When it comes to entertaining,
"you can never be too organized!" Hope these tips help.
· Take into account the interests of the people you are about to
invite, to get an idea about the things that they would or would not enjoy.
· Decorate the party area with loads of flowers like Marigold, Roses
& Petunias.
·
Place the
food, drinks at a place where everyone can go and have it without any
inconvenience.
· Fill up
loads of candies, sweets and toys to distribute to the kids.
·
The party caps can have motifs of “colors” or something related.
·
Polaroid
pictures are great fun at parties because they are funky, retro and most of
all, instant! Your guests will have an instant personalized souvenir to remember
· Have
interesting games ; “antakshari”...for example
· Share jokes
for party fun.
On Great game is “Gift
Exchange” in which you could ask your guests to bring an inexpensive wrapped
gift (appropriate for both the sexes), with no gift tag on it. Have the guests
draw numbers and choose a gift in numerical order. For more fun, you could give
the following player have the choice of choosing a new gift, or stealing a gift
from someone who has already opened
his /hers.
Sharing some Christmas recipes which become easy to make especially if you have a KitchenAid Stand mixer.
GINGERBREAD BISCUITS
Preparation
time: 20 minutes
Chilling: 30
minutes
Cooking:
10-15 minutes in batches
Makes: about
20 biscuits
INGREDIENTS
Plain Flour:
225 Gms
Salt: ½ tsp
Soda Bicarb:
2 tsp
Cinnamon
ground: ½ tsp
Unsalted
Butter: 50 Gms
Soft Brown
sugar: 100 Gms
Golden
syrup/Honey: 100 Gms
Evaporated
milk: 15 Gms
METHOD
1.
Sift together the flour, salt, soda and spices in the KitchenAid Stand mixer.
2.
In a pan heat the butter, sugar and syrup until dissolved.
3.
Leave to cool.
4.
Mix in the dry ingredients with the evaporated milk to make the
dough.
5.
Chill.
6.
Preheat oven to 190*C and grease 2 baking sheets.
7.
Roll out biscuit dough to about 5 mm thick and cut into fingers,
circles or gingerbread men.
8.
Place on the baking sheets.
9.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes.
10.Remove from oven and leave to
cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
I will always cherish fond
memories of my aunt’s cooling trays piled high with freshly baked mince pies on
Christmas Eve, ready to be packed into tins and brought out whenever friends
popped in for Christmas drinks. Below is the traditional family recipe.
MINCE PIES
Preparation
time: 15 minutes plus chilling
Cooking
time: 20-25 minutes
Makes: 14-16
INGREDIENTS
Plain flour:
225 Gms
Cold butter:
Chopped
Caster or
icing sugar: 50-75 Gms
Egg: 1 no
Water/milk:
15 ml
Home-made
mincemeat: 425 Gms
Milk for
brushing
Caster or
icing sugar to decorate
TO MAKE THE PASTRY
1.
Sift the flour with a pinch of salt and rub in the butter in a
bowl or on a cold work surface to form fine crumbs in the KitchenAid stand mixer.
2.
Stir in the sugar, and then add the egg, if using or enough water
or milk to make smooth dough perfectly in the KitchenAid stand mixer.
3.
Mix together and refrigerate for half an hour.
TO MAKE THE MINCE PIES
1.
Line 14-16 tartlet tins with thin discs of pastry.
2.
Spoon in some mincemeat and brush edges with milk, top with pastry
lids. Chill.
3.
Preheat the oven to 200*C. Brush the tops with milk & bake for
around 25 minutes.
4.
Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
5.
Sprinkle with castor sugar during their last 5 minutes in the oven
& dust with icing sugar when cooled.
P.S – If you are a
vegetarian you can replace the mincemeat with minced fruit
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MERRY CHRISTMAS
