Category Archives: CHRISTMAS RECIPES

WILD MUSHROOM BREAD PUDDING

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I found this recipe in the Seattle Times several years ago and have been making it ever since. It is a perfect dish to serve with a holiday meal. It’s basically like eating a very rich and savory stuffing or dressing, but in my opinion is easier to prepare. The wild mushrooms are just delicious, but if you can’t find any, use crimini over button mushrooms. This recipe also has the advantage that it can be prepared the day before and simply refrigerated until about an hour before you plan to bake it in your oven. Better and better, wouldn’t you say?

So give it a try. Instead of stuffing your bird this Thanksgiving or Christmas, place this bread pudding on your holiday table. It will be a huge success.

  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. whipping cream
  • 2 large eggs, room temp.
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 c. packed cubed sour dough bread (1 or 2 day old chewy sourdough bread is best for this recipe)
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8-oz. coarsely chopped wild mushrooms

Combine milk, cream, eggs, salt, pepper, rosemary, and parsley in a medium sized bowl. Gently fold in bread cubes and set aside. Melt butter in a medium sized sauté pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Allow to cool and scoop into the bowl with softened bread cubes. Stir gently and pour mixture into a lightly buttered casserole dish. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

 

 

SPINACH CASSEROLE

This is just a wonderful recipe from Ina Garten. The mixture of flavorful white sauce, spinach, and cheeses is just amazingly rich and delicious. This lovely side dish is just perfect for a holiday meal or whenever you need a little richness to offset other menu items that have been very simply prepared. Regardless of how or when you serve this delicious veggie casserole, you and yours are going to be glad you did. Try it this Christmas for a lovely change of pace from green bean casserole.

And I suppose, if you simply can’t imagine life without those canned crunchy fried onions that are such a part of the green bean casserole tradition, by all means sprinkle some on top along with the Parmesan and Gruyere. I don’t think it will matter much to the overall taste of the casserole. And if it makes you and yours happy, I say go for it! In fact, I may try adding them this year myself. After all, what’s a few hundred more calories among friends?

  • 4 T. butter
  • 4 c. chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 1/2 c. grated Gruyère cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the cream and milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well; add salt and pepper. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Adjust seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a lightly buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyère. Bake for about 20-30 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot out of the oven.

 

 

 

WALDORF SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND ORANGE ZEST

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This is one of the easiest salads to prepare. I came up with this recipe one day when I needed a crunchy salad to serve with a holiday meal. I am not a regular Waldorf salad fan, but I wanted a salad along the same lines. So thinking apples and tying in the whole holiday flavor thing together I remembered how much I loved cranberries and oranges together. Throw in some celery and walnuts, and Bob’s your uncle! But then, what to do for a dressing? For this salad, anything with a mayonnaise base just didn’t seem like it would work. I wanted a dressing that was creamy and sweet, but not too sweet. I had a small amount of marshmallow cream left in the fridge so I thought that might be an interesting ingredient for a dressing. Then I thought about vanilla pudding. So I made a small box of vanilla pudding and combined some of the cold pudding with the marshmallow crème. I was happily surprised when the combination produced an absolutely delicious and very creamy salad dressing not only great for this recipe, but for other types of fruit salads. And Mr. C, always the good sport, was very happy to eat the rest of the pudding over the course of the next couple of days. What a guy!

So any time you need an easy fruit salad that everyone from your youngest to your oldest family member or guest will enjoy, give this recipe a try. And doubling or tripling this salad could not be easier.

  • 3.5-oz. prepared vanilla pudding cup or 1/2 c. vanilla pudding
  • 3 T. marshmallow crème
  • 1 tsp. finely grated orange peel or chopped orange zest
  • ¼ c. dried cranberries
  • 3 chopped unpeeled granny Smith apples
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1/3 c. chopped walnuts

Whisk the vanilla pudding, marshmallow crème, and orange rind/zest together in a medium sized bowl. Add the dried cranberries, apples, celery, and walnuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

HERB CRUSTED PORK LOIN ROAST WITH FIGS AND PORT

Since it’s just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, it’s once again time to start thinking about Christmas. (Like the Christmas decorations that have been up in stores since before Halloween could let anyone forget that Christmas is just around the corner!) But until about this time of year, I try real hard not to get hooked into the whole Christmas “thing”.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas, but not until after Thanksgiving. And no, I am not one of those people who spend the Friday after Thanksgiving spending thousands of dollars at the local mall. There actually isn’t enough money to get me to even go to a mall on the day after Thanksgiving. I’m just too old and dislike people enough to want no part of that scene. And no, I don’t really dislike people, but you know what I mean!

Anyway, the whole point of this rant is to tell you that I am starting a series on Christmas recipes, many of which, like this recipe for pork roast, are perhaps not traditional Christmas dinner fare, but are never-the-less delicious and fairly inexpensive to serve to a crowd. And since I’m sure you too have noticed that Christmas is an expensive holiday, I hope one or more of these recipes can help you serve up a wonderful holiday meal without spending too much of your children’s college fund or inheritance.

So this year instead of ordering that fabulous spiral cut ham, serve this delicious and festive pork loin roast. Your guests will love how succulent the meat is, and the sauce and drizzle are simply amazing. Trust me, no one will miss the spiral cut ham or feel somehow cheated by its absence. And you – you may be able to eat the rest of the month!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  •  1 (2-3 lb.) boneless pork loin roast
  • 2 c. chicken broth, divided
  • 1 ¼ c. port
  • 4 dried mission figs or 2 dried Turkish figs
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • ½ stick cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. honey
  • 2 T. butter

Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total. Meanwhile, in a heavy medium saucepan, combine ¾ cup chicken broth, port, coarsely chopped figs, rosemary sprig, cinnamon stick, honey, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprig and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Re-warm over medium heat before using.) When the pork has reached the desired temperature, transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the remaining 1 ¼ cup chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Adjust seasoning and reduce sauce by about a half. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce over and around the meat and serve immediately. Thanks Giada for another wonderful recipe. This roast is lovely served with Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Caramelized Pearl Onions and Petite Peas, and Waldorf Salad with Dried Cranberries and Orange Zest.

 

 

COSMOPOLITAN

Most of you know I’m a martini drinker. But on occasion I leave the comfort of ice cold gin and go over to the wild side and have either one (and I do mean one) of Mr. C’s Margaritas in the summer or for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, one or two (never more than two) of his delicious cosmopolitans. (I couldn’t finish dinner preparations if I had more than two of these babies!)

Cosmopolitans are delightful served any time of year, but are especially wonderful served at holiday time. They look festive, reflect the cranberry flavor we have all learned to associate with “the holidays”, and the tang of the lime juice beautifully counter balances the sweetness of the orange flavored liqueur. Cosmopolitans are wonderfully tart and refreshing and perfect served with appetizers.

Mr. C usually combines the vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, Rose’s lime juice, and fresh lime juice ahead of time. (Depending on how many guests we expect, he makes enough for one each.) Then when a drink request comes his way, he does the whole shaker with ice thing and serves up a freshly made drink. Yea Thanksgiving! I can hardly wait to make sure I still like these marvelous drinks. (Maybe I should ask Mr. C to make me one before the big day; you know, make sure he hasn’t lost the Cosmopolitan touch.) Oh, honey…….

  • 3 oz. vodka
  • 1 ½ oz. Cointreau or or other orange flavored liqueur
  • 4 oz. cranberry juice cocktail
  • splash of Rose’s lime juice
  • juice of ½ large lime
  • ice
  • 2 slices of lime, garnish

Pour vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, Rose’s lime juice, fresh lime juice, and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into 2 chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a slice of lime.

CREAMY CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS AND PETITE PEAS

This is another perfect veggie dish to serve during the holidays. The peas and creamy rich onions combined are not only beautiful to behold but taste absolutely delicious together.

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 c. frozen pearl onions
  • ¾-1 c. heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1-2 c. frozen petite peas

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over fairly high heat. And the onions and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Reduce heat; pour in cream and slowly simmer until cream is thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Just before serving, place frozen peas in a small colander and rinse under cold water to remove any ice crystals. Drain and gently stir in with the onions. Heat the mixture only until the peas are hot*. Add additional cream if necessary. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

*You don’t really want or need to cook the peas. They are much tastier when served just heated through. In fact, when I make Pea Salad (another wonderful Thanksgiving side dish by-the-way) I don’t heat the peas at all. They are basically right out of the freezer when I add them to the other ingredients.

 

CREAMY CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS

This is a perfect holiday veggie. Our good friend Jim first made this amazing and simple dish for one of our holiday meals, and it was the first food to disappear. Something you should know about Jim before I go any further is that he never makes a small amount of anything he prepares. (God love him.) So even my gravy (and I make fairly decent gravy if I say so myself) didn’t disappear as fast as these onions.

So if you want to serve a veggie that is so delicious that your family and friends will be declaring you the queen or king of the kitchen, add this recipe to your menu. But be advised, it is very rich. You might want to serve it along with another vegetable dish that is fairly simple, like my easy and make ahead recipe for Green Beans.

Any way you serve these onions, you are going to be very happy that you did. Thanks again Jim for the recipe. See you and Margo on turkey day. Don’t forget to add this dish to the menu. Hint hint!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 c. frozen pearl onions
  • ¾-1 c. heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • freshly ground nutmeg

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over fairly high heat. And the onions and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Reduce heat; pour in cream and slowly simmer until cream is thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve hot.

 

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

I found this recipe a couple years back on the Southern Living site. It looked so beautiful I just had to give it a try. Turns out it is not only beautiful to behold, it is absolutely divine to eat. So if you want to please all your sweet potato lovers this Thanksgiving, the ones in the marshmallow camp and the ones who believe marshmallows are only for children, give them all what they want. You will earn big points, I promise!

  • 4 ½ lbs. ruby or garnet sweet potatoes (sometimes labeled incorrectly as yams)
  • ¾ c. sugar (or part brown sugar)
  • ¼ c. whole milk
  • ½ c. (1 cube) butter, softened
  • 2 lg. eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 c. cornflakes cereal, crushed
  • ½ c. chopped pecans
  • 1 T. brown sugar
  • 1 T. butter, melted
  • 1 ½ c. miniature marshmallows

Bake sweet potatoes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash with an electric mixer. Add the sugar(s), milk, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. *Combine cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*If preparing casserole ahead of time, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate before adding any topping. About 90 minutes before serving, pull the casserole out of the refrigerator, leave the foil on the casserole, and bake for 30 minutes. Then follow the above instructions beginning with “Combine cornflakes….”

 

TURKEY DRESSING WITH OYSTERS OR SAUSAGE

OK, it’s confession time again. So here goes. If truth be told, I would be content to sit down to just dressing and gravy (maybe a small side of Brandied Cranberries) at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the other dishes, but really, for me it’s mostly about the lovely savory flavors in the dressing and gravy. But I can’t skip the mashed potatoes. And since the turkey started the whole thing, there really should be some of that on my plate too. And wow, those sweet potatoes sure look good, etc. etc.  So there I am; another Thanksgiving with a loaded plate. And of course, who can say no to Pumpkin Pie Bars with Bourbon Caramel Whipped Cream, or Apple Pie Bars, or White Chocolate Dipped Coffee Bean Shortbread served with a lovely cup of freshly brewed coffee? Not me, that’s for certain! (All dessert recipes are easy to prepare and can be found on this site.)

OK, maybe it’s the combination of dishes that make the dinner so wonderful. It’s just like family and friends. Some of our guests we will have known for decades or all our lives (or theirs). Other friends or family members might be new to the group. But all are welcome and loved because they are a part of the whole special occasion.

And when you think about it, the dinner itself is no different from the assortment of guests. There are the old and familiars, including the “sacred side dishes”, maybe changed or updated from year to year. And along with the traditional favorites, there are usually one or two exciting new dishes that everyone is eager to try. All and all it makes for a terrific feast.

Hopefully some of the recipes in my Thanksgiving Day Menu and Recipes series will give you an idea for updating one of your favorites, or inspiration to try an entirely new dish. Happy Thanksgiving

  • 1 c. butter
  • 1 ½ c. chopped celery (stalks and leaves)
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 12 to 14 large mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 T. minced fresh sage
  • 1 T. dried thyme leaves
  • 2 T. poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp. savory, either powdered or dried leaves
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 16-20 c. dry bread cubes (I like part sour dough) or 3 pkgs. stuffing mix (7-8 oz. each)
  • 1 pint raw oysters, chopped or 1 lb. cooked breakfast or Italian sausage, opt.
  • 3 eggs
  • 5-7 c. turkey or chicken stock

In a large sauté pan, melt butter and add celery, onions, and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, garlic, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, savory, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Place dried bread cubes or stuffing mixes complete with seasoning packets, in a very large mixing bowl. Stir in the raw oysters or cooked sausage. Add the sautéed vegetables; mix thoroughly.

Beat eggs in a separate medium sized bowl. If you are using stock that is simmering happily on your stove, vigorously whisk 5 cups of the broth into the eggs. (The hot stock will scramble the eggs if you don’t stir vigorously.) Pour the hot liquid over the bread cubes and gently stir. Add more stock if the dressing is dry. (Remember, this is dressing, not stuffing and therefore is not going into the cavity of the turkey. So any moisture needs to be added while it is being prepared.) Taste the dressing and add additional poultry seasoning and/or salt if needed.

Place dressing in a buttered casserole dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot. (I put mine in the oven when the turkey comes out.)

Note: recipe for Turkey Stock can be found under Herb Salted Turkey with Cognac Gravy

 

TURKEY GRAVY WITH COGNAC

All is fair when it comes to making gravy. And truly great gravy starts with the pan drippings left in the bottom of the roasting pan after the turkey has been removed to cool. (And yes, we are talking cholesterol city here, but once or twice a year, leave your worries behind and travel to the dark side!)

For a great recipe for roasted turkey, please see my recipe for Herb Salted Turkey. You will not believe how easy it is to prepare. Happy Thanksgiving.

  • pan drippings from roasted turkey
  • flour
  • turkey or chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 turkey gravy mixes (just in case)
  • 2-3 tsp. cognac

Place the roasting pan on the stove after the turkey has been removed. Turn the heat to very low and begin making your gravy immediately. (Good gravy flavor and consistency require time to develop.)    Do not remove any fat from the pan, do not strain the liquid, do not do any of the things most cook book writers tell you to do to make good gravy (except me, that is!)

Whisk in enough flour to absorb the fat. Let burble for a couple of minutes. (This process takes time, so be patient.) Slowly whisk in turkey or chicken stock until you reach the desired thickness you like. Add the Kitchen Bouquet (gives the gravy great color) and some freshly ground black pepper. No salt! Taste the gravy. If you think it needs more depth of flavor, begin by adding one of the gravy mixes and a small amount of turkey stock. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and taste again. Repeat if needed.

Turn heat as low as possible and let the gravy simmer away for the next 30 minutes or so, whisking periodically. (You will probably need to add more stock during this time.) Also, after the turkey is sliced and plated, don’t forget to add the juices that have accumulated to the gravy.

Just before serving (and gravy should be the last item plated), taste the gravy and make any final adjustments to the seasoning. Stir in the cognac and serve piping hot.

Note: if the gravy seems a little salty, you might try adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice.