mountainmaid
Getting comfortable around here!

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poke

Hi Erika,
Christmas at home- both daughter and son-in-law are meeting up for Christmas with us. At present they are living and working 20 hours driving apart, so we are sort of central. His parents and sister are also joining us. Our usual Christmas night neighbourhood gathering is to be organised and invites sent out . We work on a byo system- bring something to eat, drink, sit on and talk about, a smile or laugh and lots of Christmas cheer. We host up to 40 people at our home for a fun filled evening. This will be the 20th year of these gatherings.

What do you plan for the celebrations?
Sandie

We are so very fortunate to have an outside Christmas - what are you doing for Christmas this year Sandy?

Hi Sandie, how is it going with your weight loss program? Are you all nice and trim by now? Just wondering how you are doing.
Regards.
Erika

Many thanks.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Hi Erika,
No desserts during the week - only weekends (otherwise I'll grow tooooo fat.)
My neighbour and I have a competition for the best dessert for our fortnightly get togethers.(the visitor always brings dessert, the host supplies the main course)
Simple dessert. Cream, brandy or sherry or other alcohol or orange juice.
Ginger biscuits
Whip cream with a touch of sherry or brandy, and a little icing (powdered) sugar added. Dip some ginger biscuits very briefly in the sherry or brandy, layer with cream into a log shape. Cover with rest of whipped cream and decorate with shaved chocolate.

I've just today made my favourite iced Christmas pudding (using same recipe for over 20 years) . Vanilla icecream slightly melted. Add marshmallow bits, chocolate bits, glace cherries, crushed nuts, chopped mini chocolate bars (I added Cherry coconut one, a honeycomb-chocolate , and a caramel). Refreeze. I use a pudding basin, so when I tip it out, I decorate it with chocolate toppping (the one that sets hard) and a holly leaf or two.

Another easy one is a purchased christmas pudding crumbled up, add either orange juice or one of these -sherry/ brandy/ cointreau/ tia maria..., and vanilla ice cream. Stir all together and refreeze in pudding bowl. This is really delicious.

Another: fold sliced mangos and macadamia nuts through the ice cream.

And another: Make very strong coffee, stir into ice cream, add flaked almonds, and layer onto base of crushed chocolate cream biscuits.

Add turkish delight chocolate bars (chopped finely) to chocolate ice cream - yumm. Refreeze- the texture is interesting.

Enjoy.
Sandie

Hallo Sandie, you are probably having a warm and sunny Christmas just like us here in South Africa. What's on your menu for the day? Looking for a quick simple dessert idea suitable for our climate. Do you have some ideas for me?
Erika