Christmas Prepared!

method

OK! It's time to prepare for Christmas! My idea here, is to gather a few simple ingredients and knock out a few different types of savoury snacks, as they all use similar ingredients

The brilliance here is that, all this will be set onto a tray and placed into the freezer. Once frozen, I'll pop them into freezer bags ready to be pulled out over christmas or new year, all ready to be baked. Saves you loads of time and washing up when you just want to enjoy the festivities ;-) All can be baked @ 180c from frozen, for approximately 30 to 45 minutes in an uncrowded oven!

NOTE: The pre-made pastry I buy comes wrapped in grease proof paper, which I use in the methods below.

Method: Sausage rolls

1. first skin your sausages
2. simply run a sharp knife down one side, grab the skin and peel back
3. on a large board, unroll your pastry on the grease proof paper that the pastry comes in
4. lay the sausages along the short length
5. egg wash the short length of the pastry
6. use the grease proof paper to roll
7. take a fork and join the edge
8. cut the sausage roll away from the remaining pastry and repeat twice
9. turn each roll so the edge join becomes the base
10. prick each top with a fork
11. wrap all three in the greese proof & chill
12. once chilled, check they are still sealed & freeze
13. egg wash when you're ready to cook them is best

Method: Sausage Stuffing Balls

1. weigh your sausage meat
2. weigh dry sage & onion stuffing mix - 3 x the weight of the sausage meat
3. add a knob of butter to a bowl
4. add the stuffing mixture
5. now mix the stuffing with enough water to combine
6. allow to cool completely
7. now mix your sausage meat into the stuffing & season with salt & pepper
8. wrap in clingfilm & set into the fridge to firm up
9. then unwrap the clingfilm & roll into individual balls
10. rewrap in clingfilm & freeze

Method: Pigs in blankets

Don't forget, we're just using the streaky end of the bacon rasher, we'll use the fat bit for the Bacon & Cheese Puffs!

1. firstly skin your sausages
2. now stretch your bacon slightly with the back of a knife
3. wrap each sausage in two rashers of the bacon
4. once wrapped cut in half
5. wrap in clingfilm and freeze

Method: Bacon & Cheese puffs

1. on a large board, unroll your pastry on the grease proof paper that the pastry comes in
2. cut into 6 equal squares
3. place a rasher and a half of back bacon medalion onto each square
4. top with a slice of cheddar cheese
5. now take two opposite corners egg wash each and overlap pressing down firmly
6. now season with salt & pepper
7. wrap all six in the greese proof & chill
8. once chilled, check the seal & freeze
9. egg wash when your ready to cook them is best

Once you have prepared everything, get a suitable tray that fits in the freezer, lay each separately, cover in clingfilm, or, greese proof paper, allow to freeze completely then place into labeled bags, so you can pull out exactly the amount you need, when you need it!

Serving suggestions

For all the above Christmas Prepared is simple, some go with a roast, others just simply need friends! Have a great holiday! Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from all of us @ Nutty's kitchen ;-)