cuisine
holiday recipes
stress-free
holiday bites
The holidays can be stressful. The shopping, the wrapping, the decorating
and more. It’s easy to let the flurry of activity sneak in like the Grinch and
steal the season’s jolly and joy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Find a few
ways to simplify your plans and beat that green grump at his own game. Start
with the food. Forget the fancy spread and take advantage of store-bought
shortcuts. Whether you’re throwing a big party or just hosting a handful
of family and friends, wow your guests with these simple, but scrumptious
holiday recipe ideas.
Sausage & Sauce
Bet ter Brownies
Dress up basic brownies with rich cream
cheese frosting and ripe berries.
Throw a few links of your favorite smoked
sausage on the grill and then slice them
up into bite-size pieces. Serve on a platter
with toothpicks nearby for dipping in this
savory-sweet sauce.
1 box of store-bought Two-Bite
Brownies
Blackberry-Mustard Sauce
8 ounces of cream cheese
2 cups of confectioners sugar
Mix 1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard with
1 cup of your favorite blackberry jam
or preserves and 1 tablespoon balsamic
vinegar.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
fresh raspberries
Mix the cream cheese, vanilla and
confectioners sugar in a bowl with a hand
mixer. Spoon the frosting into a piping
bag and starting in the middle of the
brownie top, squeeze the frosting out in a
circular motion moving from the center
to the edge. Finish with a raspberry on
top. Note: If you don’t have a piping bag,
use a zip-top bag and use scissors to snip
a tiny bit off one bottom corner.
Southern Sushi
This old-school party pick-up is always
a favorite. Note: If okra’s not your
thing, sweet or dill pickles are a great
replacement.
20 pieces of pickled okra
20 slices of deli ham, sliced thin
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
Spread each slice of ham with a thin layer
of cream cheese and then roll a piece of
okra in each. If your okras are small, half
the slice of ham so there’s not too much
overhang on each end. Slice each roll
crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Chocolate-Dipped Cherries
These sweet treats look impressive, but
they’re easy to make and even easier to
enjoy. Use the same technique with dried
apricots or grapes if you don’t like pits.
1 pound of cherries, stems on
8 ounces white baking chocolate,
chopped or broken into pieces
2 cups pecans, finely chopped
Melt the chocolate over low heat in a
double boiler. Dip cherries one-by-one
into the chocolate and then into the
chopped pecans. Place on a baking sheet
lined with wax paper and cool in the
fridge until set.
Easy Cheesy Wafers
Crispy, nutty and cheesy: enough said.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pound shredded extra sharp
Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Mix the butter and flour in a mixer, then
add the cheese, salt and hot pepper sauce.
Finally, mix in the nuts by hand. Form
the dough into a roll and wrap in wax
paper. Let sit in the fridge overnight or
for at least 8 hours. Preheat your oven to
350 degrees. Slice the dough roll into thin
wafers and place on a baking sheet. Bake
for 15 to 20 minutes or until just browned
on the edges and crisp.
Find more holiday recipes on the “Chew on This” blog at www.jenniferkornegay.com
NO COOKING
REQUIRED:
Create a pretty and tasty spread for your buffet by selecting two to three different cheeses
(try smoked Gouda, herbed goat cheese and high-quality cheddar). Serve them together
on a wooden board and embellish with grapes and dried apricots for added flavor. Put
some buttery crackers or crusty bread in a bowl on the side, and you’re done!
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