So today the girls break up from school and the routine all changes as we have a couple of weeks of well earned holidays. Last night we went up to Kew Gardens to see the Christmas lights and they really are magical. Some displays are with music and others are just a feature like the ‘beehive’ – beautiful and if you are already booked in this Christmas to visit, I hope you enjoy as much as we did!
Christmas presents are nearly all wrapped and I have posted all my cards (that was close!). Now the food preparation starts.
This weekend the Christmas cooking gets under way with family coming for a pre-Christmas weekend. Duck is on the menu and all the traditional vegetables and a rich creme brulee for dessert.
After Christmas there are all the leftovers – well maybe not this time for us, as there are 11 teenagers in the house who are constantly ‘grazing’. I love the leftovers… turkey sandwiches with some stuffing (if you are lucky), No-stir Chicken/Turkey and Cranberry Risotto, turkey and cranberry ring (a Pampered Chef recipe but unbeatable). There are so many great ideas for all the vegetables and salad ingredients too and even ‘bubble and squeek’ can be spruced up these days with pancetta and some chestnuts. If you have stale mince pies try breaking them into small pieces and stiring them into vanilla ice cream and then freezing, et voila ‘mince pie ice cream’. Another great idea is to roll them into balls, pastry, fruit the whole thing, dip into melted dark chocolate and pop in the fridge for when you need another sweet treat – naughty but nice!
So if you are away or at home, preparing food or just enjoying eating it can I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very delicious, indulgent Christmas and best wishes for 2017.
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