Suzie Lee’s Festive Feast

Ingredients:

  • Turkey
    • 1 turkey crown (approx. 4kg)
    • 2 cloves of garlic minced
    • 1 handful of rosemary (petals) – chopped up
    • 1 handful of flat leaf parsley – chopped up
    • 1 packet rashers of bacon finely chopped up
    • 2 large onion
  • Roasties
    • 2kg Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cut to even size for roasties
    • 1 heaped tsp of salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Carrots
    • 500g carrots – sliced
    • Butter
    • honey
    • Brussel sprouts or Tender stem broccoli
    • 300g Brussel sprouts or broccoli
    • 200g smoked bacon lardons
    • Handful of flaked almonds
    • 1 tsp of Butter
  • Stuffing
    • 1 large onion finely diced and sautéed
    • 400g sausage meat
    • 200g natural white breadcrumbs
    • 2 tsp dried sage
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tbsp of whole milk
    • Olive oil
    • Sea salt
    • Black pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven 180.C fan
  2. Parboil the potatoes in one heaped tsp of salt and one tsp of baking soda from cold water to boiling and until the edges get soft. Drain and leave in colander until cooled – about 15 mins.
  3. Prepare the rub for the turkey of – rosemary, parsley, garlic cloves and onion, bacon pieces and a good pinch of black pepper -all chopped up and mixed with a good splash of olive oil. Place these under the skin of the breast of the turkey so it is like a barrier between the skin and flesh of the breast of the turkey. Any leftover rub you can put in the cavity along with the other onion cut in half and any rosemary stalks. Make sure everything is seasoned very well (inside and out) and turkey
    is rubbed well with oil.
  4. Put onto the middle shelf. Cook breast side down (upside down) for 1 hour and then flip right side up. The turkey needs to cook for roughly another 1 hour. You need to make sure that you skewer the thickest part of the breast and check that temperature is 70C. This is to ensure it is fully cooked and also the juices are clear when skew-ered. I highly recommend getting a food thermometer.
  5. Then put the potatoes into the tray and pour about 2 tbsp of oil and toss. Roast in ov-en for about 40 min. Toss about at about 20 mins. They may need longer if you like really crispy and crunchy roasties.
  6. For the stuffing fry off the onions in about 1 tbsp of oil till soft and translucent (leave to cool for 5 mins), then put everything into a mixing bowl and mix well (I recommend us-ing your hands, just dig in but be careful of the hot onions). Then roll out small hand-fuls between your hands into ball shapes and place on a lined baking tin. This mixture makes 12 good sized stuffing balls.
  7. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan until golden, then tip out and leave to one side. Shred the Brussel sprouts and then put in pan to steam with a splash of water, add butter to fry off slightly. Then tip off. Now fry off the lardons till crispy, add the Brussel sprouts again and toss through – season to taste. Then sprinkle the almonds over the top.
  8. Now everything is ready to serve with a gravy of your choice.

 

 

Suzie Lee’s Easy Peasy Mini Trifles

Ingredients:

  • 200g frozen raspberries and 1 tbsp of sugar – thawed and mashed and pushed through a sieve
  • 135g raspberry jelly block
  • 200g of fresh strawberries or raspberries
  • 1 block of madeira cake – chopped into cubes
  • 1 carton/tin of ready made custard
  • 300ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp of caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Good quality white chocolate for decorating (Lindt or Milky bar)

Method:

  1. In a pot add the frozen raspberries and sugar and bring just to the boil. Take off the heat and pass through a sieve to extract the syrup liquid in a bowl.
  2. Follow the instructions on the packet to make the jelly. Dissolve the jelly cubes into boiling water and split between six glass tumblers or one large dish, then add in a couple of strawberries or raspberries or both into the liquid jelly. Allow this to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  3. Then place some cubes of the madeira cake on top of the set jelly and fruit, and driz-zle some of the raspberry liquid over the sponges.
  4. Spoon over the custard.
  5. In a clean bowl whip the double cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks.
  6. Spoon over the custard and then add a few strawberries or raspberries and grate over some white chocolate.

 

Sisters & Sons – Reindeer Marshmallows

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 2 bags of large white marshmallows
  • 1 – 2 bags of regular sized marshmallows
  • 1 packet of straight pretzels
  • 1 packet twist pretzels
  • Chocolate icing
  • Red smarties

Method:

Antlers:
Cut off the outside pieces of the tiny twist pretzels leaving a Y shape.

Head:
Place the regular size marshmallow on a cutting board, create holes by pushing a toothpick in and out where the two eyes would go. Push a toothpick in and out several times where the nose would go. Place a tiny dab of chocolate icing over the hole for the eyes. Place a dab of chocolate icing over the hole where the nose will go and gently but the red smartie in place. Create a hole with the toothpick where the antlers will go and push the pret-zels into place. Set aside to attach later.

Body:
Place the jumbo marshmallow on the board create a hole with the toothpick where the head will be attached later. Turn the body over and do the same thing with the toothpick where the legs will go at a later time.

Legs:
Push a toothpick into the centre of the marshmallow several times to create a hole large enough to insert the pretzel stick. Squeeze a tiny dab of chocolate icing on the end of the pretzel stick and gently press into place.

Assembly:
Turn the body over and gently push each leg into holes of the body. Holding the body, gently insert a pretzel stick into the hole of the body where the head will be attached. Now gently push the other end of the pretzel in the hole of head. Push together until connected.

 

 

Hot Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 250ml milk
  • 1 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp light brown sugar
  • 25g chocolate, finely chopped
  • 100ml cream, whipped
  • Mini Marshmallows

Method

  1. Heat the milk in a saucepan and add the cocoa powder, sugar and chocolate. Heat until the chocolate has melted.
  2. Add the cocoa and whisk with a fork to it dissolves.
  3. Pour into a mug and add your whipped cream on top.
  4. Add a handful of marshmallows and sprinkle over some cocoa powder to serve.
  5. For an added festive treat, add a candy cane and stir. Yum Yum.

 

Beef Wellington

Click here to view our Christmas Beef Wellington recipe.

 

Nathan’s Wicked Christmas Toastie

Leftovers never tasted so good, with this epic Christmas sandwich made from turkey, ham, cheese and any other leftovers you wish to pile in.