Only 11 Weeks to go (plus a few days)

To Christmas 2017. Don't panic Mr Mannering!

As you may be aware I have been plotting and planning Christmas this year  for more than a few weeks!  So I am a Christmas Nut that's me I will freely admit to it.  I have cousins who are as well - so I think its a family thing. Last year I did not have much of a Christmas although we got by.  Due to the date of the operation on my foot which was the 13 December 2016 it kind of got in the way of me being able to do anything like I normally do in the last few days running up to Christmas.  OH had to cook dinner and do a lot of other things which I think came as a bit of a shock. Practically I just could not do anything apart from rest with my foot up.  So because I did not get to do it last year I suppose I have gone into overdrive this!

As I explained in my post "Christmas to me as a Child" there are many things which I like to try and carry on by way of tradition,   It is important to me and gives me a sense of where I come from and who I am.

I am pleased to report that I have done an awful lot of the food shopping on the baking front and on some of the sweeties and alcohol side of things.  As well as having made a lot of stuff already.  I will update my list (probably at the weekend if I get some time),  But I intend from now on in to post up recipes of things I am considering cooking or possible things you might like to do yourselves or to make as presents. I am not sure whether to post them as stand alone items or a continuous post with all the recipes in one place.  What would you prefer?  I am also thinking that if you do not use the recipes this year it might be something that you will do next year.  I have over the years accumulated an awful lot of recipes.

Waitrose have nuts in already. For mixed nuts this year they are charging £8 per kg.  I shall go to my veg shop and see if I can get them any cheaper.  The veg shop already has monkey nuts (these and other nuts were also stuffed into our stockings with an orange and some sweeties.  They are always worth keeping in as they can be strung to make garlands and tree decorations.  The same as if you make home made popcorn and fresh cranberries can also be made into garlands.  

I love having nuts in the house at Christmas yet again something that we had when we were children.  Some of you will say - why get them we never eat them all.  It does not matter their life is not over just because you do not eat them by Christmas.  I always keep them and use them in craft work gluing them onto polystyrene baubles or making garlands with them utilising the inside of a kitchen roll; painting it gold and then gluing a mixture of nuts all over the holder and then stringing them to form one continuous garland.  There is never any need for waste.  You can also turn the nuts into praline or use them in dishes such as Waldorf salad for Walnuts or nougat for almonds.   There is always something you can do.

You can also do the same sort of things with larch cones or fir cones.  

The cheapest place for packaged nuts I have found has been Lidl.

I intend to get Chestnuts as well for roasting and using in other recipes of which there are quite a range and which I will be covering in a later post.

I have booked a week off in the middle of November and hope to get quite a lot done then as well as go and see my cousin in Lincoln for a day.  So there is still plenty to do but if I plan my time well enough hopefully I should be able to get everything done.  Fingers crossed and toes plaited.

Well sorry this is a quick post - needs must and all that.

Be back shortly.

Pattypan

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