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. 😂
Hello Nagi and JB: I want to make stuffed mushrooms for Christmas Ev3. The two of us can’t eat all of them. Should I freeze extras before or after baking? Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi. Not done your recipe for millionaires shortbread as I always add golden syrup being English and I like it not too sweet as many recipes
Just about to make your sweet pastry (french way) but it does not mention being able to freeze. As getting ready thought would make my English mince pies the sweet variety with the pastry for a change as your general short crust is wonderful and works perfect when rolling, my email now will not go saying it’s not a right address. It worked earlier
We are having a Canadian Christmas Eve dinner. Going to have Canada sourced lobster, scallops and calamari. Looking for suggestions for something as a side.
I need a spectacular looking/tasting vegetarian main dish for Christmas dinner. Need to feed four vegetarians. Thanks from Canada!
I wanted to make a sauce to go on top of a baked brie, and the recipe calls for frozen or fresh cranberries, which I can’t get in Brisbane. What can I substitute for the cranberries? The sauce has balsamic vinegar, honey and a dash of orange juice and cinnamon. Would cherries work?
Morning from Canada, love this site – great for us Foodies, but this foodie can’t have onions or garlic which means cooking separately for others. Any ideas?
The simple answer is you don’t cook separately for the others; just amaze them with the colour of natural ingredients and purity of flavours. But don’t tell them. I am a long-term experienced cook and cookery writer with a severe allergy to all things allium ( onions, garlic, leeks, chives). I used to have my own restaurant, and never used any ingredient from the allium family. Nobody knew, but all flocked to book because of the originality and purity of flavours of my food. Garlic should be banned for ever.
Otherwise just make any recipe but leave out onions and garlic. They mask beautiful natural flavours.
It’s your secret.
Good luck.
Joan M., Scotland
I’m making roast potatoes. Is duck fat worth the hype? I’ve always just used olive oil or vegetable oil.
Is there any way to freeze a gelatine based cheesecake and it not go rubbery?
Why is my biscuit crumb base falling apart? I’ve been making it the same way for many years without any issues and now suddenly it has started crumbling. I use the same ingredients and quantities as I always have and don’t know what to do now. Thanks for any help you can give.
Just love you and JB (and, of course, Dozer, too). Wishing you all Holiday season greetings! Hugs from here in crazy Florida!
Ideas please. First time camping during Christmas (5 star, of course, as in a motorhome Hahaha). Son and partner and their new dog are coming to spend Christmas Day with us. Can you please suggest some easy recipes that I can cook without using too many appliances or ingredients. Consider it a challenge. Hahaha. Love trying recipes from your cookbooks. Angry at myself for leaving them home. Would you consider writing a cookbook for the 5-star campers. 🙂
I need vegetable based finger foods, my party spread is all meat, cheese, and bread!
I have been making your delicious recipes here in Nova Scotia Canada & love them.
Thank you so much and wish you all a wonderful Christmas & a Happy & Healthy New Year.
I’ve been told I’m doing the chicken. wtf is the best plan here
What a great idea and perfect timing! I’m making your Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce this weekend and I’m undecided on what vegetable to serve with it. I will have limited oven space with the other sides I’m making. Any suggestions?
P.S. I have loved and used your recipes for years and they never fail me. Thank you!
P.P.S Your pics are adorable and the “tipsy” Santa on Dozer’s back … so cute!!
I have been trying to alter a cookie recipe to make the cookies crisp. First of all I wanted them ‘spicy’ so I added ginger which did the trick. The recipe calls for brown sugar and molasses which I think makes the cookies softer. How can I change the recipe to keep the flavours but make the cookies crispier?
Hi! Any advice on making the vanilla biscuits recipe chocolate flavored? I love that it’s a no chill recipe. Thank you!!!
Pie crust: when blind-baking, how high do you fill it with the pie weights? Half-way? To the top? Does it matter?
Hi Nagi, we’re living in the Loire Valley in France atm and I would like a Christmas ham for our little family lunch. Any idea you or JB could tell me what to ask for please? Or if it’s even done here?! Some say jambon Noël, some say noix de jambon but I can’t see images in those searches that matches a typical “Christmas ham”. Maybe I’m searching for a ‘licorne’?! Thank you and joyeux Noël!
When you mention kosher salt in a recipe, can kosher sea salt be used instead?
Have really been impressed with how good your recipes are. Bought two of your cookery books for Christmas presents this year.