The Dominic Milner Blog » my traditional christmas dinner

My Traditional Christmas Dinner – Part 5

Dominic — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:49:42 +0000

Now to round off the week nicely with my traditional Christmas dinner I am finishing the week with details of two great recipes that you make from your Christmas leftovers. This is a great way of saving money at this time of year when money can often be tight after all the money you have spent.

TURKEY BUFFET CASSEROLE

4 oz. of medium white noodles, (about 2 cups)

1 pkg. of frozen broccoli spears

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

2 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

2 cups of milk

1 cup of grated American cheese

2 cups of cut up cooked turkey

1/3 cup of slivered toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In separate sauce pans cook noodles and broccoli as labels direct just until tender. In saucepan over low heat, melt the butter; stir in flour, salt, mustard, pepper and milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted.

Drain noodles and broccoli. Dice broccoli stems; leave flowerettes whole. Arrange noodles, broccoli stems, turkey in shallow casserole or 8 inch square baking dish; pour cheese sauce over all. Arrange broccoli flowerettes on top, pressing them lightly into sauce; sprinkle with almonds. Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until bubbling hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

CHRISTMAS STUFFED BAKED HAM

Bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Serves 12.

1 fully cooked ham (about 10 to 12 lbs.)

1 (10 oz.) pkg. of frozen chopped kale

1 cup of finely chopped fresh spinach

1 lg. onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup of finely chopped watercress

1/2 cup of finely chopped celery tops (leaves)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 cup of honey

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

2 teaspoons of dry mustard

Trim rind off the ham, if any. Trim fat to 1/4 inch thickness. Make X-shaped cuts with a small paring knife,2 inches deep and 1 inch apart; stagger the rows, all over fat side.

Cook hole in boiling salted water to cover, following directions on package; drain; cool; squeeze out excess water with hands. Combine kale, fresh spinach, onion, freshwatercress, fresh celery leaves, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.

Press greens mixture into pockets in ham; pack down well with fingertips. Place ham, fat side up, in a large shallow pan. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees) for 2 minutes. Stir honey with vinegar and dry mustard; brush part over ham. Continue baking and brushing with the remaining honey mixture, 30 minutes or until top of ham is richly glazed. Remove ham from pan. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Carve ham carefully, holding slices together to keep the stuffing intact. Garnish platter with glazed carrots and fresh watercress leaves!

Whatever you decide to do with your Christmas leftovers just make sure you enjoy them without the need to throw lots of quality food in the bin.

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic

My Traditional Christmas Dinner – Part 4

Dominic — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:05:51 +0000

Now for the best part ofmy traditional Christmas dinner especially if you have your inlaws enforced on you – ALCOHOL. Your Christmas just wouldn’t be the same with a lovely Christmas punch and here is my personal favourite.

Ingredients:

1 – 6 oz. can of frozen orange juice

2 – 6 oz. cans of frozen limeade

1 – 6 oz. can of frozen lemonade

1 large can of pineapple juice

1 pint of cranberry juice cocktail

8 cups of cold water

2 quarts of chilled ginger ale

1 quart of plain chilled soda water

1 quart of frozen strawberries

Mint garnish

Method:

Empty frozen juices, pineapple and cranberry juice, and water in a large container. Let

stand until frozen juice is thawed; stir well. Add frozen strawberries. Pour mixture into punch bowl. Add ice cubes. Just before serving, gently pour in ginger ale and soda water. Top with fruit ice ring and sprigs of mint. Fruit Ice Ring: Use any combination of lime, lemon or orange slices. Arrange in pattern in ring mold; add water to cover fruit and freeze. Add some spirits or wine to add abit of a kick to your punch.

This traditional Christmas punch has both adults and children in mind giving you the option to make it for kids or for when they are in bed exhausted from the long day they have had. I also like to have a punch like this for boxing day when you have friends over for a bit of company.

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic

My Traditional Christmas Dinner – Part 3

Dominic — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:29:05 +0000

Now for the third part of my traditional Christmas dinner is the part that the children love the most. Or anyone else in the family that has a sweet tooth. For this recipe I have gone with a traditional Chocolate trifle as everyone loves a trifle and they are very easy to make even for those that aren’t the best in the kitchen when it comes to baking.

My Traditional Christmas Chocolate trifle

Ingredients:

200g bar Continental Plain Chocolate

2 x 500g Fresh Custard

1 pack 4 Double Chocolate Muffins

2 x 425g Black Cherries, in syrup, drained

6 tbsp cherry brandy

1 pot Extra Thick Double Cream

Method:

Step 1

Break the chocolate into even-sized pieces and place into a heat proof bowl. Rest over a pan of gently simmering water for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.

Step 2

Remove from the heat to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully stir the custard into the chocolate, cover and allow to cool completely.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cut each of the muffins into 4-5 thick slices. Arrange half the muffins in the base of a large glass trifle bowl and cover with half the cherries.

Step 4

Sprinkle with half the cherry brandy then spoon over half the chocolate custard. Repeat the layers.

Chill until needed.

Step 5

Just before serving the trifle, remove from the fridge and cover with the double cream.

Then sprinkle with the crumbled Flakes.

Step 6

Serve immediately. And thoroughly enjoy. If you are making this for the children just leave out the brandy.

For the pudding I love the traditional trifle but I also like this take on the trifle a chocolate one it is Christmas and indulgence is expected so give it a go and let me know what you think.

For the rest of the week we will look at how you can reduce on your food waste without feeling like you have the worst diet on earth.

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic

My Traditional Christmas Dinner – Part 2

Dominic — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:46:38 +0000

Now after showing you yesterday the traditional Christmas dinner starter I would like to take you into the facinating world of a full traditional Turkey roast. Christmas just isn’t the same without a lovely Turkey to enjoy with your family and friends.

Below you will find my traditional turkey roast recipe so get yourself thinking about what you need to get done before Christmas comes along.

Ingredients:

1 Turkey fresh

Stuffing mix

1/4 lb Butter

1/2 lb Salt pork,thinly sliced

Method:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425′F.

Step 2

Cut the butter into very thin slices; place the butter in the freezer to harden while you prepare Turkey.

Step 3

Wash the turkey inside and out. Remove and you can keep the neck, giblets and wing tips if you want to make a gravy later. Pat dry with paper toweling. Starting at the breast, separate the skin from the meat by working your fingers between them. Push your hand under skin as far as you can go and gently free the skin on both sides of the breast by lifting with your hand slowly. Loosen the skin around the upper part of the legs, stopping about halfway down the legs. Insert slices of the frozen butter, first under the leg skin, then under the breast skin.Reshape the loosened skin on the bird by patting it gently back in place. It will look abit strange but when it is cooked the skin will go back in place. Wrap the turkey loosely in waxed paper and refrigerate.

Step 4

You can now fill the turkey with stuffing some people make it themselves but on this recipe i have suggested a stuffing mix usually a sage and onion stuffing i find good. Read the instructions on the packet of the stuffing and follow.

Step 5

Fill the cavity of the turkey loosely with your stuffing. Tie the neck skin of the turkey to the body with a skewer. Place slices of salt pork over breast and fasten with wooden picks. Place turkey on its side on rack in open roasting pan.

Step 6

Cook the turkey for 15 minutes, then turn the turkey onto the other side and roast for another 15 minutes.

Step 7

Lower the temperature of the oven to 325′F. and continue to roast turkey, turning the Turkey from side to side and basting often with the drippings from the pan, for about 3-1/2 to 4 hours depending on the size of your turkey or until juices run clear and there is no sign of blood in the juices when the thigh is pierced with a fork.If the roasting tin starts to smoke then add 1/2 a cup of water to it. Roast the turkey breast side up for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. When ready remove and throw away the pork. Transfer turkey to a serving platter and let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Save all drippings in pan for the gravy if you want to.

For the main course you could have a variety of different meats but for me turkey is Christmas if it is cooked right it is delicious and you just cant beat it.

Tomorrow i’m going to show you the nicest Christmas dessert that you can indulge in so I will see you then!

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic

My Traditional Christmas Dinner – Part 1

Dominic — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:10:49 +0000

To kick off my traditional Christmas dinner it has to start with a traditional starter to get every body ready for the turkey main course. To make life easier and to enjoy your christmas menu even more I have opted for a traditonal prawn cocktail. This is a fantastic starter to do and has been a popular favourite since the 1970’s and is one of my wife’s all time favourites.

So this week I will be talking you through all the Christmas dinner food that you need to prepare.

One of the great benefits of choosing a traditional prawn cocktail as your starter is that it can be prepared the day before giving you even more time to spend with family over Christmas.

So here is my traditional prawn cocktail

Ingredients:

450g peeled, cooked prawns

200g salad cream

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp lemon juice

Few drops Tabasco

3 heads gem lettuce

Method:

Make sure the prawns are drained well of their liquid. Mix the salad cream, ketchup, lemon juice and Tabasco in a bowl. Tip in the prawns and mix well to coat them in the Marie-Rose sauce.

Finally shred the lettuce, and arrange as a bed on six small plates or dessert glasses. Divide the prawns in their sauce on the centre of each plate in a kind of pyramid, and then dust with paprika.

As long as the prawns were properly thawed and drained before you started mixing them in their famous marie-rose pink sauce, it does not matter if they sit for a good few hours in the fridge before being turned out onto their lettuce-lined dishes.

For a quick starter I think you cant beat a prawn cocktail to get you started as it is very light on your tummy and wont fill you up so you will be ready for your main course.

If you are watching your weight you can always make your own marie rose sauce from scratch using diet mayonnaise then you won’t feel as guilty when you tuck into the turkey later on.

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic