Good food finds in the run up to Christmas

Oh gilly I have.

I bought beautiful macroons from Lidl, intending to keep them for Sunday after dinner but someone I had eaten them all within an hour of getting home

Yes well, me too Jane10 but I waited until you admitted it before I confessed.

Always made delicious mincepies for myself and two daughter's families plus brandy butter. I think there would be a revolt if I stopped. I've always used the same recipe and it will be passed on when the time comes. Home-made is best - depending on the recipe I suppose.

Try a Greigs Xmas muffin they are a few moments of heaven.

Still hoping to hear that someone has found some decent mincemeat in the shops!

Kittylester,
Haven't found gluten free pannetoni, I'm looking for gluten free stolen !
Made a gluten free mince pie type thing, with gf shortbread base, Mincemeat then gf crumble top with brown sugar, it's yummy!!

Today's haul from Lidl - chocs in the shape of a cork with popping candy inside , and pistachio filled chocolates in the shape of holly leaves. Will have to hide them. From myself.

GandT - I tend to buy any decent Supermarkets own mincemeat, but not their high end one - and 'doctor' it with more booze, nuts and fresh orange zest and then bulk it up with some more dried fruit to ensure its not too sloppy, leaving it for a few hours to meld - I usually manage to pass it off as 'homemade' then!

I've booked my Sainsbury's grocery delivery slot! I've got 3 grandchildren all through the holidays (I buy extra leave from work) so can't face a big shop
It's Thursday 22nd as no closer dates released yet but that's fine for most stuff. A quick visit for fruit and veg (and not loads of other tempting items) on Christmas Eve at opening time and I'm sorted

I do that too, hildaW. Nuts, dried apricots, glacé cherries, help lift it out of the realms of the ordinary.

M and S are doing their cherry liqueurs on 342. Yum.

Oh, ecchlefechan tarts remind me so much of my late mum who loved them

I'm going to try baking Mary Berry's mincemeat buns this weekend - nice change from pastry. May make them more festive with a little white icing and a cherry on top!

Lidl pigs in blankets - 12 for £1.99. Sharing the cooking for sixteen adults and children, it takes an age to prepare enough of these so very much worth buying to safe time and effort.

I agree with pensionpat. Aldi do the best Pannetone. We have already polished one off, and I will be going back for more, pronto.?

Jocelyn Dimbleby pastry for mince pies - just use freshly squeezed orange juice instead of water. Makes a big difference.

Thanks Caramac.You have reminded me to book a Sainsburys delivery. I have booked for 23 Rd late evening.Brilliant!

I found some gluten free mini sausages, last year when I looked just before Xmas was told they did not stock them so near Xmas so this year bought them and froze in November. I like the Black Farmer ones to make pigs in blankets, found in Sainsbury's also gound some mini GF cocktail sausages in Waitrose

Can I add "one to lose forget? I quote :-
Heston Blumenthal's chicken stock "a rich stock made by simmering chicken bones, vegetables, and herbs, made even better by adding Korbut, an Asian kelp rich in savoury umami taste"
Bought to try for a raised pie I plan for Boxing Day. Waste of time and money, boiling up a pack of chicken wings (usually for chicken soup) with an onion, a carrot and a bay leaf in the pressure cooker produces a tastier and "jellier" stock everybtime.

I am looking for these ecclefechan tarts, so far without success. I feel I may be missing out on a treat...

Ecclefechan tarts usually can be found in Sainsbury's in the run up to Christmas. There are recipies on the Internet and they are not difficult to make, very rich,fruity and nutty!

I regularly pass Ecclefechan, but although I love the tarts, have never stopped to buy some!

I wonder why the reference to Ecclefechan tarts makes me think of The Ball of Kirriemuir?
Scottish grans, fill in the gaps for yourselves!!

Cheers HildaW and Greyduster for your ideas to enrich bought mincemeat. Just returned from Chester Xmas market - wonderful Xmas food and drink!

Blinko you can get them in Sainsbury, you are not missing out they truly are disgusting.