Your 'cozzie livs' Christmas: a feast for four for under $100

But if there's one time of the year that should be full of optimism and hope, it's Christmas.

That said, it doesn't hurt to be a little realistic about it either.

Perhaps the secret to surviving the silly season is lowering your expectations and focusing on what's really important.

For us, that's gathering family and friends around your Christmas table. So we set ourselves the challenge of a "Cozzie Livs Christmas". Could we serve up a feast for four people, for less than $100?

Read on to find out what we served, with a few tips and hacks, all with the idea of saving some dollars and having a mightily festive time.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Ocean Royale premium lobster puff pastry canapes, eight pack, $6.99 (Aldi)

I think it's in the Australian constitution that all Christmas feasts must involve seafood of some kind. You're stuck here, because prawn prices always seem to go up right before Christmas, and you have to buy them fresh.

So why not have lobster instead? These lobster canapes from Aldi looked pretty ordinary going into the oven, pale and a bit thin. But 20 minutes later they had indeed puffed up and the lobster - let's call it mousse - inside was very delicious. Aldi also do a salmon wellington (700g for $15.99) which would work well for main course.

Chilli and lime prawn skewers, four for $3.75 (Coles)

But it wouldn't be Christmas without fresh prawns, would it? And these little skewers fit the bill. Each skewer had five little prawns, they just needed a couple of quick turns on the barbecue and they were good to go. Couple of different flavours but these chilli and lime ones were summery.

Farmwood Turducken, 1.5kg, $29.99 (Aldi)

Every Christmas feast needs a show-stopping protein and this turducken from Aldi was the bomb. A turkey tenderloin, wrapped in a duck breast, wrapped in a whole deboned chicken and stuffed with cranberry and apple. What other time of the year are you ever going to eat a turducken? I thought this was going to be pretty average, but it was moist and tender and oh-so-easy to cook in its own foil tray. At $29.99 it was excellent value. There was plenty left over and it kept well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Moira Mac's spiced apple and cranberry stuffed chicken breast, 300g, $10.50 (Woolworths)

This little stuffed chicken breast would make a nice lunch if you're eating for one. It was probably not needed here, perhaps I should have looked for a ham or something, but nevertheless it was tender and easy to cook. Was great in one of the leftover bread rolls for lunch the next day.

Season's Pride Cafe Series duck fat potatoes, 600g, $4.99 (Aldi)

Aldi's goose fat potatoes went viral last year. This year they've done a duck fat series. I'll buy these again. Just bung them in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, they're golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Sure, it might have been cheaper to buy actual potatoes (currently around $4.50/kg) but they had us at duck fat. There's nothing wrong with cutting corners for a bit of luxury. Especially at $4.99. I cut some rosemary from my garden for garnish. Grow your own herbs.

The Fresh Salad Co superleaf salad mix, 120g, $1.99 (Aldi)

Many people don't see the point of salad bags but I like the idea of getting a selection of leaves without having to buy four different kinds of lettuce. If you're using them straight away, it's an easy way out. (If you don't use them all, whack the wilted leaves and some leftover ham in a frittata.)

Tiny Toms tomatoes, 125g, $2.49 (Aldi)

Tiny tomatoes are my new go-to to spice up salads. They're like tiny little bursts of summer. Better yet, use any tomatoes that might have ripened in your own garden.

Gravox chicken supreme gravy mix, $1.50 (Woolworths)

I've never been able to make my own gravy. Paul Kelly would never have been able to write a Christmas song about me. Don't add as much water as it suggests. Love a thick gravy. The turducken didn't really need it, but was good on the spuds.

Menissez bake-at-home white dinner rolls, eight for $2.60 (Woolworths)

I've always thought these little dinner rolls, wherever you get them, are a bit posh. Carbs without being greedy. I blitzed a few of the leftover ones into crumbs and popped them in the freezer.

Woolworths dulce de leche trifle, 1.3kg, $27 (Woolworths)

1.3kg of decadence in a plastic container. Lord this was rich. Layers of cake, custard, chocolatey-mousse, sprinkled with more chocolate. Trifles at Christmas are steeped in tradition. Usually made by that aunt who's steeped in brandy. This will go a long way.

Kirsten Tibballs x Bulla lemon meringue tart ice-creams, pack of four, $10.50 (Coles)

I didn't count these in the total but they'd be a perfect choice if the thought of the trifle hardens your arteries. Tibballs recently appeared on Dessert Masters and is known as the Queen of Chocolate. These are a spin on her lemon meringue pie. They're tart, creamy and delicious. If she made a pavlova ice-cream, it would have made the starting team.

Woolworths raspberry lemonade, 1.25l. $1.20 (Woolworths)

I always felt so grown up when the folks would let me drink raspberry lemonade. This one was good, not too sickly sweet and plenty of fizz. Sure it will perk the kids up, but hey, it's Christmas.

South Point rosé, 750ml, $4.99 (Aldi)

I've always been too much of a wine snob, says she who will never spend more than $25 on a bottle for everyday drinking, so Aldi wine is all new to me. Can you believe this perfectly delicious, dry and pale rosé is only $4.99? Very drinkable.

I get it. For many people, $100 might be a tank of petrol or a good chunk off the electricity bill, but can you put a price on sharing a nice meal with the people you love at Christmas time? For me, that's what it's all about. Food says I love you, I'm thinking of you, I spent this time doing something for you to say thanks for all the things you've done for me this year.

The bonus of this menu is that I only spent two hours doing it. The turducken was the most labour-intensive item, at two hours in the oven, and I just cooked around it.

The best part of this whole exercise was sitting down to lunch with my colleagues Amy Martin and Elesa Kurtz, cracking a cracker and raising a glass. It's been a long year.

We didn't feel guilty about taking any shortcuts, either.

If there's one piece of advice to pass on for a stress-free Christmas, it's that. Take shortcuts, share the load, enjoy the company.

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