Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: honeybun on December 15, 2013, 03:55:11 PM
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Have you decided on your Xmas menu and are you left doing the whole lot.
Hubby and I were talking last night about how stressful Xmas was when the kids were young. Getting the presents sorted after the kids went to sleep....whoever thought it was a smart idea to put them up the loft ;D. Then getting up at silly o'clock with the kids who were convinced "he" had been and then slaving in the kitchen cooking for fourteen folk and being too tired to eat and getting squiffy on too much wine.
This year it's dinner for four cooked by all of us.
Smoked salmon starter.
Turkey and pheasant for main with all the trimmings.
Xmas pudding for those who want
Then a nice cheese board.
Too much wine and then chocs later for those who are awake ;D
So much easier since I hung up my mass catering apron and refused to do the extended family do.
Honeyb
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Turkey and Pork this year with all the trimmings.
There's only me that likes Xmas pudding so we will have something else.
Having it about 5 o'clock this year. OH will be cooking. :)
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This year we're going to son & GFs for Christmas. She's doing mains I'm doing two desserts & starts are selection of bought pates. 6 adults & 2 grandchildren.
I got knickers in a twist New Year 2013 though. Spent whole blooming day in kitchen.
So this year we are having:
Pates
Beef & ham with, pigs in blankets with assorted veg & potatoes
Lemon mousse & Raspberry meringue pie
Got an awful lot of parcels to take. Santa's stuff will have to go in car boot until big night. Looked out piles of Christmas DVDs to tire eldest GD out.
Sounds like you will have a lovely time HB. Much less stressful all round. :)
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For over 40 years Mum has cooked pheasant with all the trimmings, DH helps these days as Mum finds it a bit of a hassle. Bread sauce and stuffing followed by plum phd and brandy sauce. She buys the veg., cheese etc., we take the pheasants for roasting ………. Boxing Day we take a lump of beef which DH's bro/wife cook with trimmings. Job Done!
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Smoked salmon and probably brown bread.
Roast duck, with prunes in armagnac, boiled potatoes - roast too heavy, green beans, sprouts or red cabbage perhaps.
Probably remaining prunes with ice cream for pudding or christmas cake.
Mind you the prunes also go amazingly well with roast lamb which is what we'll be having in boxing day..... ;D
Oh - cooked by me mostly, OH very helpful when draining duck fat
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We have a big Xmas breakfast after opening our presents.
So....eggs, bacon, sausage, blueberry bisquits, asst. of various jams, fruits, etc. Hubby cooks pancakes.
I will probably cook tamale soup for supper...it is very heavy. Cut up tamales, enchilada sauce, tortilla soup mix, hominy and black beans with grated cheese, garnished with tortilla chips. My other option is shrimp gumbo for dinner over rice. Peppermint ice cream for dessert.
We used to have a big dinner, but no one ate it and I spent all the time cooking and cleaning up. It is only 1 month since the traditional Thanksgiving feast and it is too soon for the same type of foods for us.
Andius
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And a nice bottle of wine andius?
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Prunes in armanac will do nicely <hands over glass > ;)
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Wine would be great, but as all my family is over 21, it will likely be something a little harder!
Definitely some eggnog with whiskey as a toddy, but mixed drinks otherwise. You have got me thinking.....I usually serve mimosas with breakfast, but we may have prickly pear margaritas with supper. ;) We will be missing my older son and his new fiancee as they will be with her family.
My grandma used to make bread pudding with brandy sauce when I was a kid. What is the recipe for your brandy sauce CLKD, if you don't mind my asking? I have never been able to duplicate grandma's.
Andius
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Turkey, homemade stuffing, homemade bread sauce, roast potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, carrots, chipolata sausages, leeks, gravy. Xmas pud and brandy cream. Very traditional but it's what they all like!
Cooking for 5 and I do the cooking. Hubby and DD prepare all the veg though and DS always does pots and loads dishwasher.
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On Saturday (Yule), I will be cooking for 8 adults and 2 children - really looking forward to it! Cooking lots of food is my favourite bit of this time of year. We are having:
Turkey
stuffing
stuffing and sausagemeat loaf
pigs in blankets
roast and mashed potatoes
carrots
sprouts
maple and mustard glazed parsnips
cauliflower cheese
proper gravy (made with giblet stock)
bread sauce
cranberry sauce
.... there will be some sweet stuff around, but most people don't have room!!!
On Christmas Day, we will be at my Mum's, and I'll be doing a toned-down version of the above for the 4 of us (no stuffing and sausagemeat loaf, no parsnips, a turkey breast roast rather than a full bird).
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Mum buys a packet, adds boiling water and stirs the bread sauce until it's 'done' ::) - I can't stand the stuff myself :-X
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I have to confess 'my' bread sauce and stuffing both come out of packets!! I (and my family) prefer Paxo to home-made, and I've never tried making bread sauce. I'm sure it's easy (looks it from recipes and seeing it on TV), but the packet version tastes fine and is quick and easy - much as I love cooking (and 'faffing' as my mum calls it!), some things have to give when you're trying to get a meal the size of the 'festive feast' on the table!!
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Just for the two of us, so will have a turkey crown, I prefer packet bread sauce and stuffing too. Plenty or roast potatoes (like them cold with left overs) fancy Brussels sprouts and glazed parsnips, cranberry sauce, the best part is the gravy ( OH hates gravy :o) so as its just for me, turkey flavoured with a drop of red wine.
Red wine for OH and purple grape juice for me.
Christmas pudding with brandy or whisky cream.
My turn to cook this year.
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We were supposed to be going to my sister's (she runs a pub and her husband is an excellent chef) but had to cancel today - even if hubby is out by then he's not going to feel like socialising and won't really be able to drink (or eat much) so it seems a bit pointless.
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What a shame for you but it's only a day and there will be plenty other meals to be enjoyed together.
I hope you will have him home and he will be well on the way to a good recovery. And your mum of course.
You have a lot on your plate just now so try and take care of you too. Easier said than done I know.
Honeyb
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Xmas eve 8 people coming for Xmas dinner the full MONTY eating at night its too hot
Xmas day sion ad dinlaw come for Lunch Ozzie style ham and Prawns
Xmas night Bobbles and me Xmas dinner for 2 with Xmas Greetings ALAN AKYBORN we taped it over 20yrs ago
We had it transfered to DVD then we will watch DR WHOS XMAS SPECIAL and ROYALE FAMILY
Boxing day going to see the new Hobbitt film
Day after HOLIDAYSSSSSSSS on the bikle with 8 of our mates
3rd Jan new BABY Ezechial arrives but I cant bring myself to say the name YUK so I refere to him as presh
Its welsh so as my dinlaw knows no better shes an Ozzie I said Oh its the normal way hehehehe
So busy busy BUT then I do it cos I hate bloody Xmas pardon the french
Mum died 23 years ago to the day on Friday It finished me withXmas but mybe now with new grandson
In 2 years it will be different I hiope so I used to LOVE XMAS xxxxxxxxxxx to everyone xxxxx
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Suzi did you know that Ezechial was Hebrew Prophet you could call him little Prof.
http://www.biblica.com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/
It is similar and means "May God Strengthen him"
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I know an Ezekiel that everyone calls "Zeke"
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I think its a great unique name, and I like Zeke for short.
OH's grandson is named Cosmo, he is half Greek though so their parents are forgiven ;D
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Gosh I'm not sure what to get, the family are depleted this year so its not the usual, I think its turkey though but if everyone wants sausage and mash thats OK too, although I love my Christmas dinner.
Hubby wants to go to 'the woods' !!! and make a bonfire and cook sausages on the fire, it sounds nice but have you seen the weather forcast!!!! ::)
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Hmm - sausages cooked on fire, sounds like the'll be black on the outside and raw inside......
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I would send him off to the woods and tell him to run back with yours. I would then sit down in front of the TV and let him play with his sausages on his own ;D
Honeyb
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What's a 'fancy brussel sprout' ? I love 'em ....... really really hot with gravey over.
Lots of roasts, plenty for left overs; plus lots of Yorkshires, so plenty left over ....... with HP sauce or jam ;)
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Have a look on "The MM Recipe Exchange" CLKD. :)
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Hmmm, yes, his sausages may be the size of chipolatas with the cold weather!
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Yes - Best leave him to his own devices!
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We did manage to get to my sisters in the end on Xmas Day and brother-in-law did us proud. It was great being in an empty pub with roaring fires etc and although it was slighty subdued we did all have a good time. Hubby was a bit miffed to be in a pub and not be able to drink but it was a small price to pay for having him home for Christmas.
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He's probably beginning to feel better then ;)
Glad you managed to get together despite 'all' :hug:
DH and Mum cooked a good meal for C.mas Day and we had plenty left over so that we could 'pick' ::)
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Well - We are having our Xmas meal today, given we went away to dodge the horrible gales by us.
It's in the oven as I type.
Duck with prunes - OH has been playing a blinder helping with the removal of duck fat.
Oh, and masterminding the defrosting, given that said duck had to go in freezer.
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What time's supper? Is it a wild duck or ???? can't remember the name, Greshingham?
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Its called Goosnargh Duck in our parts CLKD ;)
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Don't think supper is any time soon........
The duck came from a local butcher and was beautiful, don't think it was wild, there was so much of it.
Sadly, the sausages wrapped in bacon were a bit pink, so were left. :-\
Unlike the prunes in armagnac, which were lovely. Luckily I doubled the amounts, so lots left ;D
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The blackbirds will enjoy those sausages ;)
Prunes in armagnac - now I gave DH a bottle of Armagnac for C.mas ;)
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Son's GF cooked ham in Fat Coke. Brilliant! So tasty.
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Fat Coke as opposed to: diet Coke?
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Yes, apparently all the big chefs are cooking with it. The extra sugar in fat Coke helps tenderise the meat. It tasted fantastic!
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I think it's an American thing CG. I remember reading about it over twenty years ago and thinking how weird it was until I tried it. It's like sticking a can of beer up a chickens bum before you cook it. Sounds really bad but told it is lovely.
Honeyb
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Extra sugar :-X ............
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It's like sticking a can of beer up a chickens bum before you cook it. Sounds really bad but told it is lovely.
What, still in the can? ::)
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:rofl:
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Yep, you put an open can of beer on a baking tray and stick the chicken on top. Rub the chicken with herbs and seasoning and roast as usual. The chicken is supposed to be very moist and tender.
Honeyb
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Daughter's partner was telling us about that one the other day. I'd be worried about metal poisoning though.
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It seems to be quite safe. Might give it a go just to see what it tastes like.
Honeyb
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I'm scared. Cooking chook for New Year. Think I'll stick to normal roasting method.
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Chicken
;D ;D
Honeyb
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Wow - You live and learn on here don't you ;D
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Limpy, I have found that over the years my fund of totally useless knowledge increases.
;D
Honeyb
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There's a can of 5 year old bitter in a dusty cupboard, will that do? ;D
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Think you should splash out on a new one. ;D
Google will give you the recipe if you really want to try it. You can cook a chicken on the barbie that way too.
Honeyb
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I'm told Irn Bru is great for cooking sausages.
Anyone for a deep fried Mars Bar? ;D