Christmas With Gordon - Book Giveaway

I was wondering if Gordon Ramsay would cook the Christmas dinner at his house for his family and guests or would he delegate to his wife Tana (who is a TV personality, cook and cookbook author in her own right)?  I reckon he would delegate but be unable to stay out of the kitchen.  A little advice here - a little there!  Who knows.

We all know Gordon Ramsay from his many television series including Hell's Kitchen, The F Word, Cookalong Live and Ramsay’s Best Restaurant. 

The cookbook - which is one of the many books Gordon Ramsay has written- Christmas with Gordon presents Gordon’s favourite festive recipes. Gordon shares his secrets for achievable, affordable and stress-free Christmas cooking. He gives classic ingredients  a modern twist his recipes add a new dimension to traditional festive food. His turkey is succulent and he shares some great alternatives for the main festive meal: Christmas Beef Wellington, Honey Glazed Ham, Pan-fried Sea Bass and Aromatic Roast Goose, with equally exciting contemporary desserts. Gordon's key to success is being organised and he offers advice on planning ahead and getting some of your preparation and cooking done before the big day.

There is also a selection of party food, holiday brunches and suppers to keep the family happy.  There are also great hints and tips for using the leftover turkey, meats and cheeses.

Each main meat menu has a full menu with time plan so I haven't decided which menu I like to follow - either the turkey or baked ham would be my preference.

Quadrille publishers (www.quadrille.co.uk) have sent me a copy of the book to review and I am offering it to one lucky reader. (You must live in the UK to enter this competition). The closing date for this competition is 10th December 2011. The winner will be chosen at random from all the entries received.

For a chance to win this great Christmas must-have book post your answer in the comment box below with your e-mail address.
Question:What is your favourite family Christmas recipe?

For another chance to win follow my blog and leave a comment in the box below to let me know you have done this.

For a bonus chance of winning follow me on twitter @HeidiMSKstalban and/or @walpolegirl and tell me you have done so and leave your twitter ID in the comment box.

For another chance of winning please post the details of this on twitter using the symbol below and tell me you have done so by leaving a comment in the box below and include your twitter ID.

For a further chance of winning please follow me on Facebook Heidi's Secret Kitchen and tell me you have done so by leaving a comment in the box below.

For a bonus chance of winning share this post on your Facebook and  tell me you have done so by leaving a comment in the box below.

Let's Make Christmas - Food Blogger Gift Swap

Here are my recipes for the Let's Make Christmas Gift Swap?  I have been working all week so haven't had a chance but I have made pumpkin and apple chutney and  peppermint crunch chocolate.  My recipes are both simple and easy to make.

Pumpkin & Apple Chutney: (my own recipe)




In a large preserving pan put the following:-
750g apples (cored and finely sliced or chopped - no need to peel)
750g pumpkin flesh (grated and peeled)
750g golden granulated sugar
500g onions (finely sliced or chopped)
500g sultanas
1 lemon (rind and juice)
3 red chillies (chopped)
2Tbsp mustard seeds
2Tbsp ginger
1 tsp each - ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin, corriander
10 cloves (optional)

Bring to the boil and boil to dissolve the sugar.  Turn the heat to moderate and simmer for 2 hours, stirring from time to time.

Fill sterilised jars. Cover first with the waxy circles and then cellophane covers from a pack of 2lb jam pot covers.  Cool and label.  You can eat this right away but it will improve if kept for a couple of months before eating.

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Peppermint Crunch Chocolate

2 striped peppermint candy canes
300g white chocolate
300g plain chocolate
1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Line a medium sheet pan with a piece of non-stick baking paper. Set aside.
Place candy canes in a large resealable polythene food bad and coarsly crush using a rolling pin, set aside.
Cut the white chocolate into pieces and place in a glass bowl. Microwave on medium heat for approx 2-3 minutes until almost melted, stirring after every 30 second interval. Stir to melt any lumps and set aside.
Cut the plain chocolate into pieces, add the peppermint extract and proceed as with the white chocolate.
Place scoops of melted white chocolate and plain chocolate onto the prepared sheet pan.  Cut through the chocolate using a spreader to create a marbled effect.
Gently tap sheet pan flat on working surface to level the top and fill any gaps or air bubbles. Sprinkle the chopped candy canes on top.
Refrigerate at least 35 minutes or until chocolate is set.  Lift the papeer and peel away from the chocolate.  Using a knife break the chocolate into irregular shaped pieces.
Fill small celo bags with chocolate and tie with ribbon.
(This recipe is curtesy of The Pampered Chef)

I will put the photos of the above items on the blog next week.  Looking forward to the Let's Make Christmas Gift Swap next Friday 18 November in London at Fortnum & Manson.  I will let you know how it goes.

Quick Snack

I got the munchies this afternoon and fancied a quick snack.  Looking in the cupboard I came across an almost finished jar of honey we bought in Suffolk so I added that to some Total Greek Yogurt (www.totalgreekyoghurt.com) and a punnet of blueberries and yum yum ready to eat heaven!

It's Competition Time!

Many of you already know that I am a Consultant with My Secret Kitchen, the UK's first home food and drink tasting company.  I bring the My Secret Kitchen (www.mysecretkitchen.co.uk) products to your home and introduce you and your friends to our fantastic range of products including Jumping Jack Chilli Jam, Tapenade, Red Pepper Cheese Ball, Maple Caramel Sauce, Mango Mojito Dessert Sauce, and many more.

All products are suitable for vegetarians and have no unnecessary additives, colouring and preservatives.  They are all designed to help you make the most of your mealtimes.

Well I thought it was time to let you find out for yourself how great these products are.  For a chance to win a Jumping Jack Chilli Jam and Maple Caramel Sauce there are a two main things for you to do, each one giving you a seperate entry.  The winner will be chosen at random on 20 November 2011.  The prize (like all our products) can be delivered straight to your home address. The winner will have their prize well in time for Christmas.

1. Like my Facebook page, Heidi's Secret Kitchen, and post a comment below to let me know you have done so and include your Facebook name.

2. Follow me on Twitter, @HeidiMSKstalban, and comment below to let me know you have done so and include your Twitter ID.

3. If you would like to try these great products for yourself and live in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire or North London then book a tasting event at your home, office or school and get a bonus entry, direct message me (either Facebook or Twitter) with your phone number and comment below to let me know you have done this with either your Facebook name or Twitter ID and I will ring you to set the date and details.

4. For another bonus entry and if you live outside of the above areas you can still order from our catalogue and have the order shipped to your home address so send me a direct message (either Facebook or Twitter) and comment below to let me know you have done so with either your Facebook name or Twitter ID .

Silent Sunday

Cutting Edge

Have you ever tried to cut something with a less than sharp knife?  You tear, you pull and it is a lot of frustrating hard work. Any chef worth their salt (ever wondered where this saying comes from? See below) will have their own knives which they look after and covet.  There are some great makes of knives on the market today, such as Global (usually the chef’s choice), Sabatier, ICEL (from Portugal) and I have had many during my life in the kitchen.

A good knife is a very personal choice.  I prefer a 13cm Santoku to an 18cm Santoku but have never been fond of a paring knife. Santoku is the knife with the little indents along the blade.  These create air pockets therefore stopping the food sticking so much to the blade and easier to slide off.  Stops that syndrome when you start out with a nice slice of cheese, for example, and end up with a thin wedge after trying to slide if off the blade.

A good knife is made up of eight main parts and I am going to be referring to the German Forged Steel range of The Pampered Chef (www.pamperedchef.biz/partieswithHeidi).  If you are going to part with a lot of money then you need to treat these knives with respect.  They come with a life time guarantee. I recommend that in a normal domestic kitchen situation you stop what you are doing, clean your knife in hot soapy water (do not use a dishwasher as this will dull the blade and may cause rust spots)

1.       Blade:  they are made of high-carbon German steel, finely crafted through a forging process. This helps to maintain a perfect edge and keep their shape and sharpness. They are stain resistant and corrosion resistant. When the blade is made up of one piece of steel from the tip to the end of the handle this is called “full tang”.

2.       Tip:  of the blade is the front end which is used to cut small or delicate pieces of food or to pierce.

3.       Edge: Working part of the blade. The part you can sharpen from the tip to the heel.

4.       Heel: Rear part of the blade, used for cutting items that require a bit more force.

5.       Spine: The top of the blade, opposite the edge which adds weight and strength.

The best way to store your knives is in a knife block and the Pampered Chef has one to fit their whole range of forged steel cutlery.  If you don’t have a knife block then keep the protective covers on your knives when you store them away.  The cover protects the knife blade from damage from other knives in the drawer but also protects you from serious injury!

Before purchasing a new knife you should try it out.  You might think you will like a particular size or style but when you use it you may decide differently. 

I will be holding a knife Masterclass where you can try several different Pampered Chef ranges of knives and sizes at my house on Friday 11 November 2011 8:00-9:30 pm.  If you live near St Albans and want to attend send me a message and I will see if there are places available.  The Masterclass is limited to 6 places so don’t delay if you want to attend.  We will be trying the whole range of forged knives as well as the colour coated range and self sharpening range.  We will also try using the chef’s knives in a proper and professional manner which should improve your chopping skills.

Let's Make Christmas - Food Blogger Gift Swap

I have been invited to take part in a food bloggers competition to make the ultimate Christmas gifts.  The invitation has come from Vanessa Kimball, a talented and very busy food blogger and mum.  I am honoured to have been invited by Vanessa.  The afternoon will take place at Fortnum & Mason in Picadilly and we will have afternoon tea and a good deal of food talk.

At this moment in time I am planning on entering one of my chutneys and chocolate olive truffles (Leaarned how to make these last week at a cooking class with Food@52.  I will be posting the recipes for the items I am entering in a couple of weeks once I have made my final decision on what to enter.

There will be some fantastic entries in the competition so I only hope I can come close.  Watch this space for more details.