Lady LUX

Are you hearing the melodic notes of Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls? If so, you’re aware the holiday season is in full swing and hopefully ready for the merriment and festivities.
The LadyLUX team and I thought it would fun and helpful to put together a cooking guide of different dishes you could bring to your next holiday fête.

APPETIZERS

Sugar-and-Spice Roasted Squash

Ingredients
One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup light brown sugar
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
One 1 ½ -inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh hot red Chile, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
One 2-pound, unpeeled butternut squash-washed, halved, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces and salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large roasting pan, stir together the coconut milk, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, chile, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg. Add the squash and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until the squash is almost tender. Increase the oven temperature to 425°. Uncover the pan. Turn the squash pieces over and season with salt. Roast on the top shelf for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450° and roast for about 15 minutes longer, until the squash is richly glazed. Transfer the squash to a platter with a slotted spoon. Season the sauce with salt, spoon over the squash and serve.

Courtesy of Leanna Comer

Himalayan Salt Slab with Cold Appetizers

Ingredients
Himalayan Salt Plate
Apricot Stilton cheese
Figs

Directions
Chill slab in fridge prior to serving approximately 2 hours. Cut figs in half and arrange on salt slab. Break big pieces of cheese off and place on slab next to figs. Let food sit no longer than 15 minutes. (You may also use numerous other cold or warm food items to serve on salt slab. See surlatable.com)

Courtesy of Aimee Poulson

Oven roasted Sourdough loaf with Roasted Garlic, Lemon Herb Butter and EVOO with aged balsamic

Ingredients
1 Large loaf of Sourdough
1 elephant garlic
1 stick butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons of dill
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ tablespoon salt
¼ freshly ground black pepper
½ cup of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
¼ cup of aged balsamic vinegar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Cut top off of elephant garlic and place in snug fitting carafe so sits upright. Place ¼ inch slice of real salted butter on top of each garlic clove and bake for 45 minutes. Place loaf of sourdough in foil, keep top loosely open and bake for 15 minutes. Place butter in bowl of food processor with ingredients of dill, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend until butter is smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Butter will keep for one week. Place all items on large wooden rustic cutting board w/ serving knifes for each item.

Courtesy of Aimee Poulson

Blue-Cheese-and-Walnut Dip with Waldorf Crudités

Ingredients
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of buttermilk
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
8 ounces blue cheese, if crumbled (2 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Snipped chives, for garnish
Sliced red and green apples
Skewered red and green grapes
Endive red and green spears

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes until fragrant and golden. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts. In a food processor pulse the mayonnaise, buttermilk, shallots and vinegar until smooth. Add the blue cheese; pulse until chunky. Add the walnuts and pulse until fine. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with the chives. Have fun arranging the red and green items creatively.

Courtesy of Food and Wine, December 2010 issue

Ginger-Miso Sweet Pea Spread (Dairy-free alternative)

Ingredients
¼ cup canola oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 pound frozen baby peas (3 cups) thawed
3 tablespoons yellow Miso

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the scallions, ginger and jalapeño and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the pea mixture to a food processor and let cool slightly. Add the miso and ¼ cup of water and puree until smooth. Spoon the spread into a bowl.
* Note - Serve with your choice of crackers, we used cheese twists.

Courtesy of Food and Wine, December 2010 issue

Warm Leek and Goat Cheese Dip

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 small leeks (about 2 pounds), white and tender green parts only, cut into 1/3-inch rings
1 pound of fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
½ pound crème cheese, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons snipped chives
Serve with flatbreads, pita crisps, crackers, or raw vegetables for serving

Directions
Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet. Add the leeks and stir to coat with butter. Cover and cook over high heat just until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned in spots, about 8 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the goat cheese and cream cheese until melted and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow dish, sprinkle with the chives and serve with your choice of sides.

Courtesy of Food and Wine, December 2010 issue

Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients
6 large button mushrooms, sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 small onion or 1 large shallot, minced
½ cup white wine
2 cups arborio rice
2 tablespoons cold butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving

Directions
For the mushrooms: Sauté mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
For the risotto: In a four-quart stockpot, heat the chicken stock and pumpkin puree to a low boil, then keep at a simmer. In a heavy saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes, until slightly softened. (We used the same pan that was used for the mushrooms.) Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook for 2-5 minutes, until the edges of the rise is translucent. Add the vermouth and stir until the liquid reduces almost completely.
For the next 20-25 minutes, add stock only a ladle at a time, stirring consistently to coax out the starch in the rice. Add more stock only when the liquid is almost fully reduced. When the rice is cooked through it will be tender but slightly firm, and suspended in a creamy sauce (you may have broth leftover). Test for seasonings, then turn off heat.
Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and cold butter. With a wooden spoon, stir rapidly to get air into the rice and help melt the butter. When the butter is nearly melted, put a lid on the pot and let sit for 2 minutes. To serve, spoon rice into shallow bowls. Garnish with the reserved mushrooms and a bit more Parmesan. Serve hot.

Courtesy of Cooking After Five, October 2010

DESSERTS

Traditional Christmas Cookies placed in “a bowl of snow”

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Makes 2 Dozen Cookies

Directions
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Recipes

Royal Icing for Frosting Cookies

Ingredients
3 ounces pasteurized egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions
In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add confectioners’ sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired. For immediate use, transfer icing to pastry bag or heavy duty storage bag and pipe as desired.

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown

Maple Pecan Tart

Ingredients
Tart Crust
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

Maple Pecan Filling
3 large eggs
½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups whole or coarsely chopped pecans
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions

For Tart Crust:

Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar, egg yolk, and salt; beat until blended. Add flour and beat just until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball; press and flatten into disk. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface. Spread and flatten the dough using a rolling pan to a 10 1/2-inch round shape. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork. Place crust in freezer 30 minutes before filling and baking. The crust can be made 1 day ahead when covered and refrigerated.

For maple pecan filling:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs and brown sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Whisk in maple syrup, corn syrup, melted butter, and salt. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked crust. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet in case any of the filling spills over while baking.
Bake tart until filling is slightly puffed and set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

Courtesy of Bon Appétit, November 2007

Decorative Frozen Champagne Bucket

Decorations & Ingredients
4-6 Sprigs of mint
2-3 cups of frozen or fresh cranberries
2 liters of distilled water
The frozen bottle holder is made by taking
First step is boiling distilled water so it is crystal clear when frozen.
Start with 2 liters of distilled water which can be purchased at all grocery stores and usually comes in a jug. Boil the water for 10-15 minutes so any of the fine air bubbles trapped in the water is released when the water is boiling. Set the boiled water aside and let cool down.

Instructions
A large bucket is needed for the main exterior mold. We used a wine chiller bucket. Pour the boiled water into the bucket and then place an empty bottle in the middle of bucket.
You can be creative with your decorations. You can use slices of lemons, sprigs of holly, juniper trimmings, cranberries and other holiday themed decorations. Note, it helps if the decorations will hold a rigid form and won’t wilt or be crushed easily.
With the water in the bucket and your empty bottle in place, push your mint, holly and cranberries down around the edges of the container. The decorations should be pushed down because they will slowly rise to the top when the bucket is placed in the freezer.
The last step is to arrange your freezer shelves so when your bucket is placed in the freezer the main bottle is then pushed down just the right amount for enough of the bottle is submerged.
After the water is frozen run the outer container under hot water to release it from the molds. The decorative frozen champagne bottle holder needs to be placed in a deep dish so it can collect the water that melts from the mold. We placed extra cranberries in the dish to add to the decorations.

Tagged in: holiday appetizers, holiday party food, holiday cooking,

Lifestyle / Food