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Christmas Mince Pies

Ingredients
125 g margarine
50 ml sugar
25 ml oil
1 egg
5 vanilla essence
500 ml cake flour
10 ml baking powder
Pinch of salt
454g jar fruit mincemeat
1 apple, peeled and grated
25 ml orange juice
Icing sugar for dusting

Method
1. Cream margarine and sugar well.
2. Add oil, egg and essence, and beat together.
3. Sift dry ingredients together and knead into creamed mixture to form a soft dough.
4. Press half the dough into a greased 23 cm square ovenproof dish.
5. Mix fruit mincemeat, apples and orange juice together and spread thickly over dough.
6. Coarsely grate dough over mincemeat.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C (350F) for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Dust with icing sugar before slicing.

Corned Beef
Ingredients
4 kg silverside beef
1 -2 tablespoons saltpetre
500 g salt
A dozen of each cloves and peppercorns

Method
Mix salt in sufficient water to cover meat. Mix well till salt dissolves. Mix saltpetre and
spices and keep meat in brine for 4 - 5 days. Use an earthernware container. Remove
meat from brine and rinse off slightly. In additional water, add a tablespoon each
of crushed dhania (corriander) and jeera (cummin) seeds, and 2 tablespoons of red
crushed chillies. Boil meat till it is done.
Remove from water and drain dry. Keep covered and use as required.

Tip
This method can be used for tongue as well, adding some bay leaves.

Creamy Potato Bake

(Casserole)

Ingredients

7 potatoes boiled in jacket

125 g butter (1/4 lb)
1 packet white onion soup
250 ml fresh cream
250 ml sour cream
2 teaspoons ground green chillies
1 green pepper finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method
1. Melt butter and allow to cool.
2. Add onion soup powder, the two creams and other ingredients besides the potatoes.
3. Thickly slice the potatoes.
4. Layer potatoes and cream mixture alternatively in a casserole dish.
5. Cover generously with cheese.
6. Bake in 180C for a few minutes or until cheese melts.
7. Ideal to serve with grills and braais.

Tip
Mushrooms can be added to this dish.

Chicken Roulade

Ingredients

1/2 kg chicken mince

1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chana flour
1 teaspoon dhania/jeera powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground green chillies
1 egg
1 tablespoon ghee

Mash
Boil 2 potatoes
Mash and season with green chutney paste (according to your preferred taste)
Add 1/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chillie sauce
1/2 teaspoon Aromat
Place all ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until all sauce is
heated.

Method
Braise together the flour and ghee and add it to the raw mince. Mix in the rest of the
ingredients. Smear a sheet of foil with ghee and pat the mince onto it (in a rectangular shape). Place the mashed potatoes down the middle of the mince. Roll the mince
over the potatoes like you would a swiss roll. Place the roll into a pot with 1 cup of
water and steam slowly on meduim heat for 30 - 40 minutes. Once the roll is done,
unwrap from foil and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Drizzle the sauce over the top of
the roll, and grill for 5 - 10 minutes. Serve hot from the oven and garnish the top of
the roll with grated fried potatoes.

Tip
Wash grated potatoes well and dry on paper towels before frying.

Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients
1 chicken cut into frying pieces
1 1/2 cups flour
1 packet (dry) Knorr Italian Dressing
1/ 2 packet Knorr Tomato Cup of Soup
2 eggs beaten well
2/3 cup of milk
Oil for frying or you can air fry

Method
1. Combine eggs and milk. Set aside
2. Combine flour with Italian dressing and soup mix.
3. Dip chicken pieces in milk-egg mixture, and roll them in the flour seasoning mixture. Repeat procedure
4. Fry over meduim heat for 25 - 30 minutes, turning often.

Stuffed Rolled Lamb or Fillet

Ingredients

1 kg boneless rib of lamb or fillet

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon chopped dhania
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger/garlic
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped liver (chicken or mutton)
2 slices of bread
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1/4 cup pecan nuts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground green chillies
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method
Soak bread in milk and when its soft, squeeze out milk. Place bread in a pan with butter
and allow to simmer slowly on low heat, till the mixture resembles a thick cooked pudding. Allow to cool. Add eggs and beat well. Add nuts, greens and chopped meat, flour
and half of the spices. To the rest of the spices, add the lemon juice and smear the inside
and outside of the meat. Place the stuffing in the centre of the meat. Roll and tie with
thin string, two centimetres apart. Place roll onto a greased baking pan, cover with foil
and bake at 180 C for two hours. Remove foil and pour two tablespoons of oil over the
surface and allow to brown well.

Roast Turkey/Chicken
Ingredients

5kg to 7kg turkey or 2kg to 3 kg chicken (halve the ingredients for chicken)
4 tablespoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons fresh crushed green chillies
4 tablespoons fine salt
cup Olive oil
cup yoghurt (full cream)
cup fresh cream
Juice of 1 lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon rind
1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
2 tablespoons ground ginger/garlic
100 g melted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (can use dry)

METHOD:
For best results, prepare a day or 2 in advance.
Turkey/chicken must be completely thawed. Use a thin bladed knife to stab the bird
right around.
Mix all the ingredients together to form a paste, except the olive oil and keep a little
sage and rosemary aside for final garnishing. Rub o
nto the bird generously. If stuffing the bird, do not rub the mix in the cavity, but if
you do not intend stuffing the bird, rub the cavity with the mix. Wrap the bird in
some foil, place in a dish and leave to marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 days.
Remove foil wrapping, stuff the bird with prepared stuffing, skewer or stitch cavity
closed. Pat the bird with olive oil using your palms (brushing will remove the marinade). Place in a large roasting pan and cover with foil. Make sure you leave a large
enough gap between the bird and the foil to allow steam to circulate, but also ensure
that the foil is properly sealed so as not to allow any steam to escape.
Set oven at 170C and roast turkey for 4 hours, chicken 1 hours.
Raise temperature to 200C. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the bird and place bird
uncovered in the oven. For 30 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle rosemary
and sage over. Allow bird to rest at least 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

Stuffing for Turkey/Chicken

Use the ingredients for stuffing chicken:

Ingredients:
6 chicken livers
4 chicken giblets
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons thyme (fresh or dried)
4 to 6 medium potatoes (boiled and mashed)
Salt to taste
100g butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil
cup fresh milk
4 to 6 slices white bread
1 onion (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cup fresh dhunia (chopped fine)
cup shallot (chopped fine)

Method:
Soak bread in milk and mash until smooth. Boil peeled potatoes in salted water and
mash smooth.
Wash and chop chicken livers and giblets into tiny pieces. Braise onion in butter
and cooking oil. When softened and slightly brown, add crushed garlic. Braise for
a further 2 minutes then add chopped livers and giblets, salt, pepper and thyme and
simmer until almost dry allow to fry a further 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from stove and add mashed potato and bread. Add chopped dhunia/shallot
and mix well. Taste to ensure salt is enough. Stuff bird as required. Delicious!!!!!
NOTE: Can substitute bread with cooked rice for a lovely variation
If you prefer serving it separately (rather than stuffing a bird), place in a casserole,
top with cheese and bake, or top with breadcrumbs and bake.

Whole baked Fish

in Yoghurt Sauce
Ingredients:
1 kg whole Fresh Fish
1 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground red or green chillies
teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons dhunia/jeera powder
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut or fresh grated coconut
cup yoghurt
1 teaspoon crushed white pepper
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion (grated)
2 -3 green chillies (slit)
A few circles of onion, tomatoes and green and red peppers
cup chopped dhunia
cup chopped shallot
1 sprig curry leaves
Fresh lemon slices

METHOD:
Clean and de-scale fish. Score on both sides with a sharp knife (not too deep).
Mix garlic, salt, ground chillies, turmeric powder, dhunia/jeera powder, pepper and
coconut together. Rub into fish as well as cavity.
Braise grated onion in cooking oil, add curry leaves and slit green chillies. Then add
yoghurt and a little salt to taste. Braise for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over fish, spooning
a little into cavity.
Stuff the cavity with the onion, tomato and green/red pepper circles. Place in an
ovenproof casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 180C for 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove foil and change oven to grill in order to brown (crisp) the top of the fish.
Garnish with greens, fresh lemon slices and serve with a tossed salad, baked potatoes
and crispy bread rolls.

NOTE: If you prefer braaiing the fish, braai with the foil on as fish is delicate and
will stick to the grill.

Salmon and Leek Soup

Ingredients
2 -3 tablespoons of butter
2 large leeks, halved and finely sliced
1 bay leaf
1kg soft cooking potatoes, diced
1 litre chicken or vegetablestock (if using cubes add 2 cubes to 1 litre hot water and
dissolve)
100ml fresh cream
200g smoked salmon, cut into strips
small bunch chives (chopped)
Fresh crushed black pepper

Method
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the leeks and bay leaf. Cook over a low
heat for 8-10 minutes or until the leek is really soft, then stir through the potatoes
until coated in the butter. Pour overthe stockand cream and bring to the simmer,
then gently bubble for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are really tender. If freezing
at this stage, slightly under-cook the potatoes, then defrost and bring back to a simmer to finish cooking them and continue the recipe.
Add two-thirds of the smoked salmon, stir through and season. Serve the soup in
deep bowls with the remaining smoked salmon, sprinkle of fresh black pepper and
snipped chives on the top.

NOTE: Can be frozen. Simmer the frozen soup before serving.

Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
5 grannysmith apples - cubed with peel
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecan nuts chopped
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch celery cubed small
Salt to taste

Method
Mix all ingredients and place in a loaf pan. Chill in fridge. Turn pan over onto a tray
so that the salad takes the shape of the pan. Garnish with Italian parsley . Serve on
a bed of lettuce leaves.

Traditional Christmas
Pudding
Ingredients
250 ml raisins (150g)
250 ml sherry or orange juice
250 g butter
250 ml sugar (200g)
4 eggs
250 ml cake flour (140g)
10 ml bicabonate of soda
2 ml salt
10 ml ground cinnamon
3 ml ground ginger
3 ml ground nutmeg
2 ml allspice
150 g pitted dates, chopped
250 ml currants (150g)
250 ml chopped pecan nuts (100g)
250 ml finely grated raw carrot (125g)
250 ml fresh breadcrumbs (60g)
50 ml golden syrup
15 ml grated lemon rind
15 ml grated orange rind

Method
1. Soak raisins in sherry or orange juice overnight.
2. Beat butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition.
3. Sift dry ingredients together, add to creamed mixture, and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and raisins.
4. Spoon mixture into a greased 2- litre (8-cup) metal mixing bowl. Cover with a
double layer aluminium foil or greaseproof paper and secure with string.
5. Place on a wire rack in a large saucepan and pour in boiling water, to reach halfway up the sides of the bowl.
6. Steam for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until well cooked, remembering to check water levels
and refill if necessary.
7. Allow to stand in the bowl for at least 20 minutes before removing.
8. Serve hot with cream or custard.

Tip
To reheat, steam pudding for 30 minutes as directed in recipe.
This pudding can be kept sealed for 2 - 3 months.

Tiramisu
Ingredients
500g (2 tubs mascarpone cheese)
150ml icing sugar, sifted
125ml coffee liqueur
100g chocolate grated
3 extra large eggs, separated
500ml cream,stiffly whipped
10ml coffee essence or fine instant coffee powder
18 sponge fingers or Budoir biscuits

Method:
1. Beat the mascarpone with two thirds of the icing sugar, 30ml (2 large Tablespoons)
of the coffee liqueur, and two thirds of the grated chocolate. Beat in the egg yolks,
one at a time. Whip the cream stiffly with the remaining icing sugar and fold three
fifths into the cheese mixture.
2. Dissolve the coffee essence or powder in 125ml boiling water and add the
remaining liqueur.
3. Dip 4 sponge fingers in the coffee mixture and place them in a base of a large glass
dessert bowl. Spoon a third of the cheese mixture into the bowl. Continue to layer
the sponge biscuits and cheese mixture, till all is used up. Crumble the last 2
remaining sponge fingers and mix with the remaining grated chocolate and
sprinkle on the top.
Decorate with the remaining cream.

Tip
This dessert can be made a day in advance, so that the flavours can blend and the
sponge fingers become moist.

Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe

INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
















Icing

3 cups flour
1 cupgranulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
tsp salt
1 cup (250g) soft butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons fresh cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 (80g) cup softened butter
3 cups icing sugar
cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

METHOD
Sift dry ingredients. Beat sugar and butter, then egg and fresh cream alternately
with sifted ingredients. Blend thoroughly; chill for several hours.
Break off a piece of dough the size of an orange and pat it flat in your hand. Using a
rolling pin, roll dough on floured board or betweenwax paper. Roll out to about a
1/4 inch thickness. Cut out in required shapes using cookie cutters and put onlined
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes at 200C. Remove the cookies from the
oven as soon as you see them turning colour at the base of the cookie. Let coolcompletely.

Undecorated cookies
Mix icing ingredients together until smooth using electric beater. Divide into different bowls, add food colouring to each bowl to achieve numerous colours. Spread the
icing on cookies with a butter knife, use piping equipment to add decorations. If you
want the sprinkle type decorating candies to stick, brush the cookie with clear sugar
syrup and then sprinkle with granulated sugar of different colours.
Using sprinkles

Christmas Butter Biscuits

Cookie:
1 cups sifted icing sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
teaspoon almond essence
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Icing:
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon almond essence
1/4 cup milk

Food colouring
Beat the butter and sugar together for 1 minute. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract, beat until incorporated. Combine sifted dry ingredients and add to batter
mixing well.
Divide dough in half, form 2 balls. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough (about 1/2 of one dough ball at a time) on a
lightly floured surface to about 1/8" thickness. Dip cookie cutters into flour; cut
out shapes. Place cookies onalined or lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 180C
for 7-8 minutes.
To make icing, combine sugar, almond extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup)
to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide
enough for dipping cookies. Add food colouring.
To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let
icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional coloured
frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner
nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.
Makes 2-3 dozen.

Chocolate Crinkles
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cups white sugar
cup cooking oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 cups cake flour
pinch bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup icing sugar

Method
Using an electric beater, beat the cocoa powder, white sugar and cooking oil together.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds each. Add the vanilla and beat in
thoroughly.
In aseparate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and coffee powder if using. Mix into the chocolate mixture on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough for four hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the
icing sugar in a wide bowl. Using a rounded teaspoon get clumps of the chilled dough
and roll them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) sized balls using your hands. Roll the balls in the icing
sugar and place on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool a minute or
two on the sheets before transferring to a wire rack to coolcompletely before storing.

Orange Flake
Cheesecake

Ingredients:

125g butter
225g digestive biscuits (crushed)
350g cream cheese
75 g ( cup) castor sugar
100g melting chocolate (I prefer Cadbury)
125 ml milk
20ml (2 tablespoons) gelatine
2 large oranges
284 ml fresh cream
6 x flake chocolates
20cm (8 inch) round loose bottomed cake tin

Method:
Melt the butter and add half the crushed digestive biscuits and press into the ungreased
tin. Refrigerate.
Cream the cheese and castor sugar together. Melt the chocolate in the milk and leave to
cool slightly before mixing into the cheese mixture.
Dissolve the gelatine in 2 tablespoons of boiling water and add to cheese mixture. Stir
in well.
Finely grate the rind of one orange and add to the cheese mix.
Segment the 1 orange neatly and chop the other into 2cm pieces.
Set the segments aside but add the pieces to the cheese mixture.
Whip the cream lightly (until soft peaks form).
Fold half the whipped cream into cheese mixture and pour into tin (over biscuit base).
Leave to set in refrigerator (preferably overnight).
When set carefully press the rest of the digestive biscuit mix over the cheese cake and
chill in refrigerator.
When properly set, turn it out gently onto a serving platter and top with the remainder
of the whipped cream.
Decorate with flake on sides and top, and orange wedges in a swirl over the top centre.

Walnut Snowball
Cookies

You can make these cookies with walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts -- all will work fine.

Ingredients
1 cup cake flour
1 cups walnuts, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
cup (115g) butter (at room temperature)
Pinch of salt
Icing sugar, to coat (about 1 cup)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a large cookie sheet with greaseproof paper.
Sift all the dry ingredients and add walnuts, salt, sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract. Add the butter in little pieces, and combine everything together with
your hands until the mixture looks like a coarse meal with nut bits in it. Form the
dough into small balls no larger than a walnut and place on the cookie sheet, spaced
at least an inch apart from each other.
Bake for 35 minutes. When they are still warm, but cool enough to touch, roll the
cookies in some powdered sugar. Set aside on a rack to cool completely. When cool,
dust again in powdered sugar.