And I Brought Some Corn For Popping...

Christmas cake, mince pies, candy canes, chocolate... food is endless at this time of year, what with work functions and family gatherings and drinks and nibbles with friends.  

I'm kind of glad that I don't cook and that I'm very fortunate to have such lovely people around me who do all the hard work.  

Thanks Mum.

If you're struggling for inspiration for yet another Christmas get-together then why not check out some - if not all - of the books above and below.  There's pretty much something for everyone, be you a vegan, a paleo or raw lover.

And if you more of a traditionalist then we've got you covered too.

There's books on cakes and desserts, both large and decadent; and vegetables from artichokes to zucchinis.

And last but not least books on how to make every kind of cocktail imaginable.

G & T anyone?

Deck The Halls...

Some years Christmas just seems a little blah.  It's either too hot or too wet and there's a serious lacking of snow and blazing fires and mulled wine.

Decorating your home and making your gifts to hand out is definitely one way to get into the Christmas spirit. 

Whether you want to make your own cards or get out the wool and make your very own Rudolph there is something for everyone among our huge range of Christmas books.  Even better you can make some Christmas cookies before you get stuck into the decorating and crafting and have a munch... or two as you go.

Counting down to Christmas

Can you believe there is only a little over three weeks left to Christmas! Usually I have been a little more organised with my Christmas shopping, but I have to admit this year has gotten away from me a little, arrgh!

So let me help you feel a bit more organised as we head into the festive season, with some geekalicious book suggestions for making gifts, decorating, Christmas Day meal planning (lets face it, the food is a pretty important component of the day) and entertainment.

First up has to be getting those gifts ready. Harry Potter fans are sure to love anything you make them from The unofficial guide to crafting the world of Harry Potter : 30 magical crafts for witches and wizards by Jamie Harrington. From Butterbeer Lip Balm to your very own golden snitch necklace, this book is a treasure trove of gift ideas.

Another excellent book to check out is Bonnie Burton's Star Wars craft book, with ideas such as an AT-AT herb garden, an Ewok flower vase, and my personal favourite, the Chewbacca sock puppet - every household needs one!

And now to the decorating, what could be cooler than Lego themed decorations! The LEGO Christmas ornaments book: 15 designs to spread holiday cheer by Chris McVeigh has a stunning array of Lego plans for you to build the most gorgeous tree decorations, you'll be looking truly festive in no time at all, and have fun doing it.

Now, if you are a bit of a The Great British Bake Off fangirl like I am, you will totally love The great British bake off: Christmas by Lizzie Kamensetzky. What better way to plan your Christmas menu! This gem will make you look like a true Christmas goddess with recipes from a variety of contestants and judges Mary and Paul. If someone feels like whipping me up some of Mary's ultimate Christmas Pud, I will forever be in your favour :)

Now that we have made some gifts, got the place looking festive, and cooked up some amazing Christmas noms, you'll be about ready for something nice and relaxing to do.
Personally, I love a good wee Christmas story and every year the lovely Debbie Macomber kindly provides one that really warms the heart. Some of my past favourites have included Dashing through the snow, Starry night and Call me Mrs. Miracle. I'm eagerly awaiting her latest for this year 12 days of Christmas.

Another one of my favourite things to look forward to at Christmas time is the Dr Who Christmas specials. I may still be getting over last year's Doctor Who: The husbands of River Song, which made me laugh and cry in fairly equal portions. The previous years installment Dr Who: Last Christmas kind of terrified me (along with making me want to laugh and cry), guess that is just the magic of Doctor Who!

Righty, I think we're looking pretty organised now - back to finishing that shopping :)

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Eat Until You Can't Or O I Feel Sick

Trying to stick to a diet or at the very least eat healthy is just about impossible at this time of year. Everywhere you go there is food.  It's almost like  everything yummy and bad for you has leapt off the shelves and is following you around, tempting you with seductive words.

Or maybe that's just me.

Still Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without at least having one it-taste-so-good-even-though-it's-bad-for-you morsel or two

In the meantime I'm avoiding all supermarket aisles, shops, cinemas... mmm maybe I should just stay at home.

Christmas on a plate

Edible gifts.

Who ever invented this should be shot.

Because seriously it's hard enough to avoid temptation without someone giving you a gift of food.

Then again...

Creative cookie swap cookbook: recipes and holiday inspiration

I've been looking for Christmas cookies.

Not for myself you understand.

No my search as been a purely gift giving idea.

The only problem is now I want to try each one.  All in the name of research of course

Primrose Bakery Christmas

I have no idea where Primrose Bakery is but if I did you would probably find me there...

... a lot.

I might even move in...

...if they let me

Gluten-free Christmas: delicious cookies, cakes, pies, stuffings and sauces for the perfect festive table
Of course if you're trying to be good this festive season then going gluten-free may just be the answer.

So it's certainly nice to know that there are heaps of recipes to choose from if you do decide to go that way.

Summer food: new summer classics

I just love this time of year.  And not just because of all the Christmas type food.  But because of all the even yummier summer food... like cherries.

Mmm cherries

They are my absolute favourite.  But I also love strawberries and blackberries and water melon and plums and...

Chocolate, chocolate & more chocolate!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a choc-alcoholic.

So as much as I'm going to try to be good and live on all the wonderful summer fruits and vegetables I will, more than likely - okay make that definitely - be having some chocolate at some stage.

Because chocolate is the answer to everything.

Cocktails for the holidays: festive drinks to celebrate the season

If you've had enough of the Christmas season and all the food and the shopping and all the other things that you just have to do at this time of year then you might just be tempted to have a drink or two.

Cocktails are the answer.

Bright and pretty and they'll make you feel happy too.

Munch munch munch, crunch crunch crunch, slurp slurp slurp

Food.

At this time of year it's everywhere.  There are work-dos, barbeque's, Christmas parties, Christmas Day lunch.. The list, it seems, is never-ending and of course, as is usual at this time of year, there are a plethora of cookbooks, books on cooks and cooks on books... or something like that.

As a foodie... well someone who loves food anyway, I love looking through cookbooks, especially ones with lots of lovely coloured photos. I mean you just have to see what all the dishes look like, don't you?  I know I do.  I also know that it makes me wish I could have my very own chef.  Someone who'll cook all the lovely recipes as I point them out and say that please.

Sadly I don't yet have the financial means to hire a personal chef but I can still dream...

The pioneer woman cooks : a year of holidays : 140 step-by-step recipes for simple, scrumptious celebrations / Ree Drummond

"The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays is an all-out celebration of the scrumptious, mouthwatering recipes that define our favorite occasions throughout the year."

I'm all for supporting a sassy red head who can cook.  After all, us red heads have to stick together....

Mary Berry's Christmas collection : over 100 of my fabulous recipes and tips for a hassle-free festive season.

"In Mary Berry's Christmas Collection Mary combines all her favourite winter recipes with a selection of new mouthwatering dishes to give us not only the time-honoured traditional roast turkey and classic Victorian Christmas cake, but also a variety of new and exciting food ideas for the festive period."

Nadia Lim's good food cook book : simple, healthy & delicious food for busy people / Nadia Lim.

"Simple, healthy and delicious food for busy people from dietitian Nadia Lim. Well-known for her excellent healthy recipes which always work for the home cook, Nadia presents this new collection of carefully thought-out meals you can cook for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Bluebell's cakery / Karla Goodwin ; photography by Kate Grewal.

"A truly beautiful book of baking recipes - picture-perfect cupcakes, cakes, biscuits, slices and more - with a special section on high teas. Indulge your inner romantic with these traditional home baking recipes, made with good-quality fresh ingredients and given a vintage look." 

The Revive Cafe cookbook. 3

"Following on from the first two Revive cookbooks, this book features even more healthy and delicious recipes. Inside you will find enlarged sweet and soup sections and a new breakfast section."

The next time your in Auckland pay a visit to Revive Cafe.  Trust me their food is awesome and even better it's good for you.  Just my kind of food really.

Eat in : the best food is made at home / Anna Gare

"As a host on Australian Junior MasterChef and host of Great Australian Bake-Off, Anna Gare knows a thing or two about balancing busy days with eating well. In her new book, Eat In, she brings together her favourite collection of recipes. Anna gives plenty of hints and tips for shopping, meal planning and store cupboard standby."

I don't cook.  But if I did I might just work my way through most of these recipes.

Delicious : love to cook : 140 simply delicious recipes to share / Valli Little 

"Sharing good food with family and friends is one of life's great pleasures, but it's easy to become stuck in the daily routine and lose your passion. LOVE TO COOK is designed to help you discover (or rediscover) the joy of spending time in the kitchen and at the table."

Another book from the people at Delicious magazine and one that's bound to become a favourite.

River Cottage fruit every day! / Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

"With 180 delicious recipes, River Cottage Fruit Every Day! will show you how to enjoy a broader eating experience and make fruit easy, fun and irresistible."

I adore fruit.  Especially at this time of year.  There's strawberries, blackberries, plums and apricots and most importantly - cherries.  Which I love and which I have been known to eat a great many of.  Like a bag.  Every day.     

30 years at Ballymaloe : a celebration of the world-renowned cookery school with over 100 new recipes / Darina Allen.

"30 years at Ballymaloe is a fascinating insight into the cookery school, as well as being a history of food over the past thirty years, from a time when Darina couldn't get anything other than pre-packaged, grated Parmesan cheese to one where a local producer makes his own mozzarella."

And finally, something just a little bit different but still food related...
  
The dirty chef : from big city food critic to foodie farmer / Matthew Evans.

"The funny, heart-warming and at times exhausting behind-the-scenes story of Matthew Evans' transformation from high-profile food critic to television's Gourmet Farmer."
 
Under a mackerel sky : a memoir / Rick Stein.

"From the entrepreneurial days of his mobile disco, the Purple Tiger, to his first, unlikely unlikely nightclub where much of the time was spent breaking up drink-fuelled fights, Rick charts his personal journey in a way that is both wry and perceptive; engaging and witty."