Random Recipes at Christmas - Melon and Blackberry Soup

I hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas with some feet-up time squeezed in somewhere amid the festive chaos. I'm having some now, and using it to do a wee bit of blogging.

It's been a lovely Christmas with LOTS of family and friends and Mini-M has been keeping everyone entertained (verging on bossing them all about in many cases... can't imagine where she gets that from!).

I'll get on with the recipe posting bit first of all, but after that's done thought I'd share some of Mini-M's finest festive quips.

This post is my entry into the Random Recipes at Christmas challenge, hosted as always by Belleau Kitchen. This time we were challenged to return to one of the books we were given as a gift last Christmas, open it at a random page, and make something!

Melon Bubbly and Blackberry Soup

My book was Eat Tweet - a selection of recipes posted on Twitter, therefore all described in 140 characters or less! As a result, some are a little cryptic, or require a bit of guesswork regarding the recipe. I opened it on Page 79 - Melon and Blackberry Soup.

The chosen cookbook - on a natty batik backdrop...

The quantities in the recipe were a little vague, so here's what I went with.

Melon Bubbly and Blackberry Soup (serves 8 as a light starter)

• 1 small water melon
• 1 small galia melon
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 lime
• 200ml sparkling wine (I used champagne leftover from Christmas breakfast!)
• 125g blackberries

If you have a melon baller, use it to make balls out of about 1/4 of your watermelon (if you've not got a melon baller, cut 1/4 of it into small neat chunks) and set aside.
Cut 1/2 of the watermelon, and all of the small galia melon into chunks and put in a liquidiser along with the juice of the lime and lemon. (Save the other 1/4 of watermelon for something else!)
Blend until smooth, then chill until you're ready to serve.
Before serving, add the sparkling wine to the melon puree and stir well.
Divide between serving glasses, and top with the blackberries and melon balls.
Enjoy!

Melon and champagne smoothie anyone?

This was a) easy, b) lovely and light so a great starter before a heavy Christmas meal, c) fresh and zingy so a good antidote to miserable winter weather.

The garnishes ready to be  - well - garnished!

I feel that after last month's Random Recipes horror, I fared a little bit better this time around - phew!

Ready to serve

Now onto the festive Mini-M anecdotes and a few pictures... maybe she's got a future ahead of her as a comedienne?!

Snowballs made by Mini-M. Please don't point out that one of them looks more like poo covered in sprinkles. I  already know!

On Christmas Eve we went to the community carol service. It had just started and Mini-M announced; "I need a pee Mummy... oh I did it already" She picked up the nappy bag with was sitting on the floor next to her, pulled out a clean pair of leggings and exclaimed "Change me Mummy!" as she started to pull her trousers down, at which point I whisked her swiftly in the direction of the bathrooms. As we were leaving the hall she waved to the folk at the end of the rows, telling them all "I just having a  pee. Be back in a minute". It turned out she thankfully hand't already done it - phew!

Mini-M the red nosed reindeer

In order to keep her quiet(ish) I had a handbag stash of snacks to ply her with, but the supply was exhausted before the end of the service. She asked Mr E hopefully "Any more snacks in Mummy's bag?" to which he told her that the snack rations had run out. She then shouted really loudly "Meatballs?" which was slightly surreal and embarrassing. Note - I have never carried around meatballs in my handbag!

Pom-Pom Pine Cones

And lastly, the Salvation Army Leader asked all the children in the audience if they new Away In A Manger, to which Mini-M loudly piped up "No. I know She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain".  Which is true - she does, so I guess you can't fault her helpfulness in suggesting an alternative, but not entirely appropriate for a Christmas Eve service!

Christmas Tree Contemplation