The two boxes of Turkish delights, most of the Martini, half a chocolate Santa and the special box of Bendicks mints that were put away have been consumed already. I cannot be trusted with buying sweet edibles in advance. Ever. I also still haven’t completely finished my Xmas shopping (why are men so awkward! Yes dad - I’m talking to you x), I haven’t cleared all the junk out of the dining room (by junk I mean food photography props & backdrops and by dining room I mean the conservatory that barely fits our little family of four for a normal dinner - never mind inviting others round for a festive meal) and I have done zero menu planning for Christmas get togethers at our house. I guess leaving my job in IT has in no way made more organised. I am a lot less stressed about the lack of organisation though. Working in tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie with a martini in your hand does that to a girl… So I thought I’d make a start on the menu planning via a blog post. That way i’m working, but also organising some of my recipes, picking out some of my favourites for the next week or two and hopefully giving you guys some menu inspiration too. I don’t know about you, but I love bite sized nibbles. Piling my plate up with a selection of lots of little bits is one of my favourite ways to eat. My kids feel the same way too. In fact if I made up a table with plates of mini baked potatoes, mini bowls of baked beans and little plates of cheese and told them it was a buffet they’d fall for it 100% and enjoy it way more than a normal jacket spud with beans and cheese. I probably would too actually. So let’s jump straight into my 10 Bite Sized Party Foods! Bite Sized Burgers: These cute little things have almost as much appeal to me as a fluffy little kitten. I just want to look at them lovingly, give them a gentle stroke and then.. erm… ram them into my mouth. Ok, the kitten analogy wasn’t a great one. Hash Brown Cups:
Yes, that beany cup does have bacon baked into the sides of the Hashbrown. I may not be able to hold a conversation on basic level geography, but when it comes to crispy bacon and potato hash browns, I consider myself something of a genius. Blueberry Crumble Slice: Tart, sweet, gooey, crunchy and so simple to make. I don’t think I need to say anything more. Coconut Prawns with Fiery Tomato Dip: Just feed me one of these every time I walk past you and I’ll be your best friend for life. Xmas Duffins: Exra Christmassy! These baked little doughnut/muffins are filled with homemade mulled cranberry Jelly and rolled browned butter and cinnamon sugar. They go in a flash. Dough Balls with Cheesy Chard Dip:
From one of my older posts (can you tell by the photograph?). All cooked and served from one pan. This is perfect for putting in the middle of the table and letting everyone dig in. Gooey Chocolate Caramel Brownies: Fudgy Chocolate Brownies with a melty piece of Cadbury Caramel in each piece. When the mad Christmas shopping gets too much, just lock yourself in a room with a plate of these and you’ll be able to face the world again. Stuffed Potato Skins: Fluffy twice-baked potato with butter, cream, cheese and bacon. The perfect way to knock a jacket potato a couple of notches down the healthy scale. Better add a few chopped spring onions to persuade yourself there’s something angelic about it… Cauliflower Arancini: Made with cauliflower instead of rice, stuffed with boursin cheese, rolled in breadcrumbs and then baked (rather than fried) until golden brown, these cauliflower Arancini are delicious and pretty healthy too. Blackberry Spice Muffin Bites:
Light and fluffy mini muffins with a touch of ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice. The flavours work perfectly with the sweet frosting and the tart blackberry. I hope you enjoyed my 10 Bite Sized Party Foods.
