Do you entertain at Christmas? Do you like to prepare your food in advance so you are ready for unexpected guests? I certainly like to be prepared and so by the end of November I have usually made the pudding, cake and rum balls. All of these keep well until Christmas if stored in the fridge or freezer. There are a few savoury items you can prepare ahead of time too. I usually make sausage rolls in early December. This will give you time closer to Christmas to make other treats for family and guests.
I hope this post will give you some new ideas for Christmas 2019!
Savoury Pastry Treats
Have you ever made your own Sausage Rolls? They are very simple to make. I use frozen pastry sheets and sausage mince that I purchase from the supermarket. Just divide each sheet of pastry into three sections and spoon the mince in a long sausage along each section. Roll up the pastry to make long, filled pastry sausages. Cut into portions and place on a lined baking tray. Cook at around 200 C for about 10 minutes or until they start to brown. Make sure they are not too brown as you will need to reheat in the oven later. Cool quickly and place into the freezer. You will have to do this quickly otherwise your family will eat them all and there will be none left for Christmas!
The mini pizzas are just as easy to make but they are best made just before you wish to serve them. Cut out rounds of puff pastry and place them onto a a lined baking tray. Smear each round with some pesto and top with your choice of toppings such as chopped chorizo, ham, cabanosi, olives, anchovies, tomatoes etc. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 200 C for about 6-8 minutes and eat straight away.
A few months ago I posted a recipe for Spinach Turnovers. These are also great at Christmas and you can make them small for your parties.
Chicken Wings and Mini Drummies
Another favourite is chicken wings and mini drummies. Marinate 1-2 kilos of chicken wings and drummies in a mix of soy sauce ( 1/4 cup), honey ( 1/4 cup) and 2 x cloves garlic, crushed. Drain off the marinade and place the chicken into a well greased baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 C. Turn the chicken pieces over and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes or until cooked. Be careful not to burn. Turn the heat down if the chicken is looking too dark.
Dips
I love dips but it is only recently that my children have learned to love them. They are so easy to make, particularly if you have a Thermomix. We have a few favourites – Hummus, Beetroot Dip and Capsicum and Sundried Tomato Dip which are all available from the Thermomix Recipe Community and can be made in a food processor if you don’t have a Thermomix. But one of my all time favourites – from my mum, is Corn Relish Dip. So simple. Just mix a container of sour cream with a jar of corn relish and chill. Serve with corn chips. So good!!!!
I usually make a range of dips and keep them in containers in the fridge over the Christmas season ( i.e. for a few days). I just serve up small amounts of each dip at meal times or when people arrive. This way, the remainder of the dip stays fresh and safe. This is particularly important when the weather is very warm!
You might also like to look at our recipe for Devilled Almonds too. They will spice up your parties!!
Enjoy!
What Next?
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Until next time,
Gillian (and Andrew)
