 Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you are all prepared for christmas and have obtained bargains for gifts, plus your grocery shopping is under control. Christmas a time for giving and rejoicing for the christians in the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. A time to reflect on his love for us by giving to someone else to show his love. For others it is just a time for a big party with lots of alcohol and food. Below are a few recipes that we have on our christmas table. I hope you will enjoy them as we do.   INGREDIENTS: 1 kg beef [2.2 pounds] (you can mix the types of meat if you wish you can have a combination of beef n pork..pork n chicken. I usually use chuck steak. If I combine meats I use chuck steak n pork slices 1/4 cup cooking oil 1 large onion or two medium 250g vemicelli (rice noodles) dark soya sauce to color n flavour Half head of garlic crushed or finely chopped or 1-2 tbl of garlic granules or bottled garlic crushed 1 teaspoon of ginger paste or fresh grated ginger salt n pepper 2 cup of finely shredded cabbage 1 cup of mixed frozen veges. METHOD: 1. Dice meat, slice onions crush garlic and chop if u usin fresh garlic, grate ginger if u using fresh ginger, shred cabbage (thinly slice the cabage) put aside 2. Heat a bit of oil in a pan or wok n add half the onions, garlic, and ginger, cook for a few mins 3. Add meat n brown well n season well too. Add a dash of soy sauce and add half cup water put lid on pot n lower heat n simmer for half hr. Keep checkin to make sure there is liquid in the pot and test the tenderness of the meat. You dont want it too soft if the tenderness is right and you still have alot of liquid in the pot .. bring heat up high and take lid off till all liquid is gone. Add a little bit more oil and add mixed veges..peel and julienne a couple of carrots.. in place of frozen veges if u prefer. stir well. *If your meat mixture taste good then ur chopsuey would be awesome 3. While the meat is cooking; in a bowl add vemicelli n pour hot water over.(hot water from the tap is fine.) make sure vemicelli is immersed in the hot water. Usin a pair of scissors cut through the vemicelli a few times till the strands are shorter. 5. Once meat is cooked to desired tenderness add a little bit more oil into the meat mixture and add rest of the onions and more garlic if you like. stir. cook a few mins..taste. 6. Add vemicerlli and extra soya sauce just to make vemicerlli brown stir the pot well to get the soya sauce evenly through the vermicelli and meat. 7. Taste for seasoning and add cabbage. mix through. 8. Put lid back on and turn the heat off. Let it stand a few mins before serving. Serve on rice. Serves up to 8 people *Add the vermicelli with the water and all from the bowl to the pot. After you add the rest of the stuff in; it might seem like a soup.. after you turn the heat off with the lid tight on the pot, the vermicelli will absorb the liquid n u have a nice consistency for rice. If you like more juice in ur chopsuey then by all means add extra water.and mix through. Dont forget to adjust seasoning. You dont have to use all the oil..just enough to get the meat brown and when u add the vegetables the juices from when u simmering the meat should be enough to cook the veges in too...  INGREDIENTS: 11/2 kilos of uncut beef chuck 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into wedges 1 c. of sweet peas 2 heads of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 2 large white onions, peeled and cut into wedges 11/2 c. of mayonnaise (not sure if this will work with low-fat mayo)I used best foods 1/4 c. of butter or margarine (or non-fat substitute) 1-2 c. of vegetable cooking oil (for frying the potatoes) salt n pepper chopped parsley for garnish METHOD Place the uncut beef in a thick bottomed cooking pot and cover with water. If you intend to use the broth at a later time, add a whole garlic, onion, peppercorns, a bay leaf and an assortment of vegetables (leeks, celery, carrots) for flavor. Simmer the beef for 2-3 hours or until very tender. Take out the beef from the broth, cool and chill for a few hours to make it firm enough to cut. Chilling will prevent it from crumbling during cutting. Strain the broth and store in the freezer for future use. When the beef has been chilled, cut it into 2-inch cubes. Chill again until needed. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan. You will need less if using a non-stick pan. Fry the potatoes until golden. Drain on paper towels, transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Stir the garlic into the mayo and pour in 3/4 of water slowly, stirring as you do. Melt the butter in another frying pan (I always use a wok). Pan fry the carrots for a few minutes. Add the onion wedges and peas, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the chilled beef cubes and cook in the butter just until heated through. Add the potatoes. Pour in the garlic-mayo mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Stir lightly. Cover and simmer for about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, stir and serve hot. Very important tip: This dish is much, much better after sitting in the fridge overnight. Reheat over low heat to avoid scorching and drying. OR sap in microwave. **This recipe I found on a filipino mum's cooking blog at www.pinoy.net. I introduced it last year to my family christmas table and it was a huge hit. I prepare the dish a day before and serve the next day yummmy..the garlic is infused into the meat n vegetables..its to die for. The mayo mixture can be used as a dip for vegetables or chips.  INGREDIENTS: 1 whole chicken, about 1.2 kg. in weight salt and pepper 2 onions, roughly chopped 1/2 c. of butter 1 c. of sweet peas 2 c. of halved straw mushrooms 2 c. of sour cream METHOD Chop the chicken into serving size pieces (as for fried chicken or curry). Place in a large glass or ceramic bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for about a couple of hours. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. When hot, lightly brown the chicken pieces, a few at a time if necessary. When the last batch of chicken has been browned, return all the chicken pieces to the saucepan and add the chopped onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft. Pour in about a cup of water (chicken broth would be better) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes. Don’t be tempted to add more than a cup of water; the chicken will expel its own water as it simmers. When the chicken is done (there would be very little liquid by this time), add the halved mushrooms and sweet peas. Pour in the sour cream and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer for another five minutes. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot. Note: The dish is even better after chilling and reheating so its made the day before with the beef mayo n left in the fridge till christmas day n reheated to serve  INGREDIENTS: 1 white onion, thinly sliced 1 medium-sized head of broccoli 1 medium-sized or 2 small carrots 100 grams of chicharo (snap peas, sometimes called mangetout) 12 fresh baby corn (you can also use canned but you have to drain them) 2-3 tbsps. of butter 1/2 tsp. of dried thyme 1/2 lemon salt, pepper and a little sugar METHOD Trim the broccoli. Cut the head into florets. Skin the stalk and slice thinly. Peel the carrots and cut into half-inch cubes. Trim the ends and sides of the chicharo; (snap peas)cut into halves lengthwise if they are large. Cut the baby corn into two to three portions if they are large. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a small frying pan. Add the baby corn, about half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of sugar. Cook for about a minute. If using canned corn, skip to the next step. Add the carrot cubes and the sliced broccoli stalk to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the chicharo and the broccoli florets (and drained canned baby corn, if using). The mixture will be almost dry at this point. Season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and thyme. Turn off the heat. Scatter the the thinly sliced onion over the cooked vegetables. Stir lightly until the butter is completely melted. Toss to coat all the vegetables. Add more salt, if you prefer. Squeeze half a lemon (a whole, if you want more zing) over the cooked vegetables. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve at once.  INGREDIENTS: ( IF YOU DOUBLE THE CRISP RECIPE, YOU CAN MAKE A 9X13 AND A 9X9 PAN...STICK ONE IN FREEZER) 8 cups fruit (can be fresh or frozen) (5 cups rhubarb, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup raspberries) You can also subsititute apple for rhubarb, but you will need less sugar ( I USE APPLES....AND I ALSO USE SPLENDA..NOT SUGAR) 2 cups sugar about 1/3 cup flour Mix above ingredients together in a large bowl. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam and spread the fruit mixture in it. Crisp Topping: 1 cup margarine (2 sticks) 1 cup Quick oats (not instant) 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 2 cups flour METHOD In a large pot, melt the margarine. Take if off the burner and add the other ingredients. Mix together and sprinkle over the fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 and continue cooking until fruit is soft - about 30 minutes more.  These are reeeeeeeeeally easy to make and omg so so good!!! INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup granulated sugar (I USE SPLENDA) 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup chopped raisins 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves METHOD Cream shortening and sugar together. Add applesauce and blend into mixture. Sift flour. Add baking soda, salt and spices to flour. Sift again. Add sifted dry ingredients to shortening and stir until smooth. Add raisins and nuts. Drop onto a greased baking sheet spacing approximately 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 12 minutes. Ever since I can remember Christmas lunch has always been where our grandparents were. Our christmas starts the week before where we open prexmas gift. Our mother always made a point of reminding us that the week before christmas we buy gifts for one person and we dont know who we will get on the day soo we must ask the Lord for guidance in selecting our gifts. We are given 5 dollars to buy a gift for someone..we dont know who will get our gifts so when we ask the Lords guidance we know who ever gets it is meant to get it. Its such an exciting week for us leadin up to our prexmas day and to christmas day itself. Our mother started this to teach us the importance in trusting the Lord and having faith. I remember one year we all decided to do our own thing and buy what we wanted and each of us bought our favourite candy. It taught us that no matter what when we trust in The Lord our needs even wants are met. Our older brother had said he wasnt coming because he was going to his own family soo I can only say that it was the Lords will he be there. My mum got my present which was a box of ferro roche. I was selfish in my selection..I figured if i hid mine real well and nobody finds it I can find it when all have found one and keep it..unfortunately for me I thought at the time but mum found it off the bat. I found mum's which was a box of ferro roches too her favourite chocolates..My sister Becca found Tui's my baby brother's which was an assortment of lollies his favourite selection and my sister Rachal found Becca's gift which was cadbury chocolates and an assortment of her favourite lolllies...and Abel found Rachal's which was a poster with a ferrari on it with a bar of cadbury chocolate and Tui found Abels gift which was a miniture ferrari..Tui had always wanted a miniture series..now he has a full set of the different cars, and it started from that one christmas where on hindsite I think my whole family was self orientated. So in spite of our selfcentered motives God still used each one of us to bless us and to see his unconditional love. Now every year the day a week to christmas we have over 30 people come to our family home for our present hunt. And every year nobody is disappointed with what they find, because God knows everyones need or want. Just a note the gift you bring to the prechristmas hunt must be exactly 5 dollars no more no less. So if your gift cost 4.95 to buy or make the extra 5cent must be put in the present too. I learnt the hard way n cost me more when I was found out. One year Becca got my present n it cost me 4.98 for the gift I didnt think anything of it but for my baby sister it meant a big deal. On christmas day she goes to me "Sister I dont think God meant me to be cheated out of my 5 dollar gift but I didnt see 2cents extra in the gift I found and I believe that gift was from you?" I was like wtf you checked the price? She said no but a friend of mine told me she bought the same thing I got for her sister and it cost 4.98. So cough up the 2 cents because I know the Lord wouldnt cheat me. Well that oversite cost me my dignity my integrity in my baby sisters eyes and I never made that mistake again. A GIFT FROM ME TO YOU MIX INGREDIENTS: - 1 1/2 cups sugar - 3/4 cup cocoa powder - 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 1 cup chocolate chunks - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional BAKING INGREDIENTS: - 3/4 cup butter or margarine - softened - 3 eggs - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Prep Time: 5 minutes DIRECTIONS Layer the ingredients in the order given into a wide mouth one quart canning jar. Pack each layer in place before ading the next ingredient. Wipe down the inside of the jar after the cocoa layer to remove any dust from the cocoa. Cover tightly with a canning jar lid. Attach a gift tag to the top of the jar with the mixing and baking directions. MIXING AND BAKING DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325°. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and eggs. Add the double fudge brownie mix and stir until the batter is well combined. Spread batter into a lightly greased 7x11 inch pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares and serve A couple of years ago I didnt know what to get for my prexmas gift soo I scoured the net looking for things I could maybe bake or make. I came across this recipe I copied it down on pad and got all the ingredients using the 5 dollars given me by my mother followed the directions wrapped it up and hid it when it was time for the pressie hunt. One of my aunties had brought a friend along for the prexmas pressie and of course if you bring a friend along you must make sure you have a 5 dollar gift to put in the pressie hunt for that person. Anyways my aunties friend found mine and the interesting thing was she didnt have anything prepared for her husband's family who were goin to her house the next day. She took my gift she found followed the instructions she told us later and that was what she served her husband's family when they showed up for morning tea. So there again proof that God knows what we need or want because sometimes he does allow us to have what we want too. Maybe this year God will use you to bless someone maybe using this recipe. The lesson here is to pray seek Gods guidance and let Him lead you. That way whoever recieves our gift is not disappointed and we can appreciate what we get knowing it came from above.  |