Merry Christmas 2008

Wasn't Nigella great in her new Christmas Kitchen programmes last week? Well, I thought she was. Jamie (oh the gravy!) and the Hairy Bikers (oh the florentines!) were great too. I also very much enjoyed Rachel Allen's Christmas Bake - two Christmas specials.

I have been asked by a number of readers what I cook of Nigella's on Christmas Day. Well, I do her maple roast parsnips, brussel sprouts with marsala and chestnuts, sausages in bacon and her Mother's bread sauce (Feast and Nigella Christmas). Also her brandy butter with the ground almonds in it, and this year the Ultimate Christmas Pudding from Nigella Christmas as well. On Christmas Eve I plan to do the Steamed Chocolate Pudding with chocolate sauce from the Christmas Day part in the middle of Nigella Chrsitmas.

I do also cook turkey, cranberry sauce, roast potatoes and other vegetables and stuffing, but from my notebook.

Well it's nearly upon us once more and whatever you all cook readers I hope all goes well in and out of the kitchen, and that you have a Happy, Peaceful Christmas time.

KJxx

It’s Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

It’s so busy just now, my schedule is jam packed. It feels like there is no breathing space. Mind you schedule is maybe a bit overstated, I’m running round like a wild thing trying so hard to pack in more than I’ve really got time for! Festive moan over, I hope you all understand =)
Here is a brief post on some of my latest cooking from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson.

Cranberry mincemeat
This is a mincemeat without suet, the first of it’s type I’ve tried, and the smell in the kitchen, no the whole house when cooking it it so christmassy. It tastes lovely too – not to mention the amazing colour. I’ve stashed mine to make mince pies next week.

Ultimate Christmas Pudding
This is the pudding in the making, will post about it after Christmas Day. Nigella describes it a light, and there are no nuts in it, so I think it will be.

Christmas Coleslaw
Nigella suggests this to go with a chilli, and I will try the chilli, but the coleslaw fitted in better with my time at the moment. My goodness was it good! I made a big bowl and hubby and I ate the lot! It was quite compulsive!

Gleaming Maple Cheesecake
A lovely cheesecake, you must douse liberally with maple syrup to eat, mmmm.

Loaded Skins
This one I’ve made loads of times since I got Nigella Christmas. I used to do stuffed baked potatoes all the time, and I stopped and then forgot about them. What a rediscovery! I like them best without the bacon, but if you would like the whole schbang go for the crispy rashers too.

Christmas Nuts
I have long been a fan of the bar nuts in Nigella Bites, these are a very worthy Christmas rendition, really really good! I’ve tried them on (obviously people without any nut allergies!) youngsters, oldsters and lots in between – everyone likes them!

My pretty Reindeer bowl
If you like Gisela Graham crockery, the platter used by Nigella on the front of Nigella Christmas and also the cake stand that she uses for her fir tree cake can be found at Sally’s Saucepans, I bought mine a little while ago, and there are more like me as at the time of writing they are out of stock, but if you want then do keep checking for more stock. Really reasonably priced too. I bought a number of Gisela Graham Christmas decorations this year to give as presents from Sally's Saucepans, and they are really fabulous!