Festive entrees

Why not prepare in advance some of these festive smoothies and mints served with cookies, barbecues, cakes, croquets, sherbets, chutneys and lots more to indulge every taste. Another superb combination is chocolate served with champagne.

Give them a try and have a very merry Christmas!

Festive mint punch

Recipe for 5 servings:

3 cups water

2 teaspoons mint jelly

5 cups pineapple juice, chilled

2 cups lemon or lime, juice

3 cups vodka (check supermarket)

11/2 teaspoons lemon-lime carbonated drink, chilled

1teaspoon lime sherbet

In small saucepan, combine water and mint jelly. Cook and stir until jelly melts. Cool. In large punch bowl, combine jelly mix, juices and vodka. Remember to add carbonated beverage and lime sherbet before serving.

Festive cranberry smoothie

Recipe for10 servings:

6 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

7 pints water

2 cups sugar

2 cups orange juice

1 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup red-hot candies

12 whole cloves

In a deep skillet, combine cranberries and 11/2 pint water. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine colander, press mixture with a spoon; discard skins. Return cranberry pulp and juice to the pan. Stir in the sugar, juices and red-hot candies, add remaining water. Place cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag; add to juice mixture. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar & red-hot are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Discard spice bag. Serve drink chilled.

Mint & fruit smoothie

Recipe 10 servings:

1/2 cup fresh lime (juice)

10 strawberries (frozen)

6 cups cubed fresh pineapple

7 fresh mint leaves

1 cup red seedless grapes (frozen)

11/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

Pour frozen grapes, applesauce, and lime -juice into a food processor, blend until smooth. Add frozen strawberries, cubed pineapple, and mint leaves. Check at intervals until the strawberries and pineapple are in small bits.

Orange sherbet

Recipe for 5 servings:

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

1cup sugar

cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 cups fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons vanilla

5 cups milk, low-fat (cold)

Combine and stir grated orange rind and sugar. Add lemon juice, orange juice and vanilla, continue stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add milk. Place mixture in an ice cream freezer, freeze for 45 minutes an hour before serving.

Grilled chicken chutney

Recipe for 10 servings:

3kg chicken thighs (cut into chunks)

Chutney Sauce:

1/2 cup chutney

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ginger (freshly ground)

4 teaspoons red pepper (cayenne)

20ml vegetable oil

Dash salt & other seasonings to taste

Preheat barbecue grill (spray grill with vegetable oil cooking spray).

For chutney sauce:

Combine chutney, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper in a medium size bowl, stir until well blended.

Brush chicken generously with chutney sauce, then place in a hot grill. Cover barbecue with lid, open any vent, and grill for about 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is fully grilled. Check at intervals for turning and basting. Remove from grill, transfer to a serving platter, and serve immediately with a chilled drink of choice.

Chocolate chip cookies

Recipe for 30 servings:

2 cups flour

11/2 teaspoons baking soda

Pinch salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1cup butter

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Put flour through a sieve, In a bowl combine baking soda and salt; add sugars, eggs, vanilla and butter. With an electric hand held mixer at medium speed, beat until smooth and well mixed, a few minutes . Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using. Drop by tablespoonful about 2 inches apart, onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake chocolate chip cookies at 375¡ for 10 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Remove chocolate chip cookies to rack to cool. Serve with chilled champagne.

Lobster fruit salad

Recipe for 6 servings:

4 big apples (finely diced)

1/2 cup Honeydew (finely diced)

2 cups watermelon (finely diced)

4 strawberries (finely diced)

1cup lobster tails, (cooked and sliced)

A few lettuce leaves (cut into pieces)

For dressing:

1cup salad dressing

1/2 lemon zest & juice (finely grated)

3 tablespoons condensed milk

Arrange all cut fruits onto the lettuce and place lobster slices on top.

Mix well dressing and fill into a piping bag. Cut a tiny hole at the bottom of the bag and squeeze the mixture slowly onto the lobster slices and server.

Grilled spicy whole turkey

Recipe for 4 servings;

4 whole turkeys

4 sticks butter

7 limes, juice

12 tablespoons tequila

8 cloves garlic (minced)

4 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinches salt & other seasonings

2 tablespoons black pepper

Cranberry Topping:

8 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

2 medium size onion (chopped)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup orange zest

2 tablespoons fresh ginger (minced)

1 jalapeno pepper (seeded & finely chopped)

Dash teaspoon salt

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Butterfly turkey. Remove excess fat, wash turkey and pat dry. In a small saucepan, melt butter oregano, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Place turkey on grill skin side down. Coat well with butter mixture . Grill for about 15-20 minutes, turn and coat with butter mixture again. Allow to cook for another 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, and let bird cook for an additional 45 minutes-1hour, basting with butter sauce at intervals. Once internal temperatures reach 165 degrees F. (74 degrees C.), remove from grill. Cool turkey for a few minutes before carving.

To prepare cranberry topping: Chop cranberries and add all remaining ingredients to it in a small mixing bowl. Allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes before topping turkey with it. Enjoy your grilled Christmas turkey with a chilled fruit drink of choice.