiple oven trays, move the oven trays around. From my own experience over many ovens, either the top or the bottom seem to get hotter despite our best attempts. Conquer the system by flipping the oven trays – I often have to do this with pizzas.
Although I haven’t cooked this dish, I might be wondering also if they would dry out more in the oven: should I use aluminium foil for part of the time? These are all such useful questions!
Your pre-Christmas gathering will be wonderful and your recipe choice is great!
You will be a star because you have given it thought. I often spend a week planning dinner parties for the same close friends that come every time. They’re guinea pigs and are always delighted to share my creations. As your confidence increases, you will enjoy your opportunities as host becoming ever more delightful. At least that’s been my experience!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much for your input and for those wonderful suggestions. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
I had originally planned to place the four tenderloins on one baking sheet, but I now realise that may be too crowded and risk the meat stewing rather than roasting properly. Since I’ll be browning them first in a pan, I think I’ll now use two baking sheets and rotate them in the oven as you suggested. That tip about hot spots is so helpful (and reassuring, it’s not just my oven!).
I also appreciated your thoughts about foil and moisture — definitely something to keep in mind if they look like they’re drying out.
I’m planning to serve the tenderloins with Nagi’s lemon potato salad and maple-roasted pumpkin with walnuts over pearl couscous.
Your encouragement really means a lot. I love the idea of friends as enthusiastic “guinea pigs,” and it’s comforting to hear that confidence grows with each gathering. Thank you again — and Merry Christmas to you too! 🎄
Hi Guys Firstly a big thankyou to the reciptineats team. You have fed my family so well for years and so impressed about your charity arm.
My question is my adult daughter has just had all four wisdom teeth out a week before Christmas – I think she’ll be still struggling with solids on Christmas Day. Any ideas on what we could serve her so she doesn’t feel forgotten at Christmas dinner? Chicken brodo and Beef broth only goes so far and not so special 🙂 Merry Christmas to everyone in the recipetineats family.
Hi guys! Any suggestions for Xmas dishes that are easy and suitable for pregnancy? A lot of the typical stuff (cheeseboards, ham, dips, pre-prepared salad) is a bit tricky… Thank you!
I have horseradish growing and ready to harvest some. Do you have an easy gluten free recipe for making horseradish cream or pickles. Merry Christmas!
When cutting a precooked ham, do you completely remove the fat and skin layer and store in a damp ham bag or do you fold back the skin/fat, slice off what you want then fold back the fat/skin layer?
Thank you for your delicious and easy to understand recipes thoroughly enjoy your site. To you and your staff have a Merry Christmas
My family is doing a Japanese pot luck for Christmas, we are all bringing dishes to share. Do you have any recommendations on gluten free Japanese dishes I can bring?
Thanks so much for the opportunity to ask a question!
I’m wanting to make edible Christmas gifts and was wondering if I could get Hannah’s Crispy Chilli Oil recipe? I remember an insta story a while ago where she was comparing all her favourites but I missed her version. Thanks so much!! And Merry Christmas!!
The exact question I wanted to ask Sarah
Big fan! Your recipes are amazing and so easy to follow!
I want to make a meringue in advance; what is the best way to keep the meringue firm? (I’m thinking a consistency somewhat similar to store bought).
Thanks!
I want to cook my Christmas Day chicken on 23rd so I can carve it cold and make the gravy. What’s the best way to reheat it on Christmas Day?
Merry Christmas. Can I par-cook and salt and polenta the potatoes on Xmas eve for Xmas lunch the following day. Thanks
How many day before should we start defrosting a large Turkey crown in the fridge?
I’m going to my son’s in-laws on Christmas Eve and I always take a dessert. This year, his partner told me that there’s always too many desserts (I know! Blasphemy, right?). What’s something delicious and easy that I can make to add to the buffet?
What should I serve for main course that is vegan, without nuts or mushrooms please? For 5 adults, with dietary restrictions.
What a great read!
Hey guys! Long time follower. I’m in charge of cooking a rolled pork shoulder on Xmas day. I will need to transport it so any advice would be appreciated. Also I’d love for some crackle to be involved 🤣🤣
Open to suggestions please
Sorry! I seen your best pork shoulder roast. Butttttt, it’s a supermarket piece that’s rolled.. should I unroll it?
Dear Nagi and JB, just thanks really and a wonderful Christmas and New Year to you and your Team and loved ones. I am one of those in the not-quite-there skills band . Just want to laud you for going the extra mile to help me make deliciously yummy meal. I am going to level up be it ever so sowly. Latest yum is your go-to chicken fillet in the savoury brown butter sauce. Thank you, merci beaucoup! Here’s to more joy and creativity 🙂
Yay JB!!! I want to make strawberry souffle for dessert but I don’t want to whip the egg whites while my guests are here. How early can I prep the souffle w egg whites for baking later?
Hi Nagi,
First of all, we love all of your recipes. Your website and cookbook are a constant go-to, and my husband has been won over many times simply hearing, “it’s a Nagi recipe!”
Your Christmas menus look so dreamy, I wish I could try them all. However I also need to cater for my sister-in-law, who is vegan. Do you have any suggestions for vegan side dishes?
Thanks for all you do!