Well, the big day is just a little over a week away. Is everyone all ready? Are all your gifts bought and wrapped? Cards written and sent?? Food ordered, puddings, cakes and pies baked?



I know!!! Hasn't it crept up on us quickly???? I am just amazed at how fast it has come upon us! I'm pretty much all prepared now, with only a few more cards to get out. Sorry folks . . . my Christmas Card may be a bit late arriving this year, but then again better late than never, right?



I bought up lots of cranberries over the past month, picking up a bag or two whenever I hit the shops. It's really the best time of the year to buy them here, because there are lots in the shops at a really good price, and you just can't find them any other time of the year, or only very rarely if you do. I just throw them, right in the unopened bag, into the freezer and that way I have them whenever I want some throughout the winter months. They come in ever so handy, seriously.



Today I made these delicious Christmas Muffins . . . just perfect to stog into the Christmas morning breakfast bread basket! (Or perhaps even gift a neighbour or close friend with.)



Lovely sweet muffins, with the tartness of fresh cranberries baked up all ruby pretty . . . stogged along with some sweet and creamy white chocolate chunks . . . in a batter redolent of Grand Marnier . . . sweetly orange, and topped with crunchy flaked almonds and demerera sugar.



Of course you could use orange juice and a bit of fresh orange zest if you didn't want to use the Grand Marnier, but it is a lovely touch.



Moist, pleasing and special. These have it all! (Sorry for the awful photos. The light was sooooo poor today, but then again we did get an odd flake or two of snow! Yes, very exciting, even if it didn't last.)



*Christmas Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Picture it . . . Grand Marnier, the savoury delicate crunch of flaked almonds and demerara sugar, stogged full of fresh cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Perfect fot the Christmas morning bread basket!

For the Batter:
310g plain flour (generous 3 cups)
170g caster sugar (generous 3/4 cup)
15g baking powder (scant 4 tsp)
generous pinch salt
50g ground almonds (generous half cup)
3.5 fluid ounces Grand Marnier
3.5 fluid ounces milk
3.5 fluid ounces oil
1 tsp almond extract
2 large free range eggs

For the filling:
200g fresh or frozen cranberried (2 cups)
5 ounces white chocolate, chopped

For the topping:
a handful of flaked almonds
2 TBS demerara sugar (turbinado)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter and flour a 12 section muffin tin or line with paper liners.

Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the ground almonds. Beat together the wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet, just to moisten. Gently fold in the cranberries and chocolate bits. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle evenly with the flaked almonds and demerara sugar.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are well risen, golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm.



Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Cherry Dream Cookies!

As you all know I'm a really big fan of Piper's Farm, so much so that I have entrusted my entire Christmas Feast to them this year. I know! That takes a lot of faith . . . but I have a lot of faith in Piper's Farm. I've never had a dud from them yet!

As you may recall they recently sent me a lovely assortment of things to test from their Christmas Range, including a delicious Haunch of Venison and their tasty Goose Breast. I also reviewed their ready meal Daube of Beef. So delicious.

In the past few days I've been able to cook and taste three more of their ready meal range, a very delicious enterprise indeed!

First up Pork with Orange & Juniper



We both really enjoyed this. Rolled Shoulder of Pork, seared and then casseroled in a delicious sauce using warmed Brandy, milk, lemon juice & our their homemade Chicken stock. It's finished with fresh bay leaves, crushed juniper berries and slices and segments of fresh oranges. The pork was fork tender and the sauce rich and beautifully flavoured. We both gave it 9 out of 10 and would be very comfortable serving it to a guest.

Next was their Coq au Vin.



I am no stranger to Coq au Vin. This was a dish I prepared regularly when I worked as a personal Chef down South. It was a dinner party favourite. How would this ready meal compare to what I used to make . . .

Tender pieces of chicken . . . legs and thighs . . . simmered in chicken stock (again their own) until fork tender . . . with the addition of smoky bacon lardons (their own bacon), sweet shallots, scrummy mushrooms and a deliciously rich sauce of reduced red wine, homemade chicken stock, jus, bay leaves & rosemary. This was hand's down my favourite. We loved this. I would absolutely buy this and serve it to a guest. I give this a whopping 10 out of 10! Great praise indeed coming from someone who knows great Coq au Vin when I taste it.

Finally we tested the Chicken Cacciatore.



Once again chicken drumsticks and bonless thighs, browned in butter and simmered until fork tender in chicken stock (their own). Next a delicious sauce which is made by sauteeing onions & garlic in a little butter until soft, before adding white wine, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, more homemade chicken stock & sugar. We both enjoyed, although I have to say I was not really fond of the chicken skin in this, so that was discarded. The sauce however was rich and wonderfully flavoured. I could have eaten the sauce alone on buttered pasta and been very, very happy!

We gave this a 7 out of 10, but only because of the skin on the chicken, in every other way it was perfect.

All of these dishes were very easy to reheat. Packed in single portion sizes and vacumn sealed, you simply pop however many portions you are wanting to heat into a pot of water which is at a rolling simmer, then heat at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes. The hardest part is cutting the bags open when you are ready to serve, but with a good pair of tongs and some fine kitchen shears we were "in-like-Flyn!"

Another thing we like about Piper's Farm is their provenance and rearing of all their own meats and poultry in the most natural of ways to their use of pure and natural ingredients without preservatives, enhancers, or artificial flavours. These meals are frozen within minutes of their preparation and delivered quickly to your door so that you can pop them into your own freezer and then reheat to your own requirements. They are as fresh as if you had made them yourself. And I can vouch for the delivery service. It's excellent. Everything comes in quality packaging and then packed again in ice packs, shredded papers etc. so that everything arrives still frozen and intact. Very impressive indeed. Pipers Farm . . . meat the natural way. Check them out. You won't be sorry you did. Thanks Piper's Farm for all this lovely tastiness!!

And now on to my Vegetarian Options for your Christmas Feast. Which I agree, seems a little strange where I've just been talking about beautiful meat, but there ya go! I've never been boring or predictable!

First up we have a delicious Nut Roast, which is easy and comes with a scrummy Cranberry Sauce!



*Mixed Nut Roast with Cranberry Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

It's worth buying fresh nuts for the vegetarian festive treat!

For the cranberry sauce:
175g fresh cranberries (6 ounces)
100g of caster sugar (1/2 cup)
300ml of red wine (1 1/4 cups)
1 cinnamon stick

For the roast:
2 TBS butter, plus extra for greasing
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
50g of pine nuts, toasted (1 3/4 ounce)
75g of hazelnuts, toasted (2 3/4 ounce)
50g of walnuts, ground (1 3/4 ounce)
50g cashew nuts, ground (1 3/4 ounce)
100g of fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large free range egg, beaten
2 TBS chopped fresh thyme
250ml of vegetable stock (8 fluid ounces)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme springs to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Butter a loaf tin and line it with greaseproof paper. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium head. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Remove from the heat. Grind the pinenuts and hazelnuts. Stir all of the nuts into the saucepan and add the breadcrumbs, egg, thyme and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix all together well.

Spoon the mixture into the buttered loaf tin, smoothing over the top. Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. The loaf is cooked when a skewer inserted in the centrre comes out clean.

Halfway through the cooking time make the cranberry sauce. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.

To serve, remove the sauce from the heat, discarding the cinnamon stick. Remove the nut roast from the oven and turn out onto a warmed serving dish. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Cut into slices to serve along with the sauce.

How about some scrummy crisp Mushroom Filo Parcels? Delicious with a crisp filo pastry and a lovely Madeira and Creme Fraich Sauce.



*Wild Mushroom Filo Parcels*
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

Tasty little vegetarian pies filled with mushrooms and rice and served with a delicious creamy sauce.

30g dried porcini mushrooms (1 ounce)
70g butter (2 1/2 ounces a generous 1/4 cup)
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced (3 1/2 ounces)
100g white cap mushrooms, sliced (3 1/2 ounces)
200g of wile mushrooms, roughly chopped (about 1/2 pound)
150g basamati rice, cooked and cooled (5 1/2 ounces)
2 TBS dry sherry
1 TBS of soy sauce
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
18 sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
vegetable oil for brushing
350ml of creme fraiche (1 1/2 cups)
50ml of Madeira (1/4 cup)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl and just cover with some boiling water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Melt half the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes until they are softened without colouring. Add all the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Roughly chop and add to the frying pan along with the rice, sherry, soysauce and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. lay 1 sheet of the filo pastry on a work surface and brush with melted butter. Put another sheet on top and brush with more butter. Top with third sheet.. Spoon 1/6 of the mushroom mixture into the centre and then fold in the edges to form a parcel, using a little more of the butter to help the edges to stick together. Repeat to make six parcels.

Place the parcels onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with the remaining butter. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

While they are baking make a sauce by heating the reserved soaking liquid in a saucepan. Whisk in the creme fraiche and Madeira. Stir over low heat until heated through. Season to taste with some salt and pepper.

Serve the parcels on heated plates with a portion of sauce spooned over top.

Finally a delicious Vegetarian Crumble of Mushrooms and Cheese with a nutty crumble topping!



*Taleggio, Tarragon and Mushroom Crumble*
Serves 6 to 9
Printable Recipe

A delicious Vegetarian Crumble to please all the veggies in your home!

For the Crumble Topping:
280g fresh breadcrumbs (3 1/4 cups) use a sturdy bread such as a hearty
sourdough loaf
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
180g of unsalted butter, melted (2/3 cup)
50g freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup)
50g flaked almonds (1/2 cup)

For the filling:
12g of unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
4 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
700g field mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (1 3/4 pound)
2 TBS finely chopped tarragon
6 TBS creme fraiche
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g taleggio cheese, rind removed (7 ounces)

First make the crumble topping. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for two minutes, just until softened, without browning. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer, just until the mushrooms are slightly wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the tarragon and creme fraiche. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Spread the mushroom mixture in a single layer in two 1 litre (4 cup) casserole dishes. Dot small pieces of the tal;eggio cheese over top. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over both casseroles.

Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden brown and the casseroles are heated through.

Next up . . . Tasty Side Dishes guaranteed to make every taste bud tingle with anticipation! (Sounds good eh?) Stay tuned!



Over at The Cottage today, a delicious Lemon Meringue Cake!

With Christmas just around the corner, Essex beauty Sam Faiers is taking the gravy bull by the horns and putting an end to dodgy Christmas Carving. After receiving the ultimate lesson from two expert Colman’s Butchers, Sam uncovers the secrets behind the perfect Christmas bird, ensuring roast dinner disasters are a thing of Christmas past.

Despite 72%* of UK mums slogging away for up to six hours (87%*) in the kitchen on Christmas Day, carving the turkey is firmly dad’s domain - with 63%* self-appointing themselves as the carving master. It’s therefore not surprising that dodgy carving skills are high on the list of Christmas arguments with nearly half of dads (44%*) admitting they actually don’t have a clue what they are doing.

Sam says: “Carving the Christmas turkey is one of those jobs everyone wants to have a go at do but nobody really knows how. I know my mum gets annoyed when her beautiful cooking is ruined by bad carving - this has definitely caused more than a couple of arguments in our house over the years! I must admit I didn’t have a clue how to do it properly until Colman’s showed me how. I hope the video helps Brits avoid at least one Christmas bust up!”

To give men a helping hand this year, top butchers, James and Mike Rutland, members of the official Colman’s Butchers Board, have compiled the ultimate top 10 tips to carving the perfect Christmas bird. To prove just how easy it can be, watch saucy Sam learn how it’s done in the Colman’s Christmas Carving Masterclass




1. Once you’ve carefully prepared your turkey, leave it to stand for 20 minutes before you carve

2. Put the turkey on a solid, clean chopping board and make sure you have a sharp carving knife and meat fork

3. Cut the kitchen twine off the legs and discard – try not to get your Christmas best’s dirty as the twine can often spring off when cut!

4. Remove each leg by cutting through the joint where the leg attaches to the body

5. Separate the drumstick and thigh by cutting each leg through the joint (wiggle the leg to locate the joint)

6. Don’t rush to remove the wings just yet - this will make the turkey very unstable for the rest of the caving – the wings act as stabilisers!

7. Run your fingers along the thigh and shred the meat from the bone – look our for the ultimate turkey gem – the Oyster, this is usually the butchers favourite

8. Using a knife and your fingers, loosen and remove the wishbone (this makes it easier to cut off the breast meat), and to make your wishes come true this Christmas pull the wishbone with your friends and family!

9. Carve the breasts across the grain. Cut only what you think you’ll need for the initial round of servings, leaving the rest of the meat on the carcass. The meat loses moisture once it’s sliced

10. Serve with lashings of Colman’s Instant Gravy!


“Carving the Christmas turkey can often be daunting, but hopefully with the help from the Colman’s top ten tips we can ensure dads remain on top and that the only thing they need to worry about this Christmas is what presents to buy everyone!” said James Rutland, of Rutland's Butchers of North Norfolk and the Colman’s Butchers Board.


The poll also reveals that ‘dad’s dodgy carving’ is in the top five causes for Christmas arguments, with families also squabbling over who has the biggest gravy serving. Dodgy carving proves to be a top niggle for mums, with one in ten (9%) citing it as their biggest Christmas bugbear –proving even more annoying than the kids squabbling (6%).


Top festive arguments

1. When nobody helps with the clearing up

2. When nobody can agree what to watch on TV

3. Who has the biggest portion at the dinner table

4. Who gets the most gravy

5. When dad ruins the dinner with his dodgy carving skills

With only 10 days left beforethe big day it's down to crunch time for most of us. I wanted to share the second part of my delicious alternate mains with you today.

These are somewhat traditional but each has a bit of an interesting twist added . . . all are, once again, simple and easy to execute, oh . . . and quite, quite delicious!



*Herb Crusted Rib of Beef*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

In my opinion the rib of beef is the tastiest cut. This recipe provides for a tasty herbed crust and a delicious red wine sauce for serving.

For the herb crust:
4 slices of sturdy bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
2 large handfuls of flat leaf parsley
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
2 TBS olive oil

For the beef and sauce:
a six bone standing rib beef roast (3.5 kg or 7 lb. 14 ounces) trimmed of any excess fat
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces
1 leek, white part only, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 celery stalk, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 TBS olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
60g Dijon mustard (1/4 cup)
2 bay leaves, torn
250ml red wine (1 cup. Always use a wine that you would enjoy drinking!)
500ml of chicken stock ( 2 cups)


Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.

Remove the beef from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cut narrow slits with a sharp knife in between the rib bones and slice the garlic slivers into these.

To make the herb crust, place all the crust ingredients into a food processor and blend until finely chopped and well combines. Set aside.

Scatter the carrot, leek, onion, celery and peeled garlic on the bottom of a roasting tin. Place the roast beef on top. Drizzle with the oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the fat surface with the mustard. Press the herb crust onto this. Reduce the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Return the beef to the oven and roast for a further 1 1/2 to 2 hours for medium doneness, based on cooking for 20 minutes per 500g (1 lb 2 ounces) of meat. Transfer to a place, cover loosely with foil and let rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes.

To prepare the red wine sauce,lace the roasting tin on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the bayleaves and wine, scraping any residue up from the bottom along with any caramelized vegetables. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to 80ml or 1/3 cup. Add the stock and any meat juices which have collected on the plate where your meat is resting. Bring to the simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until reduced in half. Strain into a serving jug, discarding any solids. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Slice the beef into six ribs and serve on heated plates along with your desired vegetables and the red wine sauce.



*Mustard and Orange Glazed Ham*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

I don't know anyone who is not fond of glazed ham. It's pretty and tastes fabulous. It's also really easy to do, and the leftovers are great served cold as well as in sandwiches and casseroles.

6 kg cooked ham (13 1/2 pounds)
250ml of freshly squeezed orange juice (1 cup)
140g of soft light brown sugar (3/4 cup packed)
1 TBS Dijon mustard
175g honey (1/2 cup)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 TBS Grand Marnier
whole cloves

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Combine the orange juice, sugar, mustard, honey, soy sauce and Grand Marnier in a bowl, mixing all together well.

Using a small sharp knife, cut through the rind around the shank end of the ham. Remove by running your thumb around the edge of the cut under the rind, and then easing your hand in between the rind and the fat. Carefully lift the rind from the fat in one piece. Score diagonal cuts into the fat at 1 1/2 inch intervals, forming a diamond pattern. (Try not to cut all the way though to the ham.) Spread half of the glaze over the ham with a palette knife and press a whole clove into the centre of each diamond.

Place the ham, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting tin and pour the water into the roasting tin. Cover securely with a layer of foil (make sure it doesn't touch the ham). Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 201*C/415*F/ gas mark 6 -7. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes longer, or until the surface is lightly caramelized and the ham is golden brown. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.



*Roast Loin of Pork with a Gingered Fruit Compote*
serves 6
Printable Recipe

Succulent pork with crisp crackling and a delicious fig and ginger compote on the side.

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp sea salt
2 kg pork loin (4 1/2 pounds)
500ml chicken stock (2 cups)

For the compote:
1 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 TBS fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
125ml of medium dry sherry (1/2 cup)
8 dried figs, finely diced
80g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
1 tsp ground allspice
125ml of water (1/2 cup)
1 TBS balsamic vinegar.

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.

Lightly crush the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds with a pestal and mortar or the back of a knife. Rub them all over the pork. and put the pork onto a rack in a roasting tin. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cook for a further 1 3/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the thickest portion of the roast produces clear juices. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.

To make the fig and ginger compote, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and ginger and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened without browning. Pour in the sherry and cook for about 5 minutes, until reduced. Add the figs, sugar, allspice and the water. Cook and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and simmer for a further 5 minutes, or until reduced and syrupy.

Slice the pork to serve and pass the compote.



*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.

Tommorrow, we'll do Vegetarian Alternatives!

✿•*¨`*•.☆ Stay Tuned! ☆.•*¨`*•✿





Over in The Cottage today a delicious Portugese Gumdrop Cake, a real Christmas tradition in our home and family.

With less than two weeks to go you have probably already decided on what you are going to cook for the main course. Most people, of course, will probably have turkey, especially over here in the UK. (We don't do Thanksgiving over here so we aren't all turkied out!)

Not everyone likes turkey though . . . and where Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, there are a lot of us who will be going to church Christmas morning and are looking for something which we can cook easily and quickly, but will still be festive and special enough for a celebratory lunch.

I ordered a Simplest Turkey package from Piper's Farm, which is now sitting in my freezer and waiting for the day. My Christmas Lunch is pretty much all sorted, except for any sides that I may want to cook, and the dessert. I thought I would present a variety of alternative ideas from my vast repertoire that I've collected through the years for any of you who are looking for something just a little bit different than the usual Turkey with all the trimmings feast.

I can promise you that all are impressive. All are delicious, and all are very easily executed and require not a whole lot of work. (The most important factor in my books!) Who wants to spend the whole day sweating over a hot stove while everyone else spends the day lounging around cracking nuts and sipping sherry!

I've quite a few ideas for you to choose from, and so I am doing it in two lots. Today I present you with Part 1. Enjoy!



*Roasted Turkey Breast with an Orange, Cranberry and Fig Stuffing*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

Cooking just a breast of the turkey is a lot quicker than roasting a whole bird. This tasty roast is spread with a deliciously fruity stuffing, rolled, tied and then roasted to perfection.

1.5 KG boneless turkey breast, with skin intact (a generous 3 pounds)
1 TBS olive oil
125ml dry white wine (1/2 cup)
500ml of chicken stock (2 cups)
80g red currant jelly (1/4 cup)
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1 quantity of orange, cranberry and fig stuffing (see below)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Pat the turkey breast dry with some paper toweling and place, skin side down, onto a large plastic chopping board. Slice through the thickest part of the breast meat and open it up like a book. (This is called butterflying. Do not cut all the way through to separate completely!) Cover with cling film and bash lightly until it is an even thickness throughout. Spread the prepared stuffing along the centre, leaving a 2 inch border at the outer edge uncovered. Roll up firmly from the short end, tucking in the ends and covering over with the skin. Tie at regular intervals with some butcher's twine.

Place skin side up in a roasting tin and rub with the olive oil. Pour in the wine and 250ml (1 cup) of the stock. Roast for 45 minutes. Pour in the remainder of the stock and roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest in a warm place for about 20 minutes, while you make the gravy.

Pour any accumulated juices from the roasting tin into a saucepan. Add the red currant jelly and cook, over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the jelly. Stir the cornflour into 1 TBS of cold water to dissolve and then whisk this into the saucepan as well, cooking and stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Remove the string from the turkey breast and cut into thick slices to serve. Serve hot with some of the gravy spooned over each serving.

*Orange, Cranberry and Fig Stuffing*
Makes enough for one chicken,
double the recipe to stuff a turkey

Fruity and delicious!

125ml of freshly squeezed orange juice (1/2 cup)
80g of dried cranberries (2/3 cup)
2 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 bunch of chopped fresh sage
2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon
50g butter (1 3/4 ounces)
80g of chopped dried figs (2 3/4 ounces)
160g fresh coarse bread crumbs (2 cups)
(You want to use crumbs from a sturdy loaf such as a sour dough bread)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 small free range egg, beaten

Combine the orange juice and cranberries in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries are tender. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened without browning Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, sage and tarragon Cook for one minute and then add the butter, dried figs and the cranberry mixture. Cook until the figs are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. Once cool, lightly stir in the beaten egg. use to stuff a small chicken, or double the recipe to stuff a turkey.



*Roasted Poussin (Cornish Hen) with a Marmalade and Whisky Sauce*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Tasty tender little roasted poussin served with a delicious sauce flavoured with whisky, mustard and orange.

250g Orange marmalade (9 ounces)
2 TBS Whiskey
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 naval orange, cut into 6 wedges
6 small fresh rosemary sprigs
6 poussins (500g each or 1 pound 2 ounces) (cornish hens)
salt and black pepper
500ml of chicken stock (2 cups)
125ml boiling water (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Rinse the birds, pat dry and trim the necks flush with the bodies.

Make the glaze by combining the marmalade, whiskey and mustard in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over low heat for about 5 minutes, until the marmalade has completely melted and they are all mixed together well. Set aside and keep warm.

Place a wedge of orange and a spring of rosemary into the cavity of each poussin. Truss with butcher's twine and season well with salt and black pepper. Brush the birds with roughly 2/3 of the glaze, reserving the remainder. Place the birds onto a rack in a roasting tin. Pour half of the chicken stock and the boiling water into the bottom of the tin. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. When done the juices should run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the flesh. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest whils you make the sauce, keeping them loosely covered with foil to keep warm.

Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a small saucepan along with the remaining stock and the reserved glaze. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced to a sauce like consistency. Transfer the hot poussins to heated plates, drizzling each with some of the sauce. Serve immediately.



*Roasted Rack of Pork with a Pear Sauce and Rosemary Au Jus*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Moist and tender rack of pork succulently roasted and served with a delicious pear sauce.

one 6 rib standing rack of pork, about 4 1/2 pounds in weight)
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBS sea salt
1 onion, peeled and sliced thick
5 springs rosemary
4 conference pears, peeled and quartered (Bosc pears)
80ml of port (1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
375ml chicken stock (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8.

Score the rind of the prok with a sharp utility knife, or ask your butcher to do this for you. Combine the oil, roughly chopped rosemary, and seasalt in a small bowl. Rub all over the pork, rubbing it into the rind really well. Scatter the onion and four of the rosemary springs into the bottom of a roasting tin. Place the pork on top. Roast for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Scatter the slices of pear around the base of the pork. Retutn to the oven and roast for a further 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the juices of the pork run clear when pricked with a skewer in the thickest part. Remove from the oven. Place the pork on a heated serving platter. Cover with foil and set aside to keep warm.

To make the pear puree, blend all but six quarter slices of the pears until smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

To make the rosemary au jus, drain off all but 2 TBs of the juices in the roasting tin. Place over medium heat and add the port. Heat through, scraping up all the crispy bits and sediment in the bottom of the tin. Add the remaining rosemary spring and the stock. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Strain into a beaker. Stir in the finely chopped rosemary and season to taste.

To serve, slice the pork into individual cutlets. Place each onto a heated place. Top with a slice of pear, a spoonful of the puree and a drizzle of the rosemary au jus.

.•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•. Tune in tommorrow I'll bring you part two, along with and a few Vegetarian alternatives! .•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•.




Over in The Cottage today a delicious Plum Streusal!