Christmas Recipes

Jazz up some shop-bought mincemeat to make your mince pies the envy of your friends. Add some lemon and lime zest, dried cherries and a splash of good brandy. Before Christmas starts, make a couple of versatile dishes such as fish pie or lasagne and freeze them ready to be whipped out when people pop round at late notice. Add some spices like star anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay and peppercorns or juniper berries, clementines, pomegranate or cranberries to your favourite bottle of spirit. Leave overnight or preferably for a month. Make your own napkin rings by attaching chillies, rosemary, flowers and thistles to ribbon then tying them around your napkins. Use newspaper and colourful magazine paper to wrap your presents this year. It’s cheap and people will appreciate your creativity! Don’t spend money on expensive wreaths – make your own using wild holly, ivy and mistletoe you can pick yourself. They will make your house smell fresh and Christmassy. Stud a few oranges in your fruit bowl with cloves – they will give off a lovely spiced Christmassy smell. Turn your empty jam jars into beautiful tea-light holders by tying festive ribbon around the top with an ivy leaf or cinnamon stick.