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Christmas Dinner
Fri 24-Dec-10
9:42 pm
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Shereen
Near Belfast, Northen Ireland

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It was Christmas Eve, folks
In the kitchen
My old man said to me: want to eat another one?
And then we ate a pile
Of the quare old Christmas cake 
I loosened my belt a notch and reached for slice two
 
Hello Smallholders and Merry Christmas! How are your preparations going for the big day tomorrow?
 
Turkey Lurkey's hiding in the shed and I only hope the insultated cool bag stops him freezing over night. I've sliced the leeks, peeled the potatoes, carrots and parsnips and left them in water. I've added a tablespoon of maple syrup to the parsnip water to see if it has any sweetening affect on them.
 
I've made two loaves of stuffing: one traditional pork, breadcrumbs, sage and onion; and one traditional one with added chopped walnuts, apricots, orange flesh and juice. I've been dangerously experimental with the stuffing and wrapped them in streaky bacon. The theory is this will prevent them drying up when they're roasting.
 
Tomorrow I''ll deal with the turkey and chipolatas. I appear to have bought a lot of chipolatas.
 
What about you lot?
Sat 25-Dec-10
11:17 am
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typhoo
France - ex Ecosse

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Spag bol taken out the freezer this morning, can't get to our friends cos snowed in aargh having a sherry to numb the pain.  Merry Christmassteam

Sat 25-Dec-10
11:33 am
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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Oh bummer Fi!  Hope you are not too disappointed.  Have you enough wine and fags? wink   I shall be eating chicken, carrots, potatoes, leeks and gravy.

 

I'll try that again!

Sat 25-Dec-10
11:40 am
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danast
Argyll, Scotland

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wave Oh Fiona that is such a shame.  Hope you have a good day anyway.

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

Sat 25-Dec-10
12:19 pm
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typhoo
France - ex Ecosse

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Hi TA, aye lessons learned in the past, plenty fags and wine, on my second little sherry, may break out the fizz later

 

And tae ma wee Scottish mate.   I'm sure we will cope under the stress of it all haha, hope you both have a great day x

Sat 25-Dec-10
12:27 pm
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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Bless.  I didn't know that you'd had more snow.  Will this winter never end?  I heard on the radio that it is the coldest December since records started.

I'll try that again!

Sat 25-Dec-10
1:32 pm
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Shereen
Near Belfast, Northen Ireland

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Typhoo - I just saw the French snow chaos on the TV news. Stay warm and safe and make plans with your friends to do Christmas properly just as soon as Mother nature lets you x

I've got the turkey prepped and cooking away in the oven, and I'm about to phone my parents and then have a shower. I don't get myself together on Christmas Day until the breakfast is cooked and the turkey well under way. Currently I smell of smoked bacon, black pudding and cooking turkey. I'm really, really looking forward to the shower!

Sat 25-Dec-10
2:01 pm
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typhoo
France - ex Ecosse

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Bless her, the pal we were supposed to be going to called not long ago, she said dependant on tomorrows weather to come over then, cold turkey ham baked pots etc, just looked at 3 websites, -15 tonight and only getting to -10 tomorrow.  That's the problem with living in rural France, no gritters, so ice will not be melted.  Thanks everyone for your thoughts, and Shereen, that breaky sounded wonderful, and am sure you smell like a rose now haha rose

Sat 25-Dec-10
2:21 pm
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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How much Bolognese sauce have you Fiona?  big_laugh

I'll try that again!

Sat 25-Dec-10
3:08 pm
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typhoo
France - ex Ecosse

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Tons thanks, and meatballs and stews, willnae be starving lolbig_hug lol  Snow tyres!!!!!!!!!!!!  Need ice tyres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sat 25-Dec-10
3:15 pm
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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Glad to hear it.  Snow tires not good enough for the icy conditions then?

I'll try that again!

Sat 25-Dec-10
6:17 pm
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Danny
Scarborough, England
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Thankfully the roads are dry here although the pavements are icy. Just -2 this evening so no problem for us motoring the 16 miles to Fiona's sis in Cambridge who hosted the Christmas lunch this year. Her mum was not feeling well, so decided not to travel. Hopefully she will be better tomorrow when we repeat the trip and pick her up on the way.

Sis in law splashed out on a top of the range, free range, organic, hand fed with caviare from birth turkey (it must have been, given the price tag). She did a fantastic meal with all the trimmings, beautifully laid table and plenty of bubbly and wine. Then a brisk walk with her dogs in the trampled snow of Histon Road Rec Ground before coming back home.

A lovely day.

Last night F boiled and glazed a delicious ham that we had for supper and for snacking on over the holidays. She cooked a starter of grilled scallops in their shells in a cream and lemon sauce with a breadcrumb topping. Yum.

Had a giggle this morning when exchanging stockings to find that the mice had devoured the bag of choc gold coins that I had stored away for her. Nothing left, barely some gold foil scraps big_laugh

Never knowingly underfed

Sat 25-Dec-10
6:25 pm
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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So pleased that you all had a lovely day Danny.  What a hoot about the chocolate coins. big_laugh

I'll try that again!

Sat 25-Dec-10
6:29 pm
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danast
Argyll, Scotland

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wave  For the first time in a long time, I cooked a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings  just for myself .  I am so glad I did.  It was delicious.  I hope I think the same tomorrow and probably the next day.  big_laugh   Enjoying the sparkling wine too!!!!

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

Sat 25-Dec-10
6:41 pm
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Toffeeapple
North Bucks

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Well done Danuta, I am always impressed by people who cook for themselves when they live singly.  I managed to butterfly the piece of chicken I had and fried it off in flavoured oil.  The veggies I simply cooked in stock, all together.  I wish I hadn't bothered with them, the were distinctly lacklustre.  I should have just made some Yorkies and gravy.

I'll try that again!

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