Merry Christmas!! and shout out to all the turkeys and chickens..no worries baba God dey to jorge!!…
Please don’t forget the reason for the season…for as many peeps understand it to mean a time of sharing and giving, it’s the night divine when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born.#Shinning teeth.
In the midst of the eating and merrying remember me oh, still expecting my gifts please don’t dull me as the Lord will not dull you this Christmas, Amen!!

Right, the Christmas Turkey! or more like the Christmas Chicken #Thinking…
Awon temi naija–the Christmas Goat, Cow, Ram, Fish,Snails, EVERY!!! lol. If you are in diaspora at this time of the year and not at home…its quite unfortunate. But alas, i am here to make your season jolly, elaborating wonderful meals to make you enjoy the season in the tradition of your location.*tongue out*

For the peeps that love to do Christmas the English way, its really easy! All you need is a tasty starter, Turkey & vegetables for your main course and a yummy dessert. For your starters, Prawn cocktail is highly recommended. 

The easiest way to prepare this is to have the following:
  •  Fresh mixed leaves( it could be rocket leaves and spinach mixed together) 
  •  Iceberg lettuce, 
  • Cucumber, 
  • Tomatoes, 
  • All nicely cut into any shape or size of your choice.
  • And also Fresh peeled prawns, (boiled and ready for consumption).


Simply mix prawns in mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and tabasco sauce 
add some quantity of cayenne pepper or dry chilli pepper and salt to taste,
then mix together.

Serve some portion of the freshly cut salad vegetables in a lovely looking cocktail glass, serving half way to the top, add few scopes of the prawn mixture filling to the top, then squeeze lemon juice on it and your starter is ready!!
Another method is to have freshly cut iceberg lettuce, filled half way through a cocktail glass, add some freshly cut tomatoes and cucumber, add some precooked prawns, and serve with any salad dressing of your choice. The Thousand Island Salad dressing is recommended.

Prawn Cocktail


For the main meal the basic vegetables could be sprouts, onions, carrots, swedes, broccoli, potatoes and as many vegetable combo you desire and not forgetting,gravy.  The turkey has to be a “roast turkey”, if not, you are loosing the point! The perfect marinating and cooking technique for this is to use the basic aromatic, savory and flavoring spices like thyme leaves, basil leaves, mixed herbs,curry powder, white pepper powder, nut meg, salt, maggi, garlic, onions and as many more you can add or remove…most importantly let it suit your taste and supercede it for the sake of those who would share in the meal. The best coat for your turkey is honey, after marinating through any process you prefer, kindly “paint” your turkey with honey, bask the turkey in it till you are satisfied. After roasting, it comes out with a fresh golden brown color and an aroma that would blast through your senses and a luscious taste that gives you the confirmation its Christmas#happy face. An alternative to honey is sweet and sour sauce, chilli sauce, dry pepper lime and onion paste, or the regular barbecue and ketchup sauce which to me is boring#my opinion.


Roast Turkey


Cut your potatoes in to 4 portions, that way it has that lovely traditional Christmas cooking shape.
 You can either coat in butter and grill/roast, or you marinate with dry pepper, salt and mixed herbs, then deep fry in vegetable oil. It would cook having this yellowish glow with the dry pepper and mixed herbs giving it a stunning look. 
Roast the other vegetables as well, seasoning it to your taste. Alternatively, you could boil in water or steam up, you are still going to have a wonderful result. 
With the gravy, simply add any gravy powder of your choice in to a meat stock(the juice you get from pre- cooking or per boiling your turkey, chicken or beef) mix together perfectly, add seasoning to taste, allow to boil and gravy is ready. Be very careful and ensure gravy doesn’t come out watery. In any event it becomes watery add more gravy powder and mix thoroughly*winks.

In serving, get more than a couple of slices of turkey on your plate,a flat plate! and place the turkey at the center, potatoes by the side, followed by the other varieties of vegetable you have till it goes round the turkey, then pour your gravy all over. Meal is Served…woohoo!



The roast turkey meal goes well with some cranberry sauce, chipolatas and stuffing made with a mixture of sausage (or any meat of your choice), sage and onions.

Chipolatas


The best drink?    Orange or cranberry juice
The best dessert? Chocolate pudding, Christmas sponge pudding or a strawberry trifle and this is available in any local store of your choice.

Christmas Pudding



This meal’s budget is very reasonable and affordable and its ingredients are easy to find so no worries. For peeps who would like more explanations or ask questions, please leave a comment or send me an email > dolu_felo@yahoo.co.uk.  Cheers!! 

Do have a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas.
Love Candee’s!