Low Key Christmas

 This year is a low key Christmas for us (Me and a whole host of other's I know of as well). I have not been able to do a lot of things for one reason or another, and quite a lot of what I had planned had to be put on hold yet again for various reasons. There we are that is how the "Cookie Crumbles" you have to make the most of what you have and it is about getting through. I love Christmas and tend to be a little OTT, but this year I do not know why I just am not feeling it! This is very unusual for me. That being said we still have to eat a meal of some sort.  As I am planning to do a lot of crafting over Christmas, after the main event, it will be cold cuts!  Always is, a family tradition.

Today we paid a visit to the Butcher to source our Christmas meat and I am happy with what we have purchased. We found a nice Rib of Beef which we are looking forward to.  I have then bought a small piece of Gammon and a chicken. We also have a 1lb of smoked bacon.  OH then realised after he had bought it that I was not cooking a Turkey! Doh! I usually layer smoked bacon on the breast to protect the Turkey during cooking.  It will not be wasted though. Two packs of sausage meat have also been bought, for some stuffing and also some sausage rolls along with Pigs in Blankets. I am still doing stuffing in any event as I also serve this with cold cuts as well. Himself could have had a Turkey if he had wanted,  as they did have one on the counter, but  he decided in retrospect that as long as we are going to have a selection of meats for the cold cuts then that is all that matters really at the end of the day. Finally we bought a 2lb Pork Pie.  Pork Pie is very much a tradition for us at Christmas although I had hoped to make my own.  Next year they will be made in bulk probably at the beginning of November and then frozen (Hopefully I should have a replacement chest freezer by then).  I also have plans for making other Christmas pastries as well in advance and freezing them.  It will then just be a case of dragging them out of the freezer and cooking them ready for when we want them.  I also want to make some pates as well.  I do miss the freezers as I was always prepping and making stuff and making the most of leftover bits and bobs and turning them into meals for during the week.  What goes around comes around though.  Everything in its own time and place.

I have also bought a bit of veg.  Not everything just taking my pick of the selection the Butcher had.  Have come away with some Leeks, (shall roast these to caramelise them and then serve them as a fridge relish with the cold cuts), a head of Broccoli, a Celeriac, Parsnips, and a Brussel Sprout stem.  I have to go to the veg shop yet in any event, but if you see good veg then you grab it when you see it.

There are already a selection of pickles, chutneys etc. in the Pantry - not what I had wanted to do, but you can only do what you can with what is available.  In the larger scheme of things we do not do too badly, and certainly fare a lot better than some for which I am very grateful.  Each year is very different on what I am able to source, but I do feel that this past year has opened up a lot of prospective new items for me to try hopefully in the year to come.  It has certainly made me more aware that there are recipes out there which I had/have not tried and that some of them actually exceed expectations.

We are having a roast chicken for tea tonight with all the trimmings.  Well I am not doing roasties tonight, but a little mashed potato, carrots, broccoli and some peas should go down very nicely with some chipolatas and lots of gravy.  There should be a repeat meal for tomorrow night as well which will help quite a bit on time as even though it is a low key Christmas, I do still have jobs to do and they do not do themselves. 

I also have some baking to do as well which is traditionally done on Christmas Eve.  Not quite sure what am going to make but sausage rolls are on the list as we have not had these for quite a while.  My baking list usually evolves as I go along.  Fortunately I do have most of the ingredients I need to hand.  So we shall see what transpires!

Right am off to get on.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x