Nothing beats a great Christmas roast, this recipe is reliable, tasteful and easy-to-follow

Ingredients
1 Turkey, about 6.3 kg oven-ready
175g Butter, softened
225g rashers of streaky bacon, very fatty
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the pork, sage and onion stuffing
900g pork sausage meat, good-quality or finely minced pure pork
2 tsp dried sage
1 large onion, grated or very finely chopped
4 tbsp white breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten (optional)
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the gravy
2 tbsp plain flour
900ml turkey giblet stock, giblet stock
Directions

1. Before you start, please bear in mind that it is important to take the turkey out of the fridge last thing on Christmas Eve to allow it to come to room temperature so that it heats up immediately you put it in the oven. The same applies to the stuffing (you can make this on Christmas Eve, ahead of time), and you also need to remove the 6 oz (175 g) of butter to soften ready for the morning.

2. To make the stuffing, combine the breadcrumbs with the onion and sage in a large mixing bowl, then stir in a little boiling water and mix thoroughly. Next work the sausagemeat or minced pork and egg, if using, into this mixture and season with salt and pepper. Leave the stuffing covered in a cool place – but not in the fridge, as it shouldn’t be too cold when you come to stuff the turkey.

3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C). Begin, on the morning of cooking, by stuffing the turkey. Loosen the skin with your hands and pack the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it up between the flesh and the skin towards the breast (though not too tightly because it will expand during the cooking). Press it in gently to make a nice rounded end, then tuck the neck flap under the bird’s back and secure with a small skewer. Don’t expect to get all the stuffing in this end – put the rest into the body cavity.

4. Now arrange two large sheets of foil across your baking tin – one of them widthways, the other lengthways (no need to butter them). Lay the turkey on its back in the centre, then rub it generously all over with the butter, making sure the thighbones are particularly well covered. Next season the bird all over with salt and pepper, and lay the bacon over the breast with the rashers overlapping each other.

5. The idea now is to wrap the turkey in the foil. The parcel must be firmly sealed but roomy enough inside to provide an air space around most of the upper part of the turkey. So bring one piece of foil up and fold both ends over to make a pleat along the length of the breastbone – but well above the breast. Then bring the other piece up at both ends, and crimp and fold to make a neat parcel.

6. Place the roasting tin on a low shelf in the oven and cook at the initial high temperature for 40 minutes. After that, lower the heat to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C) and cook for a further 3 hours for a 12 lb bird (around 5.5 kg), or 3.5 hours for a 14 lb bird (around 6.3 kg). Then tear the foil away from the top and sides of the bird and remove the bacon slices to allow the skin to brown and crisp. The bacon rashers can be placed on a heat-proof plate and put back in the oven to finish cooking till all the fat has melted and there are just very crisp bits left. (I like to serve these crunchy bits with the turkey as well as bacon rolls.) Turn the heat up to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) and cook the turkey for a further 30 minutes. The turkey will need frequent basting during this time, so the whole operation will probably take nearer 40-45 minutes.

7. To test if the bird is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the leg with a thin skewer: the juices running out of it should be golden and clear. And the same applies to any part of the bird tested – there should be no trace of pinkness in the juices. You can also give the leg a little tug, to make sure there is some give in it.

8. Then remove it from the roasting tin (using a carving fork and fish slice) and transfer it to a warm carving dish. If you can engage someone’s help while lifting it, it’s a good idea to tip the turkey to let the excess juice run out. Leave the turkey in a warmish place for 30-60 minutes to ‘relax’ before carving: provided it’s not in a draught it will stay hot for that length of time, and it will give you a chance to turn the heat up in the oven to crisp the roast potatoes.

9. Meanwhile, to make the gravy, tip all the fat and juices out of the foil into the roasting tin. Spoon off all the fat from the juice in a corner of the tin, then work the flour into the remaining juices over a low heat. Now, using a balloon whisk, whisk in the Turkey Giblet Stock bit by bit, until you have a smooth gravy. Let it bubble and reduce a bit to concentrate the flavour, and taste and season with salt and pepper. (And when you have carved the turkey, pour any escaped juices into the gravy.
References :
http://www.binbrain.ws/recipes.php?recipe_category=Christmas

OLD ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely chopped suet (1/2 lb.)
3 cups seedles raisins
2 cups seeded raisins
2/3 cup mixed chopped peel
1/2 cup finely chopped citron
1/2 cup chopped, blanched almonds, if desired
1/4 cup glazed or maraschino cherries, cut fine
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup rum or brandy to marinate dried fuit, if desired

GREASE…….thoroughly two 1 1/2 pint moulds (4 20-oz. tins may be used as moulds).

MEASURE…..flour without sifting into large mixing bowl; add sugar, nutmeg and salt and stir thoroughly to blend.

BLEND……..in suet with pastry blender.

ADD………..fruit and nuts and combine.

BEAT……….eggs until fluffy and add milk. Pour into dry ingredients and blend.

TURN INTO…greased moulds, filling 2/3 full. Cover with greased lids or tie on securely several thicknesses of greased waxed paper.

SET………..puddings in rack on large kettle with boiling water halfway up the moulds. Cover kettle tightly. Steam 3 hours. Add boiling water periodically to keep water at this level.

REMOVE……from kettle and allow to stand 24 hours at room temperature in original moulds to dry out. Remove from moulds, wrap in waxed paper and store in cool, dry place. (This pudding can be baked at least 3 weeks early).

TO SERVE….resteam for 2 hours and serve with Hard Sauce or Brown Sugar Sauce.

HARD SAUCE

1/3 cup soft butter
1 cup fine granulated sugar OR 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

CREAM…butter, add sugar gradually, continuing to beat until light and fluffy.

ADD…….flavourings, and beat well.

PILE……lightly in serving dish and chill thoroughly.

BROWN SUGAR SAUCE

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

COMBINE…sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Add warm water gradually, stirring contstantly, until thick and smooth (about 3 to 5 minutes). Remoe from heat, add butter and vanilla. Serve hot.

YIELD…….approximately 1 cup sauce. Sufficient for 4 servings.

Please note that this recipe makes two large puddings. If you find it is too big, you can only make half, or you can wrap up the other pudding and give it to someone as a Christmas present.

A lot of other similar recipes for plum pudding can be found. I just had this one on hand and I know that is works well.
References :
old Robin Hood Flour booklet

http://www.recipezaar.com/Super-Easy-Peanut-Butter-Fudge-332323
References :

Ingredients:

8-10 pound top sirloin roast
3 large bulbs of fresh garlic peeled one half of toes
1 tablespoon of salt divided
2 teaspoons of dried thyme divided or fresh sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1-16 ounce can low-sodium beef stock. 1 or 2 packs ajus mix for extra on hand

20 Serving
Directions:

Take and roast garlic in a pan with peels on until the peels have dark spots on them remove from pan and cool and peel. Insert toes evenly around the roast.
For the outside seasoning combine teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon of thyme to teaspoons of related garlic rub on the outside of roast evenly. Cover roast in plastic wrap place in refrigerator for four hours.
Preparation for garlic crust. Take remaining peeled garlic cut in half long ways place in saucepan add olive oil sauté garlic until lightly colored reduce heat and simmer add two tablespoons of water add thyme two bay leaves salt simmer until garlic is very tender a bout 45 minutes strain garlic add black pepper with garlic and save oil. Smash garlic into a paste had two tablespoons of the season oil stir into the garlic. Cover and refrigerate.
After four hours preheat oven to 450°, preheat the black Teflon roasting pan or cast iron skillet also in the oven. Remove roast from refrigerator wipe off seasoning this will burn while browning roast. Place to tablespoons of garlic oil in preheated black Teflon roasting pan or cast iron skillet place fat side of the roast and to roasting pan place roast in two of the Brown all sides of the roast turning occasionally. After roast is browned place fat side up and spread garlic paste on top of roast. Reduce heat of oven to 350° for one hour check temperature of roast and remove after roast reaches 120°. Cover roast with foil and let roast stand for one half hour.
The internal temperature of the roast should reach 135° to 140° rare to medium rare. Now it’s ready to slice.

Ajus, add low-sodium beef stock to the bottom of the pan deglaze the brown caramelizing on the bottom of roasting pan strained into a sauce pan simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over sliced roast beef. If you don’t have enough ajus you can use a pack ajus mix follow package directions.
Horseradish sauce or just horseradish served on the side. Horseradish sauce is equal parts of horseradish and sour cream.
Serve with your favorite dry Red wine.
Like one of California’s Napa Valley’s Cabernet Sauvignon.
References :
Remember the true meaning of Christmas merry Christmas