Wham! Bam! Zucchini and Ham

There's so many things I love about Christmas, especially now that my kid knows all about Santa, parcels and gingerbread men.

But the best thing is the tucker. And boy, does our little household go a little food crazy the night before.

Alfie doesn't really crash until 9pm at night, so we had to hold off on the mega assemblage that was a train table until late, so to fill the time and keep a crazy toddler busy, we cooked.

Twas the night before... Santa and his crew have some treats prepared

Potato and trout salad ("the fish looks like he's eaten an alligator mum"), shanklish + pumpkin + brown rice salad and my specialty; a sensational Tupperware snack wheel of sharply angle cut kabana, pickled onions, cornichons, cubed Coon, Savoys and dip I've put in a container to make it look like it's handmade. Always a party favourite.

But the pride and joy was an award winning prized ham from Andrew's Choice in Yarraville. I don't eat a great deal of meat these days, but was busting at the chops to get this in my cake hole.

After the big day is done, there's only so much ham a family of three can eat. So what to do with the left over pig?

Here's part one:

Wham Bam Zucchini and Ham

Grate the fuck out of a zucchini - approx four normal sized ones (we had a massive one given to us - the size of an arm)
Throw in a cup full of cheese (in our case we threw in the last of the cubed Coon)
Cut up some of that yummy ham into small bits and chuck it in the bowl
Add some salt and pepper (push it)
About four eggs
Cup full of self raising flour, or enough until it has the consistency of a chunky cake mix
Thow it in a pan on some baking paper (non stick you loon)
Into a pre-warmed 180 degree oven.

Test the Wham Bam with a knife around 30 minutes in. If it comes out clean, you need to start setting that table. If it comes out with mixture hanging off it, hold fire and give it another ten or so.

Serve with chutney, mustard or whatever condiment you have left over from Chrissie Day (just not seafood cocktail sauce. Vom).

Enjoy. Now what to do with the rest....

Wham Bam Zucchini and Ham

The morning of...

The day after: Fish n Chips in Queenscliff

Making Saxa Salt Santas

Gee whiz. Christmas is so much more fun when there is a kid involved.
We popped the tree up right smack bang at the end of November. I couldn't wait. We picked up a classic fake bush from Kmart and aired the plastic smell outside before setting her up in the corner.

I have such awesome Christmas memories from when I was a kid, that this year I've gone a bit hard-core eighties mum and have donned my craft apron ready for Santa's arrival.

To decorate the tree we made classic salt dough decorations. The Kid is only two and a half, so apart from the creatively placed tiny baubles showing Santa's sac ('they're buttons mum for his hat...), I 'helped' Alfie decorate the treats once they dried.

Give it a go - an awesome task to whittle away some Santa story time. And don't forget, if your kid doesn't want to do it with you, warn them.... Santa's always watching.

SAXA SALT SANTAS
1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1/2 cup table salt (good ol' Saxa)
1 tablespoon of veggie oil
2/3 cup chilled water
paint, glitter, tiny balls (for the Santa sac)

Pre heat your oven to 120 degrees.
Mix flour and salt together, add oil. Slowly add water.  Stir and knead.
Roll the dough out and cut into shapes. I used Alfie's Playdough cutters. Use a skewer to make a hole for the ribbon for hanging.
Pop on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for around 2.5 hours or until the decorations are dry and hard.

Once cool, decorate as you wish, Santa sack and all.

Don't eat these decorations. The Saxa salt will leave you thirsty until New Years!