Cheese Straws & Mini Mince Pies

Some times I have moments where I can't believe I'm the mother, the adult I still feel as if as if I'm the girl! This happened to me today when I had to make some party food for Merina's ballet Christmas party I felt like I should be the one going to party not preparing the food and dropping her off!
The second strange thing was popping into the garden centre grabbing a quick cup of tea with Tallulah and the only other person in the tea room was Santa on his tea break from the grotto! He didn't come out of character even ho ho hoed!!! Tallulah just cried every time he tried to chat to her!!

Its time for party food so make some of these home made quickies!

Cheese Straws

Ingredients

• 1 packet of puff pastry
• 2 oz strong cheese
• Optional sesame seeds and/or paprika to do some variations!

Method

1. Roll out the pastry thinly and sprinkle over all the grated cheese.
2. Fold up pastry with grated cheese inside it and re-roll it out.
3. Cut into long thin strips, twist them and put them on a baking tray. If you want to do a few sesame seed ones sprinkle with the sesame seeds now.
4. Bake for 3/5 minutes until just going a tiny bit golden at 180/ Gas4.
5. If you want to do few paprika ones dip one end of the cooked cheese straw into some paprika and tap off the excess.

Mince Pies

Ingredients

• 1 packet short crust pastry
• 1 tub mince meat (You can make it but its easier, quicker to use ready made!)
• 1 egg beaten to glaze and stick on the lids!

Method

1. Roll out the pastry a bit less than 1/2cm
2. I bought these gorgeous mini tin coloured cup cases. (Have a look in the shops and find some cute ones!) Cut out pastry with correct size cutter to fill the cases and a smaller one for the lid.
3. Spoon in the mince meat into the cup cases only 2/3 filling them.
4. brush a little beaten egg round the tops and put the lids on. Brush a little more egg on the top to add a glaze when cooked. Not to much as it make the pastry go soggy!