Celebrating in style!
What a wonderful way to see in the New Year: toasting with our home-made drinks… Of course there’s plenty of cider that’s now ready to go and a good few glasses of Damson Gin and Sloe Schnapps.
We’ve had a great Christmas here at Hen Corner and whilst feasting well, have also been very careful with the leftovers, we do value food (especially if we’ve produced it ourselves) and do all we can not to waste any. Some food has obvious uses second time around, like good old turkey sandwiches, or using the last of the cheese in a 70’s style fondue but using a bit of creativity you can use your leftovers as star players in a range of new recipes.
Here are some suggestions, that are tried and tested:
- Canape Blinis as breakfast pancakes: Smoked salmon & cream cheese first time, maple syrup in the morning!
- Goose trimmings in cassoulet: The recipe is here.
- Ham: in cassoulet and/or frozen in slices for carbonara sauce.
- Salmon: fish pie or cakes (that’ll be fish cakes not fairy cakes!).
- Bubble and Squeak: The recipe is here.
- Marzipan: Save it for almond pastries.
- Fruit: Delicious smoothies like this one.
- Stilton: In soup with leftover broccoli.
I would never have thought that I’d have been showing you pictures of frozen veg, but check out our broad beans under the snow, left, and nicely getting ready for spring after the thaw, right. The plan is that by planting them in October, they can get started and be hardy enough to survive the coldest weather, then they flower and fruit before the black fly are whizzing about (not sure that they really whizz – but they do seem to spread very quickly).
So whilst our New Year Cassoulet is in the oven and we are waiting for family to come and celebrate with us, have I got time to sow a few tomato seeds in the propagator to ensure that they are ready to transfer to the cold frame and plant out as soon as the last frosts have finished? Or should I wait until I’ve taken the Christmas decorations down?
Thank you to everyone who has followed us this year either via this blog and/or on Twitter, don’t forget to subscribed (top right) if you want to make sure that you never miss a thing….
However you celebrate New Year, do reflect on the blessings of last year and begin 2011 full of hope for the new opportunities ahead.
Happy N
ew Year!
