If you have been reading my page for any length of time you will know that at this time of year I try to get in as many Mincemeat goodies that I can.
By that I mean prepared mincemeat. The fruity Christmas kind that comes in a jar, ready for you to pop into tarts and whatnot. I do not mean ground meat, lest you be confused.
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The other day I saw a recipe on this page which used refrigerated biscuits which they had stuffed with chocolate chips. They looked really good, quick, easy and delicious.
The wheels in my head started turning and I thought to myself, why can't you stuff them with mincemeat? Surely that would be delicious!
At this time of year, I am game to stuff mincemeat into just about anything!
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I proceeded to do just that and was really pleased with the end results. I ended up with fluffy buttery biscuits, filled with a lovely fruity spiced filling.
Glazed sweetly with a vanilla glaze, and I added some holiday sprinkles to dress them up a bit. You, of course would not really need to do this, but I wanted them to stand out a bit for the holidays!
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This is the perfect recipe for a holiday bread to use for Christmas morning. Most of us will be preparing a big dinner later in the day and we don't really want to spend a lot of time on breakfast, but a lot of us will also have a houseful of people. (Yay!)
This is the type of thing that is perfect for Christmas morning. Quick and easy to make and very festive. Perfect to enjoy with a hot cup of whatever while people are opening their gifts, or to be used as a part of a much larger holiday brunch.
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I can see these being perfectly at home served alongside of crisp bacon curls, juicy sausages, scrambled eggs and whatnot! All you need on the side is some fresh fruit or fruit juice and hot java or tea!
Kind of like a very festive Danish, but in a round shape. Perfect for enjoying when you have all the family around.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUICK & EASY CHRISTMAS MORNING ROLLS
If you are like you, you probably already have everything in the house to make these today. If not, a quick trip to the store can easily rectify that!
- 1 can (10 count) refrigerated biscuits (in the UK, see note below)
- 10 tsp. prepared mincemeat
- 1/2 cup (65g) sifted icing sugar
- few drops vanilla
- 1 TBS of milk
.JPG "Christmas Morning Biscuit Bombs")
You can use the larger kind of refrigerator biscuit dough, but you may need slightly more filling and you won't get as many rolls of course as there are only 8 in a package.
If you are in the UK, you will most likely not be able to find the refrigerated biscuit/roll dough. I have provided an adequate solution in the recipe notes.
You can also use refrigerated croissant dough in its place. Roll out completely. Press the perforations shut and cut into 10 evenly sized squares and proceed as per the recipe.
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Don't be tempted to overdo the glaze. This is the perfect quantity for this number of rolls. I did add some festive sprinkles to dress them up a bit for the holidays, but this is by no means necessary.
HOW TO MAKE QUICK & EASY CHRISTMAS MORNING ROLLS
When I say nothing could be easier, I am not kidding. These are quick to make and very simple as well.
Preheat your oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round baking dish.
Open the can of biscuit dough and separate the biscuits.
Flatten the biscuits slightly and place a teaspoon of mincemeat in the center of each. Bring the sides of the biscuit up to cover the mincemeat completely, pinching shut.
Place into the prepared baking dish, seam side down.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown. Leave to cook for 15 minutes.
Whisk together the icing sugar, vanilla and enough milk to give you a thick drizzle icing. Drizzle this over the warm buns decoratively.
Serve immediately. Best eaten on the day.
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Don't be tempted to overfill these rolls. A heaped teaspoon is the perfect amount. Any more than that you risk a blow out and this will mean that your rolls will be more likely to stick to your dish and be difficult to remove.
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Isn't that cute? Just the perfect size and as you can see below the perfect amount of filling. These are so delicious, you may actually want to double the recipe as people are sure to want more than one!
You have been warned!
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SAVORY BREAKFAST BAKE - A delicious layer of flaky croissants, egg, sausage and mushrooms that you can make up the night before and then bake on the morning. I believe another name for it is Christmas Morning Wife Saver.
BACON & EGG MCMUFFIN CASSEROLE - A delicious breakfast casserole made with torn English muffins, crisp bacon, and an egg custard. This really does taste like a Bacon & Egg McMuffin from you know where!
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Yield: 10
Quick & Easy Christmas Morning Rolls
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
A festive bread to bake for your family on Christmas morning that is not only delicious but incredibly quick and easy as well!
Ingredients
- 1 can (10 count) refrigerated biscuits (in the UK, see note below)
- 10 tsp. prepared mincemeat
- 1/2 cup (65g) sifted icing sugar
- few drops vanilla
- 1 TBS of milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round baking dish.
- Open the can of biscuit dough and separate the biscuits.
- Flatten the biscuits slightly and place a teaspoon of mincemeat in the center of each. Bring the sides of the biscuit up to cover the mincemeat completely, pinching shut.
- Place into the prepared baking dish, seam side down.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown. Leave to cook for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the icing sugar, vanilla and enough milk to give you a thick drizzle icing. Drizzle this over the warm buns decoratively.
- Serve immediately. Best eaten on the day.
Notes
If you live in the UK, it may be impossible to get refrigerated biscuit/scone dough. You can use a plain scone dough. You can find a recipe for plain scone dough here.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I managed to procure for myself some actual British Mincemeat this year from an online shop called Blighty's here in Canada. I've actually bought quite a few things from them in the past year and have been really impressed with the quality and the service.
Everything has come perfectly packed and well within the use by date. Sometimes when you buy from shops like this, what arrives is very close to its sell by date or expired. I have not had that problem with this online shop. I highly recommend if you like British goods. I find that things are quite reasonably priced as well.
What a world eh? When I lived in the UK, I was buying things from a North American shop and here in Canada, I buy from a British. The heart wants what the heart wants!
A lot of the time I make my own mincemeat, but I couldn't get the proper candied citron/peel that I wanted to use. I will have to wait until citrus season here in Canada in January and make my own candied peel for next year so I can make proper mincemeat from scratch.
I use a lot of mincemeat at this time of year. It's not just for tarts and pies. I use it in all sorts!
.JPG "Mary Berry's Mincemeat Loaf Cakes")
I saw this recipe for a delicious looking loaf cake on a page called Something Sweet Something Savory a few weeks back and bookmarked it as a "want to try recipe."
I love Mary Berry's recipes. Everything I have ever made of hers has always been exceptional. I do have a bit of a problem now I am back in Canada, but for the most part they always work.
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I baked this cake last week. I did cut the recipe in half and my cherries I had added on top prior to baking did sink down into the cake when it was baked. The nuts did not. So, I added some afterwards to pretty it up.
I am not sure if that is why the cake sunk a bit in the middle or not, but it tasted perfectly fine. I figured maybe because I cut the recipe in half and my cherries sunk, they added to the cake sinking, but as you can see the cake looks perfectly cooked, even if it did sink in the middle.
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Sometimes when a cake sinks in the middle it develops a kind of a doughy middle, or a "bone" as my ex-mil used to call it. This did not and was perfectly delicious, especially with a nice hot cup of herbal tea.
If you are a drinker, it would probably be nice with a small glass of sherry.
In any case, it tasted really good. I was determined to do it again, and this time follow the recipe exactly.
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This time I baked it as four small loaves for gift giving. I am a Ministering Sister at church to some ladies and I thought they would welcome a small loaf along with their Christmas card.
Again, the cherries on top sunk down into the cakes. I did not use nuts this time. Never mind. Still delicious, I am sure.
.JPG "Mary Berry's Mincemeat Loaf Cakes")
If I make it again, and I probably will, I won't bother adding cherries or nuts to the top to decorate it. I will leave it just as is.
It was a very simple cake to make. An all-in-one cake. Mary Berry is a great proponent of the all-in-one cake. A lot of her cake recipes are all-in-ones. Just dump everything into a bowl, beat and bake. I love that idea. No fuss, no muss.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MARY BERRY'S MINCEMEAT LOAF CAKES
Pretty standard baking ingredients. And the mincemeat of course!
- 2/3 cup (150 g) soft butter
- 1 cup (225 g) mincemeat
- 3/4 cup (150 g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups + 1 TBS (225 g) self-raising flour
- 2 medium free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Glace cherries
- 3/4 cup (100 g) sultanas
- 2 tablespoons milk
- blanched almonds or halved glace cherries, for decoration
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You can buy mincemeat here in Canada. Robertson's is the brand I have seen the most of. I bought from Blighty's as I said, because I wanted real British mincemeat. Call me spoiled.
Self-rising flour can sometimes be hard to procure. You can easily make your own, which is what I do. Measure your flour by the cup full into a container and add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt for every cup of flour. Give it a good whisk and it's good to go.
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Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. You can use block margarine instead of butter if you wish. I always use butter in my baking. It's what I prefer.
I weighed out my eggs and large Canadian eggs are pretty much the same weight as British medium sized eggs. So, I just used large Canadian eggs.
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HOW TO MAKE MARY BERRY'S MINCEMEAT LOAF CAKES
The all-in-one method is such a simple way to make a cake. I love it. It's so easy and practical. Just dump and mix.
Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
Grease 2 (1lb/450g) loaf tins, (or four mini loaf tins) and line with baking paper. (8 1/2" by 4 1/2" for the larger tins, 3" by 5" for the minis)
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Measure all of the ingredients (with the exception of the topping) together in a bowl and mix together until they are well incorporated.
Spoon the batter into your loaf tins, smoothing over the top. Decorate the tops with the blanched almonds/halved cherries.
Bake for 1 hour, until the cakes are shrinking from the sides, risen and golden brown. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean. (For the smaller ones bake 35 to 45 minutes.)
.JPG "Mary Berry's Mincemeat Loaf Cakes")
With the cherries sunk into the middle or not, this was a really nice cake. Buttery and fruity, without being as sweet as a regular fruit cake. It's the perfect teatime cake, I think!
It also keeps very well. I am still nibbling on the one I made last week and its perfect.
.JPG "Mary Berry's Mincemeat Loaf Cakes")
If you love using mincemeat in your baking, you might also enjoy the following:
HOLIDAY DANISH - Another cheat recipe which used refrigerator croissant dough. Flakey and delicious with a filling of mincemeat and cream cheese! Love. Love. Very easily made.
APPLE AND MINCEMEAT PUDDING - A deliciously moist cake sweetened and filled with mincemeat bakes over a tart/sweet apple base for a dessert that is quite simply beautiful. Serve warm with lashings of custard, cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Yield: 2 loaves
Mary Berry's Mincemeat Loaf Cakes
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
This recipe makes two 8 1/2 by 4 1/ inch loaves which means you have one delicious cake to keep for yourself and one to give to a friend. You can also make four mini loaves.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (150 g) soft butter
- 1 cup (225 g) mincemeat
- 3/4 cup (150 g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups + 1 TBS (225 g) self-raising flour
- 2 medium free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Glace cherries
- 3/4 cup (100 g) sultanas
- 2 tablespoons milk
- blanched almonds or halved glace cherries, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
- Grease 2 (1lb/450g) loaf tins, and line with baking paper. (8 1/2" by 4 1/2" for the larger tins, 3" by 5" for the minis)
- Measure all of the ingredients (with the exception of the topping) together in a bowl and mix together until they are well incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into your loaf tins, smoothing over the top. Decorate the tops with the blanched almonds/halved cherries.
- Bake for 1 hour, until the cakes are shrinking from the sides, risen and golden brown. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean. (For the smaller ones bake 35 to 45 minutes.)
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
One of my favorite kinds of soup has always been tomato soup. I grew up on canned tomato soup. Mom always bought the Campbells brand. We loved it.
In North America most canned soups come condensed, which means that you have to add milk or water to it to bring it to an edible consistency. Mom always added water because she was thrifty, but I have to say tomato soup made with milk is better.
.JPG "Easy Tomato Bisque")
My favorite tinned tomato soup is actually Heinz tomato soup, but shh . . . that can be our little secret. For today's recipe I used Campbells.
Did you have Campbell's kids dolls when you were growing up? The Campbell's kids were cartoon characters used in the advertising of the soup.
I remember saving up my allowance and Campbell's Soup labels to get one when I was a child. I had two of them actually, a boy and a girl. Mine had little chef hats with the Campbell's logo on them.
I wish I still had them! They would be worth a fortune now, but I digress, back to the soup.
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What is the difference between a soup and a bisque? Well, a bisque is a soup, but a soup is not necessarily a bisque. Originally a bisque was meant to be a soup made with fish and fish stock. Creamy, thick, and rich, such as a Lobster Bisque.
Now it is just meant to mean a creamy, and thick soup, such as a Tomato Bisque which I am sharing with you today. Richer than regular tomato soup and a lot thicker, they make for a deliciously hearty meal option.
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This recipe I am sharing with you today has been adapted from one I found in a Gooseberry Patch book entitled, A Very Merry Christmas Cookbook. It was a gift from a friend.
I have always loved the Gooseberry Patch books. They are like community cookbooks, filled with everyone's favorite recipes! This particular recipe is attributed to Vivian Marshall of Columbus, Ohio.
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About the soup she said, "This is a great quick & easy soup to serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. I love to top it with croutons and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese."
Thank you Vivian!
I have adapted the recipe to include British measurements.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUICK & EASY TOMATO BISQUE
Its almost embarassing really. This is so simple. Just a few tins, some milk and some water! But what delicious results!
- 1 (10 3/4 oz/295g) tin of condensed cream of tomato soup
- 1 (10 3/4 oz/295g) tin of condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 1 (14/25oz/400g) tin of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained
- 1/2 cup (120ml) plus 2 TBS of whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) plus 2 TBS of water
- Seasoning to taste
.JPG "Easy Tomato Bisque")
It may be difficult if you are in the UK to find Cheddar Cheese soup. In that case I would make a thick rich cheese sauce with 1 1/2 cups/360 ml of milk, 2 TBS butter, 2 TBS flour, seasoning, and grated strong cheddar cheese to taste.
Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and then whisk in the flour. Cook for a minute then slowly whisk in the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Whisk in the cheese and season to taste. Use as per the recipe.
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HOW TO MAKE QUICK & EASY TOMATO BISQUE
This is the embarrassing part. Could a soup be any easier? I think not!!
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large saucepan to combine. Heat gently over medium heat until heated through, stirring frequently. Ladle into heated soup bowls and serve.
Easy peasy.
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I topped mine with little toasty croutons. They are so easy to make. Just butter some thin slices of bread on one side. Cut into shapes with your desired cutters.
I try to use smallish cutters, no more than 1 1/2 inches across. Today I used a star cutter.
You can sprinkle the buttered shapes with herbs or garlic powder or even some cheese if you wish.
Toast in a hot oven (400*F/200*C) until nice and toasty golden brown. Very easy to float on top of any bowl of soup!
.JPG "Easy Tomato Bisque")
This was a really lovely bowl of soup. Rich and delicious and lovely and thick. I didn't have anything on the side, but a grilled cheese sandwich would be perfect.
So would crackers or crusty bread. It all depends on how hungry you are and what time of the day you are serving it!
I highly recommend!!! Simple or not, using tinned soups or not, this is a delicious, delicious bowl of soup!
.JPG "Easy Tomato Bisque")
Here are a few other soups you might enjoy!
Soup with dumplings? Count me in! Especially cheese dumplings. Simple to make and using simple everyday ingredients. It's also a great way to use up what's in the fridge. This is a deliciously hearty soup with plenty of vegetables, ham and fluffy cheese dumplings. I guarantee your family will love this!
This potato soup is a delicious bowl filled with all the comfort food goodness of a loaded baked potato. Rich and belly warming, this is sure to become a favourite! What's not to like about a rich and creamy soup that is loaded with cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, sour cream and spring onions?? Nothing that's what!
Yield: 5 - 6
Easy Tomato Bisque Soup
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
A quick, easy and delicious soup for these cold, chilly days. Top with croutons or grated cheese. For a hearty meal serve with a toasty grilled cheese sandwich!
Ingredients
- 1 (10 3/4 oz/295g) tin of condensed cream of tomato soup
- 1 (10 3/4 oz/295g) tin of condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 1 (14/25oz/400g) tin of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained
- 1/2 cup (120ml) plus 2 TBS of whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) plus 2 TBS of water
- Seasoning to taste
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large saucepan to combine.
- Heat gently over medium heat until heated through, stirring frequently.
- Ladle into heated soup bowls and serve.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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