Xmas Dinner for 1

Well Xmas was a single affair this year, so dinner was simple and easy, just for one.

Ingredients :

1 chicken
6 rashers

3 slices stale bread
1 clove garlic
1 onion
100g butter
2 tbsp dried sage

3 potatoes
2 tbsp goose fat

Method :

01. Cover the outside of the chicken in rashers.


02. Put chicken in oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 2 hours.

03. While chicken in cooking, peel and chop potatoes and par boil for 10 mins.

04. While potatoes are boiling, put goose fat in a dish in the oven.

05. Drain potatoes and shake to give outside a fluffy layer.

06. 45 mins before the chicken in done, place the potatoes in the dish and cover in the goose fat.

07. Cook potatoes for 45 mins at 200 degrees Celsius.

08. While potatoes and chicken cooks, take the stale bread and put in blender.


09. Blend until rough breadcrumbs.


10. Add sage.


11. Add garlic.


12. Add onion.


12. Blend until everything is in small pieces.


13. Add butter.


14. Blend until comes together.


15. Place in oven proof dish.


16. 20 mins before chicken and potatoes are done place stuffing in oven.

17. Let chicken rest for 5 mins.



19. Plate and serve :)


You can easily add some vegetables to this dish.

Mince Pie Pastry

This is the perfect compliment for the mincemeat I made the other day, however you'll have to wait a few more days to see the completed product. For now, the pastry. :)

Ingredients :


450g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
120g softened butter
1 tbsp sugar
100ml orange juice
1/2 orange zested
1 egg

Method :

01. Place flour, baking powder, sugar and butter in a food processor.


02. Blend until of breadcrumb consistency.


03. Add in the egg.


04. Blend until egg has disappeared.

05. Add orange zest.


06. Pour in the juice little by little while blending.


07. Stop when dough has come together.


08. Refrigerate until ready to use.


And now you'll just have to wait :D

Christmas Pudding Part 1

This recipe should be made over two days, and ideally a few months before xmas so it can mature, but as ever I'm the queen of leaving things to the last minute! This is the first ever pudding I've made, so I'm hoping it'll taste good!

Ingredients :


150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
150g currants
150g sultanas
150g raisins
125g butter, melted
100g dark sugar
100g suet
3 eggs
75g mixed peel
75g glace cherries
50g flaked almonds
50g pecans
1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
Zest of 1/2 a lime
Zest of 1/2 an orange
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
100ml dark stout
2 tbsp sherry


Method :

1. Mix all the fruits together in a large bowl.


2. Pour in the alcohol and mix thoroughly.


3. Add in nuts and stir.


4. Add in butter and mix.


5. Add in sugar and eggs, and mix.


6. Add in suet, flour, baking powder, spices and zest.


7. Stir everything so it resembles what I can only describe as "slop".


8. Cover in a teatowel and leave overnight.

Cooking will be done tomorrow (fingers crossed).