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This is where we post our favorite Christmas recipes, wants and tips.

I will start off with an easy traditional alternative to Christmas pudding.

Remember that song, "and we all want some figgy pudding"? Well here it is.

Figgy Pudding

� pint milk
8oz flour
6oz dried figs
� pint brandy
4oz suet
4oz prunes, pitted
3oz raisins or sultanas
2oz dried apricots
2oz dates, pitted
1oz dried apples
1 tbsp honey
� tsp ginger
� tsp cinnamon

On the day before making the pudding, place the dried apricots, prunes and apples to soak in water and place the raisins or sultanas to soak in the brandy.
Remove the stones from of the dates and prunes.
Butter a large pudding basin.
Sift flour into a bowl.
Stir in suet and mix to a fairly soft dough with cold water.
Turn out on to a floured surface.
Lightly knead until smooth.

Roll out two thirds of pastry into a round and use to line a well greased 2 pint pudding basin.

Melt the honey and stir in the ginger and cinnamon.
Add to the soaked fruits and brandy mixture.
Mix well and place into the pastry lined bowl.

Moisten edges of pastry with water.
Cover with lid, rolled from remainder of the pastry.
Press edges well together to seal.

Cover securely with greased greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.
Steam steadily for 2 hours.*

Ensure that the water does not evaporate, topping it up from time to time with boiling water.

Turn out onto a plate and serve.

* Traditionally the pudding is tied in a pudding cloth and steamed. This gives the ball shape you see on cards and old pictures.

If you dont have a steamer and want to try this way you could use a metal collander stood on a trivet.

Dont forget the cream and holly sprig.

Brandy Butter

4 oz butter
2 oz icing sugar
1 tbs brandy

Cream butter and sugar together.
Stir in the brandy and beat into the butter and sugar mix.
Put into an attractive dish and keep in the refrigerator until needed.
When serving the Christmas pudding, add a good tablespoon of the brandy butter for real seasonal indulgence. hic

Vegetarian Christmas Pudding

1� lb flour
1 lb currants
2 tbsp treacle
10 oz vegetarian suet
8 oz sugar
1 lb raisins
4 oz peel
water or beer

Mix all the ingredients together. Use water or beer to bind.
Boil for 4 to 6 hours.
Serve with caster sugar, brandy butter, rum butter or cream.

A pork pie with a difference.


Pork Pie 10

1 lb fresh pork, diced
� lb Sausage meat
4 fl oz sherry or diluted vinegar
1 tsp salt
� tsp pepper

Place the diced pork in a bowl, add salt and pepper and marinate in the wine for one hour, turning often.

Line the bottom and sides of a well buttered pie mould with pastry, add a thin layer of sausage to the bottom, then half the pork, another layer of sausage and the rest of the pork, finishing with sausage meat. Wet the edge of the pie, roll the cover to fit, pinch the two edges lightly, brush the surface with egg, cut a 2� hole in the center and fill with a roll of paper to keep it open.

Bake in a 170C oven for three hours. As soon as the meat steams reduce the heat to150C.

When done, fill with meat jelly*, allow it to cool thoroughly in the mould, then remove from the pan.


* 1 oz gelatine disolved in 1/4 pint pork or vegetable stock.

Melon Parma Ham and Berries

Melon
Thinly sliced Parma ham
Berries

Begin by halving the melon and removing the seeds and the rind. Then slice the flesh of the melon and cut the Parma ham into strips.

Arrange the melon and the Parma ham on serving plates with a few berries of your choice. Serve.

Scotch Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs
1 lb spicy sausage meat
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
8 oz flour, divided
8 oz breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 eggs, beaten
oil for frying

Peel the eggs and set aside.
Mix sausage and spices in a small bowl. Divide sausage into 6 equal portions, set aside. Mix breadcrumbs with salt, pepper and paprika, set aside.

Dry each egg with a paper towel, then roll lightly in flour to coat. Take one portion of sausage and using hands, shape a coating around the hard boiled egg, completely enclosing it. Roll in flour again, then dip in beaten egg then roll in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with remaining eggs.

Heat about 2 to 3 inches of oil in a large frying pan. Fry eggs, turning frequently, until golden brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen towels.
Let cool slightly before serving.

To serve, cut each in half and serve with some good mustard.

Bacon Chestnuts

1 lb thick cut bacon
8 oz water chestnuts (tinned)

Slice bacon in half, wrap one piece bacon around one chestnut. Skewer with wooden cocktail stick to hold bacon in place.
Grill, turning frequently, until the bacon is evenly cooked.
Serve warm.

Brandied Cranberry Sauce

8 oz fresh cranberries
12 oz granulated sugar
4 fl oz orange juice
1 tbsp orange rind, grated
2 fl oz brandy

Combine all ingredients except the brandy in a large casserole. Mix well, cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Stir well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 to 7 minutes longer, until cranberries pop and sauce has thickened. Add brandy during last minute of cooking. Let stand covered until cool.
Refrigerate.

Can also be made in advance and frozen.

Christmas Pudding

1 lb white breadcrumbs
1 lb seedless raisins
1 tsp mixed spice
3 oz grated carrots
3 tbsp sherry
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp brandy
8 oz shredded or chopped suet
3 eggs
8 oz brown sugar
4 oz chopped mixed peel (orange and lemon)
4 oz each currants and sultanas

Mix breadcrumbs, spices, salt, suet, sugar, peel, fruits and carrots together. Blend brandy, sherry, and eggs and stir thoroughly; let stand for at least 1 hour.
Grease a 2 1/2 pint ovenproof bowl and put the pudding into it, covered with greased parchment paper. Put it on a trivet in a large pot, fill pot with boiling water 3/4 up the side of the bowl, and boil for 6 hours, adding water if necessary. Unmould pudding and cover with greased foil; let it rest in refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Before serving, cook on top of stove on trivet in pan of water for 2 hours. Decorate with holly.

Warm 2 tbsp brandy, pour over brandy and ignite it.
Serve it flaming.

Sausage Rolls

7 oz puff pastry
8 oz sausagemeat
plain flour
milk to glaze.

Roll the pastry out thinly into a rectangle, then cut it lengthwise into 2 strips.
Divide the sausagemeat into 2 pieces, dust with flour and form into 2 rolls the length of the pastry.

Lay a roll of sausagemeat down the centre of each strip, brush down the edges of the pastry with a little milk, fold one side of the pastry over the sausagemeat and press the two edges firmly together. Seal the long edges together by flaking.
Brush the length of the two rolls with milk, then cut each into slices 1� to 2� long.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in a moderately hot oven 200C for 15 minutes; to cook the meat thoroughly, reduce the temperature to moderate 180C and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack.

Honey Roast Turkey

1 small turkey, 10 to 12 lbs.
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp ground allspice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small bunch spring onions
3 to 4 tbsp honey

Remove giblets from turkey. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub inside and out with oil. Season with sage, allspice, salt and pepper. Stuff neck and body cavities with onions and truss, if desired. Place turkey in roasting pan. Roast, allowing 18 to 20 minutes per pound, until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.

During the last hour of cooking, baste turkey 2 to 3 times with honey

Ham and Mushroom Quiche

1 lb small fresh button mushrooms
1 lb ham chopped
1 oz chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried parsley
3 eggs
4 oz half and half cream
8 oz grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
9� unbaked pie crust or pastry to make.

Preheat oven to 200C.
Prepare the mushrooms by snipping off the stems. Cut in half if large. Place the mushrooms in a large frying pan, cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Drain off the grease. Add the parsley.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, adding the cream, cheese and salt. Pour into the mushroom mixture; blending well. Place the chopped ham in the pie shell. Pour mixture into the pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is well browned and the filling is set.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks for all the recipes!!!