So here you are. It's boxing day and you have a whole fridge filled with leftovers. What to do . . . what to do . . .

I thought I would give you some tasty ideas this morning to help you use up some of those scrummy leftovers. Of course you could just have a reheat of the leftovers, but it's also nice to dress them up in a few different ways too!

Ham Leftovers:



We like to have ham, cut into thick slices and fried in butter along side of our fried eggs for a special boxing day breakfast. Just melt some butter and add the ham once it begins to sizzle. Cook until it begins to get crisp on the edges, flip over and repeat on the other side.

You can chop it up and add it to your favourite macaroni and cheese recipe, or to a pan of scallopped potatoes.

Combine it with some of the leftover turkey, and some of that Stilton in a tasty salad!

*Boxing Day Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

100g bag of baby leaf salad greens (about 4 cups)
1 head of red chicory
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
100g of cooked turkey (1/4 pound)
100g of cooked ham (1/4 pound)
50g chopped toasted walnut pieces (1/4 cup)
2 ounces stilton cheese, crumbled
4 TBS reduced fat caesar salad dressing

Place the salad greens in a large shallow bowl. Break up the red chicory leaves and toss into the bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil Tear the turkey and ham into bits with two forks. combine in a bowl along with the walnut pieces and stilton cheese. Add the salad dressing and mix to combine. Pile this mixture on top of the salad leaves and serve.

It's delicious chopped and mixed with grated cheese and then stuffed into a nice big fluffy baked potato.

Turkey Leftovers:



Of course you can have a plain old turkey sandwich, but why not dress it up a bit and serve it open faced on a rustic piece of bread, topped with some leftover cranberry sauce, some of the leftover stuffing heated and crumbled on top of the cranberry, then the heated sliced turkey and some heated leftover gravy ladled over top. Delicious with a few sliced pickles and some potato crisps on the side!

My mom always made Turkey Pot pies, or Beef Pot pies. We loved them! You can follow the roughly outlined recipe below, which is only a rough guideline of what to do. You can adapt it to whatever it is you have in your fridge. If you are using beef, then use the leftover beef gravy of course!



*Turkey Pot Pie*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

2 mugs full of leftover turkey, chopped
2 mugs full of leftover cooked vegetables, chopped
(peas, carrots, corn) If you haven't got any, then you can
use 2 mugs of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
a handful of roasted potatoes, chopped
1 mug full of leftover turkey gravy
1 mug full of milk
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp summer savoury
salt and black pepper to taste
Pastry to cover
milk and beaten egg yolk

Mix together all the ingredients except for the pastry in a large bowl, seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper. Spread into a large round, or oval shallow casserole dish. Roll out your pastry to cover and place over top, venting to allow steam to escape. Brush with a bit of milk and beaten egg yolk. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes in an oven which has been preheated to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Serve warm.

I think one of the most popular things to do over here in the UK with the leftover turkey is to make a Turkey Curry, but how about Coronation Turkey Salad! Yummo!!

*Coronation Turkey*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and ground turmeric
125ml of coconut milk (1/2 cup)
125ml of chicken stock (1/2 cup)
200g of mayonnaise (about 1 cup)
425g of leftover turkey (1 pound)
2 TBS dessicated coconut, toasted in a dry pan until golden brown, then cooled
fresh coriander leaves to garnisn (optional)

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil, until lightly browned. Mix in the spices and let them sizzle for about a minute. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock. Let simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat until the mixture has reduced and you have a thick, creamy, spicy onion mixture in the pan. Allow to cool completely. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Cut the leftover turkey into cubes and place in a large bowl. Pour the curry mayonnaise over top and toss to mix. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut, and garnish with a few torn coriander leaves.

Serve with warmed Chapattis, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion and torn lettuce.



Leftover Vegetables:

We can't be forgetting the leftover Christmas Veg!! I know we all buy in far more than we need, and then end up with it hanging about the fridge. Here's a few different recipes for some dishes using some of that leftover veg so it doesn't get all wilted and go to waste!

*Spicy Parsnip and Sprout Hash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

800g of parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks (1 1/2 pounds)
300g of brussels sprouts, peeled and finely shredded (1/2 pound)
a large handful of frozen peas
the juice of 1/2 lemon
50g of butter (1/4 cup)
1 TBS cumin seeds
1 TBS garam masala
1 red chili, deseeded and chopped
1 bunch of coriander, chopped (reserve a few leaves to garnish)
salt

Place the parsnips in a pan of cold water to cover. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt and bring to the boil. cook for 12 minutes. While the parsnips are cooking, blanch the sprouts in another pan of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until tender, adding the peas for the final minute. Drain all the vegetables well. Tip the drained parsnips back into the pan along with the lemon juice and half the butter. Mash roughly. Beat in the cooked sprouts, peas, cumin, garam masala, chili and coriander. Season to taste with some salt.

Heat the remaining butter in a medium sized non-stick skillet. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the parsnip mixture, pressing it down to form a flat cake. Cook, until it is browned underneat. Turn over carefully with a fish slice. (It may break up but that's ok) Continue cooking until crisp on this side as well. Keep flipping and turning until you have a nicely crisped cake. Slice out onto a heated plate. Garnish with the coriander leaves. Cut into wedges to serve.

*Roast Vegetables with Stilton and Chestnuts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

3 TBS French Walnut oil
4 large parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
4 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 large onions, peeled and cut into wedges
200g pack of peeled and ready to use chestnuts (1 cup)
(roughly chop)
the juice of one lime
sea sald and freshly ground black pepper
200g Creamy Blue Stilton cheese, crumbled (1/4 pound)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark6. Place 2 TBS of the oil in a large roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Toss iin the prepared vegetables, giving them a stir to coat with the oil. Roast for one hour until tender, turning occasionally.Mix in the chopped chestnuts and cook for a further 10 minutes. Whisk together the lime juice, remaining TBS of oil and a bit of seasoning. Divide the roasted vegetables between 4 heated serving plates. Scatter with the crumbled stilton and drizzle with the lime dressing. Serve immediately.

As promised yesterday here is a selection of five delicious puds to serve at the end of your Christmas Dinner tomorrow. There is something here to please every taste I think . . . from chocolate to ice cream. All are quite simple and easy to make, and quite impressive I think. If you hurry, you'll be able to pick up any last minute ingredients at the shops before they close.

I'll be taking a well earned couple of days off now, celebrating the holiday with the Toddster and my little pup Mitzie. I wish each of you all the best! Enjoy and have yourselves a Very Merry Little Christmas Time!




*Mont Blanc*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This has to be one of the easiest and the tastiest desserts around. Your guests will think you have slaved all day.

4 fine glasses with stems
8 to 12 small plain meringues
250ml of double cream, chilled (1 cup)
2 TBS icing sugar
400g sweet vanilla flavoured chestnut puree
chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Crumble the meringues and divide them equally amongst the stemmed glasses. Put the chilled double cream into a large bowl and whip with an eletric whisk until it forms soft peaks, but is not stiff. (if perchance you have whipped it a bit much, gently stir some unwhipped cream into it to loosen it up a bit. It works a charm) Fold in the icing sugar. Cover the layer of meringue in the glasses with chestnut puree and then cover that with the sweetened whipped cream. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.



*Fruity Chocolate Fondant Puddings*
Makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe

A delicious chocolate fondant pudding with the secret surprise of a fruited middle! Plan ahead as the middles have to be frozen for at least 3 hours before baking.

160g fruit mincemeat (1/2 cup)
50g of dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely (about 2 ounces)
(70% cocoa solids)
150g of butter, chopped coarsely (2/3 cup)
3 large free range eggs
75g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
75g plain flour (1/2 cup)
35g of self raising flour (1/4 cup)
1 TBS cocoa powder

For the Sauce:
150g of dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely (6 ounces)
(70% cocoa solids)
80ml double cream (1/3 cup)
2 TBS dark rum

Spoon the mincemeat into 6 holes of a 1 TBS ice cube tray. Freeze for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter six 1-cup pudding molds really well. Place on a baking tray and set aside.

Stir the chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is competely smooth. Cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric whish until thick and creamy. Sift the flours and cocoa together. Fold into the creamed mixture. Fold in the cooled chocolate.

Divide the batter equally amongst the pudding molds. Remove the frozen mincemeat cubes from the ice cube tray and pop one into the centre of each pudding,

Bake the puddings for 12 minutes.

While the puddings are baking make the sauce. Stir the ingredients in a saucepan over medium low heat until smooth and completely amalgamated.

Serve the puddings warm and drizzled with some of the sauce.



*Panettone Puddings*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Delicious individual bread puddings with a great fruity flavour!

2 (170g) individual panettone
270g of mincemeat (1 cup)

For the custard:
250ml of double cream (1 cup)
180ml of whole milk (3/4 cup
2 TBS caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large free range eggs

Icing Sugar to dust over the tops

Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3 oven. Butter 6 (1 1/4 cup) ovenproof teacups. Place in a roasting tin large enough to hold them all. Set aside.

Bring the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla to the boil in a small saucepan. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and then gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture.

Cut the panettone in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thick slices. Layer the Panettone and half of the mincemeat in the prepared cups, overlaping the panettone slightly. Dollop spoonfuls of the remaining mincemeat over top of each, then strain the custard over all.

Add enough boiling water to the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 35 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and remove the cups from the roasting tin and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with icing sugar just prior to serving.



*Glace Fruit Cakes with Ginger Syrup*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

Delicious little individual fruity cakes served with a delectable ginger syrup!

105g slivered almonds (3/4 cup)
90g butter, softened (3 ounces)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
165g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
75g self raising flour (1/2 cup)
110g plain flour (3/4 cup)
80ml milk (1/3 cup)
4 slices glace pineapple, chopped coarsely
70g red glace cherries, halved (1/3 cup)
70g green glace cherries, halved (1/3 cup)
75g coarsely chopped candied ginger (1.3 cup)
an extra 70g of slivered almonds (1/2 cup)

for the ginger syrup:
180ml of water (3/4 cup)
165g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

To serve:
icing sugar and cream

Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark3. Butter a 12 hole medium muffin cup pan and line the bases with parchment paper cut to fit. Sprinkle the almonds into the bottoms.

Cream the butter, lemon zest and sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flours together. Stir into the creamed mixture along with the milk, fruits and additonal almonds. Spread this batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 25 minutes, until risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

While they are baking make the syrup. Stir the syrup ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes or so until the mixture is slightly thickened.

Remove the baked cakes from the oven, Pour the hot syrup evenly over all. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the tins before removing.

Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and with cream for pouring.



*Cranberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Ice Cream Puds*
serves 8
Printable Recipe

A light little pud chock full of fruit and nuts, served drizzled with a warm white chocolate sauce.

1 vanilla pod
430ml of whole milk (1 3/4 cups)
600ml of double cream (2 1/3 cups)
180g of white eating chocolate, coarsely chopped (6 ounces)
8 large free range egg yolks
165g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
130g dried cranberries (1 cup)
2 TBS brandy
140g unsalted shelled pistachios (1 cup)
2 tsp vegetable oil

Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the pod, milk, cream and 50g of the chocolate. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and creamy. Gradually whisk into the hot milk mixture. Stir the custard ove rlow heat without boiling until the mixture thickens slightly. Cover surface with plastic cling film and cool for 20 minutes. At the end of that time, strain into a shallow container, such as an aluminium baking tin. Cover with foil and then freeze until almost firm.

Place the ice cream into a large bowl, chop coarsley and then beat with an electric mixture until smooth. Pour the mixture into a deep container, cover and freeze again until firm. Repeat the process two more times.

Place the cranberries into a bowl with the brandy. Let steep for 15 minutes. Stir this mixture with the nuts into the ice cream the last time you beat it. Spoon the ice cream into 8 (180ml/3/4 cup) molds. Cover and freeze for 3 hours, until firm.

Stir the remaining chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.

Dip each mold into hot water, one at a time for about a second to loosen. Turn out onto serving plates. Drizzle with the warm melted chocolate mixture to serve.

(The long suffering, patient and adorable Mitzie)

A few weeks back the people from Petplan contacted me and asked me if I could come up with some tasty Nutritious yet Festive Recipes for our much beloved pets, so that they too could enjoy Christmas lunch as well!

We all like to spoil our pets at Christmas. There' s nothing wrong with that, but . . . if we are going to spoil them, we might as well do it in a healthy way.

Feeding them the skin off of the turkey, while they might find it very tasty . . . is just not good for them. Neither are chocolates and other odds and sodds that we might be tempted to feed them.

Fido's Festive Feast



Festive Feline Surprise



I had ever so much fun working out some tasty dishes for our pets. They're not that hard to make and use every day ingredients that your furry family members will love, and that will be healthy for them and tasty too!



Mitzie loved both versions . . . even if she isn't a cat! She gave them two paws up!!

Hop on over to the Pet Plan site to get the recipes and read more!

I've been working hard on this post and what you will see here today is the whole Christmas Feast! I thought I'd put it up a few days before Christmas so that if you need to pop to the shops to pick up some last minute ingredients you will have plenty of time to do so!

Other than what you see here, you only need a tasty Brussels Sprout recipe and some delicious carrots to make your meal complete! Perhaps some tasty dinner rolls. Tune in tomorrow for the Dessert Edition!



*Roast Turkey with Sage and Onion Butter*
Serves 8 with leftovers
Printable Recipe

Moist and delicious turkey with traditional flavours.

15 1/2 pound fresh turkey
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon quartered
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces soft butter (a generous 1/4 cup)
3 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
2 TBS plain flour
200ml (7 fluid ounces) Marsala wine
(can use Madiera)
14 to 18 fluid ounces of hot chicken stock (a generous 2 cups)
1 dessertspoon of cranberry jelly

Heat the oven to 170*C/325*F/gas mark 304. Place the turkey in a large roasting tin. Tuck 3 of the onion halves and the lemon into the cavity. Season inside well with salt and pepper. Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil, making sure you leave plenty of space for the air to circulate around the turkey, but making sure the foil is tightly placed so that no steam can escape. Roast for 4 hours.

While the turkey is roasting, finely chop the remaining onion half and mix it with the butter and sage. Remove the turkey at the end of the 4 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Brush the turkey all over with the sage and onion butter. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and loosely tent with foil to keep warm. Allow to rest for half an hour while you make the gravy.

Tip the juices out of the pan into a bowl. Allow to settle. Skim any fat off the top, reserving 2 TBS of it. Place the 2 TBS of fat back in the roasting tin. Place the tin over medium low heat. Cook and stir to scrap up the solids from the bottom. Stir in the flour, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan for about 2 minutes. Add the marsala or Madiera and bring to the boil. Measure the reserved turkey juices. You should have about 500ml (about 2 cups). Make up with hot chicken stock to give you the required amount. Pour into the tin with the cooked flour. Cook and stir, bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, then whisk in the cranberry jelly. Keep warm until ready to serve.


*Sage, Chestnut and Apple Stuffing*
Serves 14 as a side dish
Printable Recipe

Deliciously moist with plenty of sausagemeat!

olive oil
1 large free range egg
1/2 bunch of fresh sage leaves, picked and chopped coarsely
about 125g of soft bread crumbs (about 2 cups)
750g of good quality sausage meat (a generous pound)
250g pack of vacuum packed chestnuts (about 1 cup)
2 onions, peeled and coarsley grated
2 apples, peeled and coarsley grated
fine seasalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the sausage meat into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs and sage. Crumble in the chestnuts and then add the apple and onion. Crack in the egg and a bit of seasoning and then get in there and mix it well together with your hands. I like to shape mine into balls and bake, so that you get nice little balls all crisp on the outside and meltingly tasty on the insides. (Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast in a 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6 oven for 25 to 30 minutes.) Alternately place into a shallow 7 by 11 roasting dish and drizzle with oil, then bake at the same temperature for about 45 minutes until golden.

Note - If you are feeling really indulgent, wrap the stuffing balls in streaky bacon before roasting, using about half a strip stretched for each ball.



*Bacon Wrapped Chipolatas*
Serves 10 to 16 as a garnish

Something I never had before coming over to the UK, but Christmas Dinner just wouldn't be the same without them now. Yes, I've assimilated!

25 thin rashers of smoked streaky bacon
50 small chipolata sausages (thin sausages)
(We like cumberland)

Cut the bacon rashers in half vertically. Wrap each half, stretching it if you have to, around the middle of each chipolata. Place onto a lightly buttered, rimmed baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake your chipolatas for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and slightly sticky. Taste one to make sure they are cooked through. (Called the cook's morsel and a given, along with those tender medallions of turkey which lay beneath the roast turkey on it's underside. Those belong to the cook too. Hands off!) Serve these along side of the turkey.



*Crispy Roast Potatoes*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

To save on time you can infuse the dripping with the herb flavours the day before and parboil the potatoes a few hours ahead of time.

150g of drippings or Goose fat (about 1/2 cup)
a few springs of thyme
a few springs of rosemary
10 large floury potatoes, peeled and quartered (King Edwards, Maris Piper)
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Gently heat the drippings (goosefat) in a saucepan so that the dripping melts and takes on the herby flavours.

Put the potatoes into a pan and cover with lightly salted cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, then drain well in a colander. Leave to dry and then shake them up a bit, to give them some rough edges.

Place one or two large shallow roasting tins in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully pour the dripping through a seive into the pans, dividing it equally if using two pans. Discard the herbs. Return the pans to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven again and carefully add the cooked potatoes, one by one. (The fat will be really hot) Season with some sea salt. Return to the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp and golden, turning every 10 minutes or so and sprinkling with more seasalt half way through the cooking time. Remove with a slotted spoon to some paper kitchen toweling to drain somewhat and then serve immediately.





*Simple Red Cabbage*
Serves 10 to 12
Printable Recipe

Exactly what it says. Simple . . . but very tasty!

olive oil
a knob of butter
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
3 sprigs of thyme
1 red cabbage,, trimmed and then shredded with a knife into thin strips
300ml of chicken or vegetable stock (a generous cup)
60ml of Balsamic vinegar (about 1/3 cup)
1 dessert spoon of red currant jelly
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put a large dutch oven type of pan on top of the stove over medium heat. Add some olive oil, the butter, fennel seeds and slice onions. Add the springs of thyme, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are quite soft and beginning to caramelize. Tip in the cabbage and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. The cabbage should be tender and soft. Tip in the vinegar and red currant jelly. Raise the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes longer, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is sweetly soft and delish. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.




*Bread Sauce*
Makes enough for 12 servings
Printable Recipe

Another delicious side dish that can be made ahead of time. Just reheat iin a pan, adding a little bit more milk to thin if necessary.

1.2 litres of semi skimmed milk (2%) (6 cups)
1/2 onion
1 bay leaf
10 cloves
a few springs of thyme
250g of fresh white bread crumbs (about 4 cups)
freshly grated nutmeg
fine seasalt

Place the milk into a large saucepan along with the bayleaf, onion, cloves, and thyme. Bring to the boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Strain the milk into a clean pan, discarding any solids. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with freshly grated nutmeg and some fine seasalt. If you like a thinner sauce, you can run it through a coarse seive.



*Christmas Chutney*
Makes 4 cups
Printable Recipe

This lovely chutney makes a wonderful gift and is such a lovely change from the usual cranberry sauce. It goes beautifully with turkey, ham or chicken. We just love it.

3 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sultanas
1/2 cup chopped candied peel
1/2 cup chopped peeled onion
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp salt
2 whole cloves
2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried chilies

Place the vinegar, water, both sugars, lemon juice and salt into a heavy non-reactive saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved add the cranberries, sultanas, candied peel, onions, garlic, cloves, celery seed, ginger and chilies. Simmer gently, stirring often, uncovered for 45 minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. This will keep for up to a year. You can, of course, just put it into jars for giving away and immediate use, but if you do want to keep it longer, you really must prodess it in the water bath. Enjoy!

It's always nice to have a delicious cheese spread all ready in the fridge for when unexpected people drop in, or to have with drinks before dinner during the holidays.

They're easy to make, easy to store and always go down a real treat!




This one has a tasty combination of three kinds of cheese . . . cream cheese, strong cheddar cheese and a tasty bit of crumbled blue cheese.

When you combine that with chopped toasted pecans, chopped dried cranberries and chopped dried apricot, you end up with a really wonderful combination of flavours!




We like to have it spread on thin gingersnap biscuits. I buy the swedish ginger thins. They just lovely . . . crisp and with just the right amount of spice!

It also goes well with digestive biscuits . . . heck . . . it's even nice eaten by the spoonful . . . shhh . . . I didn't tell you that!! tee hee



The best part is it makes two cheese balls . . . one to keep and one to give away! Looks really nice in a basket with an assortment of ginger biscuits, digestive fingers and a cute little cheese spreader. I reckon your friends would love it!





*Best Cheese Spread*
Makes 2 cheese balls
(one to keep and one to give away)
Printable Recipe

16 ounces of cream cheese
6 ounces shredded strong cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
5 ounces chopped dried apricots (1 cup)
4 ounces dried cranberries, chopped (1 cup)
2 ounces chopped toasted pecans (generous 1/2 cup)

Beat the cream cheese, along with teh cheddar cheese and blue cheese until smooth and blended. Stir in the apricots, cranberries and pecans. Shape into two balls, or press into molds of your choice. Chill, covered, for serveral hours until firm. Serve with wheat crackers or gingersnaps.

The weather here in the UK at the moment is frightfully cold . . . the coldest I've experienced in my ten years over here. It's been dipping down to minus 11 nights . . . brrr . . .



I was in a real festive mood this morning . . . perhaps it was the pretty dusting of white which covers every branch, hedgerow, and other flat surface around the outside of the house . . . but I put on some Christmas music and decided to bake some Christmas cookies for Todd to take around and deliver to our local friends, along with our cards.



So there I was ho ho ho-ing away in the kitchen as I bounced about to Jingle Bell Rock and all of a sudden I heard the sound of water hitting the floor . . . it was just pouring out all over the place from somewhere behind our washing machine.



Apparently it is so cold here that the pipe which drains the water outside was frozen solid. Several kettles of hot water, a dozen towels and quite some time later, the problem was sorted.
Whew!! (Todd = My Hero)



Todd is now out travelling about the town armed with plates of cookies and Christmas Cards. He's a right jolly old Elf. I think I'll keep him. It's beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas! I've got my Christmas mojo going strong!



I hope they like their cookies. Tasty little Nutmeg logs, all buttery and nutmeggy scrummy and covered with a layer of butter cream and dusted with, what else but more nutmeg. Hmmm . . . hope they like nutmeg!

Fa la la la la . . . la la . . . la . . . la!

Living in Chester as we do, we are right on the gateway to Wales. Indeed . . . a short five minute walk from the house, and we are in Wales!

Our Housing estate is actually surrounded by fields of leeks, which fill the air at certain times of the year with their pungent oniony smell. I think it's quite delightful, myself!



In fact, as we travelled to church this morning we passed by a field of frozen leeks . . . kind a pretty actually, all frosty green and icy tipped . . . but I wonder how the farmer feels. Are frozen leeks any good to him? Somehow I think not . . .

The Leek is the Welsh national symbol. ( I can think of worse things to represent you!)



This supper dish is a savoury bread and butter pudding, filled with the lovely flavours of slivered leeks and Caerphilly cheese, which is a Welsh variety of cheese, hailing from the Welsh village of Caerphilly!



Caerphilly sits in the shadows of one of Europe's largest castles. (Caer means Castle in the Welsh language) You can tell their cheese means a big deal to the people of Caerphilly as they hold a big festival there every year, called . . . "The Big Cheese" . . . what else!!



Caerphilly is a cow's milk cheese, light in colour and quite crumbly. It matures a lot quicker than cheddar giving it a dry crumbly centre and creamy edge . . . with a somewhat tangy, sour, but not at all unpleasant flavour.



We love this hearty supper dish as we love leeks and cheese, but you can also make it with cheddar and onion, which is also quite delicious!



I like it with a bit of Branston's Beetroot Pickle on the side. Yummo!



*Welsh Cheese Pudding*
Serves 4 - 6
Printable Recipe

Kind of like a savoury bread and butter pudding made with cheese and leek sandwiches. You can use sliced onions if you don't have any leeks. It's quite delicious!

3 medium slices of white bread, crusts removed
3 medium slices of whole wheat bread, crusts removed
2 ounces (1/4 cup) butter, softened
1 medium leek, washed, trimmed and very thinly sliced
8 ounces caerphilly cheese, crumbled (can use strong cheddar)
2 large free range eggs
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1 pint of milk (2 cups)
salt and pepper to taste
a small handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped
finely chopped spring onion to garnish (optional)

Spread each slice of the bread thickly with butter. Using one white slice and one whole wheat slice for each, make 3 sandwiches using the leek and 3/4 of the cheese. Press firmly together and then cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Arrange them with the points up, in a 2 litre shallow ovenproof dish.

Beat the eggs together with the mustard powder and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over top of the sandwiches. Allow to stand for half an hour before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Scatter the remaining cheese and walnuts over top of the pudding and then cook it in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Scatter the top with the spring onions, if using and serve to some lucky people.

The song, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" has firmly immortalized figgy pudding in the Christmas lexicon. But what exactly is a "Figgy Pudding?"



The figgy pudding dates back to the 16th century in England, where traditionally it was served at the very end of the large Christmas meal. It was so much a part of the culture that even Charles Dickens references figgy pudding sitting on the table of Bob Cratchit in his masterpiece “A Christmas Carol.”



Figgy pudding became quite popular in England because many English gardens contained fig trees. And while many recipes called for actual figs to be used, those recipes slowly replaced figs with the cheaper product raisins instead.



I think we can safely say that, in these modern times, a "Figgy Pudding" is more or less what we have come to know and love as "Christmas Pudding." A delightful steamed concoction of vine fruits, spices, eggs, flour, etc. A must have with Christmas dinner along with hard sauce or brandy cream!



These delicious little concoctions are wonderful little chocolate truffles made using leftover Christmas Pudding, chocolate and sherry. Topped with some melted white chocolate and some green and red snipped glace cherries, they manage to look just like a traditional Figgy Pudding!



I think Dickens would approve.




*Figgie Pudding Truffles*
Makes about 3 dozen
Printable Recipe

Even if you think you don't like Christmas Pudding, I think you will like these! Messy to make but on-so-scrummy when done!

125g of good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped (4 ounces)
350g of leftover or freshly cooked and cooled Christmas pudding (about a cup and a half, packed)
60ml of sweet sherry (1/3 cup) (Can use fruit juice)
2 TBS of golden syrup (or corn syrup)

To finish:
100g of good quality white chocolate, finely chopped (3.5 ounces)
6 red glace cherries, chopped into small bits
6 green glace cherries, sliced into slivers
(Can use green sprinkles if that's all you have)

Line a large baking sheet with cling film. Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Crumble the pudding into a bowl and crush somewhat with a fork. Stir in the sherry, golden syrup and melted chocolate, mixing all together well. Now comes the messy part. Using cold hands that you have just washed and dried, pinch out walnut sized balls of the mixture and shape between your palms into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat, washing hands again as necessary, until you have used up all the mixture. Place in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour. Remove and place each in a tiny paper case.

Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.

Have all your decorations ready. Using a teaspoon, spoon a little white chocolate over each truffle, one at a time, and apply the cherries to resemble holly leaves and berries on top. ( I like to use tweezers to apply these. It's a lot easier than using the fingers.)

To give away, place in small decorative boxes, lined with tissue paper. They are also lovely handed around with drinks after dinner.

The recipe I have to share with you today creates something almost too dangerous to have in the house . . .



Seriously . . . tis a good thing this is the season of giving . . .



Imagine a chewy, fudgy, buttery blonde brownie . . .
stogged to overflowing with scrummy little bits of rich, sweet white chocolate . . .



and crunchily addictive hunks of macadamia nuts . . .
Now . . . top it with a gooey, sticky caramel toffee topping.



See???? I have created a monster . . .
but what a scrumdiddlyumptious way to go!




*White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Blondies*
Makes one 8 inch square pan, or 16 bars
Printable Recipe

Squidgy blonde brownies stogged full of white chocolate, macadamia nuts and glazed with caramel!

4 ounces softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
9 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 1/4 cups packed)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large free range eggs
5 ounces plain flour (1 cup)
3 1/2 ounces coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (3/4 cup)
3 to 4 ounces white chocolate, chop coarsely
250g soft toffees (about 1/2 cup packed)
2 fluid ounces water (1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper leaving an overhand to ease in lifting the bars out when done. Butter the pan and the paper lightly.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat iin the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour, making sure it is completely incorporated. Fold iin the nuts and chocolate. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake in the heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Place the toffees in a small saucepan, along with the water. Cook and stir over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the toffees are melted and the mixture is smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the hot caramel glaze over top of the brownies. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.