Uh-oh! Bearded clones is red suits are poppin’ up on every corner again. Everywhere you turn, the hypnotic jingle-jingle-jingle of faux sleigh bells whaps you upside the ears. And you just got caught under a sprig of mistletoe for the third time this week. (Come to think of it, the last time wasn’t so bad!)Don’t look now, but it’s THAT season again! And guess what? All your friends remember what a great gorge-a-thon you hosted last year, and they’ve just drafted you for a replay of the big holiday dinner.
No problem! All you have to do is throw together a few easy do-ahead dishes, ask the gang to bring some fillers — easy apps, salad, taters (baked, mashed, candied yams, whatever) and a couple pints of ice cream — and you’re home free.
Here are some surefire recipes for a cool Yule, plus wine tips to bring out the best in everything – and everyone.
E-Z App:
Green and Red Cream Cheese Spread
Instead of paying $20 a pound or more for pesto-stuffed cheese spread, make your own for a lot less. Whip it up the day before, then serve it with baguette slices or your favorite crackers.
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz butter
Green:
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed, stems removed, and dried
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 T pine nuts (pignoli) or walnuts
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
Red:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, drained of oil
1/4 – 1/2 t cayenne powder (optional)
Place cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl and allow to soften at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Blend together when soft.
Place “green” ingredients in a blender or food processor and “pulse” a few times until mixture has the consistency of pesto: basically smooth but with a bit of texture. Do the same with the red ingredients, and keep the two colors separate.
Line a small, rounded bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Spoon about a 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture into the bowl and smooth out the top. Spread the red mixture evenly on the cream cheese.
Spoon out about a 1/3 of the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the red and smooth out. Top with the green mixture, then the remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and flatten the top. Refrigerate until firm, at least several hours.
To serve, remove plastic wrap cover and unmold onto a serving plate. Peel off remaining plastic wrap. Top with a sprig of basil, a couple strips of sun-dried tomato and a few pine nuts. Surround with baguette slices or crackers.
Cross References:
Mustard-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Pan-seared Bell Peppers
Mocha-Rum Candy Cupcakes
Original Source:
Recipes for a Cool Yulev
Green and Red Cream Cheese Spread
Instead of paying $20 a pound or more for pesto-stuffed cheese spread, make your own for a lot less. Whip it up the day before, then serve it with baguette slices or your favorite crackers.
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz butter
Green:
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed, stems removed, and dried
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 T pine nuts (pignoli) or walnuts
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
Red:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, drained of oil
1/4 – 1/2 t cayenne powder (optional)
Place cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl and allow to soften at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Blend together when soft.
Place “green” ingredients in a blender or food processor and “pulse” a few times until mixture has the consistency of pesto: basically smooth but with a bit of texture. Do the same with the red ingredients, and keep the two colors separate.
Line a small, rounded bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Spoon about a 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture into the bowl and smooth out the top. Spread the red mixture evenly on the cream cheese.
Spoon out about a 1/3 of the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the red and smooth out. Top with the green mixture, then the remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and flatten the top. Refrigerate until firm, at least several hours.
To serve, remove plastic wrap cover and unmold onto a serving plate. Peel off remaining plastic wrap. Top with a sprig of basil, a couple strips of sun-dried tomato and a few pine nuts. Surround with baguette slices or crackers.
Cross References:
Mustard-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Pan-seared Bell Peppers
Mocha-Rum Candy Cupcakes
Original Source:
Recipes for a Cool Yulev
