Foodie Quine 2013 Advent Calendar - Days 1 to 12

Friday 13 December 2013
I've been reading through my previous Christmas blog posts to get food planning inspiration for this year and decided to post a daily Advent Calendar featuring one of my festive foodie makes behind each door. Every night at 8pm I've posted an idea on my Foodie Quine Facebook Page. If you've not been following on Facebook or missed some along the way here's a round up of the first 12 days. I'd love to hear about any successes (of failures!) if you give any of them a try.



DAY ONE


So simple but very effective. Decorate Tunnocks Teacakes with melted white chocolate (make sure its not too hot or it will melt the milk chocolate). Finish with holly and berries from red & green writing icing.

DAY TWO 
Cheesy Christmas Tree
For this one I used olives, cubes of cheese, cherry tomatoes, grapes and herbs. You could also incorporate pickles and charcuterie.

DAY THREE 
Rein-Beer
Beer, Googly Eyes, Red Pom Poms, Brown Pipe Cleaners and Glue. Great fun to take along to a party or for the kids to make as a gift for Dads/Uncles/Grandads etc

DAY FOUR 
Grinch Kebabs
This is how the Grinch stole Christmas. Grape, Banana, Strawberry and Mini Marshmallow on a a cocktail stick. A healthy festive snack that the kids can make and eat. Dip the banana slice in lemon juice to stop it turning brown.

DAY FIVE 
Mincemeat Pie Pops
Is it possible to improve upon a mince pie? I reckon so. Shortcrust Pastry (shop bought is fine - that's what I used!) Cut into circles and place a small spoonful of mincemeat in the middle of half of them. Brush round the edges with eggwash, insert a lolly stick, seal with another circle of pastry. Crimp the edges with a fork. Make two small slits and eggwash the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 180c

DAY SIX 
Gingerbread Biscotti
I made these on BBC Radio Scotland Kitchen Cafe for a segment on Home Made Edible Christmas Gifts. Did you hear me on the wireless? 
Find the recipe here

DAY SEVEN 
Wine Cork Christmas Tree
The perfect excuse to crack open a bottle or three, A selection of corks and a Hot Glue Gun or Superglue is all that's needed. Bottoms Up!

DAY EIGHT 
Puff Pastry Party Nibbles
Very, very simple. Shop bought ready rolled puff pastry cut into festive shapes. Brushed with eggwash and sprinkled with a variety of toppings. Grated parmesan cheese, black onion seeds, cumin seeds, paprika, sesame seeds, chilli flakes and Maldon salt. 10 mins in a hot oven and you're done.

DAY NINE 
Olive Santa Penguins
How cute are these? Even olive haters love them.
Carrot, Black Olives, Cream Cheese and Tomberries assembled on a cocktail stick. Use the wedge cut out from the feet to make the beak. Split open the tummy with a knife and fill with cream cheese. Use a small nozzle to pipe the white fur and bobble on the tomberry Santa hat. 

DAY TEN 
Christmas Cheese Cake
Huge choice of circular Cheeses available in the supermarket at this time of year. Stack them up as high as you like and top off with a Babybel adorned with a cardboard Santa belt. The addition of Sprouts, Cranberries, Holly and Woodland Playmobil animals is entirely at your discretion!

DAY ELEVEN 
Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Rudolph 
Disposable Piping Bag (pack of 20 from Poundland) filled with Hot Chocolate and Mini Marshmallows, decorated with Brown Pipe Cleaners, Googly Eyes and a Red Pom Pom Nose.

DAY TWELVE 
Gingerbread Men Reindeer
Look at these guys closely and you'll see that they are shaped from an upside down gingerbread man cutter. You may need to give him a knife in the crotch and pull his legs apart to form the perfect antlers... Decorate with writing icing and red skittle noses.

So that's the first 12 doors of the Advent Calendar open. Hopefully you will have liked what you've seen so far. The Christmas Pudding Tunnocks Teacakes were by far the favourite on Facebook, followed by the Puff Pastry Party Nibbles in second place and the Olive Penguins and Hot Chocolate Rudolph's jostling for third.

Lots more to come over the next 12 days so head on over to Facebook and LIKE my Foodie Quine Page to see what's behind each door at 8pm daily.

TamingTwins

3 comments

  1. So glad to see that the teacakes remain popular, Claire - and that they were so well received on Facebook too!

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  2. Lots of inspirational ideas here, having lived in Scotland I am really liking the Tunnocks Xmas Puds

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  3. I'm a bit in love with all of these. The Tunnocks tea cakes are genius! Love them. Thanks for linking to #festivefoodfriday

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