I am a little bit obsessed with party nibbles. Especially at this time of year. 

And these just might be my favourite.

Super simple Stollen Croutons.

I'd love to have the luxury of hours to prepare incredible canapés and petit fours but the truth is, the easier something is to make the better. Especially if when served, they look spectacular!

Ingredients:

• Stollen Cake (I used a loaf as it was fairly flat)
• Fresh cranberries
• Desiccated coconut
• Icing sugar to dust or fine powder sugar sprinkle

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4.

Cut your Stollen into strips and then cubes.

Halve your cranberries and poke one half into each cube.

Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, have a peek at 6 minutes to make sure they aren't burning!

Dust with icing sugar or I used "Christmas Snow" sparkle from the cake decorating aisle and desiccated coconut.

Serve warm and watch your guest enjoy the little pockets of cranberry sweetness.

Make sure you check out my other nibble ideas too.

Baked Sprouts

Beetroot Nibbles

Mini Calzone

The cheeseboard. A staple part of any Christmas feast.

But there's always a couple on the board that I can't stand! It may be boring but I am a fan of a good solid Cheddar. My husband loves the smelly ones, Mum loves the ones stuffed with fruit and we all love it washed down with a little thimble of port.

But I can never remember having a little cheeseboard for the small guests at the table.

My boys adore cheese so this year, I thought it would be a sweet idea to make the boys a cheeseboard of their own.

You can play it safe or let them taste a few more grown up flavours. I chose to play it safe.

Ingredients:

• Red Leicester trees
• Babybel
• Cheese string nest
• Emmental
• Grated Cheddar
• Soft cheese triangle

Accompaniments:

• Crackers
• Oat cakes
• Grapes
• Pretzel stars
• Apple
• Sugar mouse

Sammy adored it! They much prefer to pick up grated cheese with their fingers than chunks. 

A simple but effective idea for including the little ones in the Christmas dinner ritual.

I'd love to see what you have been making! 

I am hosting #TastyTuesdays for the fabulous Honest Mum blog today so get linking! 

I am always on the look out for time saving ideas. But ones that sparkle.

I am not a huge pudding fan, calorific desserts smothered in cream are just not for me, but a cheat's crumble is perfect!

It's so easy, the children could help make it on Christmas Day.

You can make these as miniature versions for your individual guests or make one huge one and cut it like a pie.

Ingredients:

• puff pastry
• Honeybuns cake bar - I used a Cranberry and Pecan Flapjack
• blackberries
• drizzle of honey
• white chocolate

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees or Gas Mark 4.

Take your sheet of puff pastry and place an upturned tin on the top.

Using a sharp knife, cut around your shape. I used 4 inch circular tins.

place the cut piece of pastry in your tin and crumble your Honeybuns bar into the bottom. Add your berries, drizzle with honey and bake for 8 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Take out of the oven and grate one piece of white chocolate over the top. I melted some chocolate in the microwave and drizzled some in a zig zag pattern over the top. 

It takes an ordinary pudding to an extraordinary one and no one will know you've cheated!

We always have Vienetta on Christmas Day - it's become a family tradition, but I may just start a new tradition with this one.

What are your Christmas food traditions?