Before we get too bogged down with Christmas day and the fantastic feast that I hope ye are all going enjoy, my mind is on the few intimate evenings, with some good friends calling around, the fire roaring and the tasty treats in the oven, and maybe a little nip of something special to warm the soul. So here are some of my favourites that I hope will be enjoyed over the next few weeks.
So I was going to start with a few of my titbits, but I think at this time of year I have to get my priorities right, so I’ll start with my little soul warmer.
Gibney’s spiced fruit punch (with a little of whatever you fancy)
Ingredients:
1L Pure orange Juice
1L Cranberry Juice
1L Apple juice
500ml Grape juice (try to make sure all juices are not made from concentrate)
4 sticks of cinnamon
10 whole cloves
5 whole allspice
250g of brown sugar
slices of orange for decoration
Directions:
Just add all ingredients into a saucepan heat gently until sugar has dissolved and liquid is piping hot for approximately 30mins. Strain before serving
But to give this a real kick add a generous shot of something like Whiskey, brandy, Dark rum mmmm.
Hot spiced cider:
Ingredients:
3l of dry cider (cheap stuff work fine but if you wouldn’t normally drink it then you know the answer)
4 sticks of cinnamon
10 whole cloves
5 whole allspice
1 Tbsp. ground nutmeg
100g of sugar
Directions:
Just add all ingredients into a saucepan heat gently until sugar has dissolved and liquid is piping hot approximately 30mins. Strain before serving
Very good with a little added Captain Morgan!
Ok so with the important things ready for guests it’s time to start the food, I have a few ideas that will suit you depending on how much testing you have done making sure the drinks were coming along ok???
Home-grown Onion Tart with Philadelphia Cheese Recipe
Caramelized onions… need I say more?
There is something wholesome about caramelized onions. It reminds me of the cold autumn evenings sitting watching telly. With the help of butter and a few seasonings regular yellow onions transform into a soft heap of golden goodness. You all already know how good caramelized onions are. But adding them to a puff pastry base with a thin layer of Philadelphia cheese, this tart is a great one to add to your arsenal of versatile recipes to have on hand for any occasion. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 med-large yellow onions, thinly sliced
4Tbsp. butter
2Tsps. fresh thyme leaves
2Tsps. sugar
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. ground pepper
*optional 4 tablespoons white wine but is it optional really
1 package puff pastry, thawed
1 cup Philadelphia cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. In a pan on medium heat add the butter, thyme, onions, salt, pepper, sugar, and white wine cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until softened and golden brown. Whilst the onions are caramelizing. Unfold puff pastry sheets on a large baking sheet making sure both sheets connect in the middle of the pan. Gently fold in each side of the puff pastry sheets approximately 1 inch. Spread Philadelphia cheese evenly over the puff pastry and lightly sprinkle most of the Parmesan cheese on top. Add caramelized onions evenly over the cheese mixture and top off by sprinkling any remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until puff pastry is golden brown. Cut into small pieces for appetizers and enjoy with nice glass of Hot spiced cider!
Bacon, potato and cheese tart
Ingredients
Serves: 8
1 packet puff pastry
2 large potatoes, sliced very thinly
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 rashers streaky bacon or pancetta, chopped
150g Cheddar cheese, grated (you could use Gruyere, Emmental)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 45 mins
1. Preheat the oven to 200 C / gas 6.
2. Cover a flat backing tray with a sheet of puff pastry, bunching up the sides. Lay the potato slices over the puff pastry, slightly overlapping each slice. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. I don’t use salt since there's the saltiness of the bacon and cheese.
3. Sprinkle the chopped bacon or pancetta over the potatoes. Then cover with the grated cheese and chopped rosemary. Finally, brush the sides with the beaten egg.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until cheese is browned and potatoes are tender.
Bacon, leek and cheese mini muffins
Makes
30
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 bacon rashers, finely chopped*
1 leek, halved, washed, dried, finely chopped
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup extra light olive oil
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 eggs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 12 x 1 1/2-tablespoon (30ml) capacity mini muffin pan.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add bacon and leek. Cook, for 5-6 minutes or until leek is soft and bacon is crisp. Drain. Allow to cool.
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in sugar, cheese and bacon/leek mixture. Whisk milk, oil, sour cream, eggs and pepper in a jug. Add to dry ingredients. Use a metal spoon to combine.
Spoon mixture into muffin holes to almost fill them. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes in pan before turning onto a wire rack. Repeat with remaining mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
* You can use salami or for a bit of kick add chilli
Chicken and Cheese Filo Parcels
Ingredients:
6 sheets filo pastry (thawed)
4 Chicken breast (fillets chopped into small cubes)
1/4 cup melted butter (oil)
4 slices bacon
4 slices Swiss cheese
Pinch of Sesame seed for each parcel
Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 180oC.
2 Brush every second sheet of filo pastry lightly with oil and stack in 2 lots of 3, cut in half.
3 Place chicken in centre of halved filo and top with bacon and cheese.
4 Fold to form a parcel and repeat with the remaining 3 halves.
5 Brush with the oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
6 Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
My mini mushroom Quiches
These little quiches are wonderful and to make things easier, you can make them ahead of time and freeze them; they reheat perfectly.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
•1 pkg. frozen short crust pastry
•2 large open cap mushrooms
•8 oz. button mushrooms
•2 Tbsp. butter
•1 Tbsp. olive oil
•1/2 cup whipping cream
•1 egg
•1/4 tsp. salt
•1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
•1 cup shredded cheese
Directions:
Let short crust pastry stand at room temperature for 60 minutes, and then gently roll out to 12" circles. Wipe mushrooms with damp cloth and chop in food processor or with chef's knife. Place butter and olive oil in a medium pan and cook mushrooms over medium heat until all liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are brown and tender.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease 24 1 3/4" muffin cups. Using 3" cookie cutter, cut 24 circles from pie crust (12 from each crust), rerolling crusts if needed. Press into prepared muffin cups. Divide mushrooms evenly among lined cups. In small bowl, combine egg, cream, salt and cayenne pepper and beat well. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms; 2 tsp. per each muffin cup. Sprinkle each with grated cheese.
Bake at 180 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until centre of quiches is set. To serve warm,
Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans.
To freeze, cool on wire rack and freeze in single layer until solid. Place in air tight freezer container in single layer.
To reheat, place frozen quiches on a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees for 12-14 minutes until hot.
Makes 24.
So these are some of my favourites, give them a try and let me know how you get on and don’t forget the old classics like roast chestnuts, definitely the star of the show so get cooking and drinking your favourite party pieces but not necessarily in that order! And please send me any of your ideas
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