Food Blog Testing: Christmas Round-Up

Hello! Pardon for the lack of updates here... I'm swarmed with work these days, so I haven't really got the chance to update the blog with new recipes and travelogues. So instead of posting a new recipe / travelogue, I've decided to do a quick update on a Christmas special!

December is probably one of my favourite and most terrified months of the year. Favourite because Christmas is finally here and everyone will be in such festive and happy mood; not to mention the tons of sinfully delicious food that we get to eat during this period! On the other hand, the reason for my fear for December is also because it is such a disastrous month for my waistline... I can never get past December without gaining weight!

So to start of this delicious and fattening month, I've selected a few of my favourite food that deserved to be baked/cooked for Christmas:

Appetisers and Mains

Baked Button Mushrooms	Potato-Carrot Mash

Small button mushrooms stuffed with a bacon-onion filling, with a soft, gooey piece of cheese on top. I can’t stop popping them into my mouth!	Everyone loves a good mashed potatoes, why not add in some carrot for some colour and additional nutrients? (Takes off some guilt from all the feasting!)
Baked Cola Chicken	Baked Rice

These sticky and sweet chicken wings are definitely a great way to start a sweet Christmas party. The best thing about them is they can be prepared way ahead as they need some time to bake in the oven!	This bowl of baked rice doesn’t use any instant cream of chicken/mushroom soup. It is a hearty meal – creamy interior with a crispy and cheesy crust – that leaves people coming back for more.
Chicken Pie	Bolognese

You can make individual pots of chicken pie, or just one huge serving in a large dish. Either way, it’ll still be incredibly delicious.	If you’re not a rice or pie person, bolognese sauce will definitely be the next best option to serve a huge crowd. This sauce is the perfect marriage between tomatoes and beef - yum!

Desserts

Macarons	Cream puffs

If you’ve not tried making macarons, this might be the time to bake some! They are guaranteed crowd-pleasers and there are so many possibilities. I’ve baked chocolate and lemon flavoured ones before, hoping to try some more during this month!	Cream puffs are always crowd-pleasers. Everyone loves to eat them and many of them have the wrong perception that they’re really hard to make, but it’s not true at all!
No-Bake Baileys Cheesecake	Baileys Chocolate Cake

Creamy, rich, boozy and no baking needed, this cheesecake can be made ahead and served when you’re ready!	This easy and delicious chocolate cake does not require the use of any mixer, which makes cleaning up much easier!
Red Vevlet Cupcakes	Varlhona Chocolate Cake

Red cupcakes with a fluffy white cream cheese frosting will definitely brighten up everyone’s Christmas!	Varlhona chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter filling and chocolate ganache frosting, sinful, but worth every single bite!