If I could afford to stuff the turkey with other animals I would. Meat-tastic.

That is cool Joanne.

Turkey and ham. Bread, sausagemeat and potatoe stuffing. Roast potatoes. Cranberry sauce. Gravy. Bread Sauce. Brussel sprouts, celery and carrots. Can’t wait!!!

[And nut roast for my brother-in-law :-( ]

Us too!

Butter.

Hi Ciarán – by all means, please do. I have a few vegetarian friends who I might be rustling something up for next week. Not Christmas Day but could still do with a few tips!

Heres-y-goesy. :-)

SPICY ALMOND AND NUT ROAST

This is a handy wee substitute on the plate in place of meat if there’s a vegetarian at the table. The flavouring might look fearsome but trust me! (Please.) You need to start off with a really intense spicy flavour. By the time it’s mixed into the cake mix, it will be well diluted. Nuts and almonds absorb flavours so much.

CAKE MIX
1. About 800g – 1kg of mixed chopped nuts and almonds. If I’m lazy, I go and buy and few bags of chopped walnuts and almonds but if you have some favourites, you can chop your own. Use lots of almonds though – at least 400g. They just add something else.
2. White flour and ground almonds. Use potato/rice flour if you’re not into wheat. You’ll get it in any health food shop.
3. Mix all these ingredients together in a large bowl with a wee pinch of salt. DON’T ADD ANY MILK OR WATER AT THIS POINT.
4. Add the flavour mix (whatever you chose below) slowly to the cake mix, mixing it in the whole time. If it’s too sticky, add more flour or ground almonds. If it’s very stiff, add milk or water.
5. Cram the mixture into a pre-greased loaf tin. Really press it in so that it fits the contours of the tin.
6. To get that characteristic loaf look, shape a ridge in the pastry crust running down the length of the tin.
7. Bake at 150C for about 30-45 mins. Test it with a knitting needle every now and again.
8. Leave to cool before turning it out of the loaf tin.

FLAVOUR MIX

Two choices – Chilli and cumin or curry.

CHILLI AND CUMIN MIX
3 red chilis (use the raw ones – the dried ones are lethal)
One large onion
4 large very ripe tomatoes (soft, deep red, NO hard green patches)
6 cloves of garlic – crushed
1.5 – 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
Olive oil (lots)

Chop up the chillis, onion and tomatoes.
Heat the oil in a pan and when hot add the cumin seeds.
Fry them until they’re golden brown.
Add the chopped chillis and fry them until soft.
Add the garlic and fry stirring all the time to break it up.
If the oil is getting a little shallow, add more and wait until it’s hot again.
Add the chopped tomatoes and bring the mixture back to boiling.
Then reduce the heat and cover the pan for about 15-20 mins to give the tomatoes time to soften.
Then remove the lid and give it a good stirring and resume from point 4 above where you add this to the cake mix.

CURRY MIX
2-3 tablespoons of curry powder
One large onion
4 large very ripe tomatoes (soft, deep red, NO hard green patches)
6 cloves of garlic – crushed
Olive oil (lots)

Chop up the onion and tomatoes.
Heat lots of oil in a pan and when hot add the curry powder.
Fry for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry stirring all the time to break it up.
If the oil is getting a little shallow, add more and wait until it’s hot.
Add the chopped tomatoes and bring the mixture back to boiling.
Then reduce the heat and cover the pan for about 15-20 mins to give the tomatoes time to soften.
Then remove the lid and give it a good stirring and resume from point 4 above where you add this to the cake mix.

The chilli and cumin mix sounds good – thanks!

Amazeballs, thanks!