Christmas Menus

Angua2

ashli wrote: »

Could do with some quick but special breakfast and lunch inspiration

Two easy egg ideas:

1. Devilled eggs (hardboiled eggs cut in 1/2 with yolks removed and "devilled" - mayo, dijon mustard, dash of worcester and paprika - and then the mixture returned to the egg halves)

2. Tortilla espanola / fritata / quiche (all can be made ahead of time, fritata is easiest, i think)

My all-time favourite hors d'hoeuvre: my Gramma's crab cakes. Will post recipe if anyone's interested.

We have blueberry pancakes with maple syrup on boxing day, along with locally produced wild boar sausages.

Another easy treat is to fill puff pastry with nice things (like sausage, apple & onion, mushrooms & cream cheese, brie & granny smith apples, even just a good bit of ham & cheese). If you make a long roll with the filling (in case of mushroom and sausages, don't forget to cook filling before baking), then you can bake off and then slice into tasty rounds.

sandy2_2

Angua2 wrote: »

My all-time favourite hors d'hoeuvre: my Gramma's crab cakes. Will post recipe if anyone's interested..

crab cakes sound yummy, please post recipe

Angua2

sandy2 wrote: »

crab cakes sound yummy, please post recipe

Here you go!


Ingredients:

1 lb fresh (if at all possible) white lump crab meat (be sure to pick over for
stray bits of shell)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard (Colemans is nice)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 beaten egg
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise (Hellmans)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 slices fresh white bread, crusts removed & diced into very small cubes

some butter for sauteing (sp?)

Mix, by hand, all ingredients in a bowl, being careful not to break up the crab meat.

Let the mixture rest for several hours in fridge - this makes shaping it into cakes much easier.

Shape into whatever size cakes you want - tiny for bonne bouche type hors d'oeuvres is great, but more fiddly.

Heat a heavy skillet to medium - warm enough to fry, but not so hot the butter burns. Add generous amount of butter (at least a tablespoon or 2) and saute the crab cakes until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side).

You can keep them warm in a low oven.

Angua2

Angua2 wrote: »

Another easy treat is to fill puff pastry with nice things (like sausage, apple & onion, mushrooms & cream cheese, brie & granny smith apples, even just a good bit of ham & cheese). If you make a long roll with the filling (in case of mushroom and sausages, don't forget to cook filling before baking), then you can bake off and then slice into tasty rounds.

Must confess that i have no hand whatsoever with pastry - so always buy it! You can use any sort of parcel wraps - filo, puff pastry, short-crust OR even tortilla/enchilada shells....

boat_girl

[quote=spendingmad;
starter - HM Salmon and Prawn Mousse or Cranberry marinated chicken skewers on a bed of salad leaves quote]

those cranberry chicken skewers sound lovely, do you have a recipe or could you point in the right direction of the book you used.

hope you don't mind me joining in, it struck me just this weekend how near christmas is, and am determined not to run into huge debt like last year.
thanks
liz

sweetpeas_2

[FONT=&quot]This is my Christmas day menu guys. We usually take it in turns with the boxing day thing and Christmas eve is usually just us 4, whereas Christmas day all the family come round. So Christmas eve prob be pretty much as normal- maybe take-away for tea, cos I'll be working at 8 ish (double time... :j)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Boxing day usually buffet round my mums/nans house and New years eve nice buffet with some of those take-away bags from asda with the 1/2 arromatic duck for £5!! mmm. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]anyone got any ideas for a second pud? dh usually makes a cheesecake from scratch but fancy sumat bit different this year... [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]noggin xxx
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*****[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Carrot and Coriander soup[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*****[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Potato cakes with Prawn and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Zucchini[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*****[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Roast Goose[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Roast potatoes[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yorkshire Pudding[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Stuffing[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Pigs in Blankets[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Roast Parsnips[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Carrot and swede mash,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sprouts[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*****[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Homemade Christmas Pudding[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With brandy sauce or custard[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*****[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Tea and coffee[/FONT]

spendingmad

boat_girl wrote: »

[quote=spendingmad;
starter - HM Salmon and Prawn Mousse or Cranberry marinated chicken skewers on a bed of salad leaves quote]

those cranberry chicken skewers sound lovely, do you have a recipe or could you point in the right direction of the book you used.

hope you don't mind me joining in, it struck me just this weekend how near christmas is, and am determined not to run into huge debt like last year.
thanks
liz

Hi Liz,

The Cranberry marinated chicken skewers are just something I made up so dont have a recipe as such:p

Here is a recipe for cranberry marinade http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Bc's%20tangy%20cranberry%20marinade and I was going to thread mini chicken breast fillets onto bamboo skewers and marinade. Or I was going to try covering chicken in a jar of cranberry sauce overnght. Griddle or Grill for about 10-12minutes.

I am going to give them a try in the next couple of weeks (withthe jar of sauce) so will let you know how they turn out. Hopefully they will be quite sweet and tangy but will let you know:o

Angua2

noggin wrote: »

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]anyone got any ideas for a second pud? dh usually makes a cheesecake from scratch but fancy sumat bit different this year... [/FONT]

I usually go for something with fruit: trifle or apple crumble, or a fresh fruit compote with a topping (greek yoghurt & honey with pinch of cinnamon or, if really adventurous, champagne zabaglione!)

milkydrink

Xmas eve
A simple dinner, sometimes soup & crusty bread or pizza or similar. We crack open the Quality Street & Roses and warm some mince pies.

Xmas breakfast
Bucks Fizz & smoked salmon & cream cheese bagels.

Xmas lunch
Prawn cocktails & brown bread
Turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy, roast pots, brussels, carrots, roast parsnips & cranberry sauce.
Sherry trifle, xmas pud & brandy cream,
Cheese board & crackers
Chocolate mints & liqueir coffees.

Xmas evening
Cold white bread turkey sandwiches
Pringles
Warm mince pies
Quality Street & Roses

Boxing breakfast
Steak & eggs

Boxing lunch
Cold turkey buffet with a freshly cooked ham.

Quackers

I'm hungry now