Great christmas meals and drinks

Before i start telling you about what meals and drinks are great for christmas lets not forget that christmas has a history. You will probably think christmas started when baby jesus was born but thats not the case people have been celebrating december the 25th even centuries before christ was born. Many cultures believe that december the 25th is the beginning of the winter solstice. Althought many people celebrate christmas because it commemorates the birth of jesus of nazereth. Many people like to give gifts, cards, and display various decorations. The reason this originated was because of a guy called (saint nicholas) who later on in the 19th century got turned into a character called SANTA CLAUSE. Many people like to stick to their own traditions or religious belief's but i have been brought up to believe that christmas is a time of reflection and a time to forget the past year and celebrate and enjoy being with family.

When christmas arrives you automatically think......oh we need to get a big turkey this year. But is turkey the only option not really there is lots and lots of meals that can be put together on christmas day and i am going to list a few on this hub. I am also going to talk about drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic...its not all about getting drunk now is it. The thing that feels brill about the big day is knowing that you have worked hard for this moment with all the running about and wrapping present's and watching kids, family smile when they open their gift's. The hard part about christmas is preparing the food well heres a guide about some very delecious meals, desserts, and drinks with step by step instructions.....ENJOY..!

I thought i asked you to take the turkey out of the freezer last night oh no its not gonna be defrosted in time....Dont make this mistake always fgive your tukey at least 2 to 3 days to defrost depending on weight and size instructions should come with the wrapper. Once your turkey is defrosted its time to prepare for that perfect turkey.

First thing to do is get your stuffing ready....................!

Ingridients: 4.5-6.5kg/10-12lb turkey fully thawed check there is no ice crystals

                  1 lemon quartered

                  50g/2oz butter preferably at room temperature

                  Cocktail sausages (optional)

                  10 rashers of streaky bacon

                  sage and parsley sprigs for garnashing

1.Preheat the oven to 190/375f/gas mark 5. Now you have to wash the turkey inside and out and then dry with kitchen paper.

2. Place the lemon quarters into the cavity of the turkey but dont forget to put the stuffing in first pushing it up towards the breast. Secure the skin with metal skewers and also tie the turkey legs together. Weight your turkey for the cooking time 18 minutes per 450g/1lb.

3. Now you need to grease a large roasting tin with a bit of the butter. The rest of the butter needs to be smeared all over the turkeys skin and thn seasoned. Loosely cover with tin foil and roast for the time that you worked out. Meanwhile cut the bacon rashers in half and strech slightly around the sausages.

4. Dont forget to keep basting your turkey every hour. On the last hour remove the tin foil and get rid of any excess fat. Half an hour before the end of roasting add your bacon wrapped sausages.

5. Make sure to check that your turkey is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh-all juices should run clear...if still pinkish cook for a further 15 minutes then test again. Once cooked take turkey out of oven cover tightly with tin foil and rest for at least 30 minutes before you start caving. Serve with a nice gravy and vegeatbles. Garnish with your sage and parsley.

Some people like to have a change from a roast turkey on christmas day. A lot of people tend to cook a chicken as the meat is not as dry as turkey. Also some people like to be different and have pheasant, quail, or even duck....whatch out duck tends to be very fatty but you dont just have to have a bird its every body to their own devices. Beef can make a nice meal even on christmas day but whatever meat you do choose always remember to cook well as you dont want to make yourself poorly by eating under cooked meat.

This is the best part of the christmas meal the dessert if you not too full that is from your dinner. There are many options open too you when it comes too choosing the perfect dessert. Most people prefer to keep to tradition and have christmas puds....(BEWARE)- it is highly dangerous and a choking hazard to put coins in a christmas pudding people have died as a result. Anyway heres a really good dessert that tastes wonderful as an alternative:

Boozy trifle

Ingridients: 6 trifle sponges

                   frozen or canned fruit etc: strawberries, cherries, rasberries, blackberries

                   sherry

                   1 pint of custard

                   1/2 pint of double cream

                    1 dozen tiny merangues

                     70% cocoa solids plain chocolate

First thing to do is get yourself a trifle bowl and then split the trifle sponges through the middle and lay them at the bottom of the trifle bowl. Now put all of the fruit into a tub and sweeten with a bit of sugar. Next pour over some cherry on to the sponge halves. Next chuck the fruit on to the sponges and spread evenly.and know pour over the custard preferably without the skin that sometimes forms on custard when left. Now whip the cream until quite stiff and put on top of the cold custard. Now decorate with the merangues and grate your chocolate on.

Now with your christmas meal ready and cooked whatever you decide to have get that bottle of bucks fizz open and start celebrating.Obviously beer for the men and just think back to how much all that hard work has been worth it and obviously dont get too plastered. Thanks for reading my hub on christmas.