WESTERN PRODUCER — Our homes should offer us menus that are simple, home decor that is nurturing and time to pamper ourselves and others who are important to us. The holidays remind us about showing gratitude. This can be done through preparing and sharing food, sitting down for a visit over a beverage, giving a home-made gift, sending a card or photograph or something as impromptu as a phone call. These gestures can make holiday wishes come true.
Holiday entertaining often means casual food grazing. I for one do not like spending hours in the kitchen preparing food and I often turn to store-bought offerings, especially when it comes to appetizers and snacks. A food tray or charcuterie board can hit the spot and can be fun to put together, allowing people to choose their own snack options. Along with the crackers, meat, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and pickles, we have recently loved the Boursin Cranberry Pepper cheese dip. It’s especially good with Crunchmaster Multigrain crackers, which are gluten free and have a sesame flare, but use your own favorite cracker to accentuate this great dip. For an alternative drink, offer a shot of kombucha, which offers live cultures to promote a healthy gut as well as a refreshing taste. Remember just like good Scotch, drinking this is an acquired taste! Tested just for you, my favourites are the Kirkland Lemon and Ginger, the Co-op Gold Raspberry and the Rise Hibiscus and Rose Hips.
Cranberry Roast Chicken
This dish allows the cook to enjoy easy preparation and cleanup while gaining optimum time with the holiday guests.
- 6 boneless/or bone in (back attached) chicken breasts, thawed 6
- 1 jellied cranberry sauce (or 1 c./250 mL of homemade sauce see recipe below) 348 mL
- 1 c. French salad dressing (see recipe below) 250 mL
- 1 tsp. paprika 5 mL
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley, optional
Place the chicken in a baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, salad dressing, paprika and seasoning. Pour over the chicken and cover the baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Roast the chicken for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is lightly browned. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy with baked rice or mashed potatoes, and greens or fresh cut veggies with your favorite dip. Serves six.
Cranberry Sauce
- 4 c. cranberries fresh or frozen 1 L
- 3/4 c. water 175 mL
- 1/4 c. fresh orange juice 60 mL
- 3/4 c. brown sugar 175 mL
- 1 tsp. orange zest 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 mL
Prepare and measure the orange juice. Set aside.
Rinse the cranberries in a colander and measure out 1/2 c./125 mL to use later. In a saucepan, combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice and sugar. Place on medium heat and stir until the mix is gently bubbling.
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium/low. Stir occasionally and cook until the liquid has reduced and cranberries have burst and thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the set aside 1/2 c/125 mL of cranberries, orange zest and vanilla. The sauce will thicken as it cools down.
French Dressing
To make your own dressing, combine 1 c./250 mL oil (such as canola or olive), 1/4 c./60 mL brown sugar, 1/4 c./60 mL vinegar, 1/2 c. 125 mL ketchup, 1 tsp./5 mL minced garlic or garlic seasoning, and 2 tsp./10 mL onion powder in a jar. Cover, shake until well combined. Taste the dressing and add salt and pepper if needed. Store chilled until ready to use. Source: www.lecremedelacrumb.com
Note: if you want to make your own cranberry sauce and French dressing it is best to prepare ahead of time.
Make the menu a complete oven meal by roasting the rice with the chicken.
- 2 c. converted rice 500 mL
- 4 c. hot water 1 L
- 2 tbsp. butter 30 mL
- 1 tsp. salt 5 mL
Combine the rice, water, butter and salt and place in a greased casserole. Remember to use quite a large dish as the rice will expand as it cooks. Stir well and bake covered at 350 F (180 C) for 45 minutes or until light and fluffy. Serves six.
Apple Greens Salad
Add a fresh side dish to boost fibre, nutrition and presentation.
- 6 c. salad greens such as lettuce blends and spinach 1.5 L
- 1 red apple 1
- 1 green apple 1
- 1 c. walnuts chopped 250 mL (optional if there are allergy concerns)
- 1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese 80 mL
- 1/3 c. dried cranberries 80 mL
Dressing
- 1 c. apple juice 250 mL
- 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar (white vinegar can be substituted) 60 mL
- 2 tbsp. honey 30 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 mL
- 1/4 c. oil 60 mL
Toss lettuce, apples, walnuts, feta, and cranberries together in a large bowl.
Whisk together all dressing ingredients. Toss with salad immediately before serving.
Note: When you chop the apples drizzle with some lemon juice to deter browning.
You could substitute any kind of shredded cheese of your choice for the feta.
Mini No Bake Cheesecakes with Cherry Topping
Individually served desserts are so easy to prepare ahead of time. They’re easily served when away from the table, perhaps while enjoying evening company in the living room, served with an evening coffee or tea.
Crust
- 1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs 300 mL
- 1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted 60 mL
Filling
- 1 softened cream cheese block 8 oz/250 g
- 1/2 c. to 3/4 c. sugar (personal taste) 125 to 175 mL
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice 15 mL
- 1 c. whipping cream, (2 c./500 mL once whipped) 250 mL
Topping
- 1 can cherry pie filling 540 mL
Mix together the graham crumbs and melted butter. Press gently into the bottom of small dessert cups, small jars or glasses. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff. Then in a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Gently fold in prepared whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Begin layering in cups: graham crackers, cheesecake filling, and cherry pie filling, repeat once. Refrigerate for two to three hours or until firm. Chill until ready to serve. Makes six large or eight small glasses or jars.
Raspberry Lemon Muffins
Muffins are great to have on hand, and are sure to please
- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 560 mL
- 2 tsp. baking powder 10 mL
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1 c. sugar 250 mL
- 1/2 c. oil 125 mL
- 1 c. Greek yogurt or sour cream 250 mL
- 2 large eggs 2
- 1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon 15 mL
- 1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen raspberries 375 mL
Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) and prepare the muffin pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, oil, yogurt (or sour cream), eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Continue to whisk until the sugar dissolves. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the raspberries.
Divide the muffin batter into the muffin pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Makes 12 to 15 muffins.
Notes: Allow the yogurt and eggs to get to room temperature before preparation. Source: adapted from www.littlespicejar.com
Rolled Sugar Cookies
What is Christmas without cut-out cookies, one of the first things I did with my kids in the kitchen. The whole family can get involved with the preparation and decorating. Great to gift, and one of Santa’s favourites.
Looking back, I sometimes dreaded cookie day but every minute was worth it and provided great memories My daughter likes to decorate the buttercream icing by sketching with a toothpick. There is art on each cookie.
- 1 1/2 c. butter, softened 375 mL
- 2 c. sugar 500 mL
- 4 eggs 4
- 1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
- 5 c. flour 1.25 L
- 2 tsp. baking powder 10 mL
- 1 tsp. salt 5 mL
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry mix to the creamed mix until well combined. Wrap or cover the dough and chill for one hour in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
On a well-floured surface, roll out to desired thickness (about 1/4 inch or .5 cm thick, like a pie crust). Cut out shapes and gently lift and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (Our cookies were about three inches round; smaller sizes would need less baking time). Bake for six to eight minutes (depending on the size of the cutter). The cookie should be light in colour with ever so slightly browned edges. Cool and decorate. Choose from sprinkles, candies and icing. Makes about four dozen cookies.
Buttercream Icing
- 2 c. icing sugar 500 mL
- 2 1/2 tbsp. cream 37 mL
- 1/4 c. butter 60 mL
- 1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
In a saucepan, over medium heat, heat cream and butter until butter is melted. Stir in the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Remove from heat, and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.
Note: we made this icing without heating, it was just less smooth. Yield: 2 1/2 c./625 mL
What could boost your holiday wellness?
The gift of hydration, what more do we need at this time of year? We drink water, eat foods that have a high water content, but why not use a topical lotion that is filled with healthy ingredients to sooth that winter skin? Eminence Mangosteen Body Lotion, with no harmful ingredients and a refreshing scent, has been an all -natural game changer at our house. It is available at salons or online.
If you like scent free, similar products are the Eucerin or Cerave body creams and lotions. Team with a natural lip balm such as EOS or Drunk Elephant Lip Balm and you have a great skin-care gift basket or stocking stuffer! Available at most drug stores, at some grocery stores and online.
Last but not least, give a gift that allows households to eliminate some of our plastic waste. Try out the new Nellie’s Dish Butter, Forever Brush and Swedish Dishcloths. Beautify the countertops with the packaging and get clean! Available at www.nelliesclean.ca. Also available at some health food and drug stores.
“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” Maya Angelou.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
