Merry Christmas
                        And A Happy New Year!


Santa Clause Is Coming To Town


First A perfect Christmas Isn't Perfect Without A Perfect Dress.....



Elise Ryan Black Taffeta Lace Top Dress, £49.99, www.newlook.com
Plain yet gorgeous


Elise Ryan Silver Sequin Bow Dress, £54.99, www.newlook.com





If your looking for somthing more christmassy, slightly more pricy. Then this maxi might be the dress for you


Adrianna Papell EveningStrapless V shape draped dress
£200 House of frazer



Christmas Dinner!
Theese recipes are great for christmas dinner


Start with appertisers

 

Ingredients

For the mushrooms

• 300ml/½ pint vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 40 mushrooms (approx 4-5 per person)
• 200g/7oz Stilton, crumbled
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 3 free-range eggs, beaten
• 100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs

For the salad

• 80g/3½oz fresh basil
• 50g/2oz chopped fresh chives
• 80g/3½oz fresh parsley
• 200g/7oz spinach
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cranberry relish

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 100g/3½oz cranberries

Preparation method

1. For the mushrooms, place the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
2. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and discard. Place a spoonful of crumbled Stilton onto each mushroom on the stalk side.
3. Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls and dip each mushroom into each bowl in turn, shaking off any excess.
4. Carefully place the mushrooms into the hot oil and deep fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
5. For the salad, place the basil, chives, parsley and spinach into a large bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and oil, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well to coat the leaves.
6. For the cranberry relish, heat the oil in a saucepan, place the onion, vinegar, sugar and cranberries into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes.
7. To serve, place the salad onto a plate with the mushrooms on top and the relish spooned over.

 

 

 Leek and scallop tartlets

 

Ingredients

• 500g/17oz chilled puff pastry
• 450g/1lb leeks, trimmed and cut into matchstick size pieces
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1tbsp light and mild olive oil
• 225g/8oz scallops, halved horizontally
• 2tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
• Light sprinkling sea salt and ground black pepper
• Saffron Hollandaise
• 200ml/ 7oz crème fraiche
• 4g sachet saffron strands
• 15g/ 1/2oz butter
• 1tsp cornflour blended with 1tbsp cold water
• 1tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• Sprigs of flat leaf parsley and lime wedges (to garnish)

  Method

  1. Cut pastry block into 4 even squares. Roll each out to an approximate thickness of a £1 coin and cut into rounds using a 14cm/6in saucer as a template. Place onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
  2. Prepare topping. Gently pan sweat the leeks and garlic in the butter and olive oil for 2-3 minutes without colouring. Add scallops and parsley and cook for a further 2 minutes (no longer as the scallops will toughen) Season generously.
  3. Spoon mix onto pastry rounds leaving a clear 2cm/3/4in pastry border.
  4. Oven cook (220°C/200°C Fan/425°F/Gas Mark 7) until the pastry has risen and is golden and the leeks have started to caramelize to a golden brown.
  5. Meanwhile prepare the Saffron Hollandaise. Melt the butter in a small solid based pan and add saffron. Sweat for 1 minute until the saffron starts to colour the butter. Stir in the remaining ingredients until the sauce starts to simmer. Turn to a low heat and keep warm.
  6. Serve tarts drizzled with the saffron





You need to go to a butcher to get a whole breast joint and you need to ask for it to be butterflied and boned and make sure the skin is left on. I know it might sound a bit of a faff, but take it from me that stuffing a whole double-breast joint is very much easier than stuffing and rolling a single breast joint, as is more commonly found in supermarkets.



Ingredients

For the stuffing

• 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
• 100ml/3½fl oz Marsala
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• 1kg/2lb 4oz Italian sausages
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 50g/2oz parmesan, grated
• 60g/2¼oz breadcrumbs

For the turkey joint

• 5kg/11lb double breast turkey joint, boned, butterflied, with skin left on
• 4 tbsp duck or goose fat




Preparation method

1. Put the cranberries and Marsala into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then take off the heat and leave to one side.
2. Put the oil into a large frying pan or similar heavy-based pan, and fry the shallots for a minute or so, then add the spices and shredded sage, turning them in the soft shallots.
3. Squeeze the sausagemeat out of its skins, add to the pan and break it up – using a wooden fork and spatula for ease – turning it in the hot pan until it loses its pinkness. This will take about five minutes.
4. Take the frying pan off the heat and turn the contents into a large bowl, mixing in the steeped cranberries and any Marsala clinging to them, and leave to cool. You can cover with cling film and put in the fridge for up to two days at this stage.
5. When you are ready to stuff the turkey breast, take the bowl of sausagement out of the fridge.
6. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
7. Uncover the bowl of sausagemeat, add the eggs, parmesan and breadcrumbs and – I use my hands for this – mix well.
8. Lay the butterflied turkey joint out in front of you. It really does look like a butterfly though admittedly a fleshy one. Spread the stuffing out first in the slight cavity in the centre of the butterfly and then outwards onto the wings though not going right up to the edge (or it will squodge out when cooking) but as evenly as possible over the whole joint.
9. Carefully, in one swift but steady movement, fold one ‘wing’ over the other to close the joint, and then sit the turkey on a large roasting tin, breast bone (or where the breast bone would be) uppermost as it would look were it the whole bird, with the pointier bit furthest away from you. Thread two skewers through the base – i.e., the widest part that is nearer you – to keep it closed and smear it all over with the duck or goose fat.
10. Roast the turkey breast for 2-2½ hours, then check it is cooked with a turkey or meat thermometer. When cooked, it should read 75C. (If you’re leaving it to rest, as you should or to cool, you could take it out at 73C – it wil retain heat and continue to cook for a short while once out of the oven.)
11. Flex your muscles, then lift out onto a carving board, and leave to rest for at least 20 minutes. Or leave to get cold if you are eating it as part of a buffet.
12. Cut through the whole joint in wide slices right across; they will need to be quite thick, at least 1-2cm/½-1in, to keep the stuffing intact within the slice.
13. As you place it on table or sideboard, dot around it the condiments of your choice: I revert to Christmas in Italy here by putting a lusciously extravagant pot or two of Italian mostarda di Cremona on the table alongside: this is a hot and sweet preserve of mustardy candied fruits that gleam beautifully and taste both festive and fabulous.
 
 
Vegetarian option

A show-stopping alternative to beef Wellington, this vegetarian recipe will have everyone asking for another slice.
Ingredients
For the filling
• 60g/2oz basmati rice, cooked according to the packet instructions
• pinch turmeric
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 600g/1lb 5oz brown cap mushrooms, sliced
• 50g/2oz butter, melted
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 2 free-range eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pastry
• 250g/9oz ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• vegetarian gravy, to serve
Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Combine the cooked rice, turmeric and lemon zest and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and mushroom and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Set aside to cool.
4. Stir in the cooked rice, herbs, cranberries and hard-boiled eggs until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. For the pastry, cut a 40cm x 20cm/15in x 8in rectangle from the puff pastry.
6. Spoon the rice mixture down the centre of the pastry. Bring the sides of the pastry together and seal. Brush all over with beaten egg and chill for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the pastry parcel with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown.
8. To serve, place one slice of the Wellington onto each of six serving plates. Pour over vegetarian gravy.
 
 
 
 

The smooth, creamy liqueur gives this celebration cheesecake the wow factor. Top with grated chocolate and a dusting of cocoa.
Ingredients
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 250g/8¾oz digestive biscuits, crushed
• 600g/1lb 5oz Philadelphia cream cheese
• 25ml/1fl oz Baileys
• 100ml/3½oz icing sugar
• 300ml/10½oz double cream, whipped
• 100g/3½oz grated chocolate
To garnish
• 200ml/7¼oz double cream, whipped
• cocoa powder, to dust
Preparation method
1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the crushed digestive biscuits. Mix well until the biscuits have absorbed all the butter.
2. Remove from the heat and press into the bottom of a lined 18cm/7in springform tin. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for one hour.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Lightly whip the cream cheese then beat in the Bailey's and icing sugar. Fold in the whipped cream and grated chocolate. When smooth, spoon evenly onto the biscuits.
4. Refrigerate and allow to set for a further two hours. Once set, remove and decorate with whipped cream and cocoa powder dusted over the top. Serve.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HAVE A GREAT XMAS AND WILL BE BACK BLOGGING AFTER CHRISTMAS
 

The most expensive day
Luxury items




I have been inspired by someone elses lifestyle blog it included real luxurys so i have been brousing to find some luxurys to add to my own blog


start with a $250,000.00 nail pollish

Luxury jewellery couturier Azature redefines luxury by creating the most expensive nail polish in the world. The exclusive Azature Black Diamond nail polish contains 267 carats of black diamonds, while the unique bottle features a hand-made platinum sterling cap finished off with 60 hand-set black diamonds. Available exclusively at Selfridges London and Selfridges.com