Christmas is a busy and expensive time of year for mums, and it is always very tempting to rush into your local supermarket and buy prepared and processed foods.

Treat your family to some no fuss, fun and tasty party foods, full of Christmas flavour. They’re inexpensive, healthy and most importantly quick and easy for you to make, so that you can enjoy the fun too!

Chestnut, Bacon and Apple Stuffing Merry Mushrooms

Ingredients to make 8 Mushrooms:

Finely chopped Rashers of bacon
1 Finely chopped large cooking apple
1 Tin of roughly chopped chestnut (or half a pack of vacuumed packed chestnuts)
6 slices of slightly stale bread
1 Finely chopped medium onion
Fresh Sage
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil
8 Portobello Mushrooms
Small knob of butter

Instructions

Lightly fry the onion in a little oil, and then add the bacon and fry until almost cooked. Add the apple and cook until soft but not mushy.
Crumble the bread into a bowl to make breadcrumbs and add some fresh sage, salt and pepper to taste. Add the chopped Chestnuts.
Tip the onion mixture into the bowl with a knob of butter and mix thoroughly together. The mixture should be slightly sticky.
Place the mushrooms on a baking tray and spoon the mixture on top pressing it down a little with your fingers to hold in place.
Pop in the oven at 200 degrees, for about 15 Minutes or until starting to brown on top. Serve immediately.

Santa’s Turkey Satay Skewers

Ingredients to make 9-10 skewers

3-4 slices of uncooked Turkey breasts
10 wooded skewers
2 big dollops of crunchy peanut butter
150 g Sweet Chilli sauce

Instructions

Slice the turkey into long strips and thread onto a skewer and lay on a baking tray.
Mix together the peanut butter and sweet chilli sauce and spread over the turkey skewers coating both sides.
Pop in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the turkey is thoroughly cooked. Serve immediately.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Tinsel Tortillas

Ingredients to make a large plate full of Tortilla slices

3-4 soft Tortillas
200g smoked salmon
Half a Cucumber sliced finely length ways
Half a tub of extra light cream cheese
Chopped Chives to garnish

Instructions

Spread each Tortilla with cream cheese right to the edges. Cover with pieces of smoked salmon and cucumber.
Roll the tortillas up tightly, seal the ends with a little cream cheese if necessary. Slice the tortillas up (discarding the ends) and arrange on a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Duck and Mandarin Christmas Curry Cups

Ingredients to make 8 Cups

duck breasts cut into slices
2 table spoons Mild Curry paste
1 large onion
2 large tins mandarin segments
Plain low fat yoghurt
Olive oil

Instructions

Chop the onion finely and fry lightly in a small amount of olive oil until the onions are soft.
Add the curry paste and let it heat for a couple of minutes, then add the duck slices and coat in the mixture. Allow the meat to seal for a few minutes.
Get rid of the syrup from the mandarin segments and add them to the pot (leaving some to garnish) Let the curry cook until the meat is ready.
Serve into cups on top basmati rice. Dollop a tea spoon on yoghurt on top of the curry and decorate with a mandarin segment.

For more great recipes for busy mums, check out (www.howtocookinhighheels.co.uk)