Sunday, December 26, 2010

CHRISTMAS EVE FEAST

this was the first year we didn't have any family obligations for christmas eve, which was kind of nice. of course, the next day and the day after were going to be filled with family love, but having one night to celebrate the holidays with just us two (and the furry kids) was very special. so, how do we celebrate? with a feast! i fully enjoyed the ambition menu for thanksgiving and wanted to do a slightly smaller menu for christmas eve...and, it all began with a mail order from the honeybaked ham store. the rest of the menu planning was really for decoration, but i enjoyed it very much. in addition to classic garlic mashed potatoes, our feast included:

GREEN BEANS WITH BACON VINAIGRETTE
i remember finding this recipe and thinking, "everything truly is better with bacon". i really do love green beans, even if they're jus steamed, but the idea of turning bacon into a vinaigrette sounded amazing...and it was!




posted on real simple by kate merker & sarah quessenberry on november 2010
  • kosher salt & black pepper
  • 2lbs. green beans, trimmed
  • 6 slices of bacon
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 2T cider vinegar
  • 2T whole-grain mustard
  • 2T olive oil
bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1T salt. add the green beans and cook until just tender (about 4-5 mins). drain & run under cold water to cool; transfer to a serving bowl.

in a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp (about 6-8 mins). transfer to a towel paper-lined plate. let cool, then break into pieces.

discard all but 2T of bacon drippings from the skillet and return to medium heat. add shallots and cook, stirring for about 1 min. stir in vinegar, mustard, oil, 3/4t salt, and 1/4t pepper. add to the green beans, along with the bacon. toss to combine.

GRUYERE POPOVERS
one of the most delicious things about going to an awesome steak house is the popovers they offer. when we were in new york, BLT Steak not only had these in their beautiful mushroom form, they were baked with gruyere. this gave them a salty boost in flavor. so, naturally, i took my first opportunity to find and buy a popover pan to recreate the fluffy goodness.


posted on daily candy dallas by blt steak on december 27, 2007
  • 4c milk, warmed
  • 8 eggs
  • 4c flour
  • 1 1/2 heaping T salt
  • 2 1/4c grated gruyere
place popover pan in oven. heat oven & pan to 350° F.

gently warm milk over low heat and set aside.

whisk the eggs until frothy and slowly whisk in the milk (as to not cook the eggs). set aside.

sift the flour with the salt. slowly add the dry mixture to the egg mixture and gently combine until mostly smooth.

remove the popover pan from the oven and spray with nonstick vegetable spray.

while the batter is still slightly warm, fill each cup 3/4 full.

top each popover with about 2 1/2T of grated cheese.

bake at 350°F for 50 mins, rotating the pan halfway after 15 mins, until the popovers are golden brown.

take out of oven and pan and serve immediately.

BAKED MAC & CHEESE
i am on a mad hunt for baked mac & cheese, constantly. i feel like i felt one i liked, which was a recreation of the one from dumont burger, but the husband wasn't a fan of the cottage cheese incorporated in the mix. so, the hunt continued and i found this one. i think i have to try this again because i was not a fan. but, everyone else didn't mind this recipe. clearly, i have a specific way i like my baked mac & cheese that is not the status quo...oh well, until the next mac & cheese post...


posted on daily candy chicago by lottie & doof on november 15, 2010

  • 6T unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 slices of bacon, diced
  • 1c yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1t red pepper flakes
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 3T all-purpose flour
  • 3c whole milk
  • 1c parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4oz cream cheese
  • 3c coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • 3/4c panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2c fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1lb. penne pasta
melt 1T butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. add bacon and cook until crisp.

remove bacon and drain on paper towel. break into pieces when cool.

remove all but 3T of drippings from pan. add onion and saute until tender (about 5 mins). add red pepper flakes and garlic. stir for 1 min. stir in 2T butter until melted. add flour and stir for 1 min. gradually whisk in 3c of milk; simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, stirring frequently (about 5 mins). remove from heat. whisk in parmesan, cream cheese, and 2 1/4c cheddar. return bacon to sauce and season with salt & pepper.

in a separate large skillet, melt 3T butter over medium heat. add panko and stir until golden brown (about 5 mins). remove from heat. stir in parsley and set aside.

preheat oven to 375°F. lightly butter a 13x9x2 casserole dish. cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until very al dente. drain well.

toss pasta with cheese sauce. transfer mixture into baking dish. top with panko and remaining cheese.

bake for 30 mins or until topping is golden brown. let stand 5 mins before serving.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
like the mac & cheese, sweet potato casserole is an everlasting hunt. i think i've had a really, really good one once and have just not found the recipe that gives me that nostalgic feeling. i feel like the orange juice in this recipe added a little too much tartness, where i prefer a sweet only casserole. i think this recipe is really close, but maybe next time i won't add the o.j. i do think it needs some sort of crumble/oat texture, so we'll see...

posted on pennies on a platter on november 15, 2010
  • 5-6 sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
  • 1/4c butter
  • 1/2c packed brown sugar
  • 1/2t cinnamon
  • 3T orange juice
  • 1 pkg of miniature marshmallows
place sweet potatoes in boiling water. cook until fork tender, about 15 mins. meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.

drain potatoes and return to pot, away from heat. mash in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange juice. spread evenly in a greased 9x13 inch casserole pan. top with marshmallows.

bake for 25-30 mins, or until marshmallows are golden brown.

my yummy tip: it can seem daunting to pull together more than 4 sides, but i find that the best method is to: 1) study the recipes beforehand. making sure to start on the ones that take longest and/or can be made ahead. 2) working on 2 recipes at once, so you're not overwhelmed. 3) clean after each recipe. you'll feel less frenzied.

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