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Count Down to Christmas

I always cheat at Christmas and start making a lot of what I’ll need on Christmas day in advance and freezing it.  Christmas is a day I want to spend with my children watching them enjoy their new gifts (no matter what their age), NOT spending the whole day slaving over a hot stove!!!!

Always make sure you have plenty of bread crumbs frozen in the freezer as these will be really useful for making the stuffing and bread sauce.

This weekend I made my pastry and cranberry sauce, gravy and mulled wine sachets

For years my grandmother tried to teach me how to make pastry by hand but I failed dismally until I got a Magimix as a wedding present, then it was easy, I realised my hands were either too acidic or too warm I am not sure but this method is so easy you can make your own pastry in minutes.  You can use any mixer with a blade.

This recipe makes enough pastry for a pie or 18-24 mince pies depending on the size.

Pastry (sweet)

Ingredients

1lb of flour (plain)

4 oz of Butter

4oz of lard

1-2 tbsp of cold water

1tbsp of sugar

 

Method

  • Place all the ingredients apart from the water in a mixer with a mixing blade
  • Slowly add the water until the pastry forms a ball
  • Remove and knead by hand
  • Roll out or freeze

 

 

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

300g of fresh cranberries

4 clementines (juice and zest)

120g of sugar

25-50m of port to taste (optional)

 

Method

  • Place all ingredients into a saucepan
  • Simmer until the sugar is dissolved add more sugar if it too tart
  • Simmer for another 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally
  • Pour into sterile jars

 

 

Mince Meat

Once I made the Cranberry Sauce I decided to experiment and extend the recipe.  I doubled the quantities and once I had simmered until the sugar had dissolved I added some dried fruit and also a spot of brandy and some flaked almonds.  When the mixture became too dry and the cranberries were cooking I added some apple juice.  After again simmering for around 15-20 minutes I poured the mixture into some sterile jars.

 

I used some of the pastry I made earlier  and made some mince pies.  My hubby loved them.  They were not traditional mince pies in that the mince meat was red rather than dark brown but it tasted the same and was brighter and more festive.

 

Gravy

We had chicken for Sunday lunch, so I took out the giblets and boiled them in some chicken stock (made from stock cubes dissolved in water) I added some white wine and sprinkled in some Sage and Thyme.  Once the chicken was cooked I poured in the excess juices.

 

I then took out the giblets and sieved the liquid and let it cool.  Once cold I removed any excess fat and froze for Christmas day.  If the gravy is too thin just dissolve some corn flour in a small amount of water until it creates a paste and then slowly add to the gravy until it thickens to the consistency you require.

 

Mulled Wine Sachets

I love mulled wine at Christmas, this Christmas we are having neighbours round for mulled wine and mince pies on Christmas Eve.  However mulled wine sachets can be very expensive.  To make things less expensive and stressful I made my own mulled wines sachets in advance.

I bought some cheap and very thin tea towels from Asda’s I think they were £1.00 for three.  I also bought some own brand whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. I cut the tea towels it to squares and cut up some string.  I then crushed the nutmeg and cinnamon sticks using a Mortar and Pestle and mixed in the cloves then I placed a large teaspoon of the mixed into the centre of the squares and tied them with the string.

 

Stuffing

 As a child we always had the instant add boiling water stuffing which I have grown really fond of.  So I prepared my childhood favourite in advance this weekend

 

Ingredients

4 Cups of bread crumbs

1 Small  finely sliced  fried red onion

2 Eggs beaten

Dried sage, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste

 

 

Method

 

  • Add bread crumbs, fried red onion (cooled) and seasoning into a mixing bowl
  • Add enough herbs so that the mixture looks a grey/green colour with salt and  pepper to taste
  • Add the beaten eggs. 

I then place the mixture into a greased tin foil tray, cover in tin foil and then freeze until Christmas Eve when I take it out of the freezer ready for Christmas day.

 

Brandy Butter

This is one of my favourites and so easy to make

Ingredients

100g of butter

100g of Icing Sugar

Brandy to taste

 

Method

  • Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together with a fork or spoon
  • If necessary add more icing sugar/brandy to taste 

Again I freeze this until it’s required on Christmas day

                                                                                                                                      

 

Bread Sauce

 

Ingredients

½ Pint o f Milk

3 cups of bread crumbs

2 bay leaves

1 small onion halved

1 tsp of cloves

1 knob of butter

 

Method

  • Put the milk, bay leaves, onion, cloves and butter into a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil
  • Leave to cool for about 2 hours
  • Add the bread crumbs more or less as desired ( depending on how thick you prefer your bread sauce)
  • Slowly heat through until the bread has softened and soaked up all the milk
  • When the correct consistency put into a bowl

Again I freeze this until it’s required on Christmas day and then add some cream  as I heat it through 

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 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL AT GRUB ON A BUDGET