Let’s EAT!

Love eating during the holidays, but hate the pressure of planning a menu? If you believe that holidays should be spent eating, snoozing, boozing, eating and then eating some more, then try these recipes to get you through your holiday dinner with ease.

Appetizer: Ham & Cheese Croquettes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Kosher salt

• 1 cup milk

• 1 cup diced thinly sliced ham

• 1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• 3 small cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 10-ounce box frozen peas

• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• Freshly ground pepper

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1 sleeve saltines (40 crackers), roughly crushed

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup flour, the cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to make a dry, stiff mixture, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk to make a smooth paste. Stir until the batter forms a ball, about 3 more minutes.Remove from the heat; stir in the ham, cheese and thyme. Spread the mixture evenly into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Cool, then refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 1 day.Meanwhile, make the pea sauce: Bring 3 cups water and the garlic to a boil in a saucepan. Add the peas; cook until thawed, 30 seconds. Drain, then transfer the peas and garlic to a blender. Add the broth and lemon zest; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.Heat about 3 inches of oil to 340 degrees in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the remaining 1/4 cup flour, the eggs and the saltine crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes. Cut the chilled dough into 20 4-inch-long croquettes. Dredge each in flour, then dip in the eggs, letting the excess drip off, and roll in the saltines.Fry the croquettes in the oil in batches until golden brown. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and serve with the pea sauce.

(Recipe Courtesy of Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/vinces-ham-and-cheese-croquettes-recipe/index.html)

Greens: Kale Salad – Eat a little salad…it’s good for you!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch kale, stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• Kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons honey

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)

• Small handful toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

DIRECTIONS:

In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/massaged-kale-salad-recipe/index.html

Carbs: Baked Ziti with Turkey Meatballs (because a whole turkey can be SO high maintenance).

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 3/4 cup grated Romano

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound ground turkey

• All-purpose flour, for dredging

• 1 pound ziti

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 5 cups tomato sauce

• 3 cups whole milk ricotta

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. Don’t rinse the pasta. Combine bread crumbs, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of the Romano and the parsley, in a large bowl and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Add turkey and gently combine.  Mold into bite-size meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour to coat, and shake off excess.In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and brown. Then flip meatballs and brown other side. Continue to cook until all sides are golden brown. Remove meatballs to a plate.Combine the tomato sauce and ricotta in a large bowl and mix. Add the ziti and meatballs and toss.Pour in pasta mixture into a large greased baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella, Parmesan, and remaining Romano all over the top. Add little chunks of butter over the top. Bake until top is golden brown approx. 30 to 40 minutes.

(Recipe courtesy of Giada De laurentiis (but we use turkey meatballs instead of beef)  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-ziti-with-meatballs-recipe/index.html

Meat:  Roast Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

• 3 ribs celery, peeled and cut into thirds

• 3 onions, peeled and cut into quarters

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, rinsed and patted dry

• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons cracked white pepper

• 1 lemon, halved

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 4 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped, plus 1 tablespoon for gravy

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic

• 1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.In a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan, add the carrots, celery and onions. Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and white pepper. Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken and place the rinds inside the cavity. Place the bay leaves inside the cavity. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil and butter. Rub the chicken both inside and out with the garlic rosemary blend and place in the roasting pan.Place the pan in the oven and roast the chicken for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear. To test this, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of a leg. It should register at 160 degrees internal temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.Pour off excess fat from pan and return to heat. Whisk in chicken stock, roasted garlic, white wine and chopped rosemary, scraping up the bits on the bottom of pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce gravy by half, until thickened.Serve chicken with gravy on the side.

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html

Side: Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 to 12-ounces all-purpose potatoes, per person

• Approximately 1/3 cup warm milk or cream

• Approximately 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, preferably white

• Freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Boil the halved or chunked (but unpeeled) potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted water. When they are soft enough to mash, drain them thoroughly then push the potato pieces through a ricer.

With a wooden spoon, beat in the warm milk or cream and butter and season with salt, pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg, to taste. Eat alone and straight from the bowl for quintessential comfort food

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/mashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html

Dessert: Candy Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Chocolate Frosting, recipe follows

• Whipped cream, for topping, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan.Bake for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Spread chocolate frosting over hot cake. Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 tablespoons buttermilk

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 3 (2.07-ounce) candy bars cut into 1/2-inch pieces (recommended: Snickers)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add cocoa, buttermilk and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Stir in candy bars and allow to melt. Stir in remaining confectioners’ sugar and immediately spread over hot cake.

Recipe Courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/candy-snack-cake-recipe/index.html

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! and HAPPY EATING!