Donellis Festive Ideas....

The Festive season seems to start earlier and earlier each year, however I can really only get into the season when December hits and then I love it and begin to plan the next month of festivities.

So read on because I will share some lovely festive ideas & canapé ideas with you that you could either use at home over the festive season or make extras and use as delicious foodie pressies.

Quick & Easy Ideas for Festive Drinks

Crostini.. slices of French bread, ciabatta or any form of crusty loaf, 1 day old … drizzle with olive oil a rub of garlic and bake on a tray @ 180 in the oven for 7/8 mins until slightly brown… cool and store in an airtight container for 5 days..

Puff Pastry… buy the ready rolled out sheets and simply cut into little squares or be very festive and buy a star cutter– brush with egg and bake @ 170 for 6/7 mins until brown… cool and store in an airtight container for 3 days..

Pita bread , cut into bite sized pieces drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven @ 170 for 4 mins.

Some simple ideas to pop on your bases....

• Goats cheese, roast peppers & pesto
• Smoked or barbequed salmon, dill, lime, Mayo
• Brie topped with slices of pear
• Prawns mixed with coriander and sweet chilli sauce
• Basil pesto, semi sundried tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella
• Roast peppers drizzled with olive oil & Parmesean Cheese
• Pan fried mushrooms with parsley, lemon, garlic & 1 tablespoon of cream..
• Rocket & feta cheese with a grating of orange rind
• Spicy Tuna, 1 small can drained tuna, mixed with flat leaf parsley, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard & 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce.

Pates, Smoked meats, fish, cured salamis etc. are also fantastic simply topped on these little bread slices, or puff pastry stars..

Gourmet Crisps, tortilla chips , pitta bread squares,

Sliced carrots & celery make a delicious healthy alternative

Serve with some homemade dips...

Tzatzki

1 cucumber

200g plain yoghurt

3 tablespoons fresh mint chopped

2 cloves of garlic bashed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Keeps for 2/3 days, covered in the fridge

Cut the cucumber lengthways and then finely chop one half and grate the other. Combine yoghurt, finely chopped garlic, mint , lemon juice and cucumber. That’s your dip…..

Olive Tapenade

400g kalamata olives, pitted

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovy fillets drained (optional)

2 teasp Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

Place all these ingredients in blender and process until smooth.. transfer to a jar and cover with oil… keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Great as a dip with pitta bread, warmed and cut into rough pieces.

Warm Honey roasted nuts

500g mixed nuts,

for example: almonds, brazil, pecans, macadamias, cashews

175g honey

1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 teasp ground cumin

Preheat oven to 150 – combine all the ingredients in a small pot over low heat. Then simply spread the nuts on a baking tray lined with baking paper ( or you will have a nice job scrubbing the tray) bake until golden brown. This takes about 15 minutes.. Transfer to bowls and serve..

Buy a carton of Mixed olives…. Drizzle them with olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and maybe some rosemary.. or toss with semi sundried tomatoes, and chunks of feta cheese.

Or get a large plate, platter or tray and arrange all of the above …

Limoncella/Limoncello

Limoncella is a traditional lemon liqueur, originating from the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Thanks to an old Italian Friend of mine, many years ago I managed to persuade her to part with her Uncle’s Limoncella Liqueur recipe its actually a vv simple recipe and uses few ingredients.

Keep Limoncella in the freezer, its fab as an after dinner drink in a little shot glass. Or pop a nip in sparkling wine with a strawberry!!!

You just need a little time and patience ... the end result is worth it...

8 unwaxed lemons

500ml of vodka

2 cups of caster sugar

2 cups of water

Soak the lemons in cold water for 1 hour, remove and dry well.

Get yourself a very sharp knife and very finely peel the lemons, ensuring no pith is attached.

Pop the peel into a large jar and cover with 350ml of vodka. Cover and allow to stand in a cool dark place for 3 days.

3 days later............

Pop the sugar into a pot with 2 cups of water, combine well and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 mins. Allow to cool completely.

Add the syrup to the vodka/peel mixture and combine really well.

Allow to stand again in a cool dark place for 2 days.

2 days later again.....

Add the remaining vodka, 150ml to the jar. Allow to stand again in a cool dark place for 2 days.

2 days even later.....

Filter the mixture through muslin and use a funnel to pop the liquid into a bottle.

I purchase some of those flip top bottles and it looks great in them...

Stand for 1 week before using.

Cranberry port and orange relish

450g Cranberries

Juice and zest of 3 oranges

1 piece of fresh ginger peeled and halved (bout the size of your thumb)

75g caster sugar

3tbs port

1. Heat the cranberries, orange juice, port, ginger and sugar in a saucepan stir until sugar has dissolved.

2. Bring to the boil and stir again, cover and simmer for 5 mins.

3. When cool remove the ginger.

4. Pop into a clean sterilised jar and store in the fridge

Apple & Walnut Marmalade…

Delicious with cheeses..

450g red eating apples

60g unsalted butter

juice and zest of unwaxed lemon

75g soft brown sugar

125g walnuts chopped roughly

2 tbs of brandy

1. Cut apples into quarters.. don’t peel… take out core and cut quarters up into little pieces…

2. Melt butter and add lemon, sugar and apples, Simmer for about 15 mins stirring occasionally, until apples are cooked but not falling apart.

3. Turn up the heat to cook off the excess liquid.

4. When the mixture is cool, add the walnuts.

5. Transfer to a sterilized jar and store in the fridge for about 1 week.

Wonderful Italian Chocolate Christmas Cake

A rich chocolate cake with the festive flavours of cinnamon, orange & brandy

225g dark chocolate

25g unsalted butter melted and cooled

2 tablespoon v fine breadcrumbs

125g whole blanched hazelnuts

125g walnut pieces

5 drops of vanilla extract

65ml brandy

1 teasp cinnamon

200g golden caster sugar

5 large eggs separated

1 large orange, scrubbed under warm water and the peel without pith

remove with a potato peeler and very finely chop

8 in loose bottomed tin

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 350 or 180

1. Begin by buttering the cake tin generously, then sprinkle the inside with breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

2. Pop the hazelnut and walnut pieces in a food processor, then break the chocolate into small pieces and add to the nuts. Pulse the machine on and off until the mixture is of a grainy consistency, but not finely ground.

3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the vanilla extract, brandy cinnamon and melted butter and sugar mixing thoroughly.

4. Now gradually add the egg yolks, mixing in very well and finally add the orange peel.

5. Next whisk the egg whites to the stiff peak stage but not so thick that they become dry. Gently fold them into the chocolate mixture with a large metal spoon a few tablespoons at a time.

6. When all the eggs have been folded in spoon the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven of the centre shelf for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 mins.

7. Cover the cake loosely with baking parchment for the last 10 mins to prevent it becoming too brown.

8. Remove – leave in the tin for a few mins then pop out to cool on a wire rack.

9. You can put some chocolate icing on this cake however I think it looks just fab to decorate with a sprig of holly or some little red berries & a dusting of icing sugar.

10. This cake freezes perfectly and keeps in the fridge wrapped in parchment & foil for about 2 weeks.. if you can resist it…..