Christmas is time for family and food, overindulging and making memories.
Up until we left the UK my mum always hosted Xmas dinner and I cooked. Anyone who was going to be alone would be invited, it was usually a very strange crowd but we had so much fun.
Our last big family Christmas was in 2003. Even though it’s just 2 of us I still cook a massive oversized turkey because it’s tradition!
Leftovers are part of Christmas for us and they are freezable! I freeze turkey dinners for Carl’s lunches and Boxing day is left over turkey curry day.
The first Christmas I cooked for a large crowd I really did overextend myself. Nowadays I don’t stress, anything that can be made a day ahead takes some of the pressure off - the stuffing, bread sauce, soup and boiled potatoes ready for roasting can all be done early.
A good stuffing is an essential part of our traditional Christmas and my favourite is sage & onion. ( Back home we used to have chestnut stuffing but I don’t have the patience to peel them so I only make it if I find peeled chestnuts - this year I actually found some in the frozen section of an Asian Grocery store.)
Our stuffings are different from the bread type stuffings that are popular here because they are mainly meat and yes it only uses 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs - which you can leave out if you prefer
I use our Cumberland Sausage or you can use ground pork and I don’t actually stuff the turkey anymore because it takes too long to cook. Instead, I cook the stuffing in muffin tins - sometimes mini muffin tins or even in a loaf tin. I have to make extra because we can’t help picking!
“It’s the best stuffing ever! I made it in a loaf tin and sliced it. - It’s delicious and very easy to make with a few ingredients.”
Sage & Onion Stuffing
2lb Cobblestone Farm Sausages or ground pork
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 large onion finely chopped
1 heaped dessertspoon dried sage
1 beaten egg (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1) Mix breadcrumbs, onion and dried sage in a bowl.
2) Add sausagemeat/ground pork and egg if using, mix well.
3)Season with salt & pepper. (Fry a little of the stuffing up to taste it)
4)Put in muffin tins or loaf pan (or Stuff into turkey) and cook at 425 degrees for about 40 mins or until cooked through