Christmas gone, New Year here

Santa's been!

Whilst I'm finally downloading my pictures from Christmas, before I know it, it will be February! Yikes, am behind, really not a good start is it?! 


Christmas was good for us, was lots of family time, not so much to ourselves but with extended family which was lovely because we don't spend enough time throughout the year and some we only see at Christmas which is awful really as the kids love to hang out especially now they're getting older and age differences aren't so important between them. 


Kids were excited, well my boy was, my girl not so sure what was going on. Christmas morning despite a miraculous pile of presents that wasn't there the night before, she walked straight past them to demand 'MILK!'. Priorities hey.
My poor boy told us to be quiet when we got up on Christmas Day as he'd had a bad night with his cough and actually had another half hour in bed until he more or less skipped down the stairs when he realised what day he was missing. We opened a few pressies then waited for my Mum and my Sister to arrive to open a few more. Meanwhile my husband prepared brekkie which on Christmas Day in our house is always Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale (Royale for me every time please). My husband makes the hollandaise which is so good. Just the Delia recipe, much easier than you think and it's loads better than from a jar. Oh and a sneaky glass of Prosecco or Bucks Fizz in my case, needed the vitamin C to fight my cold that day. 

My nephew at the head of the table loved his Christmas dinner

My girl is loving her first try of Christmas pudding

We had Christmas lunch at my brothers, my husband cooked, he would have it no other way (or would be twitching if he wasn't), but then my brother and sister-in-law were quite relieved he wanted to too so that all worked out well. Traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings. We had a chestnut and apple stuffing taken from this 'A Wee Bit of Cooking' blog to cater for my sister-in-law (with enough left over to dash round to LoveThemGiant's house) and then the Gary Rhodes sausagemeat and chestnut stuffing that we always do as it's delicious (I'll put the recipe in here before next Christmas I promise...).

Dessert was our delicious Christmas Pudding prepared back in October and I also made a Pear & Amaretto cheesecake from our Christmas with Gordon book which was so good, you can find the recipe here.

Cousins catch up/scoff pizza.

My Mother-in-Law and her sister re-living their childhood, re-arranging the dolls house.

We then had my husband's family over after Christmas day, all the young cousins had a great time. The kids were spoilt with some home-made pizza by my husband and the grown ups tucked in to some Picadillo we made the day before. If you haven't tried this yet you must, it's like a luxury Chilli Con Carne, traditional mexican recipe, we take ours from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Meat Book and it includes olives, raisins, flaked almonds in addition to your standard beef and pork mince and spices. Amazing with some tortillas and salsas. And more importantly it's really easy when you have a crowd as all can help themselves from a big pot. Sorry forgot to take a pic...was too hectic! 
All in all a great time was had with friends and family and lots and lots of amazing food. Kids loved it, can't wait for Christmas 2012.

Check out my girl's Christmas outfit, Nicky Minaj eat your heart out. I actually have to hide this skirt from her or she'd wear it every day, she's such a girl-y girl.

Apparently it was essential on Christmas Eve to climb into his christmas present sack to check it was big enough for the presents Santa was bringing. The answer is yes.