Holidays are the perfect time of year to gather you close friends and loved family around a fireplace and share funny stories and yummy food.
Yes, it's time for ham and turkey, minced pie and bread pudding, stuffing and cranberry sauce ... but it's also a good time to experiment with new recipes!
You can start with simple finger food ... easy recipes and yummy outcomes!
I tried these cheese and olive scones last night ... they were a hit!

Ingredients:
40g grated Parmesan
40g grated Cheddar
1 medium onion, diced
10 black olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
175g self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
25g butter
1 large egg
3 tablespoons milk
freshly ground black pepper

I have to say this is an invention of mine! I'm not sure whether it exists anywhere else, but i came up with it as i went along!
It is perfect for a brunch and it can be changed to suit your taste!
So, here are the ingredients i used, remember that you can play around with the ingredients as you like.

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette, cut into big cubes
2 black bread rolls, cut into cubes
Sun-dried tomatoes, shredded
Italian sausages, cut into pieces and half fried
Mozzarella, sliced
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
salt & pepper
dried oregano
Butter

Ok, the name might give you the impression that this starter is difficult or really sophisticated! No, not at all! This recipe is as easy as pie ... Even easier! Its so good & so tasty that your guests will think it really sophisticated! Yup! The keyword here is Sophisticated!
This will take you about 10 minutes to prepare & will make a good start to any meal.

Ingredients:
3 ripe pears, peeled & thinly sliced
6 slices wheat bread
12 walnuts, coarsely chopped
Blue cheese -Roquefort- crumbled

To me, the best compliment to a hot dish of Spaghetti & Italian tomato sauce is a good, hot, cheesy peace of garlic bread ... What do you think?
Your family will want to eat spaghetti more frequently ... Trust me, I know!
Here's an easy recipe for you to try ...

Ingredients:
1 baguette -french bread- cut into thick slices
Butter or olive oil -it depends on your diet choices-
Garlic, minced
Grated cheese ... A lot of grated cheese!

Usually muffins are sweet; filled with chocolate chips, walnuts or berries. But this recipe is a different approach to make muffins a good & delicious accompaniment to salads & soups.

Ingredients:

225g flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
80g melted butter
1 small cup natural yoghurt
2 cl milk
200g baloney - cut into small squares (or your favorite salami)

These wedges can be made as a snack or as a side dish. They are so easy to make, and very yummy. Serve them with dip, or with your food, be it meat or chicken.
You can make variations of the flavor; use chilli, provincial herbs, salt & pepper or any other spice you feel like.

Ingredients:

Potatoes
Oil
Chilli
Salt

Indian flat bread or Naan, is served with nearly all types of Indian food. And it is absolutely delicious.
It takes time in preparing, but it is worth it.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tsp dried yeast
60 ml warm water
2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk - room temperature
190 ml low-fat yoghurt - whisked
1 egg, beaten
30 ml butter - melted
4 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
extra flour for dusting
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp poppy seeds

As a side dish, these potatoes are the perfect compliment to chicken or turkey roast, vegetables, and a dinner roll. Yes, they are rich, but treat youself and your loved ones to a full heart warming meal.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo cubed and boiled potatoes
8 oz. sour cream or cream fresh
1 sachet cream of chicken soup (diluted in a cup of hot water)
1 stick melted butter
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 medium minced onion

This yummy extra can be served with anything you like!
Whether you are having chicken, meat or fish, this side dish will be a great compliment to mashed potatoes, or green salad.
Be sure to serve it at the beginning of the meal.
And don’t forget, the eggs have to be hard boiled!

This is a great vegetarian appetizer, which comes from the middle east, especially Lebanon and Jordan.
It is also great for dinner, served with toasted pita bread.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahina ‘sesame paste’
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

This recipe is so healthy & nutritious that who ever eats from it becomes somewhat of a Popeye! The combination of Spinach and Eggs is a real winner!
The quantities of the ingredients are for 4 people.

This is a great summer side dish with anything from chicken to meat, and is great alone.
These stuffed tomatoes are full of yummy ingredients, and are very nutritious.
It is also my mom's recipe!

Baked potatoes are a classic, and are often called Jacket Potatoes.
Have them simple, with a bit of salt and a good piece of melted butter in the middle or a drizzle of olive oil.
The beauty of these simple yummies is that they can be topped with anything! It can be cheese and herbs, sour cream and spring onions, shrimps and Thousand Island dressing or the following topping, which is a great sweet & hot mixture …
Chilies, Mozzarella and Basil.

This dressing is the most mouthwatering combination ever.
It tingles your tongue, and leaves you wanting more, thank god it is only salad!
Drizzle it with your favorite salad, and it goes well with grilled chicken salad.