Finding The Right Personalized Christmas Gift

By ChristmasIdea.Blogspot.com

Ho Ho Ho - Real flowers needs a lot of time for maintenance while fake Christmas flowers do not require such high maintenance.

Once you find the best personalized Christmas gift for a certain category of gift recipient, you will be so relieved. I was so happy when I found something that was good for boys or girls from age's two to five. I just could not believe that I had found a personalized Christmas gift for such a large portion of my shopping list.

Kids love puzzles. The best personalized Christmas gift for a kid is a puzzle of their name. The idea is inspired. I will probably break my own arm patting myself on the back for figuring this out, but so be it. I've already given out a dozen of these puzzles and they are always a big hit.

Ho Ho Ho - Many people are familiar with the term 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' but not everyone knows where it originated.

The best personalized Christmas gift for a family is an ornament with their names inscribed on it. I have made these for my siblings and their families. I have also given a personalized Christmas gift of an ornament to new babies for their first Christmas.

There are many different people you can give a personalized Christmas gift to. I once gave an old boyfriend a personalized Christmas gift of a love poem etched into a Lucite heart. He was bowled over by the gift. We split up not long after that and I wish that I had gotten that Lucite heart back.

Technology has come a long way and it is never more apparent to me than when I am looking for a personalized Christmas gift for someone. I made my mother a pillow with a photograph of my late father on it. I had taken the photo and copied onto fabric. She loved it.

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My Christmas Tree Storage Habits For Your Reference

By ChristmasIdea.blogspot.com

Ho Ho Ho - Real Christmas flowers are costly.

I've never given much thought to Christmas tree storage before last year. I have alternated over the years between real and artificial trees. My first husband was allergic to real trees, so we always had artificial.

My first Christmas on my own, I bought an extremely inexpensive Christmas tree to decorate. I had a lot of fun putting icicles all over the tree and making it be exactly what I wanted it to be. That year Christmas tree storage consisted of putting it back into its box.

My father decided that he wanted a pre-lit artificial tree and gave me and my husband the one he had been using previously. This was a good quality artificial, one that would have been far out of my price range had it been new. We used that tree every year following until our divorce. He kept the tree and used the gigantic box it came in as Christmas tree storage.

Ho Ho Ho - Remember that Christmas is only one day a year. You don't have to spend a weeks worth of grocery money on one day.

I did not have a need for Christmas tree storage for the next several years. I used real trees for decorating and did not save the tree until the next year. I liked the smell of the real trees and thought that I would always use them. My second husband and I would get the largest tree that would fit in our home and decorate it together.

Ho Ho Ho - Add up all your Christmas expenses including gifts, food and any other costs.

My third husband doesn't really get into the Christmas spirit at all. He refuses to decorate and I think that if I tried to discuss my Christmas tree storage needs with him, he would laugh. I'm also pretty sure he would say no to the purchase. This would be categorized as silly and unneeded.

Ho Ho Ho - Leave the credit card at home and pay for Christmas with money wherever possible.

I think that I could use a better plan for Christmas tree storage. Last year, when I opened the box that my tree was stored in, there were cobwebs inside. I never found a spider, but it made me realize that there had to be a better way.

I've never noticed artificial Christmas tree storage bags before. I guess that I was never looking. I have found them priced as low as nine dollars for the size tree that I use now. I think I may just buy one and just start using it. They look perfect for protecting my artificial tree from bugs and dust.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.12 of 12 - Spinach and Mushroom Pancakes

Ho Ho Ho! Whilst you won't find the hype and shopping madness of Western countries, in major cities you'll see lights, trees and Christmas decorations on the streets and in stores. Christmas Day is not even a bank holiday in China, although it is in Hong Kong and Macao.

Christmas recipe serves: 4 calories per serving: 375 preparation time: 1 hour plus standing & soaking cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes suitable for freezing (pancakes only)

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• white flour, plain 50 g (2 oz)
• wholemeal flour, plain 50 g (2 oz)
• egg, 1
• milk, skimmed 350 ml (12 fl oz)
• salt and pepper
• vegetable stock, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
• mushrooms, dried 25 g (1 oz)
• oil, vegetable 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• spinach, fresh washed 450 g (1 lb) or
• spinach, frozen leaf 350 g (12 oz)
• soft cheese, reduced fat 225 g (8 oz) mushrooms, brown cap 450 g (1 lb)
• spring onions, 1 bunch
• garnish, flat-leaf parsley

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Use a food processor for the batter so mix the egg, a pinch of salt, milk and both flours. Then stand for 30 minutes. Soak the dried mushrooms and stock for 30 minutes.
   Ho Ho Ho! Ask each guest to bring nine and a half dozen of their favorite Christmas goodies with recipe cards of the recipe. Here's how the Goodie Formula works: 9 guests = 9 dozen goodies, plus add an extra dozen for 9 dozen goodies.
2. Coat the base of a non-stick pan with some batter after heating oil in it. Cook until golden brown (usually a couple of minutes), then cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter till you have about a dozen or so pancakes.
3. Cook the spinach for a few minutes before allowing to cool, removing the liquid and cutting up. Add the soft cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook the chopped onions and brown-cap mushrooms in 15 ml (1 tbsp) of hot oil until light brown in color. Add the stock and mushrooms, and seasoning, then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the mixture is syrup like.
5. Take half of this mixture, make smooth in a processor, then return to the pan.
6. Take the spinach mixture from step 3 and put in an oiled ovenproof dish. Then layer half a dozen pancakes with the mushroom mixture in between along with the remaining spinach mixture. End with the mushroom layer.
   Ho Ho Ho! There are of course your traditional Christmas cookie shapes. These come in the form of candy canes, Santas, stars and just about any kind of shape that you can associate with the Christmas season.
7. Cook until weel browned at gas mark 6 (200 degrees centigrade, 400 F) for about 30 minutes.
8. Serve with flat-leaf parsley garnish.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.11 of 12 - Glazed Pork with Fig Stuffing

Ho Ho Ho! Place Christmas candles everywhere even in the bathroom. Crank up those Christmas tunes and you have a party. Have each guest tell about the creation they have brought to contribute.

Christmas recipe serves: 6 calories per serving: 480 preparationj time: 30 minutes cooking time: 2 hours not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• loin of pork, boned with skin scored, 1.4 kg (3 lb)
• salt and pepper
• honey, clear 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• mustard powder, 10 ml (2 tsp)
• lemon, grated rind from 1
• garnish, sprigs of rosemary and a few figs

stuffing:

• shallots, 4
• garlic clove, 1
• figs, dried no-soak 225 g (8 oz)
• apple, eating 1
• rosemary, fresh sprigs 2
• butter, 50 g (2 oz)
• lemon, grated rind and juice from 1
• dry sherry, 45 ml (3 tbsp)

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Stuffing preparation: Chopped rosemary, peeled/cored/chopped apple, choppee figs, peeled and crushed garlic, peeled and chopped shallots.
2. Cook the garlic and shallots in butter until golden brown. Add the sherry, lemon rind and juice, rosemary, apple and figs. Stir until softened and most of the liquid reduced.
   Ho Ho Ho! There are a couple of favorite German Christmas Recipes that I make sure to add to our celebrations every year, and I've included variations of them here for you and your family to enjoy this holiday season.
3. Place the cooled stuffing from step 2 along the middle of the salt and pepper seasoned pork loin (skin side down). Roll the piece up and tie up with string at several locations. Cook for 1 hour at gas mark 5 (190 degrees centigrade, 375 F).
4. Near the end of this time, heat together the lemon rind, mustard and honey. After the hour is up, brush this onto the pork and continue the cooking for another 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
5. Serve as carved slices (thick), garnished with rosemary sprigs and a few figs.

Ho Ho Ho! As Christmas Eve is the time when Swedes celebrate Christmas and open their presents this is the most important meal of the holiday.

Heating and serving tips:

• Don't keep food hot for longer than an hour before serving
• Leave roast potatoes open to the atmosphere after cooking, to retain their crispness.
• Remember that it is harder to keep certain foods warm. e.g. root vegetable keep their heat well but spinach and cabbage don't.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.10 of 12 - Lamb with Chestnut and Tomato Relish

Ho Ho Ho! Making a delicious Fruit cake is just one out of many many mouth watering Christmas recipes that you can make. If you browse the internet you will find all sorts of ideas that you can put to use.

Christmas recipe serves: 6 calories per serving: 450 preparation time: 15 minutes cooking time: 20 minutes not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• chestnuts, peeled cooked, 175 g (6 oz)
• tomatoes, cherry 75 g (3 oz)
• bacon, rindless streaky, 175 g (6 oz)
• lamb, 3 racks trimmed, 900 g (2 lb)
• garlic, 3 cloves
• pepper
• olive oil, 100 ml (4 fl oz)
• parsley, finely chopped fresh, 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• caster sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)
• balsamic vinegar, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• garnish, flat leaf parsley

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Rub the lamb with garlic and finely coat with pepper. Cut the tomatoes in half and the chestnuts into rough pieces.
   Ho Ho Ho! Religion and faith plays an important part in the Christmas festivities, with families attending mass together and watching the Pope appear on his famous balcony on Christmas Day.
2. Cook the lamb racks, having placed the bacon on top, at gas mark 9 (240 degrees centigrade, 475 F) for about 20 minutes or for about 30 minutes for well done.
3. For the relish; mix balsamic vinegar, sugar, parsley and the remaining garlic (peeled and crushed) with the olive oil. Then add the cherry tomatoes and chestnuts.
4. To complete the relish add the liquid from step 2 to the step 4 product.
5. Serve the lamb in six pieces wity the relish, garnished with parsley.

Note: You can replace the chestnuts with frozen or canned variety.

Heating and serving tips:

• Don't keep food hot for longer than an hour before serving
• Leave roast potatoes open to the atmosphere after cooking, to retain their crispness.
• Remember that it is harder to keep certain foods warm. e.g. root vegetable keep their heat well but spinach and cabbage don't.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

Ho Ho Ho! Why not try this very easy fruit cake which doesn't take a great deal of time to prepare and tastes absolutely mouth watering. This is traditional recipe for Christmas time and will always be well received by your guests.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.9 of 12 - Duck with Cardamom Sauce

Ho Ho Ho! Whilst you won't find the hype and shopping madness of Western countries, in major cities you'll see lights, trees and Christmas decorations on the streets and in stores. Christmas Day is not even a bank holiday in China, although it is in Hong Kong and Macao.

Christmas recipe serves: 6 calories per serving: 400 preparation time: 15 minutes cooking time: 2hours 30 minutes suitable for freezing after step 3.

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• duck legs, 6, about 2 kg (4.5 lb)
• onions, 350 g (12 oz)
• root ginger, fresh, 5 cm piece, (2 inch)
• butter, 125 g (4 oz)
• caster sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• green cardomom pods, 8 whole
• chicken stock, 1.7 litres (3 pints)
• ginger wine, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
• dry white wine, 150 ml (5 fl oz)
• salt and pepper
• orange juice, 45 ml (3 tbsp)
• lemon juice, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• oil, 5 ml (1 tbsp)
• sea salt, coarse 10 ml (2 tsp)
• garnish, coarse fresh coriander

Ho Ho Ho! You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon.

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Simmer the duck legs gently in a large pan of boiling water for about 2 hours.
2. To prepare the sauce, fry peeled, chopped onions in 50 g (2 oz) of the butter for about 10 minutes or soft. Add peeled and grated ginger, with the sugar and csardomom seeds from one pod. Cook until the color of the mixture turns dark golden brown.
3. Add the stock and boil until the volume is reduced by half. Reduce by half again till syrup like after adding the white wine and dry ginger. Add salt and pepper and orange juice to taste.
4. Stir in 25 g (1 oz) of the butter into the sauce at boiling point. Separate the onions from the liquid and combine with the rest of the butter. Keep.
   Ho Ho Ho! Then you have your not so traditional Christmas cookies. This is where people get to be a little more creative and yet still add that Christmas touch.
5. Remove excess water from the duck and put over a roasting tin on a rack. Brush the duck with oil and sprinkle with salt and the remaining cardomom seeds.
6. Roast until the skin is very crisp. About 20 to 25 minutes at gas mark 8. (230 degrees centigrade, 450 F). Add the reheated butter and onion and serve the food with heated cardomom sauce. Garnish with coriander.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.8 of 12 - Christmas Pheasant

Ho Ho Ho! Why not try this very easy fruit cake which doesn't take a great deal of time to prepare and tastes absolutely mouth watering. This is traditional recipe for Christmas time and will always be well received by your guests.

Christmas recipe serves: 6 calories per serving: 490 preparation time: 30 minutes cooking time: 2 hours 15 minutes suitable for freezing (after step 4)

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• shallots or small onions, 225 g (8oz)
• streaky bacon, rindless 225 g (8 oz)
• pheasants, oven ready, brace
• salt and pepper
• oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• butter, 50 g (2 oz)
• garlic cloves, 2
• Madeira, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
• beef stock, 600 ml (1 pint)
• thyme, fresh (sprig) or dried (pinch)
• bay leaves, 2
• juniper berries, 6
• orange, pared rind and juice from 1
• recurrant jelly, 90 (ml) (6 tbsp)
• chestnuts, peeled 225 g (8 oz), canned, frozen or vacuum-packed)
• garnish, thyme (fresh)
  Ho Ho Ho! Christmas Goodie Swap is the perfect way to begin your holiday festivities. Make it special from the start and create a free email invitation from the Internet

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Remove the backbone and knuckles from the pheasants and cut into four pieces each. Season with salt and pepper. Cut up some bacon and peel the shallots.
2. Brown the shallots and bacon in the butter and oil and put to one side. Add the pheasant, two pieces at a time and fry until golden. Then reome the pheasant and put to one side.
3. Add crushed garlic to the casserole dish along with the stock, thyme, juniper berries, bay leaves, the pared orange rind and half the Madeira. Heat to boiling and add the pheasant. Cover and cook at gas mark 3 (170 degrees centigrade, 325 F) for 60 minutes.
4. Add the redcurrant jelly, bacon and shallots. Cook for an additional 45 minutes or until the pheasant is tender.
5. Prepare the marinade by soaking the cranberries and chestnuts in the remaing Madeira and orange juice for 30 minutes.
6. From the casserole, remove the bacon, vegetables and pheasant and keep warm. Reduce the remaining liquid till it is syrup like. Add the marinade from step 5 and simmer for 5 minutes more.
7. To serve, season and pour the sauce over the pheasant, bacon and vegetables. Garnish with fresh thyme.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.7 of 12 - Garlic Poussins and Kumquats

Ho Ho Ho! Making a delicious Fruit cake is just one out of many many mouth watering Christmas recipes that you can make. If you browse the internet you will find all sorts of ideas that you can put to use.

Christmas recipe Serves: 6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Calories per serving: 580 Not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• poussins, 3, about 700 g (1.5 lb) each
• salt and pepper
• kumquats, 225 g (8 oz)
• garlic cloves, 16
• olive oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• unsalted butter, 25 g (1 oz)
• bay leaves, 2 vdry cider, 450 ml (15 fl oz)
• apple juice, 200 ml (7 fl oz)
• double cream, 200 ml (7 fl oz)
• garnish, thyme sprigs

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Cook the unpeeled garlic cloves in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Then cool and peel. Cut the kumquats in half. Split the poussins in half along the breast bone, having removed the backbone. Use about 10 ml (2 tsp) of salt to cover the skin side.
2. Cook the poussin pieces skin side down in hot butter until golden brown. Take out of the pan and replace with the garlic and kumquats, cooking in the hot pan until a golden color. Put the poussins back, add bay leaves and cover.
3. Now cook the poussins fully at gas mark 6 (200 degrees centigrade, 400 F) for about 35 minutes. Take everything out of the dish except 6 cloves, cover and keep warm.
4. Make a paste by crushing the remaining garlic and add apple juice and cider. Heat to boiling and continue till syrup like.
5. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling again and simmer for about a minute. Put the food back that you removed in step 3 and cook for about two ot three minutes.
6. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve.

Ho Ho Ho! Place Christmas candles everywhere even in the bathroom. Crank up those Christmas tunes and you have a party. Have each guest tell about the creation they have brought to contribute.

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes No.6 of 12 - Turkey and Mango Curry

Ho Ho Ho! There are of course your traditional Christmas cookie shapes. These come in the form of candy canes, Santas, stars and just about any kind of shape that you can associate with the Christmas season.

Christmas recipe serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Calories per serving: 640 Not suitable for freezing.

Christmas Recipe Ingredients:

• Onion, 175 g (6 oz)
• Green pepper, 125 g (4 oz)
• Garlic clove, 1
• Turkey, cooked 225 g (8 oz)
• Mango, 1 fresh or mango pieces 400 g (14 oz)
• Oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• Lemon grass, chopped 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• Green Thai Curry Paste or Mild Indian curry paste, 20 ml (4 tsp)
• Coconut milk, 450 ml (15 fl oz)
• Salt and pepper
• Double cream, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• Coriander (optional), chopped fresh 45 ml (3 tbsp)

Christmas Recipe Instructions:

1. Make strips of turkey, chopped and deseeded pepper, peeled and crushed garlic, pelled and chopped onion.
2. Make chunks of mango flesh having peeled and removed the stone. If using tinned, remove the liquid.
3. Combine lemon grass, green pepper, onion, garlic and add to heated oil. Stir whilst cooking for about 5 minutes. Put in curry paste and continue for a couple more minutes.
4. Add the coconut milk and heat to boiling point, simmering for about five minutes. Throw in the mango and cooked turkey, add salt and pepper to taste and boil for about two minutes.
5. Prior to serving, add double cream and garnish with fresh coriander.

Ho Ho Ho! Ask each guest to bring nine and a half dozen of their favorite Christmas goodies with recipe cards of the recipe. Here's how the Goodie Formula works: 9 guests = 9 dozen goodies, plus add an extra dozen for 9 dozen goodies.

General Heating & Serving Food Tips:

• Don't keep food hot for more than an hour before serving
• Cover food that could dry out, with cling film or a clean cloth
• Keep roast potatoes uncovered so they remain crisp and dry
• Remember that it is harder to keep vegetables such as spinach and cabbage warm compared to root vegetables.

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.5 of 12 - Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry

Ho Ho Ho! Why not try this very easy fruit cake which doesn't take a great deal of time to prepare and tastes absolutely mouth watering. This is traditional recipe for Christmas time and will always be well received by your guests.

Christmas recipe serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Calories per serving: 875 Suitable for freezing after step 3.

The Complete Christmas Collection. Christmas Recipes, Crafts and Kids Activities.

Christmas Recipe Ingredients:

• Sherry or balsamic vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• Caster Sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil, 120 ml (8 tbsp)
• Cranberries, fresh or frozen 50 g (2 oz)
• Celery, 125 g (4 oz)
• Walnuts, toasted 50 g (2 oz)
• Turkey, roasted meat 450 g (1 lb)
• Garlic cloves, 2
• Olive oil, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• Fennel seeds (optional), 10 ml (2 tsp)
• Oregano, dried 10 ml (2 tsp)
• Cranberry sauce, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• Breadcrumbs, fresh 125 g (4 oz)
• Eggs, 2
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 50 g (2 oz)
• Oil
• Green salad

Christmas Recipe Instructions:

1. Chop the turkey, walnuts and celery into small pieces. Crush peeled garlic. Cook the oregano, fennel seeds, garlic and celery in oil for about five minutes. Then add the cranberry sauce. leave to cool.
2. Add salt and pepper to the vinegar and sugar, mix in the oil and cranberries. Heat to boiling, cook for 1 minute and leave to cool.
3. Combine salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, eggs, breadcrumbs, celery mixture and turkey. Split into twelve golf-sized meatballs.
4. Deep-fat fry the meatballs until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Place them on kitchen towel paper to soak up the oil and serve onto green salad sprinkled with cranberry dressing from step 1.

Ho Ho Ho! On Christmas Eve it is traditional to eat fish dishes; certainly, no meat is eaten on Christmas Eve. Panettone, a traditionally light Milanese cake, also plays a part in this meal but can be eaten at any time with family and friends during the holiday season.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.4 of 12 - Seafood Paella

Ho Ho Ho! Serve piping hot on the Christmas table with Swedish mustard (senap).

Christmas recipe serves: 12 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Calories per serving: 605 Not suitable for freezing

Christmas Recipe Ingredients:

• Onions or shallot: 225 g (8 oz)
• Celery, 125 g (4 oz)
• Garlic cloves, 3
• Fish stock, 1.1 litres (2 pints)
• White wine, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
• Saffron, 1.25 ml (quarter tsp)
• Bay leaf, 1
• Fish fillets, skinless, cod, salmon, haddock 450 g (1 lb)
• Rice, wild 125 g (4 oz)
• Olive oil, 50 ml (2 fl oz)
• Rice, long-grain, 350 g (12 oz)
• Salt and pepper
• Butter, 25 g (1 oz)
• Mushrooms, wild in oil, drained 280 g jar
• Mushrooms, brown-cap 125 g (4 oz)
• Watercress, 2 bunches
• Prawns, King, peeled, cooked 500 g ( 1 lb)

Christmas Recipe Instructions:

1. Crush peeled garlic, chop the celery and the onions. Combine the fish, bay leaf, wine, saffron and stock. Heat till biling and stand for 10 minutes. Sieve off the fish and keep the liquid. Fork the fish into large pieces.
   Ho Ho Ho! Whilst you won't find the hype and shopping madness of Western countries, in major cities you'll see lights, trees and Christmas decorations on the streets and in stores. Christmas Day is not even a bank holiday in China, although it is in Hong Kong and Macao.
2. Prepare cooked wild rice in salted boiling water. About 40 minutes. Remove from the liquid and keep.
3. At the same time, cook the garlic, celery and onions in the oil until soft. Add long-grain rice, heating for a couple of minutes before introducing the stock and bringing to the boil. Add seasoning and cook with a lid on at 200 degrees centigrade (400 F) for about 30 minutes.
4. Cook all the mushrooms in butter for about 2 minutes. Take out the mushrooms, add the watercross and stir for about two minutes, till floppy.
5. Mix the prawns, fish, watercress, mushrooms and wild rice into the long-grain rice. Season to taste and warm in oven for another minute.
   Ho Ho Ho! Although traditional children had to wait until January 6th, more families are allowing them to open their presents on Christmas Day. However, there are more celebrations to come.
6. Then serve.

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.3 of 12 - Smoked Haddock & Spinach Fishcakes

Ho Ho Ho! Ask each guest to bring nine and a half dozen of their favorite Christmas goodies with recipe cards of the recipe. Here's how the Goodie Formula works: 9 guests = 9 dozen goodies, plus add an extra dozen for 9 dozen goodies.

Christmas Recipe Serves: 8 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Calories per serving: 605 Suitable for freezing (after step 4)

Christmas Recipe Ingredients:

• Breadcrumbs, fresh 75 g (3 oz)
• Semi-skimmed milk, 150 ml (5 fl oz)
• Haddock, smoked or fresh 250 g (9 oz)
• Potatoes, 250 g (9 oz)
• salt and pepper
• Spinach, washed 225 g (8 oz)
• Egg, 1 beaten
• Lemon wedges
• Cream, fresh half-fat 400 ml (12 fl oz)
• Lemon, juice and rind from 1
• Chives, fresh chopped 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• Garnish: Fried garlic slices, fresh basil leaves

Ho Ho Ho! As Christmas Eve is the time when Swedes celebrate Christmas and open their presents this is the most important meal of the holiday.

Christmas Recipe Instructions:

1. Simmer the fish and milk for about 10 minutes. Separate the fish flesh from the bones and skin. Keep the milk. Make some lightly toasted breadcrumbs.
2. Boil even sized peeled potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes or until soft. Drain and dry at a low heat for a few minutes before mashing with the kept milk.
3. Remove the liquid from briefly cooked spinach (2 to 3 minutes), cut up and combine with the fish and potato. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make eight fishcakes with the mixture, brush with beaten egg and coat with the previouly prepared breadcrumbs.
5. Cook the fishcakes for 20 to 25 minutes at 200 degress centigrade (400 F) until hot in the middle.
6. For the sauce combine the cream and lemon rind, heating softly. Add salt and pepper, chives and lemon juice.
7. To present: Pour the sauce over the fish. Add lemon wedges and garnish with chives.

Ho Ho Ho! There are a couple of favorite German Christmas Recipes that I make sure to add to our celebrations every year, and I've included variations of them here for you and your family to enjoy this holiday season.

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.2 of 12 - Plaice with Tomato and Caper

Ho Ho Ho! Have a simple and festive centerpiece -- a small, live, Christmas tree (the smell is so awesome) and decorate with miniature cookie cutters. (You can find the cookie cutters at a lot of dollar stores in a package!) Make special tent cards to write the name of each type of goodie and place the tent cards in front of each plate of goodies (these would be the goodies your guests bring to swap).

Christmas Recipe Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Calories per serving: 340 Not suitable for freezing

Christmas Recipe Ingredients:

• Plaice fillets, 8 (550 g, 1.25 lb)
• Black Olive Paste, 75 g (5 tbsp)
• Dry white wine, 150 ml (5 fl oz)
• Tomatoes, 1 large or 2 small
• Black olives, 25 g (1 oz)
• Capers, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• Lemon juice, 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• Lemon rind, half a lemon
• Olive oil, 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper

Christmas Recipe Instructions:

1. Remove the plaice skin and put black olive paste on the smoother side. Then roll up the fish.
   Ho Ho Ho! Although traditional children had to wait until January 6th, more families are allowing them to open their presents on Christmas Day. However, there are more celebrations to come.

2. Combine the fish and wine. Then simmer until just cooked (about 10 minutes). Next, separate the fish from the liquid and keep warm on the serving dish.

3. Cut the tomatoes open and remove the seeds. Cut into small pieces. Slice the black olives finely.

4. Mix the capers, lemon juice, lemon rind, olive oil, salt and pepper, and the cooked liquid from step 2 (60 ml, 4 tbsp). Add the seedless tomatoes and sliced olives from step 3. Then pour over the fish and you are nearly done.

5. Garnish with fried garlic slices and basil leaves.

General Heating & Serving Food Tips:

• Don't keep food hot for more than an hour before serving
• Cover food that could dry out, with cling film or a clean cloth
• Keep roast potatoes uncovered so they remain crisp and dry
• Remember that it is harder to keep vegetables such as spinach and cabbage warm compared to root vegetables.

Ho Ho Ho! There are of course your traditional Christmas cookie shapes. These come in the form of candy canes, Santas, stars and just about any kind of shape that you can associate with the Christmas season.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and

webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Christmas Recipes: Edible Gifts, No. 2 of 8 - Shortbread

Ho Ho Ho! As Christmas Eve is the time when Swedes celebrate Christmas and open their presents this is the most important meal of the holiday.

Traditional Scottish produce and ideal in a box or tin for a christmas gift.

Christmas recipe makes: 2 to 3 dozen Calories per biscuit: 180-270 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• butter, 450 g (1 lb)
• sugar, caster 225 g (8 oz)
• flour, plain white 450 g (1 lb)
• rice, ground or flour 225 g (8 oz)
• salt, pinch
• sugar, colored granulated or golden
• sugar, caster for sprinkling

All these recipe ingredients must be at room temperature.

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Mix the sugar and butter until a creamy and fluffy consistency. Mix together the salt, rice flour and flour. Now blend with the creamy mixture and mix until it is breadcrumb like.
   Ho Ho Ho! There are of course your traditional Christmas cookie shapes. These come in the form of candy canes, Santas, stars and just about any kind of shape that you can associate with the Christmas season.
2. Take some mixture in your hand and form a ball shape that can be rolled into a 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) tube shape. Enclose in cling film and cool till hard.
3. Cut the tube of dough into half inch slices (10 mm) and coat the edges with the golden or granulated sugar. Bake until slightly golden at 190 degrees centigrade(gas mark 5, 375 F) for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with caster sugar after removing from the oven.
4. After 10 minutes transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.

Changes you can make to the recipe:

• Add a spice such as 'mixed spice' to the flours to make a Spiced Shortbread.
• To make a Ginger Shortbread add ground ginger to the flours and crystallized ginger to the dough from step 1.
• For Chocolate Chip Shortbread blend chocolate pieces into the dough.
• For Lavender Shortbread, add half a dozen lavender flower tops into the dough. This time roll the dough into thin pieces, cut intobiscuit shape and bake for about quarter of an hour.
  Ho Ho Ho! There are a couple of favorite German Christmas Recipes that I make sure to add to our celebrations every year, and I've included variations of them here for you and your family to enjoy this holiday season.
• For Rosemary Shortbread, just replace the lavender with fresh chopped rosemary and carry on as above.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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