Photo: Lucy Corry / RNZ
Planned your Christmas menu yet? Or are you waiting for a Lotto win before you hit the supermarket? Maybe Anne Jolly's anti-ham tale has made you re-think what you're going to eat on 25 December, or you might have done a complete U-turn after listening to Flip Grater's tips for a vegan festive feast. Whatever your recipe needs, RNZ is here to help.
Let's start small and luxurious. If you whip up a batch of Jess Daniell's Negroni Marmalade this weekend, you can either a) slather it on your toast on Christmas morning, b) give it to the person who has everything or c) use it to glaze the ham. So many options, so little time.
Stollen - lengthy prep required, but worth it! Photo: Andrew Coman / Unsplash
Andrew Fearnside's recipe for Christmas stollen takes two days, but most of that is resting time (for the dough, not you). Having it as an excuse could come in handy though ('sorry darling, I can't wrap presents/clean the oven/talk to Uncle Bryan, I'm making the stollen').
Speaking of Uncle Bryan… he may be more tolerable when you've got a tot of Christmas Eggnog in hand? Just make sure you're not driving.
Glazed Ham with Ginger Lime Pink Peppercorns Photo: Julie Biuso
If ham is still your family's favourite (at least, the first go-round of it), Julie Biuso has a cracker of a recipe for Glazed Ham with Ginger, Lime and Pink Peppercorns, which includes advice for successful ham carving.
Having a small, low-stress festive dinner for two? Annabel Langbein's French Chicken Breasts with Cherry Tomatoes fit the brief perfectly (and it's an easy recipe to scale up if an intimate dinner for two turns into a rowdy gathering for more).
Mmmmm, roast potatoes. Photo: Clark Douglas / Unsplash
If your Christmas is all about the quest for the perfect potato, you're in good company. People who love RNZ, love potatoes (and maybe even those who don't love RNZ can put that aside in the quest for a great spud recipe).
After eating hundreds, or possibly thousands, of these Perfect Roast Potatoes over the years,
I have to say that they absolutely live up to their name, especially if someone else is making them for you.
If you need a little more advice, then take a look at Niki Bezzant's tips and techniques.
For a modern and lighter take on vegetables, take a look at Martin Bosley's Young Summer Vegetables with Fresh Ricotta and Cashew Miso Cream. It'll earn you grateful brownie points from the non-meat-eaters at the table.
Or, for a one-dish delight featuring crowd-pleasing ingredients like potatoes, bacon and Marc Weir's New Potato Salad with Green Beans, Crisp Bacon and Rocket Pesto is hard to beat.
Ashia Ismail-Singer's Pavlova with Rose Cream and Salted Caramel Shards. Photo: s
Christmas isn't Christmas for some people without a pav, and Ashia Ismail-Singer's Pavlova with Rose Cream and Salted Caramel Shards is as pretty as it gets.
If tiramisu is more your thing, this Orange and Chocolate Tiramisu is coffee-free (great if you've already had your caffeine load by noon).
And if your family make noises of protest at the thought of a traditional Christmas cake (ungrateful creatures), get them back on side with a festive cake everyone will love.
Gretchen Lowe's Dark Chocolate Caribbean Rum 'n' Raisin Torte. Photo: Gretchen Lowe
Gretchen Lowe's Dark Chocolate Caribbean Rum 'n' Raisin Torte is dark, rich and gorgeous. With any luck, there will be some for you to enjoy in blissful solitude when all the hordes are fed.
Looking for more inspo? Check out the RNZ Recipe Collection - more than 3000 recipes to surprise and delight every appetite.