Friday, December 11, 2009

My Christmas Top Ten Foodie Favorites

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

With that comes the tastiest time with the most delicious food choices imaginable and being a Brit living in the US our Christmas always tends to be a mixture of flavors and fun. So here's our families top ten yummy must haves for the holiday season.

1. Yorkshire puddings!
These are a total must have with Christmas dinner, made from a batter similar to pancake batter, they are cooked at high heat in the oven and rise into delectable puffy goodness which not only taste fabulous with dinner, but are to die for warmed up with some lemon and sugar for desert!

2. Roast potatoes
Cooked in the meat juices, continuously basted and fabulously crispy, my mum showed me how to make the perfect roastie and they're a huge favorite in our house.

3. Paxo Sage & Onion stuffing
This is one of our British must haves. In fact if I didn't buy this my oldest daughter Lauren would be very upset. It's very different to American stuffing and it's totally yummy.

4. Chocolate Tree Decorations
A family tradition, has to be by the British Cadburys company and the kids try every year to hide them within the branches of the tree to fool me!

5. Bisto Gravy
Yes it's granules out of a container but it's our favorite gravy and it's darn easy to make which makes it a perfect choice from back home in the UK.

6. Selection boxes
Another British tradition, something my children have grown up with every year and I still buy at least 2 each for them every year.

7. Mashed potatoes
An odd choice you may think, but I barely eat potatoes the rest of the year and I love to indulge at Christmas on copious amounts of the fluffy stuff made with obscene quantities of butter before being joined by at least 3 veggies and a sea of gravy. It is mandatory to make at least enough to last 3 days!

8. Baby Brussel sprouts
Only my older daughter and I love these, so it's about the only time of the year that we add them to the menu - great to go with the leftovers!

9. Mince Pies
A huge favorite of my oldest daughter Lauren, made with a sweet mixture of mincemeat and another British tradition

10. Birds custard
Personally I'm not a fan but all of my kids love this hot creamy desert topping, Lauren loves it over her mince pies whereas her baby sister loves to eat it alone straight from the jug!

Do you have any Christmas favorite foods or must have items you enjoy every year? Share them with me, I'd love to hear about your traditions!

4 comments:

Jessica said...

I've never had yorkshire puddings, thanks for cluing me in to what they are! I just like some comfort foods - I make lobster mac and cheese!

Marmalady said...

try your yorkshire puddings the proper yorkshire way -- as a starter with gravy!

LittleSnowflakes said...

In our house the husband doesn't think it is Christmas until I have made him a batch of Rum Balls. They are a bit like the cake balls everyone is crazy about only they are made with Rum and rolled in powder sugar. Yummy!

WorkingMomDiaries said...

My mom use to make tons of cookies the week before Christmas.

My sister and I now carry out this tradition and bake all day - everything from chocolate chip to snickerdoodles.