four more sleeps

the countdown is on. it's christmas crunch time & i'm feeling the pinch. exhaustion has set in & i just can't wait for sunday at 4pm!

just a quick reminder to those folks with some last minute shopping to take care of - don't forget about my gift certificates & i'm set up to accept visa & mastercard.

this week has been chock full of cupcake & cake orders, christmas shopping & getting ready for 'man night' at the market. i had planned on whipping up a couple lobster dishes but had to postpone them until next week. they'll still be ready in time for new year's festivities though.

here's a complete list of what i do have this weekend:

beef bourguignon - getaway farm beef, red wine, mushrooms, bacon, pearl onions, swiss chard,   roasted carrots & turnips, creamy mashed potatoes    

small $10  large $20

red wine braised brisket - overnight braised getaway farm beef, sundried tomatoes, pears, onions & garlic, blue cheese mashed potatoes and kale    

large $20

shepherd's pie - getaway farm beef again! peas, carrots, corn, tangy gravy, cheddar-green onion mashed potatoes    

small $10  large $20

asian-inspired pulled pork - ginger, garlic, soy, cilantro, lime, chinese 5-spice, bean sprouts, green onions, sesame roasted broccoli, served over rice    

large $20

chicken, leek, broccoli & bacon pies - shani's farm chicken, double smoked bacon, melted leeks, broccoli in a rich gravy made with homemade chicken stock, fresh herbs & a puff pastry lid

large  $20

chicken parmesan - buttermilk marinated & panko-parmesan breaded chicken breasts, served over fettuccine with basil, spinach, tomatoes & homemade marinara

small $10  large $20

fish cakes & baked beans - salt cod, mashed potatoes, onions, celery, summer savoury, lemon & green onions with a breadcrumb crust

4 fish cakes & 500ml beans for $15

vegan shepherd's pie - the base is made from lentils, mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots, peas, corn, kale, tomatoes, fresh herbs & balsamic and it's topped with potato, parsnip, turnip, cauliflower & sweet potato mash. this one is a great vegan option for christmas dinner.

small $9  large $18

pumpkin tagine - roasted pumpkin, tofu, tomatoes, cauliflower with all sorts of moroccan flavours: sumac, lemon, dates, olives, ginger, cumin & coriander. it's served with harissa quinoa

small $9  large $18

vegan curry - potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, cilantro, lime, coconut & chillies served with basmati rice

small $9  large $18

last weekend my soup stock took quite a beating. this week i was able to replace the seafood chowder & the beet, parsnip & pear.

it's both vegan & gluten-free. all the veggies are simmered with aromatics for hours, then pureed, passed through a fine mesh strainer and then brightened up with some fresh dill.

the salad selection remains unchanged this week but make sure to come early to guarantee you get the flavour you're after.

cupcake flavours this week are:

orange - vanilla

red velvet - raspberry

gingerbread - eggnog

banana - peanut butter

pumpkin - maple

chocolate - chocolate

chocolate - mint

there are also breakfast cookies, passionfruit tarts, apple-streusel tarts, snickers brownies, maple walnut squares, hello dolly's, cornbread muffins, dinner rolls and two flavours of cheesecake. the cheesecakes are pretty festive, there's candycane oreo & chai eggnog!

alrighty back to the kitchen. i still have two giant (11x15x8) cakes to make. one is black forest and the other is a carrot cake like this:

hope to see everyone over the weekend!

ps: i haven't forgotten the rest of my recipes for ladies' night & man night. early next week i'll have time to sit down & type them up.