Break away from the tradition this Christmas with Mrs Crunch’s versatile recipes

ALREADY thinking about how to make the festive table sparkle with tasty delights?

Almost half of us want a change from turkey this year and today I bring you some of the best offers around on versatile alternatives, beef and salmon, and deals on those great snacks we love.

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And try out the recipes below from Morrisons.com to add a little sparkle to December.

Time for a snack attack

LIDL has deluxe Christmas hand-cooked potato crisps, 150g, for 75p, with flavours including French camembert with rosemary and wild garlic, lobster cocktail and pigs in blankets.

Have a nibble on honey-glazed ham tortilla rolls, 150g, priced at £1 from the Co-op.

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Buy two for £3 on tubs of Jacob’s Twiglets and Mini Cheddars at Morrisons, £2 each.

Get cracking with Morrisons’ The Best nuts in shells with a nutcracker, 400g, £4. Or buy two for £7.

A tube of Pringles is half price at Sainsbury’s, down from £2.50 to £1.25 until Tuesday.

Save 50p on KP Original salted and dry roasted peanuts, 250g, at Sainsbury’s, now £2.

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For a sweet nibble, reach for Waitrose Christmas stollen bites, £3, or save £1 when you buy two.

Save a third on Waitrose Christmas turkey and stuffing tortilla chips, down from £2 to £1.33.

Get a big tub of chocolates, 600g to 650g, for £3.99, or buy two for £7 at Morrisons. Includes Celebrations, Heroes, Quality Street and Roses.

Bring on the beef

MORRISONS British beef roasting joint is better than half price, now selling for £4.99 per kilo at the butcher’s counter.

For a festive nibble, Waitrose has 12 beef Yorkshire puddings for £6.50, or buy two and get the second half price.

Enjoy two Deluxe beef fillet wellingtons for £9.99 at Lidl.

For an easy December dinner, Sainsbury’s Just Cook beef steaks with garlic butter, serving two people, are down from £4 to £3.50.

Morrisons slow-cooked beef brisket, serving two, is £4, or snap up two for £7.

Feed a crowd with a large beef roasting joint now half price at Tesco until Christmas Eve – down from £12 to £6 per kilo.

Serve up the salmon

Morrisons has a fresh whole salmon for £4.99 per kilo, down from £8 per kilo.

Get in the mood for Christmas with the Co-op’s nine smoked salmon appetisers, £3 or buy two for £5.

Sainsbury’s oak-smoked salmon is currently reduced from £4.35 to £3.85 per 100g.

Lidl has a deluxe 600g whole salmon side with lemon and dill for £9.99.

Asda’s melting layer salmon fishcakes with hollandaise sauce are £2.25 for a pack of two, or buy two packs for £4.

Pot roast beef with cranberry and port (serves eight)

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Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hours

YOU NEED:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1.8kg topside or silverside of beef
• 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 150ml port
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 500g Chantenay carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

METHOD: Heat the oven to 170C/150 fan/gas 3.

Using a large flameproof casserole dish, heat the oil and fry the beef joint all over to seal.

Mix together the cranberry sauce, port and stock and pour over the beef.

Add the onion wedges and carrots into the stock, season and bring to the boil.

Cover the pan and roast in the oven for three hours, removing the lid for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Garnish with thyme sprig.

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Smoked salmon and avocado shots

(Makes six as starter, or eight canapés)

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This smoked salmon and avocado dish works perfectly served in shot glasses as a canapé, or serve on small plates for a more filling starter.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

YOU NEED:

• 120g smoked salmon
• 150g light cream cheese
• 8 tbsp créme fraîche
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, plus extra to garnish
• 3 avocados, peeled and stoned
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1 pack breadsticks

METHOD: Snip the smoked salmon into tiny pieces.

Then place them in a mixing bowl along with the cream cheese, 4 tbsp crème fraîche and dill.

Season to taste and divide between serving glasses.

Blitz the avocado with the remaining crème fraîche and lemon juice.

Then spoon on top of each of the salmon shots and top with dill. Serve with breadsticks.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk