I'm wondering if anyone here is buying.

I don't think she has but I have an idea mine has-have to race into kitchen and look.This oven was in the house when we moved in two years ago and there was no manual - nor have I found one online but I'm almost certain I noticed a defrost option when I was scrolling through the functions one day.

Bullseye sampa-it does-I am forever in your debt.Just texted my daughter to let her know.

How embarrassing-been here for two years and that little 'defrost' option finally penetrated my full consciousness.Probably because I rarely defrost anything and if I do I use my medium size microwave which would never fit a turkey.

Thanks again for a great tip which turned out to be so much more!

Why ever not!

I had the pleasure of enjoying one at my daughter's last year, and it was absolute;ly gorgeous, and saved a lot of stress for my very busy business-woman daughter.

The cranberry and cashew nut stuffing for the turkey is available online and I HIGHLY recommend it!

All the goodies in the bag were delicious, more than enough for a large group, and lots of left overs.For my daughter, the lack of stress and having everything there was such a timesaver, and we certainly all enjoyed it.

You're welcome esther-anne, happy to have helped.Have a lovely day and may the turkey be delicious!

I'd like to know what it's like too.I have used My Food Bag and really liked it, I would get the Christmas one but we never have enough people around at Christmas time to justify it!
I like that the recipes are that bit different.

esther-anne, interested to hear about the pomegranate salad you're making, is it a fruit salad! what's in it!

dolphin I just don't know yet.The website with the menu on it closed after My Christmas Food Bag was sold out and I had only glanced at it momentarily.I think basically it is a vegetable salad,I was intrigued by the mention of the Chioggi beetroot and went off to google because I had never heard of it before and I never got back to the rest of the menu.It seems that the actual recipes arrive with the food bag and at 7.30 my daughter texted to say it hadn't arrived yet.No doubt I will get a proper look-see at it tomorrow and then I will be able to post more details.Sounds fascinating and innovative though.

How was the meal OP! I only just read the thread and was interested to know the outcome.

I love My Food Bag
How did it go with their Christmas Bag!.

We had the Christmas food bag, it was great and enjoyed by all. The turkey and ham were very good and vegetables fresh and delicious.Pavlova was a little different from the usual sort but was very nice.We only had to buy a few extras and it saved all the hassle of shopping and planning for working people. Would get again.I normally get the classic 3 meals fortnightly which suits me well.

it all went quite well duckmoon and turtlet,duckmoon.( oops I see you didn't say you had the Christmas Bag).And thanks for asking baalamb.I have been away to a wedding on Waiheke Island the last few days so sorry it's taken me a while to get back to your question.I am constantly intrigued by the noms-des-plume people choose for themselves on here-just an aside.!.

The menu was not strictly adhered to.The turkey and ham were lovely despite my real concerns about my daughter unfreezing it on the bench as instructed.She decided not to make the pav even though she is the pav expert and I have never made a good one in my life.I was to do the pomegranite salad originally but she did that.It was far too sweet for me but about half of it was devoured.I made a trifle and some strawberry shortcake - the least I have ever done for Christmas dinner lol!There were 14 people plus four children there and several brought other salads and a couple of deserts.One of my sons made his wonderful potato salad and the other a vegetarian quiche.Once we knew what others were bringing it was decided to forgo the hot veges and they weren't missed.My daughter then decided at the last minute to do her rather yummy apple crumble instead of the pavlova which always goes down a treat - easy as she always has the delicious topping stored for quick making.

Jacqueline (my daughter) was amazed to see that it was suggested that all of this could be prepared on Christmas Day itself.There must have been an assumption that the meal was to be eaten as an evening feast whereas this was to be a 2p.m. lunch. - and the Food Bag was only received the evening before between 7.30 and 8p.m.She managed to rearrange it as a 4 p.m. meal and with the decision not to use the hot vegetables it worked out just fine.
To summarise - Jacqui was a bit disappointed with the advice given in that she felt a really new- to- cooking person would have felt quite overwhelmed at what seemed a staggering task to get through in one day.And incidentally-she is a regular user of My Food Bag.
Turtlet-why did you have to go out and buy a few extras!What were they!Probably something extra to what the menu provided I guess.Like the apple crumble we had-luckily she didn't have to go out and buy anything extra for that.Would be interested to know!
Sorry to run on-not easy to condense all this.