This month is filled with family birthday parties,so I decided it’s about time to figure out how to make cakes from scratch. There was a time were you simply couldn’t head to the store to buy a cake and everyone made their own. Now it’s my turn to give homemade cakes and frostings a try.

I started by looking for a few different birthday cake recipes and have been trying them out on my family. I’ve discovered a couple of great basic recipes which combined with different frostings should cover most cake occasions.

For my daughter’s cake this year we are going with a chocolate cake and a easy vanilla frosting. I think vanilla frosting is just one of those simple toppings anyone should be able to make. It only takes a few minutes to put together and making a cake from scratch doesn’t take any more time than using a box mix.

Not only does it come in handy to frost cakes, but also as a topping for muffins, spice cakes or as a dip for fruit. I’ve even been known to spread some on sugar cookies and then letting the kids decorate these sweet treats with various sprinkles. Great fun for a rainy afternoon.

One of my favorite cakes is a simple two layer yellow cake, frosted with a simple vanilla frosting and then topped with various fresh berries. It’s delicious and looks absolutely stunning. Of course it would also be great with some cream cheese frosting or even a chocolate frosting and then topped with strawberries.

If you’ve never made cake from scratch, or whipped up your own frosting for that matter, give it a try. It’s much easier than you think and the end result tastes so much better than anything you could get from the store. I know my family has appreciated that I’ve taken the plunge into making cakes from scratch.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is what fuels your body. It provides you the nutrition, calories and required carbohydrates that help your brain and body perform at their peak.

Most people are on the go from the moment they wake up until they stop for a mandatory and much needed lunch. Do not let time play a factor in whether or not you eat a healthy breakfast. There are breakfast recipes that are fast, can be made ahead of time and are easy to take with you.

free bread recipes
Great free bread recipes are an absolute must in the kitchen. They are super easy to prepare and you can take them with you if you are in a hurry. You do not even have to make them that morning.

If you have some free time over the weekend, you can make a big batch of pancakes and freeze them. Simply reheat them in the microwave or the toaster and presto; you have a quick, hot breakfast ready to eat in minutes. Another great idea is to find scone recipes and prepare them. They also freeze well and can be reheated when needed.

garlic bread recipes
Most people make the mistake of making breakfast recipes too complicated. Breakfast is not limited to biscuit recipes. It can include scone recipes, sweet bread recipes and any type of roll recipes that you may feel like having.

The most important thing is to find foods that you do like. You should find bake recipes that are easy to make and either store or freeze well. That way you save time when you have to eat on the run.

sweet bread recipes
As mentioned above there are plenty of different biscuit recipes to choose from. There is a great breakfast recipe called Scotch eggs or some may call it Scottish eggs. The recipe is simple.

It is a hard boiled egg wrapped in a sausage patty and then rolled in toasted bread crumbs. Once it is baked in a 350 degree oven for around twenty minutes, you will have a breakfast that is ready to go wherever your day takes you!

If the prospect of yet another dry turkey with all its trimmings leaves you feeling a little jaded, try a French favourite and serve Roast Goose rather than the boring old turkey.

This is one of our favourite French christmas castle Recipes. After all France is the nation that we can thank for foie gras.

Goose is Gordon Ramsay’s favourite Christmas roast. This is our favourite recipe for Roast goose. We now rent the chateau out for a weekly rental over the Christmas and New Year holidays fully-catered. Last year we received lots of compliments on our roast goose at our christmas castle.

Ingredients:-

1 large yellow onion (chopped)
1 large tart apple (chopped)
1/4 cup chicken stock (organic is best)
6 cups toasted fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 goose - 4 kilos, giblets removed

Makes 6 servings.
Preparation time: 20 minutes.
Cooking time: 8 minutes.
Roasting time: 2 hours.
Standing time: 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Calculate the cooking time (see tips, below). If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little - this helps the bird cook better. Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.

2. Combine the onion, apple, and 1/4 chicken stock in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until onion and apple are tender.

3. Combine onion mixutre, bread crumbs, currants, almonds, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss 1/3 cup stock with bread crumb mixture.

4. Rinse goose; drain, and pat dry. Prick the skin on the lower breast, legs, and around the wings with a skewer. Stuff and truss goose. Then, place goose, breast-side-up, on a rack in large roasting pan. Insert a roasting thermometer in its thigh without touching bone.

5. Place remaining stuffing into a lightly greased casserole; cover and refrigerate.

6. Roast goose for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the thermometer registers 175°F, drain fat often. A goose gives off more fat during roasting than most other poultry. Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl . You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat - save this for the potatoes and other vegetables. At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

7. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside the goose during the last 30 minutes of roasting.

8. Let the goose stand for 30 minutes and then serve.

This year let us spoil you over Christmas. Rent a christmas castle and sit back and relax and enjoy lording it up with your family over the festive season.

Tips if you are doing this at home yourself:-

For those of us who take on the responsibility of preparing Christmas dinner (voluntarily or not) this can be a very stressful time of the year. But as any chef will tell you, the key to providing a successful meal is mise en place – in other words, preparation and organisation.

If you buy your goose in advance you’ll need to know how to store it. Always unwrap the bird and place it either in a refrigerator or cool larder. Place the giblets into a refrigerator. If you want to store longer than two days (for giblets) or five days
for (geese), it is best to freeze. Geese freeze very well, thawing takes around 24-30 hours. Pat dry with a dry cloth and they will roast to perfection.

The roast goose can be prepared or assembled the night before, so that all you’ll need to do is put it into the oven on Christmas morning.

Make sure your goose is left to come up to room temperature before you cook it, this gets its enzymes working and results in a juicier bird. does not run off with the Christmas Goose on Christmas morning before it gets to go in[spin] the oven.

Do remember to use some of the rendered fat from the goose to baste the potatoes with, as it imparts a wonderfully rich flavour to the spuds. Keep the rest of the fat to use through the winter months.

Lastly you do not have to wait for Christmas for “One Goose A Roasting” you can serve Roast Goose for a wonderful Sunday roast at any time of year.

You can have your golden goose and eat it at our chateau this Christmas.