Christmas Morning Mimosas
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Cozy around the fireplace with Christmas Morning Mimosas! A cranberry and pomegranate cocktail spiked with grand marnier, cinnamon simple syrup topped off with Prosecco and served in sugar-rimmed champagne glasses. Yields about 8 drinks.
- clementines (a wedge plus peeled slices)
- cranberries (garnish)
- pomegranate arils (garnish)
- 2 cups cranberry juice (chilled)
- 2 cups pomegranate juice (chilled)
- 1½ ounces Grand Marnier
- 1/4 cup cinnamon simple syrup
- 1 (750 mL) bottle Prosecco (chilled)
- rosemary springs (for garnish)
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French Onion Pot Roast
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Turn up the cozy with this French Onion Pot Roast! Tender slow-cooked beef chuck roast and caramelized onions in a thyme and wine infused gravy. Before serving, shred or slice the roast and add back into the thick gravy, top with sliced baguette and gruyere cheese and slip under the broiler until melty and golden.
- 3½ to 4 pound beef chuck roast (set out 30 minutes prior to searing)
- kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large yellow onions (halved and thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine ( like merlot, malbec or pinot noir)
- 2 tablespoons (heaping) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 French baguette (sliced)
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese (freshly shredded)
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Gingered Pear Brown Butter Upside Down Cake
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Sliced juicy pears are sprinkled with crystallized ginger, topped with a bourbon brown butter glaze and then bake under a brown butter and vanilla buttermilk cake. Recipe yields 8 to 12 servings depending.
- nonstick baking spray with flour
- 2 semi-firm Bosc pears (peeled, cored and cut into eighths)
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/2 cup browned butter (divided)
- 2 tablespoon bourbon (or water)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting pan)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 bean scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
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Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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Cheesy, garlicky and crazy smooth mashed potatoes.
- 3½ pounds yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 cups half & half (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic (pressed through a garlic press)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper
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Lobster Mashed Potatoes
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Lobster Mashed Potatoes are velvety smooth with lumps of lobster, drizzled with melted butter and topped with fresh snipped chives. Simple enough to serve on a weekday, classy enough for filet or prime rib.
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (scrubbed well)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1¼ cup half & half
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 8 ounces diced cooked lobster
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- fresh snipped chives
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Buttermilk Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
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Lighten up your mashed potatoes by adding cauliflower! In this Buttermilk Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes recipe, tender cooked cauliflower is blended and mixed into mashed potatoes for a less starchy side dish.
- 2 pounds potatoes (yukon gold or russet, about 4 medium)
- 1 pound cauliflower (florets)
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup butter (plus more for serving if desired)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt (to taste)
- black pepper (or white pepper, to taste)
- chives (snipped, for serving (optional))
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Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)
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Colcannon is an Irish potato dish of mashed potatoes and kale. In my recipe, I mix in roasted leeks and garlic, sautéed kale and bacon for the ultimate St. Patrick's Day side.
- 3 pounds potatoes (redskin, russet or Yukon gold, peeled)
- 2 leeks (white and light green parts)
- 1 whole garlic bulb (top 1/3 removed)
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 strips applewood bacon (thick cut)
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat (reserved from cooking)
- 3 cups kale (chopped, rinsed and spun dry)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- chives (snipped, for serving)
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are simple yet packed with lots of flavor. Roasted garlic cloves are mashed with tender redskin potatoes, butter and half & half for an incredible side to just about anything.
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- kosher salt
- 2 pounds redskin potatoes (wash, pat dry and quarter)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup half & half
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- freshly ground black
- melted butter (for serving (optional))
- chives (for serving (optional))
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Persimmon and Pomegranate Arugula Salad
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Persimmon and Pomegranate Arugula Salad is as delicious as it is colorful. A simple, flavor-packed salad consisting of peppery arugula, sweet juicy persimmon, crispy fried shallots, dried cranberries, chopped pistachios, tart pomegranate arils and funky blue cheese. Lastly, this stunning salad is drizzled with a quick and easy vinaigrette.
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small lemon (juiced)
- 2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syruup (more or less to personal taste)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot (sliced)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 2 small persimmons (firm but soft) (sliced or diced)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
- 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (or goat cheese)
- 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
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Eggnog Cheesecake
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Eggnog Cheesecake is the perfect holiday dessert! A nutmeg spiced vanilla wafer cookie crust with a rich and decadent eggnog cheesecake filling is topped with eggnog whipped cream and dusted with fresh nutmeg. Serves 12 to 16 people.
- 2½ cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs ((about 10 ounces of cookies))
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 32 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (full fat) eggnog (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup spiced rum (brandy or bourbon)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup flour (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
- 1/4 cup (full fat) eggnog (cold)
- 1 splash pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1/3 cup marshmallow creme
- grated fresh nutmeg (for sprinkling)
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