Christmas Recipes & Tips

[Wobbles]

Was thinking some recipes & tips for Christmas day foods would be an good idea?

I'm after some home recipe christmas cakes not pasted from a recipe card! Mmmmm

 

[luvbunsazzle]

Mulled Wine

2 bottles of red wine - any red wine, it doesnt have to be expensive
2 ounces of brandy
4 cinnamon sticks
A handful of cloves
A dash of nutmeg
2 lemons
2 oranges
¼ cup sugar

Leave the peel on the the oranges and lemons, wash and cut them into slices

Pour your red wine into a pan, simmer, do not allow it to boil

Add the lemons, oranges, brandy, spices and sugar. Leave to simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Add cinnamon sticks and simmer for a few minutes more.

Serve warm in mugs or glasses.

 

[Mamafy]

STUFFING

3 large onions peeled and chopped
bunch of fresh parsley chopped
big knob of butter
1 1/2 loaves plain unsliced bread processed to breadcrumb form
oil for cooking
salt pepper

heat a few tables spoons oil in pan and the butter and cook the onion and parsley until onions are soft

add to breadcrumbs

add salt & pepper to taste

then cook for 20-25 mins at 180 degrees in an ovenproof dish covered with foil. This can be put in a container and left overnight (uncooked) then cooked the next day.

 

[ladymilly]

yum! i love stuffing. can't wait to try it

 

[Wobbles]

Never made my own stuffing! Mmmmm might try it this year

 

[Wobbles]

luvbunsazzle I'm sure you'll love your wine *huff*

 

[Mamafy]

I make the stuffing every year gorgeous! I made the recipe up

 

[luvbunsazzle]

luvbunsazzle I'm sure you'll love your wine *huff*

Ooooo i forgot you wouldnt be able to drink, i shall try and dig out a non acholic (sp?) version!!!

 

[enigma]

Right this is going to sound dumb of me, but i can never get my turkey just right,, i like it to be moist (well as moist as it can be) but i always over cook it as its always bleeding deep in the middle.
I usually chicken out and go somewhere else for dinner, but i want to do it my self this year.
So does anyone have any good tips on cooking the turkey just right?
it will be very much appreciated. xxxx

PS, im only planning on doing a smallish one.

 

[bexxie]

with the turkey you cant go wrong with the good old Delia Smith way. I have always followed this and never gone wrong -apart from year I got pissed and it was dry as bone hmm
The trick is,is to get a large enough tin,put I would say a pund of butter under the skin and wrap bacon (streaky) on the top of the breast and keep basting the turkey every 1/2 hour for last two/three hours you must do this else it will be drier.
I do a foil tent and have this off for last hour of cooking. I always do big birds of around 22lb's and it always cooks through. Checking by the thigh is the best indicator of whether cooked correctly the juices should run clear.

If you look on the bbc website I think Delia Smith has her own things on there if not google should help as I know you can download her recipes.
HTH
Bex.xx

 

[Amanda]

I think the mistake people do with turkey is putting it on a low heat FOREVER!!! My ex-MIL used to put hers on at like 2 in the morning, and then it was dry as a bone.

For the timing, just follow the same rule as a chicken. Allow 40 minutes per kg, and then an extra 20 minutes at the end. It's always worked for me and it's never been undercooked or dry.

 

[jms895]

Mulled wine sounds lovely - shame I cant get P***ed on it!

 

[Ell.Bishh]

The trick with making your own xmas cake is to keep feeding it alcohol over afew weeks...or months. I'll probably make mine middle of october, and then keep it in a container wrapped in foil (can keep for 2 months in foil) till christmas but i 'feed' it alcohol (usually capt margans spiced rum yumm, or brandy) every week until christmas
Then on christmas eve i'll put the icing and marzipan on

 

[bambikate]

ahhhhhhhhhhh a Christmas thread ace!!!!!!!!! I frickin' love Christmas - lol soz,

I'm not sure if this constitutes to a recipe as I have no cooking times or instructions but a couple of side dishes to go with the main Christmas dinner I like to cook are:

Sweet Potato mash with cheese topping...

Sweet potatoes mashed with buuter and seasoned and put in an ovenproof dish with your choice of cheese on top under the grill for 10 mins or so....mmmmmmmmm lol

Also can't remember where I got this from but chestnuts with pancetta or bacon and sprouts, really yummy together and different too! x x

 

[jms895]

MMM and garlic in the mashed potatoes with nutmeg! Gorgeous....

 

[Mamafy]

I'll not give the amounts of potatoes because each people will cater for different amounts of people with different appetites.


Cooking time: 50-60 minutes

Heat oven to 200 degrees
Put some oil in a baking tray and put in oven to heat
Peel potatoes
Boil for 5-8 minutes then drain in a colander
Shake vigourously so the potatoes can get their edges ruffled
Put in hot tray and turn over
add salt & pepper to taste
turn potatoes after 25-30 minutes

check them at 50 minutes to make sure they're not too crispy and cook more if needed.

Very easy but yet alot of people wont try them

 

[Amanda]

I do the spuds exactly the same as Mamafy, but at Xmas, I cook them in Goose Fat, and also shake a couple of tablespoons of raw couscous in with them as I shake them. Sounds odd, but makes them EXTRA crispy.

Give it a try!

 

[Mamafy]

oooh the goosefat would be tastey you can buy that cant you? I mean without the goose

 

[Blah11]

I do the spuds exactly the same as Mamafy, but at Xmas, I cook them in Goose Fat, and also shake a couple of tablespoons of raw couscous in with them as I shake them. Sounds odd, but makes them EXTRA crispy.

Give it a try!

polenta works well too

 

[DaisyDuke]

I do the goose fat for the best christmas roasties to, yes u can buy it without the goose