White Christmas

We’ve had snow on Boxing Day, but it’s the 2nd day of Christmas, so it counts like a White Christmas.

It snowed for an hour, enough time to go outside and have a laugh, play in the snow and take some pictures.

I’ve posted more pictures with Festus in the snow and his Christmas on his blog as well.

On Christmas morning we’ve went to see what gifts Father Christmas left for us, we’ve waited for him with milk&cookies, didn’t we. We had what is a new tradition in our home: christmassy socks. We even had a good laugh that hubby has 2 thin reindeer and I have a single, fat one.

My presents are: a cast iron mouse and a robin, all made by hand. I’ve seen them at Ripley’s Christmas fair and wanted to buy them, but hubby said the conservatory is not finished yet, so I should wait. Well, he bought them when I wasn’t paying attention, isn’t he a sweetheart.

Also, I received an espresso machine! I love it! I had an issue with a coffee making jug, the one that is placed on the hob. Well, that one exploded, quite scary and we had to paint the kitchen walls.
Now, with this gift, I can make coffee safely. It’s a little neat machine, even makes frothed milk! It’s so handy for cappuccinos and I’m going to use it to froth milk for Chai tea.

The last gift I’ve received is a spice grinder! I love it! I can grind dry and wet spices or even coffee. It will help me a lot when I’ll have my herb garden. I’m not going to buy grounded spices again.

This is one of hubby’s presents: A hovercraft that he needed to build and it works!

This were our presents. Hubby had a few (well, more like a lot) of sweets and Festus had a lot of pressies too. Our Christmas dinner (more like a lunch) was all vegetarian. Usually hubby has something that is not vegetarian, but this year he didn’t want anything else.

A courgette tart with cream and cheddar in a very yummy base made with Mediterranean spices and sundried tomatoes.

A huge cheese platter, 6 types of cheddar, brie, Stilton and goat’s cheese.

Crostini with avocado paste.

Red onion and cream mushrooms.

Grilled halloumi with potatoes (baked and then sliced and shallow fried), Brussels sprouts 2 ways: roasted and boiled and shallow fried with pumpkin seeds.

Chickpea croquettes with tomato sauce (sundried tomatoes, tomatoes and mustard) and brie on top.

The fruit cake was shop bought.

Cozonac

18 months matured Christmas pudding, shop bought.

We had the Christmas pudding with whipped cream and Baileys.

Homemade exotic mince pies. I’ve put some cinnamon in the base and the mincemeat was, as I said, exotic: dried figs and fresh mango and papaya. It was so yummy, but I must admit they weren’t “screaming” mince pies. Next time I’m going to make them a little more traditional.