Christmas Wrapping Paper

Christmas Menu and Recipes

24 Dec Christmas Eve Dinner

Menu :-
1) Spaghetti Bolognese (for Asean sweet and sour tastebud) (Tray 1& 2)
2) Roast Chicken Wings
3) Roast Turkey
4) Stuffing -
5) Pumpkin Soup
6) Roast Lamb (Tray 3)
7) Pork Spring Rolls  (Tenom Ready-Made) Plate
8) Green Salad

9) Mashed Potatoes

10) Pasta Salad - made early morning
11) Pork Dumplings - Andrew
12) Salad - Lee Lee
13) Chicken Salad - Aisha
14) Potatoes Gratis - Amelia

8) Zucchini Slices  Plate
9) Mexican Salsa (Cilantro leaves) coriander seeds

12) Mac n Cheese n Bacons

Display

Display Island :-
1) Roast Turkey
2) Stuffing -
3) Pumpkin Soup
4) Potatoes Gratin
5) Mashed Potatoes

1) Spaghetti Bolognese (for Asean sweet and sour tastebud) (Tray 1& 2)

2) Roast Chicken Wings

3) Roast Lamb (Tray 3) 

4) Pork Spring Rolls  (Tenom Ready-Made) Plate
5) Green Salad

6) Pasta Salad - made early morning

7) Pork Dumplings - Andrew
8) Salad - Lee Lee
9) Chicken Salad - Aisha

Take Spring Rolls Out
Take out Turkey Bones
Check out Freezer - for Bacons

10:30 am -
Preparation for Turkey
Make Stuffing

11:30 am -
Start Roasting Turkey
Making Mulled Wine
Zucchini Slices
Mac n Cheese
Mexican Salsa ?
Ice for Chilling Beer
Tables Setup (decision), check on plates
Check Plates enough for 50 ?

Find out Christmas Table Clothes !!

Make Candied Peanuts

Appertizers :-
1) Tuna Pastries ?
2) Fried Seafood Platter by Susan

Desserts :-
1) Minced Pies - make on 23 Dec
2) Prune Cake
3) Fruit Cake
4) Cookies

Drinks :-
1) Mulled Wine
2) Iced Lemon Tea
3) Roselle Kifer
4) Beer

Turkey Porridge for Supper

Guests List :-
1) Heng-Tai Family - 20
2) Worship Team - 12
3) Susan Bong - 5
4) Katherine, Gem - 2
5) Amelia - 5
6) Annie - 5

Total :- 50

25 Dec Christmas Day Lunch

Stress-free version !

Menu :-
1) Spaghetti Bolognese
2) Roast Chicken Wings (if has left over)
3) Roast Turkey
4) Roast Lamb (Tray 3) 
5) Zucchini Slices  Plate
6) Mexican Salsa (Cilantro leaves) coriander seeds
7) Green Salad

8) Mashed Potatoes or Roast Potatoes and Vegetables
9) Mac n Cheese n Bacons

10) Pasta Salad

11) Pizzas

Christmas Songs for the soul

Christmas 2017 Parties Planning

The year was 2017, well, it was the peak of my hospitality "Career" as I would do with my maid, home-cooked menu for major festive events. The following menu listing were for a crowd of 40-50 pax. I am glad I penned these down and saved it for future reading. 

This year now is 2023, we just been through 3 years of pandemic of COVID-19, we do not like huge crowd of gathering, my current maid does not cook that much, and I am feeling overwhelmed by the idea of whole-day-cooking (sometimes for 2 days). But I still love large batch cooking because my basic family will be 18-20 pax. 

A note to my past-self :-

Doria, you are incredible because you dared to try out new dishes and you are bored with same dishes. But sometimes, no cooking is the new cooking, just empty the wallet and called in catering! 

~ written on 15 November 2023 (2 days before my 57th birthday and 3 days to my mother in law, Teresa Wah's 80th Birthday).

22 Dec Winter Festival Dinner

Pot Bless Menu :-
1) Hainanese Chicken
2) Vegetarian Glass Noodles
3) * Roast Char Siew - marinate 20 Dec
4) Pork Knuckle Eggs
5) * Pizzas ordered
6) * Green Salad
7) Stir Fried Vegetables
9) Taufu with minced meat
10) Steam Fish
7) Pork Spring Rolls
8) * Try Chickpea Dip with Raw Vegetables

1) Kifer Drinks
2) Lemon Tea
3) Tong Yuan in Gula Melaka (pre  made)

Guests List :-
1) Heng Family - 17 (minus 8)
2) Tai Family - 13
3) Uncle George Family - 3
Total : 36

24 Dec Christmas Eve Dinner

Menu :-
1) Spaghetti Bolognese (2 pots)
2) Roast Chicken Wings - 6 Kg
3) Roast Turkey
4) Stuffing -
5) Pumpkin Soup
6) Roast Lamb ?
7) Pork Spring Rolls  Roast Char Siew Platter
8) Roast Vegetables Salad (New) Roast on 23 Dec
9) Chickpea Dip and Raw Vegetables Platter
10) Mexican Salsa (Cilantro leaves) coriander seeds
11) Green Salad

12) Mashed Potatoes

13) Mac n Cheese n Bacons make cheese sauce on 23 Dec
14) Pasta Salad - made early morning
15) Quiches Zuchinni - Grate Cheese on 23 Dec

Make Candied Peanuts
Check Plates enough for 50 ?

Appertizers :-
1) Tuna Pastries
2) Fried Seafood Platter by Susan

Desserts :-
1) Minced Pies - make on 23 Dec
2) Prune Cake
3) Fruit Cake
4) Cookies
6) Tiramisu

Drinks :-
1) Mulled Wine
2) Iced Lemon Tea
3) Kifer
4) Beer

Turkey Porridge for Supper

Guests List :-
1) Heng-Tai Family - 20
2) Worship Team - 12
3) Susan Bong - 5
4) Katherine, Gem - 2
5) Amelia - 5
6) Annie - 5

Total :- 50

20 Dec Wed
- Buy all vegetables for the cooking to start cutting
- Buy Green Apples, herbs
- Roast Candied Peanuts
- Bake Prune & Date Cakes (frist round - 3 portions?)
- Soak Fruits for Minced Pie & Fruit Cakes
- Sort out recipes folders and things to do
- Make all the contacts and check on dates


21 Dec Thu
- Cutting and dicing vegetables (23 Dec)
- Marinate Char Siew for 22 Dec
- Bake Fruit Cakes & Date Cakes

22 Dec Fri
- Roast Char Siew
- Bake Fruits, Prune, Date Cakes
- Make Pastries for Minced Pies
- Make Tong Yuan & Gula Melaka Soup

23 Dec Sat
- Marinate Char Siew
- Make Minced Pies
- Prepare Stuffing
- Make Cheese Sauce


Resources :-

Honey Roasted Peanuts - Planter's Style

Peanuts can go with anything, dishes, cold beer and just on its own.

Honey roasted peanuts used to be a special treat that could only be bought from the special import store. But with Youtube, we could learn how to make anything !

Here is one recipe I learn from Youtube. It looks very legit and do-able and seems too easy to be true. So, I set out to try it the very next day even though I was not 100% sure of the success of this recipe.

Here are the ingredients for 2 Cups of peanuts :-

1) 1 Oz Butter (melted)
2) 2 Tablespoons of Honey
3) 1/2 tsp Salt
4) 1/2 tsp Chillie Powder
5) 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
6) 1/3 Cup of Sugar

Method :-

1) Melt the butter with Honey
2) Put in salt, Chilli Powder, Garlic Powder
3) Mix well pour to Overn to roast 7-8 minutes at 160 C.
4) Take out and tour them around, roast another 5 minutes.
5) Take out and toast them to a bowl, pour sugar in by batches until well mixed.
6) Leave them to dry up for 10 minutes before eat or packing.

Since 1 Kg Peanuts is like 6.5 Cups of Peanuts, the total ingredients be :-

6 Oz Butter (melted)
12 Tablespoons of Honey
3 tsp Salt
3 tsp Chillie Powder
3 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Cup of Sugar

Comment on 25 Jan 2017, my first batch of making this, luckily I decided to try 1 Kg instead of 3 Kg as it was late at night, and I was not sure we have enough honey to cover. I measured honey and butter and mix them, I licked the spoon just to gauge the sweetness of it and then it tasted sour, I thought the honey has gone bad then I read the label "Honey with Lime" ! Oh dear, too late, I decided to be adventurous and make a sweet and sour peanuts ! Sigh ! Life sometimes is like this, we take whatever it comes and turn it for good. I am thinking may need more sugar to cover the sourness later. It be a new flavour then.

Normally, if I am tired, I will make blunders like mistaken 3 tsp as 3 TBSP, but this was really impossible to avoid, who would have thought, Honey with Lime packed exactly like honey container. I really hope they are edible despite such adventure.

Comments :-
The sourness was hidden by the sweetness, I left it too long in the oven and they turned out a bit darker colour, almost burnt. It was very oily using butter. I dont recall using so much butter or oil for roasting peanuts. Usually roasting is dry and no oil or butter added. I will need to reduce the oil in the next trial.

This year, I plan to make 3 Kg of Honey Roasted Peanuts (large white peanuts).

Obama's Final Christmas Message 2016 from the White House

Michelle and Barrack Obama gave their final Christmas Message from the White House. Cheecky and lovely was their joint message. All the best, Mr President and the First Lady for the future undertaking.

The Queen's Christmas Message 2015 & 2016

I have discovered the Christmas Message by Queen Elizabeth II is something to look forward to and she has always been inspirational in her speeches with a good message for her kingdom subjects and the rest of the world, if only they care to listen to her.

This was the Christmas Message 2016 where she talked about Inspirational for everyday living by common people like you and me. She quoted Saint Mother Teresa's saying of "Doing small things with greatness".She was thankful for the olympians and the NGOs who celebrated her 90th birthday with her.

In this 2015 Christmas message, she referred to the Gospel of John, darkness cannot overcome the light.

This has been a tradition from the Buckingham Palace since 1923.

Christmas Celebrations Menu

Christmas Celebrations must begin with food and end with Christmas Sweets as desserts.

21 Dec Winter Solstice Dinner cum Christmas Gathering for Heng's Family

1. Speical Pork Trotter Dish with pickled Cucumber (RM44 each)
2. Sweet & Sour Fish
3. Spider Sausage with sauce
4. DIY Pizzas
5. Green Salads
6. MIL- Chicken
7. MIL - Fish Maw with Crab Meat Soup
8. Mary - Fired Chicken Wings
9. Mary - Korean Glass Noddles 
10. Aunty Susie - Vegetables
11. Aunty Susie - Special Dish
12. Fruit Cake ?
13. Brownies
14. Iced Lemon Tea
15. Lemongrass Ginger Drink

Cook Spaghetti One Pot

For Carolers :-

1. Mini fruit Cakes
2. Chinese Lasagne

22 Dec WOE Home Group Christmas Gathering (Pot-Luck Style)
Asean Christmas Style

1. Roast Duck - Wendy
2. 锅贴 - Alice (70) & Aisha (60)
3. Satays - Wilfred & guys
4. Roast Chickens in a Can - Doria
5. Purple Cabbage Guava Salad - Doria
6. Braised Root Veggie & Lamb - Christine
7. Yellow Rice
8. Iced Lemon Tea
9. Chocolate Moist
10. Cookies
11. Candied Peanuts

Total Guests :- 20

23 Dec Rekast & Worship Team Christmas Supper (after 9pm)

1. Aroma Pizzas (10 pcs) 
2. Macaroni Cheese
3. Fruit Cake
4. Prune Cake
5. Candied Peanuts
6. Cookies

Total Guests :- 20-25

24 Dec Christmas Eve Dinner

1. Roast Turkey & Veggie Condiments from Grandis Hotel
2. Mashed Potatoes
3. Spaghetti & Mee
4. Spider Sausages
5. Aroma Pizzas (10 pcs)
6. Macaroni Cheese
7. Guava Purple Cabbage Salad
8. Roast Duck - Andrew
9. Pumpkin Soup - Lee Lee
10. Salsa Sauce & Chips - Lee Lee
11. Prawn & Wanton Apprtizers - Susan & Bong
12. Roast Chicken Green Salad - Aisha
13. Mulled Wine

Total Guests :- 50 pax

25 Dec Christmas BreakfEve Dinner

1. Roast Turkey from Consfood
2. Spaghetti & Mee
3. Spider Sausages
4. Purple Cabbage & Guava Salad
5. Macaroni Cheese
6. Garlic Bread
7. Salsa Sauce
8. Mulled Wine

Total Guests :- 19

Christmas Family Post 2016

Christmas is a season of mixed feelings ! Its a bit of too many good things happenings all at the same time and also a sad feeling that we are saying goodbyes to another year on earth, that the year is coming fast to an end.

We make it a Christmas traditions to have family and friends over for some meals, a few meals over the Christmas period. This year we had three and believe it or not, I did not have photos of the first two gatherings as I was too busy preparing the food list and talking to people.

It began with the Gaya Christmas Carnival in the middle of December, when it first begun, I set up a stall to sell Christmas Cakes and we did really well doing Chairty fund raising for a few years. After a few years, we decided we just want to enjoy the celebrations and not to be such "rush-ians", rushing through the Christmas season, chasing the wind, losing our focus on what is the real meaning of Christmas. So, for a good many years, we select our Christmas Celebrations activities carefully, we even declined to do caroling for a year or two so that officers have a better break in between camps.

This year, we did the following Christmasy things in December :-

• Visited Gaya Christmas Carnival on 14 Dec 2016 Wednesday night
• My Office GDM Christmas Party at Grandis Hotel on 16 Dec 2016 Friday Lunch 
• The Hengs Winter Solstier cum Christmas Dinner 21 Dec 2016 Wednesday 
• WOE Home Group Chirstmas Celebration cum Farewell Dinner to Aisha as new Connect Group Leader 22 Dec 2016 Thursday
• Rekast Young Adults Christmas Supper 23 Dec 2016 Friday with Elliot back home at 5:30 pm
• Christmas Eve Dinner with Tai Family and WOE Home Group, Brigade Group, Elite Ladies before Church Service at 9:30 pm
• Christmas Breakfast with Danny & Mui Fing family, David Tai family and Michael's mum & aunty before our trip to Rasa Ria Shangrila Resorts at Tuaran.
• Stay at Rasa Ria Resorts 25-27 Dec 2016
• KKGC Christmas Party on 27 Dec 2016 at BCCM KK
• Andrew & Judith's daughter wedding dinner at Sutera Magallen.

Christmas Family Posts from years past

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2016

Christmas Baking & Cooking Journel 2016

This year is a quieter year for baking but the baking still has to be on, partly because both older kids have been away and they are coming back for Christmas. As usual, I bake the following items ourselves, our Baking List :-

1. Fruit Cake
2. Prune Cake
3. Red Velvet Cake
4. Choc Moist Cake
5. Briwnies (cancelled)
6. Cookies
7. Candied Caramel Peanuts - sweet & salted
8. Mincemeat Pie (thinking)

For Cooking, I am getting an ordered Roasted Turkey for Christmas Eve, the rest of cooking will be :-

1. Spaghetti 
2. Chinese Lasagne
3. Marcaroni
4. Mashed Potatoes
5. Pizza
6. Ordered Pizza fr Aroma - 20 pcs
7. Ordered Satays
8. Roast Chickens on Cans

For our Celebration Menus, here are the list :-

21 Dec - Winter Solstice cum Christmas Gathering for Heng's Family

1. Spider Sausages
2. Marcaroni

Gifts for Carolers to take home :-

1. Mini Fruit Cake
2. Chinese Lasagne

Refreshment for Carolers :-

1. Spider Sausages
2. Iced Lemon Tea
3. Cookies
4. Fruit Cake
5. Candied Peanuts
6. Sweets

Journal of Baking

17 Dec 2016 Saturday for GB Christmas Party & Officers

1. Bake 1 Kg of Red Velvet Cakes 
2. Bake 4 Portions of Fruit Cakes - used Earl Grey Tea but did not soak the fruits, cakes a bit dry, pour Earl Grey tea all over the cakes to make them moist. 

19 Dec 2016 Monday (permed my hair in the afternoon)

1. Baking of 6 packs of Cookies - all types
2. Bake 4 Portions of Fruit Cakes for carolers (moist & buttery), pre-soaked fruits in morning, used Orange Juice, turns out well.

20 Dec 2016 Tuesday

1. Meeting till 8pm at DMH 

21 Dec 2016 Wednesday (Meeting in morning, can only bake in afternoon)

1. Spider Sausages 
2. Chinese Lasagne for carolers
3. Roasted 5 Kg of Peanuts - 3Kg candied, 2Kg salted
4. Make Pastries for Mincemeat Pies

22 Dec 2016 Thursday (to complete baking if possible)

1. Baked 5 Portions Prune Cake
2. Baked 4 Portions Fruit Cake
3. Roast 2 Chickens on the Cans
4. Baked 2 Portion Choc Moist Cake

Lunch at Tavern Imago with Elite Ladies

23 Dec 2016 Friday (Me-Day, Pedicure, Feet Maaaage)

1. Ordered Pizzas
2. Cooked Macaroni Cheese
3. Iced Lemon Tea

24 Dec 2016 Saturday 

1. Baked 4 Portions Choc Moist Cake (early morning 1-5pm)
2. Basked 4 Portions Red Velvet Cake (early morning 1-5 pm)
3. Check Guests List 50 pax
4. Collect 2 Turkeys
5. Collect 10 Pizzas

Menu

1. Roast Turkey (Bought)
2. Mashed Potatoes
3. Spaghetti & Mee
4. Spider Sausages
5. Maraconi Cheese
6. Purple Cabbage n Guava
7. Pizzas (Bought)
8. Roast Duck - Andrew
9. Pumpkin Soup - Lee Lee               
10. Salsa Sauce with Chips
11. Chicken Salad by Aisha
12. Appertizers by Susan

Guests List

1. Our family 7
2. Tai Family 13
3. Amelia 5
4. Susan 5
5. Aisha 3
6. BB 4
7. GB 7
8. Winson 5

Total 50

I am going to adopt the attitude that since I am baking to give away, I will give as many away as the people can come to me or to my mind. I do not want to keep cakes until the real parties and then noone eat the cakes and they went straight to freezer then dustbins after a few months. What a waste. This year plan is no wastage. I also hope to sell some off so that I could recover some of  my cost. (Sigh! The ingredients cost are getting higher by the year.)

For the record, I managed to give all away and some of them totally unexpected namelist too. I still have 3 in the fridge which were promised for someone but will see if we eat them first. 

The True Meaning of Christmas (by Santa)

The Meaning of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask him.

The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know.  He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN! I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. 

As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle. Teach the Children that the pure green color of the  stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind.  All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. Teach the Children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago.   God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.

He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE. Teach the Children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and  placed it on the tree. Teach the Children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the Children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. Teach the Children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, "Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His  unspeakable gift. Teach the Children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men." 

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the shepherd's staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.'

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. Teach the Children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the Children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God." 

~ Author Unknown

Source : http://www.annien.com/Holidays/Christmas/ChristmasStories/meaning_christmas.htm

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family – I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family – I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family – it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of your way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Christmas Thoughts

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. ~Charles Dickens