Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Hooray for the holidays and all of the festivities. Things are getting a bit cooler outside, and our fingers and toes are getting a bit frosty. What better way to warm them up than with a nice mug of hot chocolate to drink!
If you are looking for a first course this holiday season that is not only simple and quick to make but delicious as well you need look no further. Curried Harvest Bisque is a fabulously tasty soup! Simple ingredients . . . butternut squash, chicken stock, butter, flour and single cream with a few bits and bobs combine beautifully to create a wonderful soup with not a lot of fuss involved.
Here I am with a last minute idea for a muffin you could make for Christmas morning or even on Boxing Day, using up some of the oodles of mincemeat you no doubt got in for the holidays!
Well, the big day is just five days away. Is everyone all ready? Are all your gifts bought and wrapped? Cards written and sent?? Food ordered, puddings, cakes and pies baked? We are now down to the crunch!
Well here we are on the last Saturday before Christmas. Hasn't the time gone by quickly. There was ever so much I had planned on cooking this month to show you, but alas, circumstances and time have just not allowed for that, and I have to say in all honesty, the shingles have also put somewhat of a damper on that for me. Oh well, there is always next year and I do have a couple of days that I might be able to catch up, but making no promises! Today I wanted to show you these fabulous Cranberry and Pinenut Biscotti I baked last weekend! I don't know about you, but I just love LOVE biscotti, and these ones are especially festive!
I do so hope that you won't laugh too much at what you see here today, and that you won't take one look and decide these aren't for you, coz if you do you will be missing out on something really special. These cookies are fabulously delicious. Presentation has never been my strong point . . . and these just prove my point!
We are having a special broadcast of the First Presidency's Christmas Message at our chapel on Sunday evening with a "Munch and Jingle" afterwards. I thought these Peanut Butter Balls would be the perfect thing to take. Everyone always loves these. They aren't low sugar for sure, but I won't be the person eating them so it's all good. It just more for those who can eat them.
Yes, that looks like a Thanksgiving Turkey guy up there sitting on top of a cheese ball. I know . . . you are probably asking yourself right now what the heck is a Thanksgiving Turkey guy doing sitting on a cheeseball after Thanksgiving!! Here's my answer. I am having serious issues with my left arm right now. In short, I am in a lot of pain with it. I've been given some tablets to take, but I made the mistake of reading the paper insert that came with them . . . .
The people at Rachel's sent me a couple of festive recipes a week or so ago and asked me if I would like to try them out. I took one look at these delicious Christmas Cupcakes and I said why not!
I was recently sent some Knorr products and asked to create some recipes for the holidays using them. This is part two of what I did with them. I hope you like what I have come up with and find something here you can use in your home for the holidays!
French Onion Soup is a favourite in this house. It's also quite an inexpensive alternative to some of the other first courses out there that you might have a choice of. It's rich and light enough to serve as a main course, in smaller portions . . . or served as a light lunch in larger portions.
I love the gruyere topped Croutes. Garlic flavoured with just enough cheese to keep them from being cloying. I hate it when there is so much cheese in the soup that you almost choke when you try to eat it!
You can also make the soup part of this well ahead of time, just reheating it when you want to serve it and making the croutes fresh on the day. I always like to make extra croutes, especially if we are having it for a meal. Nobody ever turns down an extra portion of those cheesy toasts!
75g of butter (3 ounces)
2 TBS oil
3 pounds of onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Knorr Garlic Flavour Pot
(alternately you can use two cloves of garlic, peeled and minced)
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 pints of Knorr Beef stock (reconstituted fromKnorr Rich Beef Stock Pots, 2 of them)
(5 1/2 cups)
300ml of dry white wine (1 1/4 cup)
1 to 2 TBS Brandy
For the Croutes:
1 day old french baguette
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
50g of butter, melted (1/4 cup)
175g Gruyere cheese, grated (6 ounces)
Heat
the butter and the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onions and
garlic, along with the sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring
occasionally, for 30 minutes, until very soft and golden brown.
Gradually add the stock and wine. Bring to the boil then reduce to a
slow simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.
Rub
the cut cloves of garlic all over the outside of the baguette. Slice
the baguette into rounds and place each round on a lightly buttered
baking tray. Drizzle with melted butter and scatter evenly with the
grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Taste
the soup and adjust seasoning as required. Add the brandy and the
Parmesan cheese. Stir well. Pour the soup into a heated serving dish or
bowls. Float the croutes on top and serve immediately.
Knorr Rich Beef Stock Pots come in a pack of four and contain no artificial flavour enhancers. They are simply carefully selected ingredients that have been reduced into a little pot. Try melting it smoothly into your diches to enhance the natural flavours of your fresh ingredients.
*French Onion Soup*
Serves 6 as a main,
or 8 as a first course
A delicious soup, perfect for a first course, or as a light lunch. Serve any additional croutes on the side.(alternately you can use two cloves of garlic, peeled and minced)
(5 1/2 cups)
6 TBS of finely grated Parmesan cheese
Knorr Rich Beef Stock Pots come in a pack of four and contain no artificial flavour enhancers. They are simply carefully selected ingredients that have been reduced into a little pot. Try melting it smoothly into your diches to enhance the natural flavours of your fresh ingredients.
Knorr Garlic flavour pots contain no artificial flavour enhancers, no artificial colours, no artificial preservatives and are vegetarian friendly.
Packing a punch, this pot will help deliver perfect results every time and enhance an array of dishes from spaghetti carbonara to stuffed chicken; simply stir in and savour the taste.
We normally have a turkey for Christmas, but not everyone likes Turkey. Beef Tenderloin can make a delicious alternative.
We normally have a turkey for Christmas, but not everyone likes Turkey. Beef Tenderloin can make a delicious alternative.
If you follow the instructions directly for this you will end up with perfectly cooked Beef and a delicious Horseradish and Green Peppercorn sauce/gravy to serve with it. Roast potatoes are excellent with this along with Yorkshires., and the usual Christmas Veg. Sprouts, carrots, green beans, etc.
*Holiday Beef Tenderloin*
Serves 6 to 8
a bit of light olive oil for browning
Horseradish and Green Peppercorn Sauce:
4 TBS butter
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
3 TBS plain flour
450ml of knorr chicken stock, heated (2 cups)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS Dijon mustard
2 TBS drained, brine-packed green peppercorns
1 heaped dessertspoon of prepared horseradish (about 1/4 cup)
salt to taste
Use tongs to turn it, not a fork. You don't want any of those juices escaping, you want to sear all the flavour in. Once it is seared all over bang the skillet into the heated oven. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature measures 48* Celcious or !20* Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
To make the
sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add th onion and cook over
medium heat until softened and golden. Sprinkle with the flour and
cook for one minute longer. Stir in the hot stock, whisking constantly
to prevent lumps. Whisk in the lemon juice and pepper. Reduce the heat
to low and simmer, whisking occasionally until the sauce thickens.
Whisk in the horseradish, mustard and green peppercorns. Taste and
adjust seasoning as required.
Serve the beef sliced with some of the sauce spooned over top. Pass the remaining sauce at the table.
When I am wanting Chicken Stock to use in a dish where the flavour of the chicken stock really matters, I always like to use Knorr Touch of Taste Chicken concentrated liquid stock. I use this in soups and gravies and stews. It does need to be refrigerated once opened.
I have always liked serving fish on Christmas Eve. This is a quick and easy way to prepare haddock, which is simple to make, and yet special enough that you wouldn't be embarrassed serving it to your guests.
You make a simple rub with a couple of fish stock cubes, a but of olive oil and some soya sauce which is rubbed into the fish prior to baking. A sprinkling of chopped spring onion and dill weed goes on top along with some dots of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice.
This gives a really well flavoured, and elegant looking finish. With a rice pilaf and some lemon wedges and some veg on the side, it makes for a simple, yet special meal. Take care not to overcook the fish.
*Herby Baked Haddock*
Serves 6
Knorr Fish Cubes are perfect for making Fish stock to use in casseroles, soups or as a delicious rub for on baked fish prior to baking. Simply crumble and mix with a bit of oil to a paste, rub on the fish and bake as you wish. (Nice on a bed of stuffing!) Knorr Fish cubes contain no artificial preservatives and no added msg.
Knorr products are available near the spice section of most major grocery shops in the UK. For more information about their products and more recipes do check out their website.
I was sent some lovely recipes this week for Christmas Baking for the holidays from Dr Oetker. They all look so fabulous I don't know which one I want to try first. I think the Stollen Loaf Cake is looking pretty good from where I am sitting. I have everything I need in the house to make it and I adore Stollen anyways. I love anything which smacks of almonds and dried fruit! The Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath also looks like a strong possibility. In any case I am sharing all the recipes with you today. Christmas Jumper Cookies, Stollen Loaf Cake, Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath, Mini Chocolate Gingerbread Loaves and a Winter Forest Chocolate Cake! There's a Merry Christmas in the "Baking!" You know if the recipes are from Dr. Oetker, that the recipes must be great. They are the creme de la creme of bakedom!
Here is a really fun idea that would make fabulous and unusual gifts for your friends and family this Christmas. They are cute, tasty and really easy to make . . . a really fabulous edible novelty gift! And of course it uses everyone's favourites Malteasers Chocolate Malt Balls and Terry's Chocolate Oranges. (Which come in all sorts of flavours now instead of just the orange flavour. AND, I picked up some for only £1 a piece. If you buy the big box of Maltesers, you will get enough malt balls in it to cover several oranges.) These are really cute!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons