Comfort food from Christmas leftovers

ALL set for Christmas? I hope so but if you’re not, let me cheer you up… neither am I and despite all my good advice, I’m still whizzing around gathering up bits and pieces and trying to wrap some last minute pressies.

It’s the wrapping that usually scuppers me in the end. Once again this brings memories flooding back, Mummy always waited until everyone else had shared their presents on Christmas, then she’d gather up all the wrapping paper and ribbons and disappear to embellish her gifts.

Only two sleeps away now from that ‘phew’ moment when Christmas is over for another year. I love that huge sense of relief that washes over me, when the pressure is off and expectations revert to more or less normal, and better still I get to have fun transforming the leftovers into innovative deliciousness. It’s scary to think that 30% of all the food bought over Christmas is likely to end up in the bin at a time when so many people not far away from any of us are homeless or in need. I don’t want to pile on the guilt but at least we can use up every scrap. There are a million ways to do this, often by adapting familiar recipes. Concentrate on the fresh and perishable foods first. Leftover cranberry sauce keeps for at least several weeks, if not months, fresh berries can of course be frozen, even if they were already frozen (it won’t improve them but they won’t be a health hazard), alternatively throw a fistful in muffins or scones, a pound cake or add to salads.