Looking for some last-minute Christmas dish inspiration to save the day? Photo: Envato @Timolina.
When travel plans fall through or relatives change course mid-air, suddenly you’re hosting Christmas lunch at home with little more than a ham, a bag of salad mix and a prayer.
Because honestly, who wants to be roasting a turkey on a 40-degree day when the festivities have already gone sideways?
But it’s not always the main event that catches us out.
It’s the couple who “just pop in” for a Christmas Eve drink and a nibble, the family who decide to stay for the week instead of a day, or the friend who announces they’re throwing a Chrissie party tonight … and everyone needs to bring a plate.
So what do you cook when time, energy and fridge space are all in short supply?
Flinders mum-of-four Jodie McGoldrick said the key to entertaining was keeping it quick, cheerful and borderline foolproof.
“Vol-au-vents — shop bought — with a tin of Campbell’s condensed chicken soup,” she said.
“A lot of people have these as their Christmas starter at home.”
Her other go-tos: a simple charcuterie board, pigs in blankets wrapped in bacon the way she grew up eating them in Ireland, deep-fried camembert with cranberry sauce (“always a hit and just a little bit fancy”), or a hearty potato salad loaded with bacon, egg, spring onions, mayonnaise or salad cream.
For busy Calderwood executive Nicolene Van Schalkwyk-Laing, shortcuts are the secret.
Her last-minute meal plan reads like a survival checklist: marinated butterflied chicken straight into the oven, a tray of cubed potatoes and chopped onion tossed in seasoning, Aldi’s frozen cauliflower bake, and quick caramelised carrots on the stovetop.
Flinders mum-of-five Rita Jaksic relies on two crowd-pleasers that satisfy the kids and adults: Aldi’s chocolate brownie packet mix and her speedy white-sauce pasta.
“Just sizzle garlic in olive oil, add bacon and white wine, then capsicum — mushrooms and broccoli if you want — and finish with thickened cream,” she said.
“Boil any pasta and bring it all together.”
Comforting, creamy, and done before the kids even ask how long dinner will be.
Claudia’s roast pork and veggies. Photo: Supplied.
If it’s Christmas Day you find yourself needing a quick fix for, Flinders mum of teens Claudia de Sousa swears by a quick and easy roast pork, popped on a tray and surrounded by whatever veggies you have on hand.
Even the washing up is easy.
“And the pork is already marinated. I love Aldi,” she said.
Claudia said another one pot wonder was salmon coconut curry — a 15-minute meal “everybody loves”.
After cooking the salmon a few minutes each side, she sautes onion, garlic, chilli and ginger, before adding in chickpeas and curry powder. Stir in coconut milk and spinach and bring it all together.
“It’s so quick to make,” she said.
“You can even swap in chicken thigh fillets, and use precooked rice to make it even faster.”
When she needs something heartier, chilli con carne comes to the rescue, served with avocado, sour cream and cheese.
She often doubles the batch and bulks it out with beans and corn.
Some other suggestions include salmon portions, covered in olive oil and sesame seeds, fried a few minutes each side, and served alongside a spinach-based salad.
For dessert, you can’t go past an Aussie-style Eton Mess, with meringues, whipped cream and whatever berries haven’t shrivelled in the fridge.
Crush, layer, drizzle with strawberry jam thinned with water – because it looks fancy like coulis. Ninety seconds and you’re done. No one will mention it’s a store-bought meringue.
Whether it’s unexpected guests, a changed flight schedule, or a heatwave forcing plans indoors, these Shellharbour cooks prove that last-minute Christmas food doesn’t have to be stressful — or complicated.
Sometimes all you need is a few shortcuts, a packet of something reliable … and a reminder that no one ever complained about arriving to the smell of cheesy camembert or a freshly baked brownie.
