Christmas Treacle Pudding

Christmas Treacle Pudding

A classic steamed syrup sponge. Simple to make and guaranteed to Please Anyone. Steam traditionally or microwave in 5 minutes.

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time over 2 hours

Serves Serves 6

Ingredients

• 180 g/6 oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 180 g/6 oz plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3 free-range eggs
• 180 g/6 oz demerara sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle
  

Method

1. Grease a 1 liter / 1¾ pints pudding basin with butter. Put the golden syrup in to the bottom of the basin.
2. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand whisk, mix the flour, baking powder, butter, eggs, sugar and treacle until well combined.
3. Pour the mixture into the basin and cover with a piece of grease proof paper.
4. Take a piece of tin foil and make a pleat down the middle, then place this over the top of pudding basin and tie it in place like a lid. The pleat allows the foil to expand during cooking.
5. Place an upturned saucer or a ramekin in a deep saucepan and sit the pudding on top. Add boiling water until it comes half-way up the basin. Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently to stream the pudding for about 2¼ hours, topping up the water as necessary.
6. To check if the pudding is cooked, insert a metal skewer into the pudding. If it comes out clean it is ready.
7. Carefully remove the pudding from the pan. Loosen the edges by running a table knife around the pudding and turn out onto a plate.
8. Recipe Tips: To cook in the microwave, spoon the mixture into the pudding basin until three-quarters full, then smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Loosely cover with clingfilm (allow room for the clingfilm to inflate as the mixture rises) and place in the microwave for five minutes. The pudding is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to stand for five minutes, before turning out onto a deep plate and remove the basin.
   

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Christmas Pasta With Winter Ratatouille

Christmas Pasta With Winter Ratatouille

James Martin shows you a quick and simple way to serve this ever-popular dish.

Each serving provides 715 k cal, 20 g protein, 132 g carbohydrate (of which 31 g sugars), 9 g fat (of which 1.5 g saturates), 14 g fiber and 1.1 g salt.

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Serves Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200 g/7 oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
• 200 g/7 oz parsnips, peeled and cut in large pieces
• 200 g/7 oz carrots, washed and cut in large pieces
• 110 g/4 oz red onions, cut in quarters
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 75 ml/2½ fl oz clear honey
• 2 sprigs rosemary, plus extra chopped rosemary to garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500 g/1 lb 2 oz packet of pasta
• 800 ml/1 1/3 pint pasta
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6.
2. Place all the vegetables and the garlic on an oven tray and drizzle with the olive oil and honey. Add the sprigs of rosemary and season well. Cook for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and browned.
3. While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
4. Remove vegetables from the oven, squeeze the cloves of roasted garlic over the vegetables and tip everything in a saucepan.
5. Add the pasta, bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a minute or two.
6. Serve on top of the pasta and garnished with chopped rosemary.
7. Recipe Tips: The ratatouille can be made in advance and frozen. Then all you need to do is cook some pasta for a super speedy supper.
   

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Christmas chocolate Sauce pudding

Christmas chocolate Sauce pudding 

This is a warm, rich, silky, but very traditional pudding, perfect with vanilla ice cream on a cold winter night. Try it it's almost guaranteed not to fail, and if you have kids they will enjoy the way the sauce slowly creeps to the bottom during cooking!

Prep: 15 min  ›  Cook: 50 min  ›  Ready in: 1 hr 5 min  Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 150 g self raising flour
• 165 g caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 125 ml milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 g butter, melted
• 150 g dark brown soft sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 425 ml hot water
  

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas 5. Grease an ovenproof dish, I used a glass casserole dish around 2 litres.
2. Sift flour, sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa into a large mixing bowl. Add combined milk, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour mixture into baking dish.
3. Sift combined brown sugar and remaining cocoa evenly over the top of the pudding mix. Gently pour the water over the pudding, using a spoon to break the flow. Transfer to oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes.
4. Serve hot from the oven and dust with icing sugar if desired, enjoy!
   

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Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding

Get motivated in December to make your Christmas pudding to have it mature in time for Christmas.
Equipment and preparation: You will need a 1.2 liter /2 pint pudding basin, baking paper, foil and kitchen string.
Preparation time overnight
Cooking time over 2 hours
Serves Makes 1 x 1.2 liter/2 pint pudding

Ingredients

350 g/12 oz mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas)
100g/3½oz pitted ready-to-eat prunes, chopped or left whole
100g/3½oz dark muscovado sugar
4 tbsp dark rum
100 ml/3½fl oz stout
100g/3½oz chopped walnuts
100g/3½oz blanched almonds
100g/3½oz ground almonds
100g/3½oz fresh white breadcrumbs
50g/1¾oz plain flour
100g/3½oz frozen butter, grated, plus a little extra for greasing
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp mixed spice
100g/3½oz chopped glacé cherries (or left whole if you prefer)
3 large free-range eggs, beaten

Method

1. Combine the mixed fruit, prunes, muscovado sugar, rum and stout in a mixing bowl. Stir well to mix, cover and leave for 24 hours to soak.
2. After 24 hours, mix the walnuts, almonds, ground almonds, breadcrumbs, flour, butter, spices, cherries and eggs along with the soaked fruit mixture in a large mixing bowl, making sure you include all the soaking liquor from the soaked fruit. Mix well until completely combined (let all the members of the family have a stir and make a wish).
3. Cover with cling film and leave to stand in a cool place for 24 hours.
4. After 24 hours, grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basin with butter. Cut a circle of baking paper and place into the bottom of the pudding basin and then grease it with a little more butter. Pack the pudding mixture into the pudding basin, pressing as you add it. Fold a pleat into the middle of a large piece of baking paper and place over the pudding. Cover with a large piece of pleated foil, ensuring the pleats are on top of one another. Secure tightly with kitchen string tied under the lip of the pudding basin.
5. Place an upturned saucer into a large saucepan one-quarter full of water. Fold a long piece of foil into quarters lengthways to create a long strip and place the pudding basin in the middle of the strip. Bring the sides of the strip up the sides of the pudding basin and lower into the saucepan. Ensure the water in the saucepan comes one-third of the way up the side of the pudding basin, but nowhere near the top of the basin. Leave the ends of the foil strip hanging over the side to make it easy to remove the pudding later.
6. Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer gently for 5-6 hours, topping up the water level as necessary throughout cooking (do not allow the pan to dry out).
7. Once the pudding is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside to cool. The pudding can be stored for up to two years in a cool, dry place. To serve, reheat the pudding by steaming again (in the same way) for two hours, or until hot all the way through. Alternatively, remove the foil and reheat in the microwave.
   

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Christmas Roast turkey with lemon & garlic

Christmas Roast turkey with lemon & garlic

Love crispy skin on roast turkey at Christmas? You'll be fan of this recipe which uses store cupboard ingredients to make a festive favorite even more special.

PREP: 30 MINS
COOK: 3 HRS, 25 MINS
SERVE: 8

Ingredients

5-6kg oven-ready turkey, neck and giblets removed and kept for the gravy
1 onion, halved
1 lemon, halved (save the zest for the butter)
whole bulb of garlic, halved

For the salt mix

2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp peppercorns

For the butter

100 g butter
4 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder (we used Marigold)
1 lemon zested (from the lemon for the turkey)

Method

1. Up to two days ahead, make the salt mix by grinding the salt with the thyme leaves and pepper in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and gently push your fingers under the skin, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand in down the length of the breast. Take care not to tear the skin.
2. Season the bird all over with the salt mix, inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days – the longer you salt it, the more succulent the turkey will be. For the crispest skin, leave the turkey uncovered so it dries out, but loosely cover it if you prefer.
3. Tip the butter, vegetable stock powder and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and chill. Can be made a few days ahead or frozen, wrapped in cling film, for one month.
4. Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour or so before you want to cook it. Remove the butter from the fridge to soften. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Work out your cooking time based on 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, plus 45 mins for every kg after that.
5. Use your hands to spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the entire breast area and work it into the crevice between the thigh and the main body, then smooth the skin over with your hands. Put the onion, lemon halves, and garlic in the cavity.
   

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Christmas Asian Spaghetti

Christmas Asian Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Snow Peas, Garlic

We LOVE this simple 7-ingredient meal that's easy to make! It's a great dish to adapt and add other veggies if you wish - asparagus, bell pepper, and bean sprouts are fantastic, and tofu or temped would be a great protein boost. The light flavor of this dish comes from the garlic and Tamara - two of my favorites! It tastes great both warm and cold, so leftovers are a perfect work lunch with no need to reheat.

Vegan, gluten-free (with gf pasta and tamari)

Ingredients
8 oz. angel hair pasta (or spaghetti, etc)
8 oz. mushrooms
1 1/2 cups snow peas
2 medium carrots
6 green onions
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup tamari/soy sauce (less/more to taste)
Optional: sesame oil, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, sesame seeds for topping

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
Meanwhile, slice mushrooms, cut green onions in 1/2" pieces, and cut carrots into matchsticks/julienned. Mince garlic.
In a large skillet over med-high heat, saute mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. (Can use sesame oil for more flavor if desired.)
Add snow peas, carrots, green onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Add garlic, stir, and heat for 1 minute.
Add pasta and tamari/soy sauce. Toss well to combine and heat for a few minutes until heated through. Serve warm or chilled.

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Christmas Chicken, Avocado and Chickpea Wrap

Christmas Chicken, Avocado and Chickpea Wrap

It Is So Yummy That You'll Fall In Love With It.It's So Easy And Simple To Make.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken Breast (boneless & skinless)
2 wraps or tortillas
1 Can Chickpeas (rinsed & drained)
1 Avocado
2 Cups Assorted Veggies
½ Cup Opadipity by Litehouse Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
Salt and Pepper
Ingredients to Marinate the Chicken:
3 TS Litehouse Instantly Fresh Ginger
1 Lemon
3 TS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Use lemon, ginger, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to marinate the chicken breast. Put it in a Ziploc bag and leave it in the fridge. You can also use other ingredients to marinate the breast.
You can heat the wrap or tortilla or you can use it as it comes. The same goes for the veggies and chickpeas. I prefer to eat them raw, but it depends how you like them and if they need to be cooked (usually for 2-3 minutes).
Cook the marinated chicken breast on the grill or in a grill pan on the stove until they reach 165 degrees internal temperature. Then, let it rest.
Rinse and drain the chickpeas and place in a bowl with the avocado. Mash the chickpeas and avocado together with a fork. Add the chicken breast (diced) to the mixture with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip and mix together. Divide the mixture and spread on two tortillas or wraps and roll up.
Place the two wraps in separate containers with 2 cups of your favorite fresh veggies. Serve with 2 TS of Opadipity by Litehouse Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip.

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Christmas Turkey

Christmas Turkey

The turkey is cooked high and fast like a chicken, giving it extra crispy skin. It needs longer to rest so the meat can relax and stay succulent.

Ingredients

100g butter, softened
3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 turkey (around 4kg), giblets removed
1 garlic bulb
1 lemon, halved
2 bay leaves
2 large banana shallots, unpeeled, cut in half lengthways
250ml white wine
1 red cabbage (about 900g), cut into 6 wedges
500ml good-quality chicken stock
1 tsp cornflour (optional)

Method
Take your turkey out of the fridge at least 1 hr before you cook it. Heat oven to 200 C/180 C fan/ gas 6 and beat the butter with the rosemary. Starting from the neck of the turkey, carefully push your fingers underneath the skin until you can get your whole hand between the skin and the breast meat. Trying not to tear the skin as you go, spread the butter inside the pocket, squishing some into the crevice between the thigh and breast meat.
Put the garlic, lemon and bay leaves inside the turkey, then season liberally all over. Put the shallots in your largest flameproof roasting tin and put the turkey on top, breast-side up. Roast for 1 hr, then give it a good baste, pour in the wine and nestle the cabbage wedges in the tin (or underneath the turkey if they won’t fit). Return to the oven for another 30 mins – covered with foil if the turkey is looking too brown. The juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh, or a thermometer should read 75 C. If not done, carry on cooking for a further 5-10 mins.
Set aside the turkey on a board to rest for 1 hr, transferring the garlic and bay to the roasting tin for the gravy. If you want crispy skin, don’t cover the turkey. Wrap the cabbage wedges in two parcels of foil, with a spoonful of the turkey juices, season liberally and return to the bottom of the oven to carry on cooking while the turkey rests.

Spoon away most of the turkey fat, then put the tin on the hob over a medium heat. Mash the veg with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible , then pour in the stock and reduce the gravy by half. If you want to thicken it, stir in the cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water. Once happy with the consistency, strain and keep warm until ready to eat.

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