Hope Everyone had a lovely Christmas Day

 A quiet low key day for us.  Just on our own.  I was in the kitchen preparing everything for the meal.  We were supposed to have Roast Beef, but OH saw an offer on a Turkey and so we bought a medium one of those and decided to have it today instead.  One of the main reasons for this was that I had already cooked a Gammon Ham and left it to soak in the stock overnight whilst it cooled down.  Doing this gives the Ham so much more flavour and keeps the Ham moist.  I thought that the option of the Turkey would be a better pairing for the Ham as cold cuts.  We had already eaten all of the Pork pie.  It was decided that I would probably cook the Aged 4 Rib of Beef for Dinner on Wednesday or Thursday.

Needless to say there was a bit of a drama.  I usually keep in Sage and Onion Stuffing as a standard but could I find it could I heck.  It is a good job that I keep a variety of different ingredients in different formats.  I turfed everything out looking for the stuffing and ended up having to make it myself from scratch.  I therefore set too and made it from dried Sage, dried Bread (that I had done in the dehydrator earlier in the year - more than perfectly adequate), raw onion, fried buttered onions, some butter and hot water.  Then added in a pack of sausage meat blending everything well together with a fork and then pressing into a greased tray.  Once cooked I allow to cool and then split into strips for eating with a hot meal or as cold cuts.  It was yummy hot and lovely cold.  Also prepared pigs in blankets also in smoked bacon.

Dinner went down very nicely.  I cooked roast parsnip, potatoes, red onion, shallots all together in the Ninja.  Turkey was cooked in the main oven on Gas Mark 4 for 105 minutes and then 20 minutes per pound in weight . Our Turkey weighed about 4kg.  I covered the breast in smoked streaky bacon and butter with fresh thyme crumbled over it.  Cooked until nearly done then stripped off the bacon (to eat separately), added some butter to the Turkey and then cooked until golden brown.  Came out very moist and tender.

Served with peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and Brussels with loads of gravy.  Must say I really enjoyed it.

Very chuffed with how things came out.

Was very pleased to get a sit down later on though.  I prepped everything.  We have had some fresh fruit later on, small Clementines, grapes, bananas and some dates on the nibbly front.  G also had a mixed tray with some olives and other eaty bits as well. I do not like olives

Have decided not cooking on Tuesday.  Will be cold cuts with some of my preserves that have made and probably some fruit and cream as a pudding.  Will probably make a little cake in the morning after the washing up is done and also make some fresh sausage rolls.  Will see how things go.

Hope everyone has had a lovely day.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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