Preparing for Christmas

December 23, 2010 By Sandy

: Luxury sausage rolls

Now is the time to prepare some food items for Christmas to help take the stress out of next week. Just think, if you have ticked a few nibbles, stuffing, gravy and treats off your list by next week; you can spend time wrapping and writing those last minute cards in a more relaxed fashion. Below are just a few suggestions….

Foods to prepare in advance:

Stuffing’s : These can be made now and frozen. If you are using sausage meat, ensure it has not been previously frozen.
Gravy: If this causes you stress on the day, make now and freeze (remember to defrost!)
Sausage rolls: Make these and freeze them cooked or uncooked. Make sure the sausage meat has not been previously frozen if freezing uncooked. Although one should not refreeze frozen puff pastry if using, I do.
Roast nuts: Great for nibbling on whilst cooking dinner, when friends pop round, when listening to a ‘talker’ on the phone!
Soups: Make a couple of different soups which can be whipped out of the freezer for a quick meal, great if you run out of time one day or you have unexpected visitors.
Ice cake: If you are going to ice a cake do it now and enjoy the task. If left to the last minute it just becomes a chore. If you have just decided you or your kids would like to ice a cake and are cakeless, buy a good fruit cake and marzipan it this week. Leave it in a cool place covered with muslin or a clean tea towel – it will be perfect for icing next week.
Meringues: Easy to make if you have a good recipe, keep in a tin for ages. They make a quick impromptu pudding (serve with stewed fruit, cream, ice-cream etc etc..)
Mince pies: Do not forget mince pies. A must for an afternoon treat to get you in the festive mood, visitors love them. Make them with shortcrust, puff or filo pastry. They keep well in a tin, but also freeze well.

1 High Street 1 High Street Eynsham 5 seed bread 72% chocolate Abel and Cole afternoon tea ale Allegra McEvedy allotment vegetable growing almond Alsace Alsace Riesling American cup Anthony Worrall Thompson antioxidant antioxidants Anton Mossiman apple apple and blackberry crumble apple and plum custard apple crumble apples apricot apricots arancini Arborio arrabiata artichokes asparagus asparagus and sage tortilla asparagus spears Australian cup autumn menu baby spinach bain marie bake blind baked cauliflower and broccoli cannelloni baked vanilla cheesecake baking baking blind baklava balsamic onions balsamic vinigar Banana banana apricot and walnut loaf banana cake bananas barley basic ingredients basil basmati rice batter bay BBC food bechamel sauce beef beef and olive meatballs beef Bourgiginone Beef Bourguignon beef brisket beef burgers beef dishes beef lasagne beef massamam curry beef mushroom and ale pie beef shin beef shin osso bucco beef tagine beef Wellington beet leaves beetroot beetroot and bramley apple soup beetroot and goats cheese risotto beetroot and goats cheese salad beetroot and horseradish soup beetroot cake beetroot horseradish and Swiss chard soup beetroot juniper and orange cake beetroot soup belly pork berries Big Bang bird blackberry cheesecake black pepper boiled fruit cake bolognaise bolognese sauce Bonners borage flowers borage leaves Boston baked beans braised red cabbage brandy brass bread bread and butter pudding bread crumbs bread sauce brioche bread and butter pudding British cup broad bean broad bean and mint soup broad bean pea and mint risotto broad bean pea and mint soup broad beans broccoli brownies bruschetta buffets bulgar bullace butter butter bean and smoked bacon soup butterbean leek potato and goats cheese bake butternut sqash and sage risotto butternut squash butternut squash and chickpea tagine butternut squash coconut and lemon grass soup butternut squash spinach and chick pea tagine butternut squash sweet potato and coconut soup butternut squash Swiss chard and ricotta lasagna butters cabbage caldecott canapés cannelloni caper caramelised onion caramelised onion quiche caraway caraway cabbage caraway seeds cardomom and chocolate meringue cardomon cardomon meringues Carnaroli carnival carpaccio of beef car parking carrot carrot and ginger soup carrot ginger and orange soup carrot red lentil and coriander soup cartouche casserole cassoulet Castle Rock Brewery cauliflower cauliflower and celeriac soup celeriac celery celery seed Certo change of use cheap cuts cheddar cheese cheeses cheese scones cheese straw cheese straws cherry shrotbread cherry tomato cherry tomatoes chervil chestnut chestnut bourguignon chestnut cranberry and bacon stuffing chestnut mushroom spinach and goats cheese strudel chewy flapjack chicken chicken and asparagus pie chicken and ham hand raised pie chicken and leek pie chicken and leek soup chicken and mushroom chicken bacon and mushroom pie chicken basque chicken breasts chicken cider and mushroom casserole chicken dishes chicken ham and mushroom pie chicken legs chicken liver chicken liver pate chicken liver ravioli chicken livers chicken mushroom and bacon casserole chicken orange and pomegranate tagine chicken pie chicken pie and more.... chicken preserved lemon and olive tagine chicken Provençal chicken rendang chicken smoked ham and leek pie chicken stock chicken sweetcorn and coconut soup chicken tagine chicken tarragon chicken thighs chick pea and tomato soup chili chilli chive flowers chocolate chocolate biscuit cake chocolate bread and butter pudding chocolate brioche bread and butter pudding chocolate brownie chocolate buttons chocolate fondue chocolate krantz cake chocolate mousse chocolate pecan brownie chocolate pudding chocolate tart chocolate torte chopped fresh herbs chorizo and butterbean soup chorzo and butter bean soup choux buns choux pastry Christmas Christmas cake Christmas cooking Christmas cooking classes Christmas cooking list Christmas food gifts Christmas gifts christmas pudding chuck chutney cinnamon cinnamon and apple loaf citrus fruits citrus sorbet clams classic bread and butter pudding Claudia Roden clotted cream cloves cocoa coconut coconut flapjack coconut milk coconut milk and pandan leaf rice pudding coffee coffee and hazelnut cake conversions cookies cooking class cooking classes cooking clinic cool drinks coq au vin coq au vin. lamb and apricot pie coriander Cornucopia Cornucopia Cooks cornucopia cooks car parking Cornucopia Cooks dining club coronation chicken cottage pie courgette courgette flowers courgette lemon and thyme soup courgettes couscous cranberry and orange sauce cranberry and red onion relish Cranks cream cream of asparagus soup cream of mushroom sauce creme caramel creme fraiche crispy croquembouche crostini crumble crunchy flapjack cucumber cumber cumin currants curried parsnip soup cut waste damson Dan Lepard dark chocolate dark chocolate sauce dates dauphinoise dauphinoise potatoes dauphinoise potatotes deglaze delia delia smith deli boards deli boards; cheese Delicious magazine delicious nibbles Delicious stew and dumplings deli plates demonstration of pasta deseeding tomatoes Diane Henry dill dining club dinner dinner parties dinner parties and menu planning discount doits de Savoie dried herbs dry sherry duck duck and pork terrine duck confit duck fat ea Earl Grey tea Easter easy night in egg pasta eggs Emporium English cheese board enhance flavour environmental enrichment Eton mess Eynsam Eynsham Eynsham carnival Eynsham Cellars Eynsham Easy Night In eynsham folk weekend Eynsham honey Eynsham wine bar Eynsham Wine Cellars family dinner suggestions fat free cake Felicity Cloake Fellicity Cloake feminism fennel fennel seeds fermented foods fermenting feta fibres fig fillet filleting filo pastry fish cookery fish cookery course fish dishes fishing fishing season fish pie fish sauce fish soup fish stew fish stock flapjack fleur de sel de Guerande 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chocolate pot raspberry frangipane ravioli Readers Digest ready meal ready meals reblachon Recipes red cabbage red cabbage and apple redcurrants red onion beef and barley soup red onion relish red onions red peppercorns reheating relax rhubarb rhubarb and ginger rhubarb and ginger crumble rhubarb crumble rhubarb custard crunch rhubarb ginger meringue pie rice rice pudding ricotta Riesling ripe tomatoes risotto risotto rice roast roast chicken roast chicken with lemon and garlic roasted cherry tomato roasted new potatoes roasted nuts roasted ratatouille and buckwheat pancakes roasted red pepper and tomato soup roasted root vegetable and barley soup roasted summer vegetable and ricotta pie roasted summer vegetable strudel roast potatoes roasts rocket roly poly root vegetables Rose Elliot rosemary rosewater rosewater and pistachio meringue rosti rough puff pastry roux Royal Wedding rum saffron sage salad salad dressing salads salami Sally Moyes salmon and spinach filo parcel salmon en 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