Food For Thought: Prepare the ultimate holiday feast
Christmas and the holiday season
are upon us once more, and
already dreams of sugarplums
dance in our heads. Well, not really;
most likely you're beginning to
think about exams and getting bus
tickets purchased. I've been thinking
recently about all of this and
I've come to realize that
Christmas, while a stressful time,
can be the perfect opportunity to
unleash your inner foodie.
When a holiday comes around, family gathers and inevitably food is prepared and served. This year, make a splash with your family by suggesting some interesting ways of spicing up the traditional holiday feast.
The following recipes are an interesting take on some traditional dishes that are usually found on your table around the holidays. We hope this inspires you to be creative and see that sometimes even the most routine dish can be made new!
Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
From allrecipes.com
Note: This recipe is for a 10-pound turkey.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
- 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
- 1 pound ground turkey sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 2 1/2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup turkey stock
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavours.
3. Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
Oranged Cranberry Sauce
From allrecipes.com
Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) packages fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, zested
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, orange juice and brown sugar. Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Immediately reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the sauce has thickened. Taste for sweetness, and adjust with additional sugar if necessary. You cannot overcook, so continue cooking until you have a good thick consistency. Let mixture cool, then refrigerate in a covered container.
Angeletti Cookies
From realsimple.com
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling the dough
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Glaze:
- 1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. multicolor nonpareil sprinkles, for decoration (optional)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs until blended. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
3. With floured hands, roll level tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and the bottoms are pale golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla until the mixture forms a thick but pourable glaze (add more water if necessary).
5. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, rounded side up, on a rack set over a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with non-pareils, if using. Allow the glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
From both of us, we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. May the best of what life has to offer always find its way to your table. Until next time, happy eating!
Have questions, comments or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at foodforthoughtfc@gmail.com
When a holiday comes around, family gathers and inevitably food is prepared and served. This year, make a splash with your family by suggesting some interesting ways of spicing up the traditional holiday feast.
The following recipes are an interesting take on some traditional dishes that are usually found on your table around the holidays. We hope this inspires you to be creative and see that sometimes even the most routine dish can be made new!
Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
From allrecipes.com
Note: This recipe is for a 10-pound turkey.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
- 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
- 1 pound ground turkey sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 2 1/2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup turkey stock
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavours.
3. Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
Oranged Cranberry Sauce
From allrecipes.com
Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) packages fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, zested
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, orange juice and brown sugar. Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Immediately reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the sauce has thickened. Taste for sweetness, and adjust with additional sugar if necessary. You cannot overcook, so continue cooking until you have a good thick consistency. Let mixture cool, then refrigerate in a covered container.
Angeletti Cookies
From realsimple.com
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling the dough
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Glaze:
- 1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. multicolor nonpareil sprinkles, for decoration (optional)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs until blended. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
3. With floured hands, roll level tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and the bottoms are pale golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla until the mixture forms a thick but pourable glaze (add more water if necessary).
5. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and let set, rounded side up, on a rack set over a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with non-pareils, if using. Allow the glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
From both of us, we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. May the best of what life has to offer always find its way to your table. Until next time, happy eating!
Have questions, comments or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at foodforthoughtfc@gmail.com
