Any one buying christmas presents already

If you want some ideas i will pass them on to you, Christmas dinner can be prepared quite a few days in advance. The trimmings, food that is, can be a little fiddly, but it's so much better than bought.

My two top tips is learn how to make your own gravy, never use Bisto, and learn how to make yorkshire's (use 3 - 4 eggs ), the frozen ones are really tasteless.

Just realised i haven't sent you the film yet, will get onto it !!!

x x x x

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I like thick gravy like bisto. I'm not too keen on the home made stuff that has the juices in it. Yeah there'd more flavour, but it's too watery :(

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One more tip, and this is a good one to avoid upset stomachs and is a little controversial.

Don't stuff the birds cavity with food you are going to eat, i.e. with stuffin, this massively increases the risk of food poisoning.

Stuff the cavity with sliced lemon, lime, orange, apple, thyme.......it flavours the bird just perfect.

Also, get butter, lemon juice (squeezed), thyme, crushed garlic. Bind it all together then very carefully lift the skin of the turkey, arse first, without tearing and push the flavored butter right along the breast and upto the shoulders. This keeps the bird from drying out and it eventually seeps through and down the legs.

x x x x

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Can I come to yours this christmas?

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Course you can.

Gravy tip.

Teaspoon mustard, dollop of jam ( pushed through a sieve ), butter, flour, herbs, season. Mix, add stock ( ladle at a time ), mix the lumps, add the pan scrapings( best bit ), mix, settle, scrape off fat.....Done !!

The jam and mustard adds a lovely dimension, and flour obviously thickens it.

Try it, you won't look back.

I find gravy reduced from red wine is just too rich for me. Plus if i'm cooking with wine i get pi**ed.

x x x x

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I've nearly bought all my xmas presents already, just a few more bits to get & then i'm done.

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Sounds tasty :)

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try is Krunchy Frog, plenty of thick gravy !!

x x x x

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I shall have a bash :)

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well maye I sholud buy everyone 2 chickens and they can have eggs for ever and pets toboot!!
not sure its in the budget but can you imagine christmas morning, Ha ha ha ha :rolling:

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