This post is sponsored by Woolworths
I come from a family of major foodies. Every Christmas we all trot out our old faithful recipes when we all get together to celebrate. My mum’s Crunchy Nut Salad, my uncle’s amazing BBQ breakfasts, my cousin’s leathal cocktails. I thought it would be a lovely idea to share my favourite famous recipes from my family and friends to inspire everyone in their own Christmas food wars. Any of these recipes are perfect to take to work morning teas, Christmas get togethers or picnics.
Carly’s Ginger Nut Wagon Wheels
I made these a few years ago and they still get requests. They’re very rich but super delicious and perfect for a dessert with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Naughty.
Ingredients
(makes 8)
1 packet of Macro gluten free ginger biscuits
16 white marshmallows, thinly sliced
Strawberry jam
1 packet of milk chocolate melts
Method
1. Place sliced marshmallow on 8 ginger nut biscuits (I made mine gluten free with Macro ginger biscuits) on an oven tray and bake in a 180C oven until slightly melted. Spread another 8 ginger nuts with strawberry jam. Gently place jam ginger biscuits on marshmallow biscuits.
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave or on the stove. Using two spoons coat sandwiched ginger biscuits and place on a sheet of baking paper. Put in the fridge to cool and then enjoy!
Sally’s Tomato Salsa
This is a beautiful salsa that my sister-in-law made a few years ago on her first ever Christmas with my family. We devoured it in minutes and chased her around when she presented a second bowl. Delicious.
Ingredients
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 spanish onion
4 finely chopped slices of tinned jalapeno
1/2 bunch finely chopped coriander
Method
Simply mix all ingredients together and serve with crackers or chips. We ate this batch with Macro veggie chips.
GeddyMatt’s Salted Caramels
This is the most devine salted caramel candy recipe from my beautiful friends Matt and Ged. They send me a bag of these for my birthday every year and I can never leave their house without them tucking a little goody bag into my hands on the way out. They’re dead easy to make, seriously sinful and if you take them to an event people will be talking about them for years.
Ingredients
200gms honey
25gms vanilla paste
400gms sugar
125gms unsalted butter cut into eight pieces
1.5 teaspoons of sea salt (plus more for sprinkling)
3oomls pure pouring cream
Note: You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe
Method
1. Line a square cake tin with baking paper making sure the paper reaches up the sides of the tin. Fill the sink with hot soapy water ready to soak your dirty dishes. Combine honey, vanilla and sugar in a large saucepan. Place on medium heat stiring until sugar and honey have melted. Once the sugar is melted let the mixture come to a boil. Boil without stiring until the mixture becomes a dark caramel brown colour. Place the cream in the microwave for 60 seconds until it’s just warm.
2. When the caramel is dark brown remove it from the heat and whisk in butter pieces one at a time. Whisk in salt. Slowly pour in warmed cream and whisk until smooth. Return to heat, insert a candy thermometer and boil caramel until it reaches 260F (hard ball). Be careful as the mixture will bubble and spit during this phase.
3. Carefully pour hot caramel into the lined cake tin and let it cool for 10 minutes. Once the caramel has cooled, sprinkle liberally with coarse sea salt. When the caramel reaches room tempterature cut into sticks or squares and wrapped in baking paper wrappers.
Mama Smaggle’s Champagne Cocktail
We like a sip of the old tipple in my family and Mama Smaggle makes this every Christmas morning. We’ll have brioche or croissants with jam and an elegant glass of Mama Smaggle’s Champagne Cocktail to get the festive party started. What can I say? The woman knows how to do Christmas day glamour.
Ingredients
3 punnets of strawberries
2/3 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/3 cup of cointreau
2 bottles of white or pink bubbly
Method
Simply blend together all ingredients and then add chilled champagne!
Steph’s Potato Pizza
My bestie is one of the crazies who does things likes makes her own pizza dough and casually roasts chickens. She’ll literally whip this up at midnight for a snack when we’ve just got home from a show.
Ingredients
(makes 2 pizzas)
1 packet of Macro gluten free pizza dough
3 to 4 small washed potatoes, thinly sliced
2 white onions
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of rosemary leaves
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt
1. Pre-heat oven to 180C. Prepare pizza dough according to instructions on the box and press into two pizza dough pans.
2. Slice and caramalize onion over low heat, adding brown sugar and water as needed. Spread caramlized onion over pizza base. Place potato on pizza. Mix olive oil and garlic and spread evenly over potato. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm.
Is there a recipe from your family that you absolutely love? Or are you famous amongst your friends for doing the best brownie or pear tart?
The first ten commenters will be sent a few of GeddyMatt’s salted caramels (made by me!) to try. Just email me with your address once you’ve left a comment. Be quick!