What I had for my tea

New year's eve: Beef Wellington

Since we had The Boy we've stayed in on New Years Eve's, forgoing the
big parties in favour of a quiet night in front of Hootenanny with a
nice meal and a bottle of Champagne (or Cava, depending on the
economic climate - Cava this year).

Tonight's meal was a classy Marks and Spencer's affair. Fillet steak
beef wellington served with carrot, swede and potato mash and a creamy
cabbage medley.

I made a jus to go with it from some beef stock, red wine, a few
herbs, and some wholegrain mustard.

It really was very nice indeed and I think it was a fitting way to see
out the decade.

Happy New Year, everyone! welcome to the Tenties.

Wednesday: Fishfinger sandwich

This isn't really a proper tea but as we work our way through all the
chocolate and sweets in the house (prior to the new year) we just
didn't have the appetite for anything major come the evening.

And so it was that we sat down to a fishfinger sandwich and a few
crisps.

Tuesday: Braised beef

As we draw away from Christmas, Our teas are starting to get back to
normal wintry fayre.

Tonight's was braised beef, mashed potato, carots and sprouts.

Monday: Chilli

Back home today and settling in to a house fuller than usual with toys.

Tonight's tea was leftover chilli from my mum and dad's party, served
with boiled rice, tortillas, guacamole, soured cream and tomato salsa.

Sunday: Christmas Party

Every year, a couple of days after Christmas, my mum and dad throw a
house party. People come from miles around to celebrate Christmas and
have a good drink and a good eat.

Tonight, I forgot to take a picture of tea. The photo I've attached
was taken while I was helping clear up afterwards. We had chicken
curry, chilli con carne, ham (see Boxing Day's tea), a variety of
pickles, cheeses and breads and loads of other really lively food. My
mum even made a giant sausage roll from scratch. Best I've ever tasted.

It was a great night and it was lovely to catch up with family friends
I don't see enough of.

Boxing Day Ham

Boxing day at my mum and dad's place always means ham. Scored, boiled,
studded with cloves and rubbed with mustard then into the oven.

It's normally a nice light, fresh looking and tasting meal, as it was
tonight, served with boiled new potatoes, French beans and a White
parsley sauce.

Not a massive portion for me. Still full from Christmas dinner.

The WhatIHadForMyTea.com Christmas Special

We started the day at home in York, way too early in the morning,
opening presents, or in my case, unpacking and assembling toys. My
fingers bled from the ridiculous twist-tags holding the toys into
their boxes. I could understand putting so much security into a
package if it contained real, live dinosaurs, but they're just toys.
They're not going to escape.

Once the first wave of presents were opened and assembled we got in
the car and made the journey to my folks' where more parcels awaited.
Loads of great stuff for each of us. We're all lucky people.

Mid-afternoon and it's onto to most important part of the day:
Christmas Dinner. I have so many memories of this meal from years gone
by and this year only adds to the reputation.

I'm just going to list what we had, what my lovely mum prepared for
us. It doesn't need explanation, there are pictures.

Starter was a Prawn Cocktail.

The main course comprised butter basted turkey, sprouts with home-
roasted chestnuts, roast potato, mashed potato, parsnip and celeriac
purée, pigs in blankets, bread sauce, carrots, home made cranberry and
orange relish and three types of stuffing.

To finish it off we had a traditional Christmas pudding and some of my
mum's famous boozy Christmas pudding icecream.

What an amazing dinner.

Next year it's my turn to cook it. I can't wait.

Merry Christmas everyone.

       

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The_WhatIHadForMyTea.com_Chris.zip (464 KB)

Christmas Eve Traditions: Takeaway Curry

It's Christmas Eve and in my house that means we're getting a curry in.

We do all the other things that families with a kid or two do on
Christmas Eve. We give the final warning to be good (because despite
him already being in the air his elves can still contact him on his
mobile pho-ho-hone), we settle him down and get him into bed. Then we
wait until he wakes up and is sick from the excitement. Once he's
settled down again we order a curry and go about our Santa-ly duties.
The presents are put around the tree, the carrot on the front doorstep
it chewed and the stockings are filled.

And then, when everything's ready, the man from the Garden of India
pulls up outside. He gets a generous tip on this night, and he
deserves it. He's marked the start of our Christmas.

Wednesday: Spanish chicken

Another The Wife speciality. Spanish chicken, roast potatoes and green
beens.

Oh, and I've finished work until 2010. Yay! If you have too,
congratulations.

Tuesday: Spaghetti Bolognese

Tough day today, the penultimate working day of the year. You don't
need stress this close to Christmas.

Fortunately The Wife had knocked together one of her world class pasta
dishes. A very tasty spaghetti bolognese, with the surprise addition
of sweetcorn. All topped off with a generous helping of grated parmesan.

And look, we even had candles.