Christmas Countdown 2009!

[brazen20au]

it must be time, i think it's only 7 weeks to go! so what's on your Christmas list?

we can't afford to buy gifts this year so I am making them all - i hope!

here's my list:

cook:

• strawberry jam with vanilla vodka
• peach and ginger (and / or passionfruit) jam
• cheddar shortbread (GF)
• rocky road
• truffles
• sugar coated nuts

make:

• shoe bags
• shopping / eco bags?
• superhero costumes x 3 (with santa's help  )

[Snoozie]

ARGH you said the C word!!!! 

Do you have a recipe for the strawberry jam and vanilla vodka? sounds yum!

I am giving it a go this year by making some cowgirl cookies... well, putting the ingredients in a jar and making it look pretty more to the point! LOL

I am looking at making:

lemon butter
Banana jam
cheese biscuits
chilli jam
choc fudgy wudgy cookies
coffee liqueur
lime & macadamia fudge
tomato sauce
vanilla essence

not sure on how to put it all together ... for example I'm looking at giving bottle of coffee liqueur with some choc fudgy wudgy cookies to siblings and making up a bigger hamper for parents which involves the condiments etc... not sure how far in advance I have to do it but things like biscuits I imagine it would be shortly before gifting. 

Thinking about having open door Christmas this year as I dno't think DH is getting it off work... that way whoever wants to come over can.

[brazen20au]

i was just going to chuck some of my brewing vanilla essence into the jam actually, no idea on quantities etc til i get there hehe

i just thought i might try some spicy bbq sauce for my BIL too, he is the bbq expert will try one of the recipes on the thermomix blog from last year i think

[Meagan]

Did you have to go and mention the C word 

[brazen20au]

YES! it's not far enough away

[cookie1]

I'm getting excited already. My little brother is coming over from Canberra and I haven't seen him for a whole year! We talk several times a week though.

[Thermomixer]

Cripes - the Christmas cakes should have been cooked on Melbourne Cup day.  Already behind !!!

[Paul]

Well I have already started.

Christmas cake - I use the Women's Weekly cookbook chocolate christmas cake.  Never fails (unless you're learning to use a new oven, but the less said about this the better).  I think this is the best recipe ever - I have never tasted a nicer Christmas cake.  I do double the alcohol and leave it soaking for longer than recommended - the dried fruit swells up and looks like plump jewels.  We made it today and it's looking good.  I have made it in the past and it has been too dry - I got a needle and syringe from work and injected it with cognac.

The rest of the menu:

Turkey stuffed with cous cous, mint, water chestnuts, chilli, basil, spring onions, SDT's and smothered with mayonnaise - a fantastic recipe from Diane Holuige in "The Australian" weekend mag many years ago.  Truly droolworthy.
Potatoes roasted with goose fat
Parsnips roasted with Parmagiano-Reggiano
Brussels sprouts (which I normally hate) topped with a Jane Grigson mix of sauteed bacon, chopped chestnuts, apple and onion (enough to make anyone love Brussels sprouts)

Dessert - maybe a mango trifle,not sure yet

[Shayla]

Paul - how about posting those recipes for all of us to try?
Shaula in Cape Town

[Paul]

Paul - how about posting those recipes for all of us to try?
Shaula in Cape Town

I could, although they're not thermomix recipes.  Which one would you like first Shaula?

[Ceee]

Carla in Port Elizabeth, South Africa would love that WW Christmas Cake recipe, I have made the same one for the last 25 years cant find it and need a new one to try. Pretty Please

[Shayla]

Hi Paul,
particularly the chocolate christmas cake and the mayonnaise and the topping for the brussels would be good - I can exchange that with another good brussel recipe when I get to my weekday home tomorrow.
Shayla

[vivacity]

"Brussels sprouts (which I normally hate) topped with a Jane Grigson mix of sauteed bacon, chopped chestnuts, apple and onion (enough to make anyone love Brussels sprouts)".

Hi, Paul. This recipe sounds interesting. In which Jane Grigson cookery book is it?

[Paul]

OK 2 recipes

Chocolate fruit cake from AWW cookbook

500g sultanas
250g raisins
125g currants
250g glace fruit (whatever you like, I HATE cherries) chopped
30 dried apricots chopped
90g mixed peel
1 cup brandy
250g butter
1.5 cups brown sugar
1tsp each grated organe and lemon rind
1tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp marmalade
125g good dark chocolate
4 eggs
2.5 cups plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

Put fruit on bowl with brandy and leave for as long as possible, at least 2 days.
Cream butter and sugar, add fruit rind, vanilla, marmalade and melted chocolate
Add eggs one at a time and mix well each time
Fold in sifted dry ingredients alternating with fruits, mix well each time
Add to prepared and lined tin and bake for 4 hours on 130 C - test with a skewer, and cover top with foil if it looks like burning


Topping for brussells sprouts - from Jane Grigson's English Food

500g chestnuts (tinned are fine)
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
60g butter
60 g bacon chopped
2 apples (recipe says Cox but I used granny smith) peeled and diced
Salt and pepper


Roughly chop the chestnuts.  Gently cook garlic and onion in butter until soft and golden.  Add bacon and cook gently until bacon fat looks translucent.  Add the apple, fry a few more minutes until it starts to smell fantastic.  Add the chestnuts and cook until pan juice almost disappear.  Season well.  Add to cooked sprouts.  I have also used this to stuff a chicken.

[Thermo convert]

Thanks Paul,
You have prompted me to get going on the Christmas cake. My recipe is similar but I'm going to try yours instead. I love new recipes.