Delicious Christmas Ideas

Here are some creative and delicious ideas to decorate your Christmas table. Easy and yummy! 

Bon Appetit!

FESTIVE DESSERT RECIPES

Boozy Chocolate Bombes

Ingredients:

100ml Irish cream liqueur (we used Baileys)
200g white chocolate (use cheaper chocolate, it will melt better), broken into pieces
real or artificial holly, to decorate

For the sponge:

100g butter, plus extra for greasing
50g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tsp instant coffee, mixed with 1 tbsp boiling water
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
140g light soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
85g natural yogurt 

For the chocolate mousse: 

50g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 large egg, separated
50g caster sugar
75ml double cream 

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 6 x 150ml ovenproof pudding moulds and put a disc of baking parchment in the base of each. 
2. To make the sponge, put the butter, chocolate and coffee in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Gently heat until melted, add the vanilla and stir to combine. Set aside to cool a little. Sift the flour, cocoa and bicarb into another bowl, then scatter in the sugar, breaking up any clumps of sugar with your fingers. Mix the eggs and yogurt in a jug. Add the chocolate mixture and the egg mixture to the flour, and stir everything with a spatula until there are no visible lumps of flour. Divide the mixture between the 6 moulds, put on a baking tray and cook in the centre of the oven for 30 mins or until a skewer pushed into the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Can be made up to 5 days ahead, wrapped well in cling film and stored in a sealed container; or freeze for up to 6 weeks. 
3. While the cakes cool, make the chocolate mousse. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then stir in the egg yolk. Whisk the egg white in another bowl until stiff, add the sugar and continue to whisk until glossy and thick. Pour the cream into a third bowl and lightly whisk until thick. Tip the cream into the chocolate and stir to combine. Add the beaten egg white and, using a metal spoon, fold together until there are no streaks of egg white remaining. Chill until needed. 
4. Line each pudding mould with cling film. Remove the tops of the cakes with a small serrated knife to create a flat surface. Carefully split the cakes into 2 or 3 layers through their middles. Reassemble the cakes in the pudding moulds, soaking each layer of sponge with the liqueur and layering with chocolate mousse. Cover the cakes with any overhanging cling film and press down gently. Chill the cakes for at least 3 hrs or for up to 2 days before serving. 
5. Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Turn each cake out and unwrap. Drizzle the top of each with a little white chocolate, letting it drizzle down the sides. Decorate using a small sprig of real or artificial holly. Leave the white chocolate to set for 20 mins before serving. 

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2012

White Chocolate & Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:

50g butter, melted
150g digestive biscuits
50g amaretti biscuits
sunflower oil, for greasing

For the filling:

200g white chocolate, chopped
5 leaves gelatine
6 tbsp milk
500g tub ricotta
300ml pot double cream
50g icing sugar
2 large eggs, separated

To decorate:

white chocolate curls
pomegranate seeds
icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter in a pan or microwave. Very finely crush the biscuits together, stir with the butter, then press very firmly into the base of a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin. Bake for 6 mins. Cool, then wipe around the inside of the tin with a little oil on kitchen paper.
2. Soak the gelatine in water while you make the filling. Tip the chocolate into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then add the milk. Gently heat until melted, then stir together. Squeeze the gelatine dry, add to the chocolate mixture and stir to dissolve.
3. Beat the ricotta, cream, sugar and egg yolks together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites.
4. Stir the chocolate and ricotta mixtures together, then gently fold in the egg whites. Carefully pour onto the cooled biscuit base. Cover the tin with cling film, then chill until firm, preferably overnight.
5. To decorate, very generously top the cheesecake with the white chocolate curls, then remove from the tin, scatter with the pomegranate seeds and dust all over with icing sugar, if you like.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Just in a couple of weeks we will say good bye to 2010 and welcome 2011. With its sorrows and joy it was a year full with motions and emotions. The best part of the farewell is for sure celebrations of Christmas and New Year. I love this time because I feel myself again like a child and can enjoy all the beauties of the festivity.

Here I would like to share with you some stories and info about Christmas and New Year. Hope you will enjoy reading it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Legend of Baboushka

The Russian version of St. Nicholas is Baboushka meaning 'grandmother' in Russian. The character had been much popular in old Russia before the revolution of 1917. It was reputed that Baboushka was old woman who had no family, rarely received guests and was so used to live alone in a big house that all she could think of was cleaning, doing the household chores and looking after her empty property. One cold evening, when she was scrubbing her floors, the three Wise Men passed her house on their way to see the Holy Child. They spotted her in the window and asked her to come with them to see the new King of the world. But she refused stating that her floors were not yet clean.

She invited them to her house to spend the night but they said that they were in a hurry and bid her farewell and went on their way. Later, that night Baboushka regretted her decision of not going with the three men and gathering a few trinkets from her meager possessions, set off to find them and the Holy Child. She kept on walking inquiring to several people about the three traveling men and the Holy Child destined to be the King of the world but could not find them. It is said that she is still searching and wanders from place to place in search of them. On the eve of Epiphany of 6th of January, she also leaves trinkets as gifts to the good children in the hope that they will help her find Baby Jesus.

Christmas Recipes:

Banana Sour Cream Bread

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

How to Make:

A Wreath for All Seasons

We all know that first impressions count, so why not help your front door put its best face forward? This decoration extends a warm welcome to guests and allows your family's personality to shine. Starting with a store-bought grapevine wreath, you can have the whole household get into the act of customizing the embroidery-hoop ornaments in endless ways (we suggest a few easy techniques here).

Go beyond the holidays by hanging ornaments that celebrate achievements, announce happy events like birthdays and graduations, or cheer on a team. Add or remove ornaments each season, and the fun — and that terrific first impression — can last all year long.

Materials

• Embroidery hoops (see tip below)
• Solid-color fabric or canvas
• Paintbrush and paint, paint pens, or other decorating tools (see instructions for details)
• Outdoor Mod Podge

• Greenery, faux berries, or other seasonal extras
• Grapevine wreath
• Floral wire

Instructions

1. For each ornament, measure the hoop, then cut a fabric circle that's an inch larger in diameter. Sandwich the fabric between the rings of the hoop, then pull the fabric taut and tighten the screw. Trim any excess fabric.
2. Decorate the ornaments (see ideas below). Let them dry, as needed, then apply a coat of Outdoor Mod Podge for weatherproofing and let it dry. Attach the ornaments and greenery or other extras to the wreath with lengths of floral wire. For the greatest durability, hang the finished wreath in a protected spot.
3. Stamp simple shapes by applying acrylic paint to a halved apple or a leaf, then pressing it onto the fabric (practice on paper first). Add details with a paint pen.
4. For a 3-D effect, use strong glue, such as Crafter's Pick The Ultimate, to adhere collage materials like the fishing line shown here (made from a bit of cord) and metal charms.
5. Acrylic paint and a brush are great for creating bold images like our pie design, and for livening up the hoop frames (paint them before adding the fabric). For more detailed designs, such as our horse drawing, use fabric markers or paint pens.
6. Create ornaments from photos — like the dog portrait shown here — with inkjet-printable cotton sheets (we used Jacquard brand, available at craft stores). Follow the package instructions to transfer a digital shot or scanned drawing to the fabric, then use a paint pen for extra flourishes. (FamilyFun.go.com)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

PIRATES - Daring Adventurers of the Seas

       When we say a "Pirate" we imagine a bad guy with a hooked hand, wooden leg and patch over one eye. Whereas when we get deeper into the piracy history we face a different story.

        The history of the piracy is almost old as the history of marine. The oldest evidence of the pirates' existence is an inscription on a clay tablet from the time of Pharo Echnaton (1350 BC). This document describes a pirates' ship attacking in North Africa. There is also an epigraphic evidence from the 340's, from Athens.

The piracy was a common thing during the Ancient Greek and the Ancient Roman age. The ships from those times used to sail near the coast, which made them the easy targets to the pirates.

The Greek's pirate base was in the Lipari Islands for over 2500 years and Rome 's was Istria. Greek pirates, Illyrian, had their attack on Roman's ships in the Adriatic Sea. Therefore, Rome attacked Illyrians twice after that. Since 10 th century BC, Dorian Greek pirates had been based in Crete. This lasted for over 800 years.

In the 2 nd century BC, the eastern Mediterranean was under the supervision of the Rhodeans. There were several attempts to stop piracy. Soon, Crete was not a comfortable place for the pirates anymore.

                The Jolly Roger flag popularly attributed to 18th century 

Some Lycians were pirates, too. Lycia was in the Antalya Providence, which is today's Turkey. Lycian pirates plundered many ships. Unfortunately, for them, Ramses The Third destroyed their havens in 1194, but after some time the pirates recovered and became active again. The ending of these pirates' activities came with a few Romans' attacks. They finally destroyed the pirates in 67 BC.

After the fall of Romans, the pirates became active once again, with even bigger ambitions.Lycian pirates had not been stopped, till the patrols of the British warships suppressed piracy in the 18th a 19th century.

Cilician pirates were famous, too. Cilicia was also on the territory of today's Turkey, on the southern shore of Asia Minor. The great geographic position, near Egyptian and Palestinian sea lines, made Cilicia an ideal place for the pirates' haven. It became the home of numerous pirates. Cilicia was the biggest pirate haven of the ancient times. On the top of their strength, these pirates almost destroyed Rome Empire. After that, Pompey the Great almost ruined them in 67 BC. Cilician pirates are best known for capturing Julius Caesar in 78 BC and keeping him on Pharmacua till the ransom was paid. However, Caesar had his revenge. His people killed all pirates responsible for his kidnapping.

Since the ancient times, there were particular periods in which piracy was constant threat throughout many seas and oceans. However, it was in the early 18 th century, when the pirates were the most overwhelming and influential in history of the world. It was a time, in which almost all important sea-trade routes were constantly impacted by enormous number of notorious sea-robbers. That period is idealistically called Golden Age of Piracy.

The Golden Age of Piracy began in mid 1680s, just as the last buccaneers disappeared from the Caribbean. It was a result of many circumstances like the ends of many wars and lack of decent naval employment. Many sailors and privateers found themselves without jobs. Therefore, they naturally choose piracy as the trade, knowing it was the best opportunity for them. What encouraged them most is a lack of the strong government in the Caribbean islands and in other American colonies which allowed pirates to sail free and pillage ships without any potential punishment.

The Golden Age pirates plundered ships in the Caribbean mostly, but Atlantic coast, West Coast of Africa, Indian Ocean and South China Sea were also constantly terrorized. It was also a time of most famous names among pirates. Legends like Blackbeard and Bartholomew Robertsplundered many ships and killed countless victims in early 1700s. They have been giving inspiration to many writers for over 300 years, and they are still well known today.

People like, Woodes Rogers, the governor of Bahamas, were the most responsible for suppressing piracy. He and his followers brought order not only to Bahamas, but to the entire Caribbean Sea. Many pirates were hanged, many of them retired and few tried to find their luck in the Atlantic Ocean. However, one thing was certain, the Golden Age of Piracy was coming to an end. Around 1730, increased military presence and international anti piracy laws, banished almost every single pirate and finally put an end to the Golden Age of Piracy.

The Golden Age of Piracy began in mid 1680s, just as the last buccaneers disappeared from the Caribbean. It was a result of many circumstances like the ends of many wars and lack of decent naval employment. Many sailors and privateers found themselves without jobs. Therefore, they naturally choose piracy as the trade, knowing it was the best opportunity for them. What encouraged them most is a lack of the strong government in the Caribbean islands and in other American colonies which allowed pirates to sail free and pillage ships without any potential punishment.

The Golden Age pirates plundered ships in the Caribbean mostly, but Atlantic coast, West Coast of Africa, Indian Ocean and South China Sea were also constantly terrorized. It was also a time of most famous names among pirates. Legends like Blackbeard and Bartholomew Robertsplundered many ships and killed countless victims in early 1700s. They have been giving inspiration to many writers for over 300 years, and they are still well known today.

People like, Woodes Rogers, the governor of Bahamas, were the most responsible for suppressing piracy. He and his followers brought order not only to Bahamas, but to the entire Caribbean Sea. Many pirates were hanged, many of them retired and few tried to find their luck in the Atlantic Ocean. However, one thing was certain, the Golden Age of Piracy was coming to an end. Around 1730, increased military presence and international anti piracy laws, banished almost every single pirate and finally put an end to the Golden Age of Piracy.