These fun reindeer sloppy joes are sure to bring the festive cheer this year, so why not get the kids involved and make them together?

MAKES 10 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800 g beef mince
4 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp origanum
1½ tbsp tomato paste, plus extra to assemble
To assemble
10 rolls
5 baby tomatoes, halved
2 cheese slices
10 raisins, halved
10 pretzels

METHOD
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1. Heat a dash of oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 8 minutes, until soft.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
3. Add the mince and brown for 8 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce, sugar, tinned tomatoes, origanum and 1½ tbsp of the tomato paste. Season well and simmer for 20 minutes.
To assemble
1. Slice open each roll and fill with tbsp of mince.
2. To make noses, use a toothpick to attach half of a tomato to each roll.
3. Use the wide end of a piping nozzle to cut eyes from the cheese. Stick them to the rolls using extra tomato paste. Put raisin halves in the middle of each eye to make pupils.
4. Break each pretzel in half and stick them into the top of each roll to make antlers. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Christmas in South Africa wouldn’t be the same without hot summer nights by the braai, and the little ones will love snacking on these drool-worthy Snickers s’mores after their supper.

The post Cooking with kids: Reindeer sloppy joes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Going vegan for Christmas has never been easier! This whole roast butternut is the perfect way to celebrate – complete with stuffing and vegan gravy.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
For the whole roast butternut
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1½ tbsp chopped thyme
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp flaxseed
2 tbsp hot water
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓  cup flour
1 large baby marrow, halved lengthways
1 carrot
1 butternut, halved lengthways and seeded
For the vegan gravy
¼ cup vegan margarine
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce

METHOD
For the whole roast butternut
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Bring the rice, water and stock to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Strain and stir in the chopped herbs.
3. Add some oil to a pan over medium heat. Fry the onion for 5minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the rice and season to taste.
4. Whisk flaxseed and water.
5. Mix together the flaxseed, rice, cranberries and flour, until everything is fully incorporated.
6. Scoop out the flesh from the baby marrow, leaving a 5 mm border. Trim the carrot to fit inside one half of the baby marrow.
7. Scoop enough flesh from one half of the butternut to fit the baby marrow with the carrot inside. Fill the other baby marrow half with the rice stuffing and sandwich on top of the carrot.
8. Scoop enough flesh from the other half of the butternut to fit the remaining rice stuffing.
9. Prick the butternut flesh all over with the fork, and secure the two halves together with kitchen string.
10. Brush with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 1⅛ hours, until tender. Allow to rest inside the foil for 20 minutes before carving.
For the vegan gravy
1. Melt the margarine in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
2. Add the flour and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.Whisk in the stock and soy sauce and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
3. Strain and season to taste.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

These beetroot folders with tofu will add even more deliciousness to your vegan spread!

The post Whole roast butternut with rice, carrot and baby marrow appeared first on MyKitchen.

You can dig all you want this season with worrying about your waistline with these super delicious festive mince pie biscuits!

MAKES 9 biscuits // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the biscuits
1 cup nutty wheat flour
½ tsp salt
⅓  cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cold water
For the mince pie filling
½ apple, peeled, cored and grated
¼ lemon, zested and juiced
¼ orange, zested and juiced
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 cup mixed dried fruit
¼ cup apricot juice
¼ tsp mixed spice
⅛  tsp ground cinnamon
⅛  tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp cornflour

METHOD
For the biscuits
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add coconut oil and beat until combined. Add honey and beat again until it resembles sticky breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water and mix until a soft dough forms. Cover the pastry in cling film and set aside in the fridge.
For the mince pie filling
3. Place all ingredients, except corn flour, in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 minutes.
4. Mix the cornflour with 2 tsp cold water to make a paste and stir it into the hot fruit. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
6. Roll the biscuit dough out and, using a 6 cm cookie cutter, cut circles out of the dough.
7. Divide the circles into two batches. Use a smaller decorative cutter to cut a shape out of the middle of one batch of circles, creating the ‘window’ biscuit.
8. Bake all the circles for 10–12 minutes until golden brown.
9. Spoon 1 tbsp of the filling on to each of the bottom biscuits and sandwich closed with the top decorative ‘window’ biscuit.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The little ones might not be as keen for these fruit mince treats, so why not spoil them with festive marshmallows?

The post Guilt-free mince pie biscuits for the festive season appeared first on MyKitchen.

Inject some fresh Mediterranean flair into your Christmas feast this year with our glazed gammon recipe. We do celebrate in summer, after all!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the gammon
2 kg boneless gammon
3 onions, halved
4 carrots, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 L apple juice
½ tbsp cloves
For the glaze
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup treacle sugar
3 tbsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cinnamon
For the trimmings
6 apples
2 tbsp butter
175 g pomegranate seeds
Bay leaves, optional

METHOD
For the gammon
1. Add the gammon, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns to a large pot.
2. Pour over the apple juice and top up with water until the gammon is covered.
3. Bring to the boil over high heat. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.
4. Remove the gammon from the liquid. Cool slightly.
For the glaze
1. Whisk all the ingredients and season with salt.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the bottom and sides of a baking tray with foil.
3. Remove the netting from the gammon (if applicable) and cut away the skin, leaving as much fat as possible. Score a criss-cross pattern in the fat. Stick a clove in the middle of each diamond.
4. Brush half of the glaze all over the gammon and place on the prepared tray.
5. Roast for 10–15 minutes, until golden and crispy, basting with more glaze.
For the trimmings
1. Halve some of the apples and cut the others into wedges.
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Fry the apples, flesh-side down, for 2–3 minutes, until golden.
3. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with the remaining glaze. Roast for 10–15 minutes.
4. Decorate your glazed gammon with roasted apples, pomegranate and bay leaves.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

This dish is an excellent option for Christmas lunch, but what about Christmas Eve? Our prime rib roast with mashed white beans is the perfect option!

The post COOK THE COVER: Glazed gammon with roasted apples appeared first on MyKitchen.

Can’t decide what to do for Christmas dessert? We’ve made it super easy with this decadent trifle cheesecake – a fun take on SA’s festive dessert.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 35 min

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
400 g ginger biscuits, crushed
⅓  cup melted butter, cooled
For the jelly
80 g sachet red jelly
For the filling
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
500 g cream cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp flour
To assemble
½ cup cream, whipped
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
⅓  cup raspberries
¼ cup cherries
Mini meringues, to decorate

METHOD
For the crust
1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Whizz the biscuits and butter together in a food processor. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a springform tin.
3. Blind bake for 10minutes, then set aside to cool.
For the jelly
1. Line a cake tin the same size as the one you used for your base.
2. Prepare the jelly according to the packet instructions. Pour into your prepared tin.
3. Refrigerate until set.
For the filling
1. Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cream, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla. Fold in the egg mixture.
3. Sift in the flour and fold in to combine.
4. Pour into the crust and wrap the outside edges of the tin in foil. Place in an oven dish filled with water to create a bain-marie.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour. Then remove it from the oven to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.
To assemble
1. Remove the jelly from the tin and place it on top of the cheesecake layer. Refrigerate it overnight.
2. Place the meringues under the grill, or blowtorch them until they are golden on the edges.
3. Decorate the top of the trifle cheesecake with the whipped cream, meringues, pomegranates, raspberries and cherries.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

If you loved this mash-up of two treats, wait until you try our caramel chocolate Christmas cake!

The post Enjoy the best of both with our trifle cheesecake appeared first on MyKitchen.

You can forget about boring sides this festive season. This red and green Christmas salad brings the cheer and the flavour!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
300 g baby salad leaves
200 g feta, cubed
200 g strawberries, halved
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ cup dried cranberries

METHOD
1. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to cut the cucumber into ribbons.
2. Gently toss together all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Making the switch to a healthier festive season? Find out how here.

The post Make this red and green Christmas salad your summer go-to appeared first on MyKitchen.