Now I don't want to depress anyone but it's October next week and that means that it's not long until Christmas.
Now I know that many of us are watchin our weight and dread the festive eating!!
So I am about to give you now Oldchem's low fat Christmas lunch menu and recipes:
THE MENU ... Read recipe
2 pink grapefruit 250g prawns, cooked and peeled 4 spring onions, sliced Fresh coriander & mint leaves DRESSING 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1cm piece ginger, grated 4 tbsp fish sauce Juice of 1 lime 2 teaspoons sweetener Cut the grapefruits into segments over a bowl to catch any juice. Whisk the dressing ingredients into the grapefruit juice and leave until the sweetener has dissolved. Mix the grapefruit segments with the prawns and onion. Pour the dressing over and stir through the coriander and mint leaves. Divide between 6 plates and serve.
PERFECT CHRISTMAS ROAST TURKEY
1 12-14-pound turkey, fresh or frozen (DEFROSTED) 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1 lemon, halved 1 tbsp olive oil 6 sprigs fresh rosemary 6 sprigs fresh thyme 6 sprigs fresh sage Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove giblets and neck from inside the turkey and reserve to make stock. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Place onion, half a lemon and 4 sprigs of each herb inside the bird's cavity. Secure legs with kitchen string. Place turkey breast side up on roasting rack in pan. Squeeze lemon half into a small bowl. Brush bird with lemon juice and olive oil, and add salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees for an initial blast of heat. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Baste turkey frequently with pan juices plus lemon and oil, and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees - about 3 to 3 3/4 hours. Remove turkey from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a warm platter and garnish with remaining herbs.
SAUSAGE & BACON ROLLS
1 pack-minced pork 1 small onion grated 1small dessert apple, grated salt & pepper fresh or dried sage 6 slices lean back bacon
Pre-heat oven to 200ºC (400ºF, gas 6). Blend all ingredients apart from bacon together (best done in an electric mixer for a finer result). Form into sausage shapes, cut bacon in half lengthways and wrap around ‘sausages’, bake on a baking tray sprayed with Fry lite for about 15 minutes until cooked through
FESTIVE CRANBERRY SAUCE
This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or frozen. 1 orange 1 lb fresh cranberries 2 tablespoons artificial sweetener 5 cm piece ginger root, peeled and grated Cinnamon stick Juice the orange into a medium saucepan. Chop the rest of the orange and tip into the pan Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the cranberries burst.
Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture becomes a puree. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick. Spoon into sterilised jars and store until ready to use, or freeze in a plastic container until required.
HERBY ROAST POTATOES
The beauty of this recipe is that they can be prepared ahead. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for 1 month. Bring back up to room temperature before roasting on the day. 2¼kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper are ideal), unpeeled 10 small bay leaves Handful thyme sprigs 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt & pepper Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters depending on their size. Tip into the pan, allow the heat to come back up, then boil for 6-10 mins until just starting to soften around the edges. Drain in a colander and return to the pan. With the lid on, shake the potatoes until the edges fluff up. Leave the potatoes until cool enough to handle. Slash half the chunks once with a small knife and stuff alternately with bay or thyme. (This is the stage where they can be refrigerated or frozen) Heat the oil in a large roasting pan. Carefully tip in the potatoes and gently turn in the fat. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste and roast for 1-1¼ hrs until crisp and golden, turning halfway through.
ROAST VEGETABLES
4 medium parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways 1 butternut squash (about 650g/1lb 7oz), peeled, seeded and cut into chunks 4 medium carrots, washed and quartered lengthways 2 red onions, each cut into 8 wedges 1 tbsp olive oil Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas 6/fan 180C. Put all the vegetables into a roasting tin. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss everything together, roast for 40 minutes.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH GARLIC
700g fresh Brussels sprouts 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons olive oil 250ml chicken or giblet stock Salt & pepper to taste Cut an X in the core end of each brussels sprout; set aside. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Add sprouts; toss to coat. Add the stock, salt and pepper; cover and cook for 12-14 minutes or until sprouts are tender. Drain.
MASHED ROOTS
2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped 4 medium carrots, washed and chopped Salt & pepper 1 dessertspoon horseradish sauce
GRAVY
Add turkey or chicken gravy granules to the remaining giblet stock.
‘HEALTHY’ CHRISTMAS PUDDING
This pudding works out at 20 points for the whole pudding. The combination of grated carrot and fruit is quite sweet enough without resorting to additional sugar, and the absence of suet also helps to make it a "healthy" recipe. It needs to be matured for at least 1 month.
Put the mixed dried fruit in a large bowl. Stir in the orange juice and the brandy. Cover and leave overnight. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well together.
Grease a 900ml (I½ pint) pudding basin and fill with the mixture. Cover with a piece of pleated greaseproof paper and then foil. Secure tightly with string and make a handle to easily lift in and out of the saucepan.
Place the basin in a steamer or over a saucepan filled with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Steam over boiling water for about 4 hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary.
When cooked, remove the pudding from the pan and leave to cool for at least 2 hours. Unwrap, then rewrap in fresh greaseproof paper and foil.
Store in a cool, dry place to mature for at least 1 month.
To serve, steam for a further 2 hours. Turn out onto a warmed plate and decorate with holly.
BRANDY SAUCE
1-pint skimmed milk 1 oz Corn flour 2 tablespoons sweetener 1 Small Wineglassful of Brandy Mix a little milk and the corn flour together. Heat remaining milk in a saucepan with the sweetener, stir in corn flour mixes and boil for five minutes, stirring all the time. Add the brandy.
MANGO & PASSION FRUIT FOOL
2 ripe mangoes, peeled 2 passion fruits 2 egg whites 1 tablespoon sweetener 400g low-fat yoghurt Peel the mango, remove flesh. Blend or process the mango flesh until smooth. Combine the mango puree with the passion fruit pulp in a medium bowl.
Beat the egg whites and sweetener in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the yoghurt into the egg white mixture.
Swirl the fruit puree into the yoghurt mixture.
Divide the mixture among 6 serving glasses.
This recipe can be made several hours ahead. Fruit puree suitable to freeze.
Advantages: something very special Disadvantages: you need a garden
Foreword: My dictionary doesn't say that 'holiday' must necessarily mean 'Christmas', I'm giving you a recipe here which I've brought home from my summer holidays.
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'When you're in Rome, do as the Romans do and when you're in Sardinia, do as the Sardinians do.'
'OK, OK,' I hear someone murmuring, 'but what if I'll never make it to Italy, let alone Sardinia? Couldn't you tell us something about the culinary habits there so that we can ... ...OK, I'll describe one of the specialities of that Mediterranean island, in fact a feast we once participated in, and help you transfer the experience to your country.
Some years ago my husband and I stayed on a camping site in Sardinia, a small and personal one. We soon made friends with Signor Basoccu, the guard, an old man and jack-of-all-trades, so did other families. One day someone had the idea to pool some money, buy a sucking pig and ask ...
MALU 02.03.2003 (05.10.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Holiday Recipes
Advantages: it is a special time for you to spend with your lovely grandchildren Disadvantages: There can be tears and tantrums
...and you have a great holiday sandwich. You can also have many variations on this idea to use in many ways!
Cinnamon Whirls
4 slices soft texture whole wheat or white bread.
Trim crusts from the bread slices.
1/4 cup soft cream cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter.
Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each slice of bread. Roll up bread slices with cream cheese on the inside. Cut each roll into thirds. Stir ... ...roll into melted butter, then into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture. Do not dip the ends of the rolls. Place rolls, seam side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or unti light brown and crips. Serve warm or cool. Makes 12
Jingle Bell Bug
large strawberries, thin pretzel sticks, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon of butter, miniature chocolate chips Wash strawberries and remove stems, cut strawberries ...
BIG_NANNA 04.12.2006 (03.12.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Holiday Recipes
Advantages: Delicious and Melt-In-The-Mouth Mincepies! Disadvantages: None - Unless you don't like them!
I am one of those people that LOVE Christmas. I love everything about it. I love spending time with my family, shopping, wrapping gifts, making cards and of course - Baking!! It feels special to serve your festive guests with delicious home made goodies.
In this recipe I am going to include instructions to make the pastry and mincemeat from scratch. If you do not enjoy spending time in the kitchen you buy frozen pastry or pre-made mincemeat or both. ... ...get the gorgeous smell wafting through your home and you still get the satisfaction of making something yourself. You don't have to tell anyone either! I however love making everything from scratch - It's all part of Christmas for me!
These mince pies contain marzipan. If you do not like marzipan I have included instructions to make normal mince pies as well. I have also included lard in this recipe. If you don't like the idea of using lard just ...
donnabroom 23.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Holiday Recipes
Advantages: You will have a lovely tasty chrismas dinner Disadvantages: You will have to prepare them all
Any holiday period is the busiest time for us cooks we really need to be well prepared for any event so I hope my Seven recipes make it easier for you. I am going to concentrate on bacon wrapped sausages, oatmeal and onion stuffing, bread sauce, bay-roasted potatoes, cranberry and apple relish, glazed carrots and turnips and lastly chestnut and sprout sauté. This is going to be very long reviews so prepare yourself for a long stay.
·Toasted Oatmeal ... ...tsps fresh sage
8oz fresh breadcrumbs
4oz medium oatmeal
1 orange
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
Finely chop the onions. Sauté in the butter for seven minutes until they begin to soften. Mix with the sage and breadcrumbs.
Toast the oatmeal under the grill and stir into the breadcrumb mixture with the grated orange rind and 2tbsp orange juice. Season well and bind together with beaten egg.
·Sausage and Bacon Rolls
1½lb sausage meat
1lb rindless ...
COOOEEE 19.12.2002 (30.12.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Holiday Recipes
Yes, I know it seems as though we have only just emerged from Christmas and are still defrosting the car every morning, but it's true - Easter is coming. Easter Sunday in 2007 falls on April 8th and traditionally, gifts of eggs are given on this day, symbolising the arrival of spring (and, for Christians, when Jesus rose from the dead). These days, the eggs given are usually made of chocolate.
Now, I am a huge chocolate fan, but I must admit to ... ...the supermarket shelves at this time of year, as most are complete rubbish, not to mention the half ton of packaging which accompanies each one.
Why do I say that? Well, chocolate is made from cocoa beans. The beans are ground and the bitter fat, or "cocoa butter" is extracted; the resultant cocoa mass is re-combined with some of the cocoa butter and a sweetener to produce chocolate. Milk and white chocolate are produced by adding milk to the mix, ...
Ali1000 31.03.2006 (14.03.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this recipe on average: very helpful Recipe of Holiday Recipes
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Advantages: Easy to prepare, delicious Disadvantages: High price of crabmeat
HOT CRAB
**Ingredients**
1 pound backfin lump crabmeat
3 heaping tablespoons horseradish
1 cup mayonnaise
Dash of Tobasco (or any brand of hot red pepper sauce)
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
**Directions**
Toss first 4 ingredients together lightly and place in 10-inch glass pie plate. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Broil for 5 minutes until bubbly. Serve with homemade Melba Toast (recipe follows).
MELBA TOAST
**INGREDIENTS**
1 loaf very thinly sliced bread
1 stick butter, melted
**DIRECTIONS**
Cut crusts off bread and cut each slice into halves. Brush one side with butter and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 250° to 275° F. Let cool and store tightly covered.
These two recipes are extremely easy to make and are quickly gone at a party or holiday gathering. Honestly, to be so ...
Advantages: Quick and easy to make Disadvantages: Watch the diet fly out the window!
As my birthday is quickly approaching, Bernie asked me the other day what I'd like for an intimate dinner. Well, I said that I liked cheesecake, but would like something I hadn't tried before.
She spoke to her aunt on the phone who is up for a week for the holiday next week (4th July), who lives in New Mexico, and she gave her and idea for a recipe dessert.
Her aunt is quite health-conscious, so there are pointers where you can use a not-so-fatty version. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading:
Ingredients
2 X 8-oz.(2x227g) pkgs. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding, dry
32 fl oz (960ml) of whipped topping (Cool Whip) at room temperature
1 can of crushed pineapple, 15 oz (425g), drained
3 graham cracker crusts,
or 2 graham cracker crusts and 1 baked 9? x 12? (23cm x 30cm) yellow cake ...
Advantages: taste very good Disadvantages: many calories
Every year, until from 1988, I spend my holiday in South Tirol and in all these years i have learned to appreciate typical local kitchen. A kitchen with of the recipes in which the butter is used a lot, with many calories, but also with a taste very good. One of best recipes is that of the bacon dumplings:
The ingredients, in order of when you need to use them, are:
270 grams (9 ounces) South Tirol speck or bacon - 150 grams (5 ounces) ham - 200 grams (6/7 ounces) butter - 300 grams (10 ounces) stale white bread - 4 eggs - 150 ml (5 fl ounces) milk - 60 grams (2 ounces) flour - Fresh parsley chopped - chopped onion - salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
Fry the bacon and ham in 30 grams butter. Mix them with the cubed bread. Whisk the eggs with milk and pour them into mixture. Then add flour, butter (70 grams), parsley ...
