Foodie Ideas for the Festive Season

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking creatively about Christmas food. There’s no doubt that Christmas classics such as roast turkey, roasted potatoes, and thick hearty gravy are the centrepieces of the festive season when it comes to the table, however, here at NetCost Market, we think it’s time to get creative with festive snacks and with those eagerly anticipated leftovers to make this time of the year a truly festive experience. Here are a few ideas to get your creative Christmas juices flowing!

Mini Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze

Great as an appetizer, a simple Christmas snack or for having friends over on Christmas, these easy to make snacks will get everybody into the Christmas mood!

You will need:

1 ¼ lb ground turkey, ½ tsp garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp Worchester sauce, mild chili powder, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp plain flour, ½ cup chicken broth, ½ cup orange juice, 1 cup cranberry sauce.

Method:

Combine the ground turkey, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, Worchester sauce, chili powder, egg and flour in a mixing bowl and mix using your hands by crushing the mixture together. Once well mixed, form small balls, about 1 inch across.

Next, place the meatballs in a skillet with a tbsp. of olive oil, on a medium heat and brown the meatballs, ensuring they are rolled regularly to stop them burning and to brown all sides. Once done, remove them and place them in a bowl to one side.

In the same skillet used for the meatballs, combine the juice, cranberry sauce, and chicken broth and mix together in the pan using a wooden spoon. Reduce the mixture down a little, boiling for 10 to 15 minutes on a medium heat.

Now add the meatballs to the pan, and continue cooking until the glaze is thick and sticky and clings to the meatballs.

Serve with cocktail sticks and a sprinkling of orange zest for that decorative Christmas effect!

Candied Pecans

Around Europe and America, the smell of roasted, caramelized nuts brings with it memories of Christmases gone by. Try making this simple snack at home to not only get a great festive treat, but to fill your home with all the wonderful aromas of the festive season!

You will need:

1lb pecan nuts, 1 cup white sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp water, 1 egg white.

Method:

Set the oven to 250 degrees F.

Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in one bowl, and in the other mix together egg white and water until frothy.

Toss the pecans in the egg mixture, and then coat them fully in the sugar mixture, ensuring they are fully coated. Place them evenly on a baking sheet.

Place the nuts in the oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. They should be browned once finished!

Leftover Turkey Singapore Noodles

When Christmas is done, we often find ourselves unable to even think about having another heavy, rich meal. But what to do with all that leftover Turkey?! This dish offers a great, light solution to the problem of all that leftover Christmas turkey!

You will need (serves 4):

leftover Turkey meat (cut away from the bone), leftover ham (diced), 200g rice noodles, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 cloves of garlic (chopped) 1 tsp chopped chilli, 1 tbsp chopped ginger, 2 red peppers, 200g beansprouts, 6 spring onions, 2 tbsp mild curry powder, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, sliced cilantro.

Method:

Prepare the noodles, then drain and toss with 1 tsp sesame oil.

Beat the eggs with 1 tbsp sesame oil, salt, and black pepper, and make a flat omelet in a wok or skillet. Transfer this to a dish and shred into small pieces.

Next, add more oil to the wok on a high heat. Quickly fry the garlic, ginger, and chili. Add all of the meat and vegetables to the wok, and heat through until the meat is starting to brown. Tip the shredded egg, soy sauce, vinegar, curry powder to the wok and stir-fry all the ingredients together.

Serve immediately with a small sprig of cilantro for decoration.