Twelve Tips of Christmas

Make a list…check it twice!

The biggest family gathering of the year, probably, can mean all kinds of stressful situations in the kitchen. If it is your turn to provide the feast, you can help the day to run smoothly by making a list. Start from your serving time and work backwards, that way you won’t miss a single party popper, present or parsnip.

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2.00pm Serve starters

1.30pm Carrots & parsnips in the oven

1.00pm Roast potatoes in

12.45pm Take turkey out to rest

12.30pm…

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Corking wine…

Just because it is a special occasion, doesn’t have to mean that the fizz has to cost a fortune. There are some fantastic alternatives to Champagne, Prosecco and Cava that are tasty, fizzy and cost a fraction of what you might think. Remember, before prosecco took off we never deviated from champers…Pignoletto could be the next big thing!

Pignoletto Frizzante wine is the quintessential Italian aperitif. With a satisfying fizz and a fruity, off-dry taste it is the perfect accompaniment to nibbles and starters.

Moscato d’Asti, also from Italy, is slightly sweeter in taste and generally low in alcohol. Not one to be dismissed, this goes perfectly with puddings and might be the pick me up that you need after a heavy lunch.

Lambrusco is one we have all heard off but rarely pick off the shelf. Light, fizzy, dry and rich on the palate this is a tantalising tipple to accompany cold meats and hors d’oeuvres- just right for that boxing day ham.

Crémants are wines that are made using the traditional champagne method, outside of the Champagne region in France. Look out for bottles featuring this label as you will be able to choose between flavours that vary depending on their region. This is a great substitute and definitely not a compromise.

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The ghost of Christmas present…

Have you been practising your ‘pleasantly surprised’ face? No one likes getting rubbish presents so why not ask everyone what they would like beforehand-and there is nothing wrong with dropping hints for your stocking either. Make Christmas easier, happier and inevitably cheaper by buying just one present that they actually want.

 

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Rocking around the Christmas tree…

So, you have eaten, filled the dishwasher twice, dropped four wine glasses, opened presents and Grandpa is now snoring. What now? Get the party started by preparing a Christmas playlist to pop on after everyone’s dinner has had a chance to go down and work off some of that brandy butter.

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Tidings we bring…

Going to your family or friend’s house for Christmas this year? Make sure you don’t arrive empty handed and sit down all day being waited upon. Telephone ahead and see if you can bring extra plates, cutlery or a chair and be prepared to get your Marigolds on-they will love you for it and you will definitely get an invite next year.

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Elf and safety…

Wine at breakfast, four times the amount of food you would normally cook sitting around the kitchen, sharp knives, dogs, children running around with their new ‘Power Rangers Dino Super Charge T-Rex Morpher’ and even a couple of sets of divorced parents to placate, Christmas cooking can get dangerous.

Ban children from the oven area during cooking, delegate jobs and take your time to stay safe this Christmas Day.

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Sleigh my name, sleigh my name…

Have some dodgy relatives? An uncle that just doesn’t know when enough wine is enough? Place names will keep you in control of some of the more predictable confrontations on Christmas Day. Sit the dodgy uncle with the raucous kids and leave Grandma to have a quiet meal with your sister.

It can even be a useful way to keep children out of the way whilst you are doing preparation on Christmas Eve as they can decorate and make name tags for the table whilst you lay the table.

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Season’s greetings…

So, your roast potatoes are not like his mum’s? So what? Don’t let Christmas past get in the way of your day. Here are some great rebuttals for all of those unhelpful Christmas crackers:

“My mum used to cook her roast potatoes in goose fat, they tasted fantastic.”

“Well, because your family has an inclination to become overweight I thought you would appreciate me cooking them in healthier rapeseed oil instead.”

 

 

“Does anyone want to help dish up the veg for me?”

Silence

“Please would someone come through to the kitchen and get some serving dishes?”

Silence

“OH GOD, the dog’s got the turkey!”

Everyone rushes to the kitchen…

“Great, thanks guys. Right, you can do carrots and you the potatoes…”

 

 

“Mum, why is his present bigger than mine?”

“You should’ve thought about that when you didn’t want to brush your teeth on 21st June.”

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All about that baste, about that baste…

It is true, and we have all tasted it, turkey can get really dry. Make sure you baste every hour and rest that turkey for at least an hour before serving. Covered in foil, it will stay piping hot and allow the meat to relax and become juicy again.

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Jingle bills…

Save money this Christmas with our money saving checklist:

  • Make the most of those supermarket money-off vouchers. Make a list and plan your food shop to coincide with getting the most use from your vouchers.
  • Delegate items to guests so that they can contribute to the big day. Offer a choice so that they feel included and leave it to them to choose the crackers, pudding or cheeseboard.
  • You don’t have a sleigh, or elves, so posting presents can get expensive. Look online for discount couriers that can save you money.
  • Use cash. It has been proved that spending cash is better than using a card if you want to save money on the high street. There are no ‘mindless purchases’ and once it is gone, it is gone…

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Brew-dolph…

Save on your drinks bill for the big day and have a go at brewing your own beer. Kits can be bought for as little as £20.00 online and will make plenty of pints in time for Christmas. You can even choose a festively named brew to make it extra Christmassy.

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Wait…there’s Myrrh!

After the festive buzz has died down, no one will remember who bought what at Christmas. Round up all the unwanted gifts and plan a trip to the high street. Exchange or return everything you don’t like and buy something to start your new year exactly how you want to; like a new pair of trainers, maybe?

 

The Hilarious Truth About Your Favourite Childhood Sweets

 This post will take you on a trip down memory lane. So many great treats, so many wasted pennies…

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Sherbet Fountains

What a joy. The best part was the fact that the liquorice used to stick out the end of the packaging. ALL OF THE TIME. The germs really added to the flavour, but unfortunately they decided to add a resealable plastic tube in a move that the Daily Mail described as ‘killjoys taking the fun out of it‘. 

 

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Kinder Surprise

SURPRISE! It’s another few small pieces of plastic that you don’t really know what to do with, just like the last time you invested your pocket money in one. 

 


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Candy Sticks

Not cool? Pfft. The single coolest thing you could do with a sweet as a seven-year-old. 

 

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Fab Lollies

Absolutely not ‘fab’ from the middle section downwards. 

 

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Funny Feet Lollies

Yes, these actually did (and still do) exist. Ew. 

 

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Mint Varieties

Mentos – mostly put into bottles of Diet Coke for the purpose of science. After Eights – rarely seen outside of December, and are dead posh. Smints – not seen since your uncle had a packet in 1998. 

All of the others are likely to be found on young males whilst in a nightclub. 

 

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Candy Necklaces

Each sweet would be carefully bitten in half so that you could ‘slingshot’ the other half across the room. 

Half way through, you’d get bored or feel sick. 

If you were really cool, you’d actually wear it – whilst it repeatedly pinched the skin on your neck. 

 

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The ’99’

Doesn’t – and never has – cost 99p. An absolute outrage that the world will almost never overcome. 

 

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PEZ

Cost about €5 from a corner shop abroad even though you only got about 10 sweets inside it. So worth it. 

 

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Pick ‘n’ Mix

These days, pick ‘n’ mixes are purchased about as often as people shorten the word ‘and’ to ‘n’. The magic of the pick ‘n’ mix was the fact that it could make your pocket money disappear even though you only have enough sweets to last through the adverts before a film. 

 

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Quality Street

Purchased for your gran at Christmas. When she offers them round, it’s a rush to eat the nice half.

Whether you should put the wrapper back into the tin or not should be settled via national vote. 

 

Please include attribution to CDA.eu when republishing these images. 

Fire Safety: Staying Safe at Home

Starting from the installation of our appliances, we make decisions that can have an impact on the lifespan and safety of our kitchens. Here are our top tips on how to stay safe in the kitchen with advice on everything from hobs to washing machines and all the daily chores in between…

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Cheat Beets: Pickle Your Home Grown Veg in No Time

If you’ve never pickled vegetables but you’d like to give it a go, there’s a few things you’ll need to consider. Here’s our rundown of quick tips that will have you pickling like a pro in no time!

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Make at Home: The Secret Ingredients in Your Favourite Fast Food REVEALED!

Fast food secret ingredients

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How much money do you spend on fast food; are you a ‘once in a blue moon’ kind of person, or a ‘I just can’t help myself’ fast-food-aholic? Wouldn’t it be great if you could treat yourself to a healthier, cheaper, homemade alternative? Well, now you can…tuck in!

 

Big Mac Sauce

To make ¾ of a cup:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons French dressing
  • 4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the ingredients, stir well and refrigerate for several house. Stir a few times during chilling.

 

McDonalds Fries

  • 2 high-starch potatoes (1 per person)
  • ¼ cup corn syrup
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 6 cups peanut oil
  • ¼ cup beef lard
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix water with corn syrup, then add your finely chopped fries and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer until it reaches 190c/375f.

Remove fries from their water and pat them dry, before carefully adding them to the oil to part-fry them for 1 and a half minutes. Remove them from the fryer and return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Add the beef fat to the peanut oil, and turn the heat up to 200c/400f.

Add the fries back into the oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes or until they are golden brown. Drain, sprinkle with salt and serve.

 

KFC Chicken

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon sage
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 cups flour

Mix all of the ingredients together. Dip chicken drumsticks and wings into egg, then roll in the mix, repeat this step again, then fry. 

 

KFC Gravy

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 ½ tablespoons flour
  • 1 can chicken stock
  • 1 can water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine 1 ½ tablespoons of flour with the vegetable oil in a saucepan over a low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until it is dark brown. Remove the heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Turn the heat on – a medium heat this time – and bring to the boil. This recipe works best when you can add leftover KFC chicken ingredients that have already been cooked to the mixture.

 

TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Sauce

  • 2 teaspoons roasted garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 2/3 cup water
  • ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons minced white onion
  • 1 tablespoon Jack Daniels/bourbon whiskey
  • 1 tablespoon crushed pineapple
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Stir roasted garlic with brown sugar, pineapple juice, water, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce, bring to the boil in a saucepan and then simmer.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on the hob until the liquid reduces by half and is thick and syrupy. This process should take 40-50 minutes.

  

Burger King Whopper 

  • 1 burger bun
  • 1 hamburger
  • Pickles
  • Ketchup
  • Onion rings
  • Tomatoes
  • Lettuce
  • Mayonnaise

The Burger King secret method involves the way it’s cooked, not the ingredients that are cooked. Flame grill, rather than oven cook, your burger for maximum BK-ness!

 

Nandos Peri Peri Sauce

  • 1 red pepper, chopped, without seeds
  • 120ml olive oil
  • 70ml distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 3 red chilli peppers, chopped
  • 3 finger chilli peppers, chopped
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
  • 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs

Heat the oil and vinegar in a saucepan. Add all of the other ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool before blending into a fine sauce. This can be bottled and preserved for longer-term use.

 

Taco Bell Tacos

  • 1kg beef mince
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons masa harina
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
  • 1 1/3 pounds lean ground beef chuck
  • ¾ cup water

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the meat and water. Cook the beef mince until brown. Drain the water, before returning the beef to the saucepan along with the spice mix and ¾ cup of water. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes, until most of the moisture has cooked away.

 

Dominos Garlic & Herb Dip

  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 ½ teaspoons parsley
  • ½ teaspoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Milk

Mix all of the above together, slowly adding the milk as the final step until you have a consistency that you’re happy with.

 

5 Guys Cajun Fries

  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed bay leaves
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it hotter)

Simply mix the spices together before adding to 5 chopped potatoes worth of fries before cooking for 15-20 minutes.

 

Subway Meatball Marinara

The Meatballs

  •  olive oil spray
  •  1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
  •  1 tablespoon fat-free milk
  •  2½ ounces 96 percent lean ground beef
  •  1 tablespoon egg substitute
  •  ½ teaspoon dried parsley leaves
  •  ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  •  ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  •  ¼ teaspoon salt
  •  ½ cup Subway Marinara Sauce (see below)
  •  1 submarine sandwich roll
  •  1 slice (½-ounce) 2 percent milk white American cheese, halved diagonally

The Marinara

  •  olive oil spray
  •  ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  •  2 teaspoons minced garlic
  •  1 1/3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  •  ¼ cup water
  •  2 teaspoons sugar
  •  2 teaspoons dried oregano
  •  1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Soak breadcrumbs in milk for a short while, then add beef, egg substitute, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Use your hands to mix well. Divide into four portions and roll into balls. Bake these for 12-15 minutes.

For the marinara sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat for four minutes. Add the meatballs and then serve in a roll, top with cheese.

 

In-N-Out Burger Animal Fries

  • 1 cup cooked french fries
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 2 slices American cheese

The Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Cook French fries and top directly with slices of cheese. Caramelise onions over a medium-high heat in oil, then add on top of the cheese and fries. Mix the sauce ingredients together and squeeze on top of your fries. Done! This not-so-secret menu item just got even less secret.

 

Chipotle Burrito

Burrito Mix

  • Sour cream
  • Monterey jack cheese
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Tortilla
  • Chicken
  • Bacon
  • Pinto beans
  • Roasted pepper corn salsa
  • Spicy salsa Guacamole

Cilantro Lime Rice

  • Cilantro
  • 1 ½ limes 
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt

Making a Chipotle style burrito is more about bringing the right components together than cooking with a range of ingredients. For the rice, boil and simmer the basmati rice with salt for 15-20 minutes, before removing from the heat and mixing in cilantro and lime juice. Top your steamed tortilla with all of the ingredients on the list for that instantly recognisable Chipotle taste.

 

And for dessert…

Wendys Frosty (Chocolate)

  • ½ 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ gallon chocolate milk
  • 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip

This is an easy one, as long as you have an ice cream maker. Simply stir all of the ingredients before adding it to the machine and letting the magic happen.

 

 

Sources

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/

http://www.metro.co.uk

http://www.popsugar.com/

http://allrecipes.com/

https://www.pinterest.com

http://abcnews.go.com/

http://www.copykat.com/

http://modernmommyskitchen.wordpress.com

http://brothersgreen.com/