Jane Lovett

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 12
You can make bread sauce now and freeze, or make on Saturday and refrigerate.

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 11 (of 12)
Get-Ahead with your 'snips' and pop in the freezer!

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 10 (of 12)
Short of fridge space? Your car is the answer!

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 9 (of 12)
I've got a lot to say about sprouts...but I'll keep it short!... Buy on the stem if you can for the freshest sprouts and the added advantage of sprout tops, which are lovely cooked as you would cabbage, or sliced and used in salads.
When preparing, shave only the thinnest slice off the bottom ensuring all the leaves are still held together by the root. Any unattached leaves will fall off during cooking, become soggy, overcooked and look messy.
Cook in boiling salted water until just tender (see below), drain and whip under the cold tap to stop them cooking and set the bright green colour. If keeping warm make sure the oven door is ajar to let the steam out - failing to do so will result in soggy sludgy coloured sprouts (along with everything else in there).
There's a scrummy recipe for Sizzling Shredded Sprouts with Bacon & Walnuts in The Get-Ahead Cook, signed copies available from janelovett.com
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GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 8 (of 12)
Turkey gravy is the BEST gravy in my book, and as we are a gravy loving family I make lots of it! It's handy to make stock from the giblets (see below) on receipt of the turkey, a few days ahead of time.
... To get-ahead now, roast chicken wings, roughly chunked onion, carrots, celery and herbs of your choice with a glug of olive oil in a hot oven until caramelised to a deep golden brown, turning every so often. Pour over enough water just to cover, season well and simmer on the hob for 20 - 30 minutes until the tasty bits sticking to the bottom of the tin have dissolved. Sieve, cool and freeze, and use to make the gravy in the usual way.
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GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 7 (of 12)
Why not par-boil your roasties NOW and freeze them? Or do so a day or two before Christmas and keep in the fridge.

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 6 (of 12)
Not only does buying a sack of potatoes at this time of year save many £££'s, it's convenient, and saves space in the shopping trolley, not to mention weight in the shopping bags!

GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS
TIP 5 (of 12)
All poultry and meat needs a minimum of 30 minutes to rest after roasting (even longer - up to 2hrs - is better if you can keep it warm), as this makes it tender and juicy rather than tough and dry. Transfer to a cold plate/platter when it comes out of the oven and leave for 10 minutes to stop the cooking process, before keeping somewhere warm. If it goes straight from the oven to warming oven/drawer/hotplate/hot cupboard, it will just c...arry on cooking.
And finally, be sure to leave the door ajar when keeping any food warm, anywhere, to allow the steam to escape. Failure to do so results in soggy, un-crispy murky coloured food...you have been warned!
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GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 4 (of 12)
Chipolata sausages and bacon rolls can be cooked NOW and frozen. If no space to freeze in a dish, open freeze and then store in a bag. Not only does this mean one less job to do on the day, it frees up oven space, and means two fewer horrid greasy tins to wash up on the day too! #winwin

Twice-baked soufflés are far easier than might be imagined and look MEGA-IMPRESSIVE with little effort!
A great get-ahead starter, lunch or supper when entertaining, as they can be made months in advance and frozen (as were these), then thawed and given their second bake 10 minutes before serving. They'll also sit for 5 days-ish in the fridge after their first bake.
If you can make a white sauce and whip egg whites you can make a soufflé standing on your head! If not, the ...recipe for Twice Baked Roquefort Soufflés in my book 'Make it Easy' will guide you step-by-step.
This is a new recipe that I'm testing atm for demonstrations next year - Smoked Haddock & Watercress with Anchovy & Watercress Sauce. 😊
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GET-AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS!
TIP 3
There are lots of cranberries in the shops now, so it's a good time to make cranberry sauce and freeze it.
... I like to fill glass vases with cranberries and also to tumble them around church candles in large (or small!) glass candle holders, where they look so pretty and festive and last for months. You need far fewer than you might think for doing this.
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For an easy tasty recipe to use up any leftover turkey, and the code for 10% off Kitchen Essentials on my website during November, click on this link and all will be revealed...! https://tinyurl.com/y6uqkg6j

To get well ahead of the game for Christmas, follow my Get Ahead Christmas Tips!
Here’s Christmas Tip Number 2:
Brandy butter lasts for 2-3 weeks in the fridge or can be frozen for 2-3 months. Make it now and pop it in the freezer. Another job done!
... Have a look at my Christmas page for more Christmas tips, recipe and gift ideas! https://www.janelovett.com/christmas_sort ed
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Christmas is only 2 months away!
And even though that feels like ages, it will be gone in no time!
There are lots of things you can be getting on with now to make Christmas go more smoothly. In the run up to the big day, I’ll be sharing my Twelve Tips of Christmas.
... Here’s Christmas Tip Number 1:
Stuffing can be made up to 2 months in advance and frozen. Get it done now and that’s one job ticked off your list!
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How about a tasty seasonal recipe - Roast Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese, Parma Ham & Walnut recipe – the blue cheese counters the sweetness of the butternut squash and is just delicious.
For a veggie version just leave out the Parma ham.
Ridiculously easy and easy to serve to guests too.
... Ingredients - serves 4 1 large butternut squash 1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled 50g (2oz) creamy blue cheese such as Gorgonzola or dolcelatte Small handful of walnuts 4 slices of Parma ham A little fresh sage (roughly chopped) A few tablespoons of cream (optional) Extra sage leaves to fry (optional)
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C 2. Cut the unpeeled squash into quarters, scoop out the seeds and arrange cut side up in a shallow, greased ovenproof dish into which they fit snugly. Lightly squash the unpeeled garlic cloves under the flat blade of a large chopping knife and scatter them around the squash. 3. Sprinkle with olive oil, sage, salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for 45-55 minutes until soft and a bit charred around the edges. 4. Remove from the oven, pour a little cream over the squash if using and crumble the cheese into the cavities and over the rest of the squash. Roughly break up the walnuts and scatter over. Return to the oven for a few minutes until the cream and cheese are bubbling. 5. Tear the Parma ham into rough strips and drape over the squash, followed by another glug of olive oil and the fried sage leaves if using.
Get Ahead by preparing to the end of step 3 several hours in advance.
Hint - to fry sage leaves, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add 4 or 5 leaves. Fry for a few seconds on each side. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.
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It’s patisserie week on Bake Off tonight. I’m hoping to see some macarons - my absolute favourite – so delicious but so difficult to master…

A bit of therapeutic early morning baking - cornbread - which will form the base of lunches this week, topped with whatever’s lurking in the fridge!
Anyone else use foil lined baking paper? Brilliant stuff which saves SO much time.
*TIP* When lining any tin, turn it upside down, cut off and mould parchment/foil around the underside, turn back over and pop the ‘liner’ into the tin/mould🙌 Far easier that trying to line a tin from the inside 🤜

These mini raclette sets are selling like hot cakes (or should that be hot cheese???!) .
The benefit of this clever mini raclette set with its individual pans is that there are no plugs and flexes. The cheese is melted by the heat from tea lights below, enabling each person to have their own pan and melt their cheese as and when they want it. Also very handy for just two people to enjoy raclette.

https://www.janelovett.com/…/presen…/ mini_raclette_set_-_new!!
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These mini raclette sets are selling like hot cakes (or should that be hot cheese???!) .
The benefit of this clever mini raclette set with its individual pans is that there are no plugs and flexes. The cheese is melted by the heat from tea lights below, enabling each person to have their own pan and melt their cheese as and when they want it. Also very handy for just two people to enjoy raclette.

https://www.janelovett.com/…/presen…/ mini_raclette_set_-_new!!
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