Last Minute Christmas gifts.

We all get that one person who gives you a gift at Christmas who you haven't got anything for & I don't know about you but I feel dead guilty about it so this year I thought I'd prepare myself & make some hot chocolate's in a jar.

There so easy to do & cost pennies to make, they can stay in your cupboard ready to give to anyone who turns up with an unexpected gift.

All you need is:

Washed out jar (curry, coffee, sauces)

Hot chocolate powder.

Marshmallows.

Chocolates.

Candy cane.

Ribbon/Bow

What you do:

Fill the bottom of the jar with the recommended amount of chocolate powder, fill with marshmallows 3/4 full & top with chocolates.

If the lid is plain keep that but if not use tinfoil (doubled up) to close the top.

Finish off with a ribbon & candy cane, or anything you fancy to make it look festive. And that's it!

I hope you found this helpful & I hope it gets you out of the unexpected gift predicament.

THANKS FOR READING

CHELSEA OXO

#WrenFamilyFavourites with Linda Barker.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Wren Kitchens Event last week hosted by Linda Barker and Branded3.

Yes I met Linda Barker!!!

The event was to promote there #WrenFamilyFavorites competition on Instagram to win a AEG food processor worth £249.99, there's still time to enter as the competition is running until 27th November. 

We also got the chance to look at Linda Barkers kitchen range.

When we arrived we were greeted with prosecco and goodie bags, we were given adorable personalised wooden spoons, a personalised apron, a scrapbook and a magazine with Linda's collection in it.

We got seated around tables full of scrap booking equipment & we had the chance to start filling them out with the family favourites recipes from the night.

We all gathered around the kitchen & Linda introduced herself and what the night was all about. She was going to be demonstrating the 3 recipes for us all.

While the treats were cooking we took a tour around the kitchens, I got serious kitchen envy!

How amazing is that work top?

After the tour the cakes were ready & they smelt Amazing, I was mostly looking forward to trying the peanut butter banana bread, Iv tried and failed at making banana bread as its too dry! This one was far from dry.

I had an amazing night with my blogger friends & met some new faces too.

Don't forget to enter the competition!

THANKS FOR READING

CHELSEA OXO

Review: AlPorto Christmas Menu.

I was lucky enough to be invited to taste the AlPorto Christmas menu last week, I was so excited! I love food, way too much.

Myself, Kathryn, Heather and Stephenie arrived at AlPorto and we were greated with a glass of prosecco. We were taken to the room were we had our summer meet up in, a quaint room with a quirky interior. There was a table for four set up with Christmas crackers and Christmas music playing in the background, it was so exciting!

We sat and chatted for a while and the first course was brought out, chestnut soup, it was incredible! I love chestnuts anyway so I knew I'd like it but I never expected to love it so much, i could have had so much more.

Next up we had the smoked salmon, also a strong favourite of mine & Yep I loved it, I was pleasantly surprised by the lemon cured severed with it, it complimented it perfectly.

The third starter we had was melanzarie parmigiana aubergines, cheese and tomato stack, it's not something I would normally choose off a menu but it was delicious.

We had a little rest before the mains and got the chance to use a Fujifilm Polaroid camera.

The first main we ate was Roast Guinea fowl with rosemary, red wine jus and mixed wild mushrooms. This was my first time eating Guinea Fowl, it was gorgeous!

Before you all think were incredible eaters we had a plate to share and got little plates to eat from.

Our second main was Turkey breast filled with chestnut stuffing and a cranberry jus, I'm not a big turkey fan, I find it dry and tasteless but obviously this was the best turkey Iv ever eaten! The stuffing was amazing and I normally hate cranberry sauce but this jus complemented it perfectly.

Next up we have pan fried halibut with radicchio and prawns risotto, at this point I was feeling rather full so I had a taste of each individual bit and I really wish id paced myself, it all tasted so delicious, the halibut was cooked perfectly, it fell apart and the risotto was so flavourful.

The fourth course was Beef Wellington, like previously I was rather full so I only ate little bits, it was fantastic, the meat cut like butter, the pastry melted in my mouth, the veggies were cooked to perfection and the mash was so smooth and creamy!

.. And there's more .. Next we have chestnut and spinach en croute with a blue cheese sauce, I HATE blue cheese but I loved this. Because it was a sauce it was only a very mild taste and went really well with the en croute. One again I loved it!

By this point I was incredibly stuffed and we still had desserts to eat. We had a little break before hand. They brought out just one of each dessert as we were going to get one of each, each! 

There was chocolate roulade and tiramisu, obviously both were delicious! The roulade was very rich and extremely mouth watering and the tiramisu was surprisingly delicious, I'm not a fan of coffee.

All in all I had an amazing night with great people. We didn't stop chatting, the atmosphere was so lovely.

The food was incredible, fine dining with a homely twist.

The staff we very efficient, topping us up with drinks and didn't rush us once.

The Christmas menu is £24.95 per person during the day and £28.95 on an evening. Check out there website www.alport.co.uk or contact them on 01482 238889.

THANKS FOR READING 

CHELSEA XO

*the meal & drinks were complimetery of AlPorto. This had no influence on my review, As always, my posts are always my honest opinion.

Festive Treats.

Melted Snowman

This has being all over Pinterest and I just had to make them! 

What you'll need:

-Icing sugar,

(Black food colouring/ready made)

-Digestive Biscuits,

-Large marshmallows,

-Strawberry laces,

-White chocolate.

Mix Your icing and spoon onto the digestive biscuits,

place your large marshmallows at the top,

Wrap the laces around the base to look like a scalf,

Use the black icing to make eyes and buttons, put the buttons on the melted part.

Grate the white chocolate over them too look like snow.

Ginger Bread Cookies

Ingredients:

350g Plain flour,

1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda,

2 teaspoons ground ginger,

115g butter, cubed,

175g soft light brown sugar,

4 tablespoons golden syrup,

1 egg, beaten.

Pre heat the oven to 150 degrees,

Mix the Flour, Bicarb of soda, Brown sugar and Ginger,

Add the butter and crumble it all together to make a fine bread crumb texture.

Beat the egg and golden syrup together and add to the mixture.

Combine together till it forms a ball

Roll out and cut your shapes using cutters or if your brave then you can do it free hand.

Place on a backing try lined with grease proof paper.

Cook for 12-15 minutes.

Mix your icing or buy pre coloured ones.

Once cooled Ice your biscuits with festive colours,

Present them on cake stands or festive places.

I hope you give these treats ago, let me know if you do.

There certainly going down a treat in my house!

THANKS FOR READING.