I am lucky to still have 2 younger children who keep the Christmas excitement going in our house. It can be a little sad when they all grow up (as my 3 adult children have done) and do not want to wake up between 4:30am and 5:00am to see if Santa has been. But they still love to give (and receive) gifts, eat great food all day and hang with the family. For me, Christmas is about spending the day with my family. Celebrating the day with loved ones and the rewarding feeling you get when you see the delight on the kids’ faces as they open their gifts.

Not long now until the big day and I am sure everyone is preparing in some way or another for a festive feast. This year it is breakfast in my house (with the in-laws) and then off to my Mum and Dads for the rest of the day (I can’t wait!!). I have listed a few things below that I like to prepare for a Christmas morning brekkie. Hope you enjoy your day and Merry Christmas!!

Fruit Salad Ice Bowl

I have used this idea for a number of years now and because it is a morning event, the ice tends to  last a little longer.

• Take 2 bowls (preferable with flat bases) – one needs to be at least 2 sizes smaller than the other. The ice bowl will be the size of the larger one so judge the size you are after on this.
• Place thinly sliced orange or kiwi fruit (whatever takes your fancy) around the outside of the large bowl.
• Place the smaller bowl inside the large bowl and carefully pour water between the two bowls – if the fruit moves try and stick it back onto the sides. If not just remove it and don’t use it.
• Secure the smaller bowl to the centre of the large bowl using sticky tape.
• Clear a space in your freezer and allow 12 – 24 hours to freeze.
• Remove from the freezer once frozen and place quickly into a sink full of warm water to loosen.
• Pour some water into the smaller bowl to help loosen it.
• Once the bowl is free, place back into the freezer until needed.
• When ready to serve place onto a plate (preferable with sides) and fill with your favourite Christmas fruits.
• Fruit may be either chopped up for fruit salad or whole fruits such as strawberries, cherries, lychees, apricots and plums.

The Christmas Breakfast Platter

This is great because you can do it on Christmas Eve and there is no need to fuss so much on Christmas day.

• On a large platter (that fits comfortably in your fridge) lay some sliced leg ham, sliced cheese of your choice (Jarlsberg / Gouda / Camembert) and slices of tomato.
• As well as small bowls of caramelised onion, homemade cranberry sauce (see previous blogs) or a jam of your choice.
• This is also served with croissants that can be freshly heated on the morning.

A few sweet treats to finish it off may include:

• Shortbread
• Rum balls
• Mince pies

And for refreshments: Non-alcoholic punch / Champagne (of course) and freshly brewed coffee.

                                                                     HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

In my family, Christmas and food go hand in hand. It’s about getting together as a household and providing friends and family with good things to eat and then later on, the memories that come flooding back as those foods are eaten again. It’s funny how certain foods can bring to mind such wonderful memories.

There is always something personal about giving handmade edible gifts whether it is to friends, family, or even the office Secret Santa! This Christmas spend a few hours in the kitchen, whip up something friends and family will really enjoy, and create some memories of your own. For an added flair, include the recipe in your gift so that they can be enjoyed again and again.

The weather seems to be warming up (finally) so the next couple of gift recipes are no-bakers. You can even get those junior chefs involved. My kids love to help me in the kitchen and they are good at spreading the Christmas cheer from one end of the kitchen to the other (joy)!

Adult Mini Plum Pudds – makes approx. 40

500g fruit cake (dark or light- whatever takes your fancy)

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

80ml Kahlua (if you would rather non-alcoholic dissolve 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 80ml water)

40g flaked almonds, crushed

400g dark chocolate, melted

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

150g white chocolate, melted

Red glace cherries for garnish

Green glace cherries for garnish

1. Place the fruit cake into a large bowl and crumble the cake as fine as possible.
2. Add the coconut, Kahlua and almonds and around 180g of the melted chocolate.
3. Roll 2 teaspoons of mixture into balls and set aside
4. Pour the oil into the remaining chocolate and using a fork dip the mini pudds into the chocolate and then onto a cake rack sitting on a tray. Refrigerate until set
5. Melt the white chocolate and spoon a small amount on top of the pudds to resemble icing.
6. Decorate with the glace cherries

Kids Mini Plum Pudds – makes approx. 40

2 packets white marshmallows

375g milk chocolate melts

150g white chocolate melts

1 packet Jaffa’s

Lolly spearmint leaves for chopped for garnish (if unavailable any green lolly will suffice)

Small patty cases

1. Melt the milk chocolate and using a skewer dip in the marshmallows
2. Place into a small patty case (Christmas cases are now available or use red and green)
3. Melt the white chocolate and spoon a small amount on the top.
4. Top with the Jaffa and garnish with the spearmint leaves.

I love Christmas and my family love this special time of year too. The house is alive with colour from the decorations, the kids are excited every morning as they move the Santa on the advent calendar as they countdown the days, the stockings are hanging on the mantel piece (and yes there is even one for the dog and the two guinea pigs) and mum (that’s me) is in the kitchen baking lots of Christmas treats.

I enjoy baking gifts for friends, teachers and neighbours as there is nothing better than a gift you have made yourself. Over the next few weeks I will share a few easy recipes you may like to try and with all this wet weather you will have a great excuse not to be outside!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce (makes approx. 3 cups)

500g frozen cranberries

2 cups caster sugar

60ml malt vinegar

60ml port

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC
2. Place the cranberries into a large baking dish with the sugar, vinegar and port and mix until combined.
3. Cook for 35 minutes – until the cranberries are soft and the sauce has started to thicken.
4. Spoon into sterilised jars immediately.
5. Store up to 3 weeks in the fridge or tie some tinsel around the top and give as a gift.

Turn the oven down to 160oC and throw this together……….

Spiced Nuts (makes approx. 3 cups)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

3 cups mixed nuts of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 160oC
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and stir in the spices, cooking for 1 minute.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, salt and sugar
5. Spread over the baking tray and cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden
6. Allow to cool before spooning into clean jars.
7. Decorate the top if using as a gift.

Year-round there is always a good reason to celebrate with family and friends and Christmas time is no exception. Catering for a crowd can be a lot of fun and very rewarding if you plan ahead and manage to be organised on the day.  Another tip is to have a great team of friends and family members who over the years have become interested in cooking and who love to contribute by bringing a dish to these festivities.

A few tips for a successful gathering;

• Cater to suit the season – as well as seasonal produce being cheaper when it is in season it is also the most optimum – the flavour is at its best
• Cater to suit the guests – the menu needs to reflect the type of people you are going to serve. Some examples include;
  • Small children – party foods with dipping sauces
  • Mid-teens -  growing kids need lots of food
  • Late-teens – smaller cocktail foods, no messy foods that could dirty a girls nails and no garlic that could spoil a boys chances and the important tip to remember – eating gets in the way of drinking.
  • Adults – it gets a bit easier now if you don’t think about everyone’s likes and dislikes, allergies and intolerances, diets and cultures. Simple foods that could range from
    • BBQ’s and salads
    • Roast meats (Webber)  and salads
    • Seafood and salads
    • Finger foods etc.

I hope you like the Vegetable Pesto Pasta recipe this week. It is a bit of a hit with my family as a week night meal and my friends have also had the chance to eat this at a recent get-together.

Vegetable Pesto Pasta                  (serves 4)

400g pasta * (see note)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 x medium zucchini sliced into rounds

200g mushrooms sliced

1 x red capsicum sliced into strips

2 x Lebanese eggplants sliced

2 x cloves garlic crushed

2 x 150g basil pesto with pine nuts and parmesan **

300ml chicken stock

½ cup cream

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Garlic Bread – Optional

1. Boil pasta per directions on the pack.
2. While the pasta is cooking make the sauce. Heat a large frying pan to medium heat and then add the oil.
3. Sauté all of the vegetables until starting to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the pesto and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
5. Place in the pasta and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
7. Whether you have used fresh or dried pasta will depend on how quickly the sauce is absorbed by the pasta. (see note below)
8. Adjust to suit your style. The longer the pasta sits in the sauce the more it will absorb.
9. Serve in bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese.
10. Garlic bread will complete the meal

*I always like to use fresh pasta. If you do not have the time to play around with that then a store bought pasta from the refrigerator cabinet is just as good. I have been using ‘Strozzapreti’ – twisted pasta. Of course you can always use dried pasta – the choice is endless

**This is again the easy way out. If you have basil growing then make your own pesto.

As a mother of five this question is probably the most asked question in my house other than “where’s my……….?” And as many mothers and fathers would know, every day I am expected to come up with a different, nutritious and delicious meal that will satisfy six totally diverse taste buds (husbands are included)!

Being organised and planning ahead is a big advantage and takes some of the pressure off when I leave for work at 7:30am and walk in the door at 5:30pm. What doesn’t help are the text messages around 6:00pm that may contain “won’t be home tonight” or sometimes “2 friends comin over to study, whats for dinner?”

Kim’s Kitchen is my new blog on myGC and my aim is to provide the Gold Coast with some innovative recipes for feeding the family and I will be sure to add some entertaining ideas for when friends drop in over during the festive season.

To start off I would like to share my favourite fish dish:

Snapper Fillets with Pineapple and Roast Capsicum Salsa

4 x snapper fillets (approx 150g ea)*

Seasoned flour (plain flour with salt and pepper)

2-tablespoons olive oil

1-tablespoon butter

4 x chat potatoes (boiled or steamed and cut into 3)

150g mixed baby spinach and rocket leaves

200g pumpkin – cut into cubes

1-tablespoon honey

12 cherry tomatoes – cut in half

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200oC.
2. Place pumpkin in a small baking dish and drizzle with honey. Bake for 20 minutes
3. Make salsa (method below)
4. In a large frying pan heat the oil and butter and cook the potatoes until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
5. Dust the snapper in the seasoned flour and place into the pan. Cook for approximately 3 minutes each side.
6. Mix the rocket leaves with the baked pumpkin and cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and divide among four plates
7. Arrange potato slices on each and rest snapper on the potato.
8. Spoon salsa on top of the fish and serve.

Pineapple and Capsicum Salsa

Spray oil

1 x large red capsicum

2 x large tomatoes

1-teaspoon oil

¼ onion, finely chopped

210g tin pineapple pieces and juice

2-tablespoons brown sugar

2-tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Line a baking tray with non-stick paper and spray the capsicum and tomato with oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until capsicum skin starts to blacken. Remove and allow to rest until cool enough to remove the skin from both the capsicum and tomato. Chop the flesh of both vegetables and set aside.
2. Heat the teaspoon of oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.

*Note If Snapper is not to your liking, you could use any fish fillet you prefer)