Countdown to Christmas: Roast Chicken, Portuguese Tarts & More

Recipe: Nibblies for a pre-Christmas get-together with friends: Recipe »

I know, I know. Christmas is coming and as a foodie you've probably been asked to partake or at least bring a dish in the whole grand production that is Christmas. Or more perilous still, you're the person who is hosting the Christmas shindig and you've got to come up with some fabulous courses in order to satisfy every picky eater that is part of your family along with having a quick cocktail get together with friends in the days preceding Christmas. And let's not forget the vegetarians or kids in the mix...

Allow me to make some suggestions from the ghosts of recipes past:

Nibblies for a pre-Christmas get-together with friends:

Caramelised Camembert with macadamia nuts

The Union Square Cafe's Nuts

Tetsuya's Oysters with rice wine vinaigrette

Goat's cheese, basil and walnut wontons

Smoked Trout Pate

Quail's eggs with Za'atar

Christmas Pudding Vodka

Christmas Dinner en familie:

Zuni Roast Chicken with bread salad

Perfect Roast Chicken

Rosemary Roasted pork with Apple Maple sauce

Normandy Guinea Fowl with perfect Roast Potatoes

L'aligot

Prawns with Maryam Zaira sauce

Raspberry and Lemongrass trifle

Rhubarb Fool

Chocolate Chestnut Cakes

Pavlova

And then there's the vegetarians...

Fruit cake, Swedish Mulled wine and Finnish pea soup

Cheese Souffle

Blue cheese gnocchi

Sesame peanut noodles

Cheese and leek tart

Pumpkin cheesecake

Sweet tofu and papaya dessert

To keep the kids quiet:

Pancake Soup

Tiddlywinks Toadstool pie

Healthy Chicken nuggets

Goblin pies (for your little goblins but make them Elf faces!)

Coca Cola Cupcakes

Marshmallow Crispy Squares

Magic Pudding with legs

Portuguese Custard Tarts

If you can't avoid it and people insist on staying over...

Crumpets

French Toast

Fried Green tomatoes with milk gravy

Healthy granola

Norwegian Cinnamon buns

Norwegian Waffles or pancakes

Lastly I leave you with some photos of the nearby house decorated with Christmas lights. Around our area not a lot of houses do the whole Christmas lights thing but this house is quite the exception. It's situated on the corner of Spofforth Street and Rangers Road, Cremorne (see map below) and is well worth a visit. They're also collecting donations in the tins outside for the Cancer Council of Australia.