Christmas Cooking Extravaganza!
Boy am I glad we got air conditioning installed this week because without it, the kitchen would have been unbearable! I have been cooking up a miniature storm before christmas arrives... almost done!
Firstly, I've made Nadz' Mum's plum jam and it is freaking DELICIOUS, thanks for the recipe!
Then I made white christmas slice as per this recipe: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/better-homes-gardens/34/white-christmas-slice/
EXCEPT I made a booboo, doubled the recipe but didn't have double the copha... so I used a tin of condensed milk to make it all stick and HELLO SWEET, it gave me a little ZING! in my tooth when I tried it.
Then I made rum balls as per this recipe: http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/10/rum-balls-recipe.html and bleurgh. Too gritty! I took them to work, and people ate them, but I personally didn't love it. Maybe would be better if the NICE biscuits were substituted for arrowroot biscuits maybe? IDK!
Then I made apricot snowballs as per a recipe I winged:
Ingredients:
200g dried apricots
1 packet milk arrowroot biscuits
1 tin condensed milk
1 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essense).
coconut for rolling or white chocolate melts
chop up your dried apricots til they're fairly fine (I just chuck them in the food processor... <3 the food processor!!) Then crush up your biscuits til they're biscuit dust (again, I just blitz them in the food processor - take out the apricots first!) then add the tin of condensed milk, vanilla, and coconut and mix til combined. Then mix in your apricots and chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Once chilled, roll into balls - whatever size takes your fancy, then roll in coconut OR, melt your white chocolate, stick it in a piping bag (or freezer bag with the corner snipped) and drizzle over the balls. Easy-peasy and delicious!
I also made crystallised ginger, but it turned out bloody horrible. I think it was maybe the ginger I used (some organic stuff that turned up in my fruit box)... I basically cooked the hell out of it in a sugar syrup until it was candied, and then rolled in powdery sugar, but the ginger itself is bloody spicy, like set your mouth on fire kind of spicy... you'd swear I cooked it with chilli or something, it's THAT HOT, I don't know why!!
Tomorrow I will finish up my christmas cooking duties with a few sandwiches I'm taking round to my oldie's place for (part of) lunch. I'm makind sandcrab sandwiches as per this woman's weekly recipe: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=88324
And smoked salmon roll ups, using mountain bread, cream cheese, dill, and smoked salmon. Roll it up, cut it into thirds, stick some toothpicks in and TA DA, done! Photos of christmas spread to come after the big day. Ah, food!
Firstly, I've made Nadz' Mum's plum jam and it is freaking DELICIOUS, thanks for the recipe!
Then I made white christmas slice as per this recipe: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/better-homes-gardens/34/white-christmas-slice/
EXCEPT I made a booboo, doubled the recipe but didn't have double the copha... so I used a tin of condensed milk to make it all stick and HELLO SWEET, it gave me a little ZING! in my tooth when I tried it.
Then I made rum balls as per this recipe: http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/10/rum-balls-recipe.html and bleurgh. Too gritty! I took them to work, and people ate them, but I personally didn't love it. Maybe would be better if the NICE biscuits were substituted for arrowroot biscuits maybe? IDK!
Then I made apricot snowballs as per a recipe I winged:
Ingredients:
200g dried apricots
1 packet milk arrowroot biscuits
1 tin condensed milk
1 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essense).
coconut for rolling or white chocolate melts
chop up your dried apricots til they're fairly fine (I just chuck them in the food processor... <3 the food processor!!) Then crush up your biscuits til they're biscuit dust (again, I just blitz them in the food processor - take out the apricots first!) then add the tin of condensed milk, vanilla, and coconut and mix til combined. Then mix in your apricots and chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Once chilled, roll into balls - whatever size takes your fancy, then roll in coconut OR, melt your white chocolate, stick it in a piping bag (or freezer bag with the corner snipped) and drizzle over the balls. Easy-peasy and delicious!
I also made crystallised ginger, but it turned out bloody horrible. I think it was maybe the ginger I used (some organic stuff that turned up in my fruit box)... I basically cooked the hell out of it in a sugar syrup until it was candied, and then rolled in powdery sugar, but the ginger itself is bloody spicy, like set your mouth on fire kind of spicy... you'd swear I cooked it with chilli or something, it's THAT HOT, I don't know why!!
Tomorrow I will finish up my christmas cooking duties with a few sandwiches I'm taking round to my oldie's place for (part of) lunch. I'm makind sandcrab sandwiches as per this woman's weekly recipe: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=88324
And smoked salmon roll ups, using mountain bread, cream cheese, dill, and smoked salmon. Roll it up, cut it into thirds, stick some toothpicks in and TA DA, done! Photos of christmas spread to come after the big day. Ah, food!