you've just reminded me about that recipe we had before for cauliflower mash when we had a low carb craze going around... was it Hope's recipe?? I can't remember, but I think it's time to dig it out again. I'm ready for mashed up anything at the moment, though maybe getting a decent masher would be a good start since food processors are just not the right tool for the job and my masher is useless.

I love the way this community bears out the saying of 'ask and you shall receive'. Nobody's turned away from here if they are genuine, and nobody is ignored if they have something to say or something to ask.

my last post was flagged for spam, so I gave up, but it's all here already. Buy whatever extras you can that would be time-consuming to make (like cranberry sauce - this probably isn't the year to learn how to make it from scratch!), but obviously make them look nice in pretty dishes. I always make lists for everything, and that includes lists for which dish will contain which food so I don't accidentally run out of dishes. And know your strengths - if you're a desserts person get other to bring savoury dishes or vice versa. Anything you can do in advance (like mashed veg the day before) is a lifesaver because you have so much less to worry about at the last minute. I'm doing the first 'normal' Christmas Day I've ever done this year. When we were in Singapore I usually did buffets to cope with my in-laws' different tastes in food, plus a whole roast meal in a microwave and that kind of heat wouldn't really have worked! But I know I can do it if I plan the whole lot to within an inch, and write it down so I forget nothing.

Kerri.