The house is stuffed with food, but how can you use turkey and all your other festive fare for your baby?
For babies
Sauté 50g (2oz) chopped onion in 1tbsp vegetable oil until softened, add 350g (12oz) peeled, chopped sweet potato, and half an apple, also peeled and chopped. Pour over 250ml (9fl oz) unsalted chicken stock or water, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add 50g (2oz) chopped, cooked turkey and purée in a blender. Cut cooked sprouts into quarters and purée with a little cream, melted butter and a pinch of nutmeg.
For toddlers
For great finger food, take some thinly sliced ham, spread with cream cheese and roll up like a cigar. Or cut parsnips into 1cm (½in) wedges and parboil for 2 minutes. Toss in a little sunflower oil, place on a greased baking tray and roast at 200°C, 180ºC fan oven, 400ºF, gas 6 for 30 minutes. Baste with a little honey for the last 10 minutes.
For pre-schoolers
For oriental turkey wraps, tear 250g (9oz) dark turkey meat into strips and arrange on a baking tray. Spread with a little plum sauce, sprinkle with a few drops of sesame oil and grill for 5 minutes until browned.
Mix 4tbsp mayonnaise with 1½tsp soy sauce. Stir in the shredded turkey, 100g (4oz) peeled cucumber and sliced spring onions.
Heat four tortillas for a few seconds in a microwave, or dry-fry in a pan, place the filling at one end and roll up.
Turkey pasta salad with Annabel’s dressing
- Suitable from 1 year
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 12 minutes
- Makes 4 portions
- Not suitable for freezing
The secret to getting your child to eat salad is to find an irresistible dressing. This one’s magic, and works just as well on rice, chicken and pasta, or as a dip with raw vegetables. Make up a large batch and keep it in a bottle in the fridge.
You’ll need…
- 150g (5oz) pasta shapes, such as fusilli
- 1 medium carrot, cut into strips
- 75g (3oz) fine French beans, topped and tailed
- 100g (4oz) tinned or frozen sweetcorn, cooked
- 75g (3oz) cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 small cherry tomatoes, halved
For the dressing…
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 4tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1tbsp chopped celery
- ½tbsp root ginger, finely chopped
- 1tbsp water
- 1½tsp tomato purée
- 1½tsp caster sugar
- 1½tsp lemon juice
What to do…
To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth.
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, cook the carrot and beans in a steamer for about 5 minutes or until tender.
Drain the pasta and mix it together with the French beans, carrot, sweetcorn, turkey and cherry tomatoes. Toss with 100ml (4fl oz) of the salad dressing.
Annabel’s oatmeal raisin cookies
This is one of my favourite cookie recipes, and makes for a soft and chewy texture. They’re quick and easy to prepare, and they’re good for you, too. For a more festive touch, you could make them with cranberries instead of raisins. They’re also ideal for lunchboxes, because they provide a good source of long-lasting energy.
- Suitable from 1 year
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Makes 14 cookies
- Suitable for freezing
You’ll need…
- 85g (3½oz) butter
- 75g (3oz) soft brown sugar
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 75g (3oz) raisins
- 40g (1½oz) sunflower seeds
- 50g (2oz) plain flour
- 75g (3oz) porridge oats
- ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½tsp salt
- A non-stick baking tray
What to do…
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven , 350°F, gas 4.
In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Divide the mixture evenly into 14 walnut-sized balls and flatten them down a little onto the baking tray with your hand.
Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re lightly golden. The cookies will be soft when they first come out the oven, but will harden a little when they cool.
Date and raisin muffins
- Suitable from 1 year
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 35 minutes
- Makes 6 muffins
- Suitable for freezing
You’ll need…
- 110g (4oz) pitted dates, chopped
- 110ml (4fl oz) water
- 55g (2oz) butter
- 55g (2oz) dark muscovado sugar
- 50ml (2fl oz) milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½tsp vanilla extract
- 110g plain flour
- ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½tsp baking powder
- 30g (1oz) raisins
- A muffin baking tray, lined with paper cases
For the frosting…
- 30g (1oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 100g (4oz) cream cheese, such as Philadelphia
- Few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
- 75g (3oz) icing sugar
- Grated orange zest (optional)
What to do…
Simmer the dates in the water for 10 minutes until very soft, and the water has been absorbed. Cool for 10 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, 350°F, gas 4.
Melt the butter and stir in the sugar. Allow to cool slightly, then mix in the dates, milk, egg and vanilla extract.
Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Mix in the raisins.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon in enough mix to half-fill each case on the muffin tray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until risen and slightly firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.
For the frosting, beat together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla (if using). Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Spread over the muffins and sprinkle with orange zest, if using.
Gingerbread stars
- Suitable from 1 year
- Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes to chill in fridge
- Cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes
- Makes approximately 28 biscuits
- Suitable for freezing
These biscuits taste fantastic and you can cut them into any shape you fancy. Stars are particularly nice, as you can make a hole in the cookies, thread a ribbon through them and hang them on the tree.
If you don’t want to make your own icing, use writing icing (mini tubes of coloured icing), which you can buy at the supermarket.
You’ll need…
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- ¼tsp salt
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1½tsp ground ginger
- ½tsp mixed spice
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter
- 100g (4oz) dark brown soft sugar
- 100g (4oz) golden syrup
- 1tbsp milk
- 2 baking sheets, lightly greased
For the Royal Icing
- 2 large egg whites
- 2tsp lemon juice (optional)
- 350g (12oz) icing sugar, sifted
- Icing piping bag
- Edible silver balls
- Thin ribbon (for hanging on tree)
What to do…
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, 350°F, gas 4.
Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and spices.
Heat the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small pan until dissolved, stirring frequently, then allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
Stir the syrup mixture and milk into the dry ingredients. Form into a ball, cover with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 3mm (⅛in) thick and cut out star shapes using cookie cutters. Use a straw to make a hole in each one if you want to hang them on the tree.
Place the shapes on the baking sheets and put in the oven for8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Leave for a few minutes to firm up and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the royal icing, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice, then add the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Pipe snowflake designs and decorate with edible silver balls. Thread ribbon through the holes in the biscuits to hang on the tree.
