The turkey dish: an alternative guide to Merry Christmas

Christmas overrated or not is the best time for good food. To be honest as long as I don't have to cook on Christmas eve or day, which I find very stressful, I am fine and happy enough to eat for ten people. And beat my boyfriend in Monopoly. And watch 'It's A Wonderful Life'. And other cliches. 
This year I decided to cook for my friends before they go away for the holiday season. So last night I tried this stir fry dish, which was actually simple and tasty. Not very Christmassy but hey, the turkey was there and the mulled wine put everyone in a ho ho ho mood anyway. 
It also means I can just do the drinking during the festive preparations, since I have paid my dues. 

Ingredients

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 300g turkey breast 
• 5cm piece of root ginger, chopped (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce (no salt necessary, soy sauce will do the job)
• 50g mange tout, green beans or sugar snaps
• 50g bamboo shoots
• 80g broccoli in florets 
• 50g baby corn 
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed

• 3 slices of pineapple, preferably fresh, diced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 150g fresh bean sprouts

50g cashew nuts

sesame seeds (optional) 

• Wash, dry and slice the turkey evenly.
• For the marinade, mix ginger with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, salt, pepper and garlic. Roll the turkey in the marinade, leave in the fridge for an hour.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the onion and the turkey briefly. Stir in the pineapple chunks.
• Add the bean sprouts, broccoli, cashew nuts and the rest of the vegetables to the pan and cook, stirring continuously.
• Add the remaining soy sauce and pepper to taste. Toss one last time and serve. Sesame seeds can be added too. 
• Can be accompanied by rice or noodles. (Optional) 

Cinnamon Orange Muffins

Easy to make, Christmas treat. Perfect with mulled wine.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups (gluten free) flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, cream 1/3 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, vanilla and orange zest.
3. Blend flour combination and milk into egg mixture.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. In a small bowl, mix together remaining butter, sugar and cinnamon until mixture becomes crumbly; sprinkle over top of muffins.
6. Bake at gas mark 5 for 20-25 minutes.

A bucket Full of Mulled Wine

1 bottle of red wine (or two bottles of red wine it evaporates remember? )
vanilla pods
lemon zest
orange juice
a bit of honey or brown sugar
cinnamon sticks
a dozen of cloves
aniseed

put everything in a pot and cook in small gentle fire. it would be good to put the cloves around the orange slice. but it doesn't matter if you forget.
ho ho ho

i added a few red fat raisins at the bottom of the glass. eat them at the end. they are THE secret treat.
have a good one. hips.