What would make an elegant Christmas dinner for a family of 7? No exotic !
Answers: My kids range for 24 years to 18 months, I want to start a new tradition this year and that means NOT cooking another Thanksgiving meal for Christmas. I am thinking stuffed pork chops or pork loin, steak but I want that special side dish/desert touches to put the elegance into our special meal. I am finding putting this dinner together somewhat frustrating trying to please the crowd with all their differences in what they like. Lets see what you guys come up with.
Indeed, feeding a crowd can be challenging...and the LAST thing that a parent needs or wants to hear after pouring their energy into a great meal is, "I don't like this...."
So, my suggestion is this...why not think "buffet style dining" like a Champagne Brunch at a nice hotel. Try something a little different. Keeping a touch of elegance in mind, set up little stations in your kitchen like:
A "Pasta Bar"-Cook up your favorite pasta: penne, linguine, ziti or whichever & then have 3 kinds of sauces on the side: Classic marinara, Alfredo, Pesto with meatballs in a separate dish.
A "Salad Bar": Take all of your usual salad ingredients & don't toss them together. Line several bowls/platters with single leaves of savoy cabbage. Put all of the indredients in the different bowls/platters. The cabbage leaves act as a great garnish as well as assisting with an easy clean up. You'd be surprised at how well kids do when given the choice of what they want to eat. I see this alot at my local salad buffet style restaurant.
A "Carving Station": Go ahead and make the main meat dish as you desire. Set up your wonderful prime rib or what have you on a large cutting board. Garnish with bundles/branches of fresh rosemary. If possible, assign the carving detail to one of the older children or preslice some of the meat...that will free you up to help the little ones.
As for vegetables, you can have on the table a large platter of roasted vegetables: Take a roasting pan and fill it with chopped carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, red potatoes, drizzle them with olive oil & season to taste. Roast them up until they've carmelized & browned. Plate them up on a large platter with bundles of fresh thyme as garnish.
Create a dessert buffet/station: Set out a variety of festive desserts...pie, cake, frosted Christmas cookies & chocolate truffles.
As for touches of elegance, you can dress your table up with beautiful dishes, cloth napkins, a festive floral center piece, place cards at each setting, candles & stemware. Now, granted you have kids...and the little ones you might not want to give them real glassware you can purchase plastic champagne glasses, put a strawberry in each glass & fill them with sparkling cider. It will be special to them I promise.
Have fun with it. I'm sure your kids will enjoy it as well.
This is a lovely menu. Very elegant, and definitely NOT Thanksgiving!
http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/t...
Rib Roast
Yorkshire pudding
Glazed carrots
Twice baked potatoes
Green salad
Gingerbread cake for desert (cream cheese icing)
Hello there,
I've got what U need and it's all in videos on www.cookshow.com:
For the pork, why don''t you try Black Pepper Black Cherry Pork Tenderloin ?
http://www.cookshow.com/recette-video/bl...
For the special touch, pumpkin crème br?lée are just great :
http://www.cookshow.com/video-recipe/pum...
Give it a try and let me know your thoughts/tastes !
rgds
Chris
I'm in the same boat. Here is what we have decided to do this year
Basil Cheese Triangles
1 lb. feta cheese
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 C. fresh basil chopped
1/4 C. chopped roasted pepper
1 package phyllo sheets
1/3 C. melted butter
Crumple feta cheese into a small bowl. Stir in eggs, basil, roasted pepper.
Cut phyllo sheets lengthwise into 2 inch strips. Cover with a damp towel to keep from drying out. Place 1 t. of filling on end of 1 strip. Fold strip over cheese mixture, end over end into triangular shape. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter.
Bake at 400 degrees F. for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Makes 72 appetizers
Beef Brisket with Caramelized Onions and Merlot Sauce Recipe
1 first or flat-cut brisket, 4 to 5 lb.
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes, with juices
2 cups Merlot or other full-bodied red wine
1 bay leaf
For the caramelized onions:
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions such as Vidalia
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup pitted dried cherries
Preheat an oven to 325° F.
Season the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or a large, wide ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and carrot to the pan and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and juices, 1 cup of the wine and the bay leaf. Mix well and bring to a boil. Return the brisket to the pan, cover and place in the oven.
Cook, basting occasionally with the pan juices, until the brisket is fork tender, about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool in the juices. Carefully lift the brisket from the juices and transfer it to a deep platter. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Let the pan juices cool, then pass through a food mill or press through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the solids and refrigerate the juices until ready to use.
Just before serving, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Cut the brisket across the grain into thin slices. Arrange the slices, slightly overlapping, on an ovenproof serving platter. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes to heat through.
Meanwhile, cook the onions: In a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the onions are cooking, pour the remaining 1 cup wine into a saucepan over high heat. Add 1/4 cup of the dried cherries and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pureed brisket juices and return to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, remove the brisket from the oven. Pour the sauce evenly over the top. Top with the caramelized onions and the remaining 1/4 cup dried cherries. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Still stuck on some sides
how about a standing rib roast? they are quite elegant. you could also have a pork loin. say perhaps baked potatoes & baked sweet potatoes, rice pilaf & maybe a couple of steamed veggies. of course you could start with a cream of broccoli or other soup a tossed salad after that then go on to the main course. & if you want appetizers you could do a spinich & cheese warm dip in a bread bowl. & as for deserts I am out of Ideas. but good luck & merry Christmas
Crown roast with stuffing inside.
Side Dishes -
Red potatoes
Brandied Carrots
Popovers
Corn and Bean Casserole: ( this is an old family favorite)
1 can sweet corn
1 can green beans
1 can cream of Celery soup
1 C Sour Cream
1/3 C Slivered Almonds
2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Stick Butter
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
Mix beans, corn, soup, sour cream, 1 1/2 C cheese and almonds in a casserole dish. Places remaining cheese on top. Melt butter. Crush ritz. Mix ritz and butter together then put on top casserole. Bake 45 minutes at 350.
A favorite and elegant dessert is
Chocolate Truffle dessert:
? 1/4 cup butter, softened
? 1 cup sugar
? 2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
? 2 eggs, separated
? 1/4 cup milk
? 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
? 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
? 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
? 1/4 teaspoon salt
? TRUFFLE MOUSSE:
? 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
? 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
? 3/4 cup sugar
? 1/2 cup butter, cubed
? 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
? 5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
? 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
? 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
? 1/3 cup cold water
? 14 to 16 Pirouette cookies, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add chocolate; mix well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture just until blended.
In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour into a greased and floured 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, 3/4 cup cream, sugar, butter and coffee granules. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and chips are melted. Stir a small amount of hot liquid into egg yolks; return all to the pan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add a small amount of hot liquid to gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir into chocolate mixture. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water; stir occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Remove sides of springform pan. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; fill bag with 1/4 cup mousse. Set aside for garnish. Spoon half of the remaining mousse over brownie layer, spreading evenly over top and around sides.
In another large mixing bowl, beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add a third of the whipped cream to the remaining mousse; beat on low speed. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread over truffle mousse layer.
Gently press cookies into sides of dessert. Pipe reserved mousse on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 5 minutes before cutting.
Delicious, easy...Pork Loin Roast with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Rosemary. Roasted Potato quarters, onions and carrots, done alongside roast. Fresh Asparagus, steamed with a lemon-butter, and a tossed salad. Mostly advance prep. Plenty of time to spend with the family!
Same boat too. Stuffed pork chops are nice... My granparents always make pork cordon bleu - which is stuffed but a bit special cause of the crumbed outside. We always have it with asparagus- steamed and bundled up with a strip of bacon. Special side dishes- spinach and pear salad with toasted walnuts and rasbperry vinagrette, sugar snap peas, steamed with lemon butter and garlic, and baked mashed potatoes- basically its mash, mixed with cream, garlic, bits of bacon, topped with cheese and baked in a casserole dish.
I would do a nice crown roast of pork, stuffed. Top it off with a 2 layer chocolate carrot cake with cream cheese frosting covered in coconut (for that snowy look). Decorate the icing with mint leaves and red cherries (to look like holly).
Herb, Garlic and Bacon Pork Loin
INGREDIENTS
* 1 (5 pound) pork loin roast
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound sliced bacon
* 3 cups chicken stock
* 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme
* 6 fresh basil leaves
* 6 fresh sage leaves
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 8 fresh pearl onions, peeled
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Rub the pork loin with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Drape slices of bacon over the top. Combine the chicken stock, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage and garlic. Pour over the roast. Place onions around the sides. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove the lid or foil, and continue to bake for 30 minutes, or until the bacon is browned.
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Italian almond cookies
2 1/4 cups blanched whole almonds (about 12 ounces), plus 15 for garnishing
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 glacéed cherries
Preparation
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets, then line with parchment paper.
In food processor, combine 2 1/4 cups almonds and 1/3 cup sugar. Process until finely ground, scraping down sides once or twice. Set aside.
In electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Return speed to high and beat mixture until stiff, shiny peaks form. Gently fold in ground almond mixture and almond and vanilla extracts.
Roll mixture into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and flatten slightly. Top each with glacéed cherry or almond. Bake until cookies are golden, switching positions of pans halfway through, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Cookies keep, wrapped, several days, or frozen, several weeks. Recrisp in warm oven.
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Scottish sharp-cheddar shortbread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Preparation
Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Cook's Notes:
? Look for a sharp, white Cheddar that is on the dry side, such as English Wensleydale Farmhouse Truckle or Extra Old Black Diamond Cheddar.
? It's important not to whip air into the dough — simply mix until blended.
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wassail
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks plus 8 for garnish
10 whole allspice
8 whole cloves
1 qt cranberry juice cocktail
1 qt apple cider
2 tablespoons sugar
1 Granny Smith apple
1 cup Calvados or apple liqueur
Special equipment: a 6- by 4-inch piece of cheesecloth; kitchen string
Preparation
Wrap 2 cinnamon sticks, allspice, and cloves in cheesecloth and tie with string. Simmer cranberry juice, cider, sugar, and spice bag in a 5-quart heavy pot, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 10 minutes.
Halve apple and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add apple slices and Calvados to cider mixture and simmer 2 minutes (slices will remain crisp). Serve hot and garnish with cinnamon sticks.
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four spirits eggnog
18 egg yolks
1 fifth Cognac
1 pint dark rum
3/4 pint peach brandy
1/2 pint applejack
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar
3 quarts milk
2 cups heavy cream
18 egg whites, lightly beaten
Preparation
Beat the egg yolks until they are thick and pale. Add Cognac, dark rum, peach brandy, and applejack. Stir in confectioners' sugar and blend well. Add milk and heavy cream and refrigerate the eggnog for at least 5 hours. Before serving, fold in egg whites.
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creamy hot chocolate
1/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
2 cups whole milk
Preparation
In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream with sugar until it just holds stiff peaks.
Chop chocolate and reserve 2 teaspoons. In a small saucepan, heat milk with remaining chocolate over moderate heat, stirring, until it just comes to a simmer.
Pour hot chocolate into 2 large mugs and top with whipped cream and reserved chocolate.
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Potatoes with the Jackets
Potatoes
cucumbers
onions
alot of water
vinegar
salt
pepper
sugar
Boil the potatoes with the skin still on for 15-20 minutes. Mix in a little bowl sliced cucumbers and chop up the onions add water and vinegar and mix add a little salt and pepper and a little bit of sugar. I don't know exact measurements - I measure by taste. I add a pinch of this and that. the potatoes should be cooled with their "jackets" (skin) still on peel them, mash them on a plate and pour the cucumber mixture all over the mashed potatoes.
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Molded Eggplant and Bucatini Casserole
3 large eggplants (at least 11 inches long and as even in size and fullness as possible), salt
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup bread crumbs (toasted)
2 cup Bucatini broken into thirds, or 2 1/2 cups other type
1 large beaten egg
1 Lb package of (beef, veal and pork combined chop meat)
make a pot of your favorite sauce adding about 1/2 cup red wine, 1/4 cup plus 2 tlbs grated cheese.
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (about 6 oz),
peanut oil for frying
IF YOU PLAN TO DO IT ALL IN ONE DAY: Cut off the ends of the eggplants, lengthwise into 1/4" slices. Layer slices in a colander, set in a bowl, salting each layer as you proceed. Place a second bowl on top of the slices to act as a weight leave for about one hour, this step will help remove any excess water from the eggplant. Generously coat the inside of a 3 1/2'deep,9" round mold or cake pan and thoroughly coat inside of pan with, butter than toasted bread crumbs, shake off excess refrigerate till needed. Make your sauce and set aside.
MEATBALLS: In a bowl combine the veal, pork and chop meat (most stores carry this combination), Mix the meat with the beaten egg, 2 tlbs dry white wine, 2 tlbs grated cheese, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, and salt mix well and with your hands form the mixture into small meatballs the size of large grapes. Melt 2 tlbs butter in a frying pan and fry meatballs till browned and firm. Remove with slotted spoon set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until (al dente) drain and set aside.
EGGPLANT: In a large frying pan, heat 1/2 cup peanut oil, wipe the eggplant free of the salt and fry a few slices at a time until slightly softened about 2 minutes on each side. they should be plyable but not to soft, as they would fall apart drain on paper towl or brown paper. set your oven for 325F.
NOW HERE IS THE TRICKY PART: Line the mold or pan with the slices by draping them from the middle of the bottom of the pan to the end up the side and over the top -- it should overhang about 3 inches. Continue doing this untill you have covered the bottom completely and overlapping as you went. In a large bowl mix the pasta, meatballs, small cubed mozzarella, 1/2 of the grated cheese, some parsley and 2 cups of the sauce. Mix well carefully add the mixture to the mold , pack it in and even it out. Now turn the overhanging eggplant towards the center overlapping as you go. It should cover completely. Cover top with 1/2 cup sauce and remaining grated cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes remove from oven place on rack and allow to cool ( it will help re-firm the eggplant.)
Run a knife around the side just to loosen a bit, this is why I like to use a spring pan, once it cools a bit and you release the side and wonder of wonders you have this really great looking pasta dish wrapped in eggplant. Open the spring and place on a pretty platter cut into wedges or slices serve with extra sauce crusty bread and a salad.
Bucatini is a thick tubular spaghetti, it is becoming very difficult to find so Ziti or Rigatoni can be used. You can also make this in steps, making the sauce and meatballs one day and the rest the next day.
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Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Rosemary
6 pounds of new potatoes, quartered or halved -- depends on size
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 oz bacon, chopped, fried
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T crumbled dried rosemary or 8 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
Par boil the potatoes until barely fork tender (still firm), about 15 minutes. Do Not overcook the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drain potatoes and let cool for a few minutes. Using all the butter, coat the bottom and sides of a shallow pan. Toss potatoes, bacon, olive oil, seasonings, rosemary together and put into shallow pan. Roast, turning often, until all the fat is absorbed and the potatoes are crisp -- 60-90 minutes.
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Blackberry Wine Cake
1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix
? cup Crisco oil
? cup chopped pecans
1 small blackberry Jello*
4 eggs
? cup blackberry wine
Put chopped nuts in bottom tube pan, well greased & floured. Mix ingredients well, pour in pan and bake at 325 for 45 or 50 minutes or until well done on top shelf.
Glaze
? cup butter
? box powder sugar
? cup blackberry wine
Melt butter. Mix in wine & sugar. When cake gets done pour ? of this glaze over it. Punch holes in cake. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan. Pour balance of glaze over it. This is ready to eat.
*Editor’s Note: Sometimes Blackberry Jello is hard to find. You may have to shop around for it.
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Ethel's Tennessee Jam Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter (no substitutes!)
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup jam (any kind, but preferably homemade blackberry with the seeds in and nothing used but sugar and berries to make the jam)
1 cup raisins
1 apple, grated
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon baking soda or baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sift flour, salt, and baking soda or powder together, reserving 1/4 cup of the flour to flour nuts, dates, and raisins. Cream together the sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Combine buttermilk and jam. Add alternately with combined dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Flour the fruit and nuts and stir them into the batter. Stir in the grated apple. Bake in 3 greased 9-inch cake pans in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Turn out onto racks to cool before frosting.
If a spicier cake is desired, sift 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves with the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Southern Lane Filling
My mother used this filling to frost her German Chocolate Cake. When my mother-in-law was feeling especially swanky, she sometimes used this filling to top her Tennessee Jam Cake. I like this filling because it is so easy to make. I have also used it on chocolate and devils food cakes. I split the layers and spread the lane filling between the layers, then frost the entire cake with 7-minute frosting.
Ingredients:
5 egg yolks
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter (no substitution)
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
Beat yolks and sugar together. Turn into heavy saucepan. Add 1 cup butter, pinch of salt, and 1 cup raisins. Bring just to the boil. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until filling is thick, about 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut, nuts, and vanilla. Spread immediately onto cake.
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Ice box Gingerbread
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup nuts what your chose
1 cup sour milk
2 teaspoons soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup molasses
1-1/2 cups raisins
4 cups flour
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Instructions:
In a large mix dry ingredients well. In another large bowl, mix the liquid well, add dry ingredients slowly. When well mixed pour in a greased and floured pan that will hold the mix. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until done.
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Warm Apple Buttermilk Custard Pie Recipe
The key to both a flaky piecrust and crisp streusel topping is to keep them as cold as possible before putting them into the oven.
Crust:
1 - ? cup all purpose flour
1 T sugar
? tsp salt
4 T butter ice cold cut into small pieces
3 T shortening ice cold cut into small pieces
4-5 T ice water
Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter and shortening. Pulse about 10 times to blend. Flour and fat should be shape of peas. Add ice water and pulse briefly to combine. Pour all into plastic zip lock bag and knead until well combined. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Streusel:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
2 1/2 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Filling:
5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds)
1 cup granulated sugar divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325o.
To prepare crust: roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Fold edges under and flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator for 45 minutes and then in freezer until ready to use (at least 25 minutes). (Can be prepared ahead of time.)
To prepare streusel: lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
To prepare the filling: heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325o for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300o (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300o for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.
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Creamed Onion Bake
ingredients
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm? Corn Bread Stuffing
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
3 large onions, cut in half and sliced
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's? Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or Campbell's? Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
directions
MELT 2 tbsp. butter and mix with stuffing and parsley.
HEAT remaining butter in skillet. Add onions and cook until tender.
STIR in soup, milk and peas. Spoon into 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and stuffing mixture over soup mixture.
BAKE at 350°F. for 30 min. or until hot.
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Italian Chopped Salad in Warm Rosemary Bread Shells
ingredients
2 pkg. (14 oz. each) Hearth Fired Artisan Rosemary Olive Oil Petite Loaves
1 pkg. (about 8 to 10 oz.) Italian blend lettuce, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
3 oz. provolone cheese, diced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. chopped shallot
1 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp. chopped fresh fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
directions
1. Bake and cool the bread according to the package directions. Slice about 1/4 off the top of the loaf of bread and set aside. Pull out the bread in chunks, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell. Cut the bread chunks into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Stir lettuce, cucumber, cheese, red onion and reserved bread in a large bowl.
3. Beat the oil, vinegar, shallot, parsley, oregano, basil, sugar, black pepper and garlic with a whisk or a fork in a small bowl. Season to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture, tossing until lightly coated.
4. Divide the salad mixture among the bread shells. Serve immediately with reserved bread slice. Makes 4 loaves.
our family traditional Christmas meal is lasagna with sweet cranberry salad, antipasto and really good garlic bread. then a pumpkin roll or pumpkin cheese cake. simple and everyone loves it. plus you can make the lasagna up to a month before hand so you don't have to worry about it. just take it out 2 days before dinner and let it thaw out.
Sweet Cranberry Salad:
2 bags of WASHED cranberries
1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 bag of Mini Marshmallows
2 cans of Pineapple Tidbits
2 tbls of sugar
-In a food processor, chop up cranberries adding a handfull at a time so as not to burn up your food processor.
-Place cranberries in a bowl and dump in the drained pineapple tidbits.
-Fold in Whipped Cream.
-Pour/Fold in mini marshmallows and sugar
-Let sit overnight so that the marshmallows break down. Serve cold
Whole Roast Beef Tenderloin, Bacon wrapped if no religious conflicts, Twice Baked Potatoes topped with Cheddar Cheese, Steamed Fresh Broccoli with Hollandaise Sauce, Cranberry Relish with lots of Citrus, fresh Baked Bread and Butter, Creme Brullee for dessert and Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel with Dinner.