Merry Christmas everybody!!! :) haha okay i know it's abit belated. but i wanted to finish all my celebrations before doing a post on it. i feel so happy and blessed this christmas! ^^ surrounded by family, friends and loved ones, this year's Christmas was really an awesome celebration :) i had three christmas dinners consecutively from christmas eve to boxing day! :D it's been really the most amazing #christmas2012 ever :')
this feast looks SO DELICIOUS right?!!!! omg. i'm so inspired! it looks so martha stewart-like! she's my idol haha. anyway, this was my christmas eve party with sam and his family & family friends! :) it was a really lovely spread and a really nice cosy heartwarming atmosphere. cos i'm still coughing terribly (yeah i've been sick for almost three weeks now :/), i didnt talk much, but it was nice sitting there listening to all the conversation! anw it was my first time meeting all of them, so quite fun to just listen to them talk.
my darling is back from his holiday!!!! just in time for christmas ^^ all i could ask for christmas <3<3<3 so happy to see him, it was really all i needed :) this christmas tree is gorgeous isnt it! it was at the party too! i really loved the whole warm christmas-y ambience and food and all. hehe shall keep this in mind when i host a party next time! :) especially when we move back to our house....i wanna have a nice christmas party next year!!
on christmas day, had dinner with the family! ^^ and i'm so proud to say that me & mummy prepared all of these food! except the log cake. haha that was from Bakerzin. but everything from the appetizers, main course and drinks were prepared by me, with mummy as my sous chef ;)
here's what was on the menu:
- prawn cocktail (appetizer)
- mince pies
- pan fried potatoes
- cranberry cocktail (drink)
- log cake
*if you wanna see the recipes for these dishes, it's at the end of this post! :)
boxing day dinner with hopers! :)))) so glad that we finally had a chance to gather again ^^ really happy for all this festive season! although i had work the next day, but all the fun we had made it totally worth ittttt :) and i had such fun cooking for them! with sam as my assistant ;) heh. and ngan brought nic this time too!! only missing tzewei and dom who are busy travelling haha. can't wait for them to be back! must have a proper gathering before i fly off :(
okie that's all for christmas. can't wait for NEW YEAR now!!!!
have fun cooking and enjoy your 12 days of christmas! ^^
Prawn Cocktail, Mexican Style
250g prawns
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
sundried tomato puree
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp tabasco
2 tbsp sour cream
4 tbsp mayonnaise
iceberg lettuce
1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the prawns until they turn pink. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with lime juice and tabasco. Stir well till prawns are coated. Set aside to cool.
2. Add tomato puree and chopped coriander to the sour cream & mayonnaise and stir till combined.
3. Lay the lettuce at the base of cocktail glasses
4. Place the prawns onto the lettuce and spoon over with the sauce.
Mince Pies
200g plain four
40g caster sugar
40g ground almonds
125g butter
1 large egg, beaten
milk, to glaze
Mincemeat:
225g minced beef, cooked
225g apples, peeled, cored, chopped
225g sultanas
225g raisins
1 orange, zest & juice
60ml cognac
1. Mix all the mincemeat ingredients together. (can be packed in sterilized jars and stored in a cool dark place until use)
2. Lightly butter a 12 hole pie or patty tin. Tip the mincemeat into a bowl and stir so that the liquid is evenly distributed.
3. Rub the butter into the plain flour, caster sugar and ground almonds and stir in the egg.
4. Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour or so. Thinly roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with mincemeat.
5. Cut another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the pies. Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then brush lightly with milk. Chill for about 30min.
6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
7. Bake the pies for 20min or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and serve warm.
Pan fried potatoes
5 large potatoes
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
thyme & rosemary, to season
1. Wash the potatoes and peel them. Slice into 0.5cm thick pieces.
2. Fry some garlic in oil in a frying pan, then add as many slices to cover the bottom of the pan.
3. Fry for 5min on one side, or until it turns golden brown. Season it.
4. Flip it over to the other side and fry till golden brown.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining potato slices & garlic.
Cranberry Cocktail
2 1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 cup water
60ml vodka
finely grated zest of 1 orange
finely grated zest of 1 lime
1. Mix all the ingredients together. Chill for half and hour. Strain into glasses to serve.
Nachos
500g plain nachos
500g ground beef
salsa
250g cheddar cheese
jalepenos
sour cream
300g kidney beans, drained, rinsed
onion, finely chopped
35g taco seasoning
chili powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1. Cook and stir ground beef and onion over medium heat until meat is crumbly and no longer pink (5-10min).
2. Add kidney beans, chili powder, seasoning and tomato paste and 1/4 cup water.
3. Simmer for 5min until thick. Stir in coriander leaves.
4. Arrange nachos on a plate. Top with cheese, minced beef and beans. Bake for 5-10min, or until cheese is melted.
5. Top with salsa, sour cream and jalepenos and serve.
Chicken Stew
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 can diced tomatoes
few sprigs of thyme
12 chicken drumsticks
2 cups white wine
chicken stock
1. Prep all the vegetables. Just roughly chopped will do. In a casserole pot, fry the carrots, celery, onions, garlic and thyme with some olive oil for 5-10min over medium heat. The onions will be soft and translucent.
2. Raise the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook the chicken until it's no longer pink on the outside.
3. Add the white wine and diced tomatoes.
4. Add water/chicken stock until it just covers the chicken and vegetables. Bring the stew to a boil.
5. Once it's boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, put on the lid and leave it for 1 hour.
6. Remove the lid to reduce the liquid. Stir it once in awhile to prevent the vegetables and chicken from scorching the bottom.
7. Once reduced to your preference, serve.
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