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Thursday, November 17,
2011
YH-R
Holiday Gift Guide
yakimaherald.com
celebrationsGuide to holiday entertaining 2011
Party Outside (and Inside) the Box
Hostess With the Mostest
Pour Some Sugar Fuss-free Homemade Ice Cream
Take a Crack At Artisanal CrackersWhy We Love Casseroles
From twists on the classics to boxed dinners to food on sticks, make this year’s holiday feast a meal to remember
Skip the stress with easy entertaining tips from expert,
Karen Bussen
Personalized soda bars add fizz and flavor for all ages
November 17, 2011 • Yakimaherald.coma Special iNtereSt publicatioN of the Yakima herald-republic
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
YH-R
Holiday Gift Guide
yakimaherald.com
Cool Dish, No iCe Cream maker requireD How to make peppermint ice cream using only three ingredients and zero machinery ..……......4
stiCky oN the iNsiDe Stuffing the bird with sticky rice, a tradition-al Asian dish, offers tradi-tion — and a gluten-free alternative — to bread-based stuffing ....……..... 5
you Put the Pie Where? Remember the turducken? Piecakes are the next big thing — literally — in holiday mega foods ...……….…………….. 6
sPreaD it thiN Give the party cheese the plat-form it truly deserves: a homemade cracker ........ 7
Get oN a Casserole Turn this holiday mainstay up a notch with these innovative ideas ........……............... 8
stiCk ‘em uP Sweet and savory ideas to turn finger food into a stick-y party success…………..….... 10
oNe Gourmet meal, all the FixiN’s, straiGht From the Box Buying dinner in a box from the local supermarket could save money, deliver great taste and lessen the cooking load ..………... 14
esPresso yourselF, Cookie styleDon’t let kids have all the sweet fun. Two classic Italian holiday flavors transform the after-dinner treat into a grown-up classic .............16
soDa time! Add a bit of fizz to your holiday party with a homemade soda bar ....................... 18
ask the exPertKaren Bussen, entertaining expert and author of ‘Simply Stunning Parties at Home’ offers tips to be the “hostess with the mostest” under any circumstances …........... 20
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Come see why we’re definitely NOTa typical furniture store and definitely
NOT typical furniture.
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$84995
$104995
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$104995
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
YH-R
Holiday Gift Guide
yakimaherald.com
KawasaKi Cares: Warning: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never carry a passenger. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Never ride on public roads or pavement. Avoid excessive speeds and stunt driving. Be extra careful on difficult terrain. Kawasaki ATVs with engines over 90cc are recommended for use only by persons 16 years of age or older. Kawasaki also recommends that all ATV riders take a training course. For more information, see your dealer, call the ATV Safety Institue at 1-800-887-2887, or go to www.atvsafety.org. ©2011 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
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Holiday Gift Guide
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Cool Dish, No Ice Cream Maker RequiredHow to make peppermint ice cream using only 3 ingredients — and no machinery Matthew M. F. MIlleR/Ctw FeatuRes
easy PePPeRMINt ICe CReaMRecipe created by Matthew M. F. Miller Serves 12
1. Unwrap candy canes and place in a freezer bag. Seal bag and use a rolling pin to beat candy canes into tiny pieces. Pour candy cane bits into the bottom of an eight-quart freezer-safe container. 2. Pour whipping cream and half and half on top of candy cane bits. Stir until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, stir-ring occasionally.3. Remove from fridge and stir until blended. Pour mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip until soft peaks begin to form.4. Place cream back into freezer safe container and freeze until setup, about 8 to 12 hours.
28 candy canes
2 cups half-and-half
4 cups heavy whipping cream
Growing up in the Midwest, there wasn’t a holiday that didn’t get a little merrier courtesy of a scoop of home-made ice cream. Aside from the Cool Whip-topped pumpkin variety, there wasn’t a pie baked in the twelve-month cycle that didn’t receive the hand-cranked a la mode treatment.
Christmas was no exception. Sure, 12 inches of snow blanketing the Iowa cornfields was enough to freeze your outsides, but has your tongue ever really been too cold for ice cream? Really? On top of pecan pie? Nonsense.
Now that I have my own chil-dren, I try not to make ice cream the
household staple it was in my youth. Since it’s not a regular occurrence (I prefer to see my feet when I look down) there’s really no way to justify buying and storing an ice cream maker to produce two to three batches a year. At least that’s what my wife tells me.
Thus came my inspiration for Easy Peppermint Ice Cream, a three-ingredient recipe for the creamiest, fluffiest, richest and — frankly — cheapest ice cream around. If pep-permint isn’t your flavor, feel free to use any hard sugar candy in its place.
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
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Holiday Gift Guide
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Sticky On the InsideStuffing the bird with sticky rice, a traditional Asian dish, is a gluten-free alternative to bread-based stuffing | by BettIna Chang/CtW FeatUReS
Sticky rice. Hot pot. Long-life noodles. They might not sound like holiday dishes, but these are the types of entrees that graced my family’s holiday
table when I grew up, both out of necessity and as a tribute to my par-ents’ home country.
Our problem was that of many immigrant families — while we want to celebrate this ultimate American holiday as Americans do, we have our own traditions and (especially before the Internet and Food Network) didn’t know how to make the American foods we saw in the movies. That’s why my family settled on sticky rice instead of stuffing — that glob of cubed bread that my mom couldn’t figure out how to make, nor find appetizing.
Years later, I ask my mom to explain the tradition behind sticky rice. In Taiwan, she says, it is customary for a family to give sticky rice with a hard-boiled egg that is dyed red (for good
luck) as an announcement of a new child’s 1-month birthday. When the receiving family finishes the food, they return the plate filled with uncooked rice as a symbol of plenty.
Nowadays, sticky rice is considered a comfort food that is often served at celebrations and family gatherings. Caroline Tsao, owner of 527 Café, a Taiwanese restaurant in Evanston, Ill., says that the dish is a symbol of togeth-erness. “The rice itself is sticky, and there are many ingredients that all combine together for a flavor that everyone loves,” she says. “It means that everyone can stay together and enjoy each other’s company.”
The Taiwanese dish is unique from Chinese iterations because of the use of fried shallots, Tsao says. The rest of the ingredients, which typically include dried shrimp, shiitake mush-rooms and pork, can vary based on taste and preference.
Jen Che, the Boston-based author of the award-winning food blog Tiny Urban Kitchen, says that the recipe is
particularly forgiving and open to experimentation. “There’s a lot of room for mistakes and flexibility,” she says. “The sticky rice itself, the texture is so good. You can add more soy sauce or pork, or Chinese sausage if you want.”
Although the traditional recipe may call for ingredients that are only avail-able at Asian grocery stores, substitu-tions are easy to make. Che recom-mends shortcuts for people afraid of the multi-step process. “The easiest way is to just make the sticky rice sep-arately [in a rice cooker], then sauté the other ingredients and mix it all together,” she says.
As with all types of comfort food, the best recipe is always the one you’re used to. “I’m sure hers tastes great!” Che says to me as we compare recipes. My mom maximizes the shallots and dried shrimp so she can cut down on salt and soy sauce. Her mom goes for the low-fat option, using less oil and cutting off the fatty parts of the pork. “At the end of the day, we like our moms’ food the best,” Che says.
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
YH-R
Holiday Gift Guide
yakimaherald.com
You Put the Pie Where?
Remember the turducken? Piecakes are the next big thing — literally — in holiday mega foods | by Daniela Garcia/cTW
photos courtesy of Three BroTher’s BakerY
After one Thanksgiving jam-packed with desserts, Charles Phoenix took it upon himself to create what has since been dubbed the turducken of holiday desserts.
“A year and a half ago, I was look-ing at the pile of trash filled with all these baked goods and thought, ‘we need to be more green, we’re wasting too many plates’,” says Phoenix, an author and pop-culture humorist with a taste for all things Americana. “So I ended up baking our pies into the cakes and so that was how the cherpumpple was born.”
What exactly is the cherpumpple, you ask? It’s Phoenix’s three-layer piecake, which is made of an apple pie baked into a spice cake, a pump-kin pie in a yellow cake and a cherry pie in a white cake and covered in whipped cream frosting.
The super-dessert is as gigantic as it sounds, and at his family’s next Thanksgiving dinner, Phoenix present-ed it to his family. Their reaction? “They loved it, of course,” he says. “At first, they were a little horrified, but they realized it was delicious, and then it was completely gone.”
Since then, Phoenix’s triple-layer
phenomenon has caught on, with fans sending in photos and videos of their own attempts at baking the cherpumpple. “The craziest one was a couple of pastry chefs who made versions that were absolutely beauti-ful, like picture perfect,” Phoenix says. “My version is a little drunk, a little ‘I Love Lucy’-style.”
One professional bakery that’s also picked up on the piecake trend is Three Brothers Bakery in Houston. Janice Jucker, co-owner of the bakery with husband and fifth-generation baker Bobby Jucker, explains that they were approached by Greg Morago, an editor at the Houston Chronicle, to create Phoenix’s dessert with a slight modification.
“We were named best mail-order pecan pie before Thanksgiving last year by Country Living [magazine],” Jucker explains. “Greg had heard about the cherpumpple and thought that pumpkin, apple and pecan would be the best combination instead and came to us. Things just kind of spiraled from there.”
While Bobby sat down and worked out the baking logistics, Janice helped smooth out a new name for their piecake: the pumpecapple. Coming in at a foot tall and weighing anywhere upward of 25 pounds, the first version was cut into large slices with the use of a machete. The Juckers also used a cream cheese frosting, drizzled the piecake in caramel and trimmed it with pecans. The article about the cre-ation of the pumpecapple ran a few
days before Thanksgiving last year.“It was really just a joke to us,”
Jucker explains. “But we sold 15 in a day, and it was the day before Thanksgiving.”
A few months later, Three Brothers Bakery were featured on The Food Network’s Outrageous Food and have since added the pumpecap-ple to their list of regular baked goods. The Juckers are anticipating quite a few orders for the holidays. “For now, we’re trying to figure out how to ship them out,” Jucker says. “People from all over try to order it.”
For those brave enough to try and make their own piecake at home, Phoenix suggests baking the pies in advance and letting them cool over-night. The tip also applies once the pies have been baked into the cakes. Also, Phoenix encourages bakers to use extra frosting, to help keep the layers from collapsing.
“It’s a spectacle, a conversation piece,” Phoenix explains. “When you serve this, be prepared for some peo-ple to turn up their noses. But trust me, they’ll come to their senses with-in minutes and beg for a piece.”
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Spread It ThinGive the party cheese the platform it truly deserves — a homemade cracker. They’re easy to make, taste great and there’s no frustrating packaging to try to openby Bev BenneTT/CTW FeaTureS
PISTaChIo and SeSame CraCkerS
1. In an electric-mixer bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, salt, chile powder, cumin and paprika. Add oil and water and beat at medium speed for 30 seconds or until a soft dough comes together. Beat in sesame seeds and pistachio nuts. Remove dough from mixer and separate into four balls; let rest 30 minutes.
2. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out one dough portion at a time to a large sheet less than 1/8-inch thick. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Cut into 16 to 18 crackers or shapes you prefer. Gently lift onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 11 to 15 minutes. Start checking after 11 minutes; crackers should be golden brown on the edges and lightly browned in the center. Remove. Cool on wire rack. Makes about six dozen crackers. Note: Black sesame seeds are available in Asian sections of supermarkets.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for roll-ing dough
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour3 tablespoons sugar¾ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder½ teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/3 cup olive oil (regular — not extra-virgin)1 cup warm water1/4 cup black sesame seeds (see note)1 cup chopped, roasted, salted pistachio nuts
(about 1 1/3 cups whole)Coarse sea saltBrie, red grapes and/or other fruit.
If you still reach for a box of buttery-tasting crackers for the party cheese to rest on, you can find more appealing alternatives. Thanks to the cracker revival, you’re in for exciting new taste and texture sensations.
“It keeps getting more interesting. I see more shapes and more flavors [of crackers],” says Kara Nielsen, trendolo-gist at the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco.
This generation of rustic crackers features aromatic herbs, whole grains, crunchy nuts and seeds, and olive oil.
The ingredients speak to the fresh and healthy way you want to eat, according to Gail Cunningham, corpo-rate executive chef at The Food Channel, a food marketing and trend company based in Springfield, Mo.
You can buy these rough-hewn crackers in the best gourmet stores —
or you can let loose your creativity and make your own for a holiday gathering. Get ready for compliments and maybe some leftover cheese as guests clamor for unadorned crackers.
Here are some tips for starting:
• ExpErimEnt With IngredIenTS Replace pistachio nuts with pumpkin seeds, or use dried rosemary instead of cumin.
• proportion aPProPrIaTely Baking times depend on the thickness of the dough, not the surface area of the cracker. Cut the cracker dough into small squares for use with cheese or into large thin sheets for prosciutto.
• Do a trial run Bake a small batch as directed, and cool. If the cracker bends instead of snapping in half, roll the next batch thinner.
• usE tWo Baking shEEts Arrange dough on one sheet while the other is in the oven.
• prEp in aDvancE Make the crackers a day or two in advance if you prefer, but store in an airtight container to remain crisp.
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Thursday, November 17,
2011
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Holiday Gift Guide
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Get On A CasseroleWhether hosting or attending, the casserole is a holiday mainstay. Turn the traditional up a notch with these innovative ideas | by Lindsey ROmAin/Ctw feAtuRes
Casseroles are an omnipresent holi-day staple, be it grandma’s chicken-stuffed cheese concoction or a fried-onion encrusted green bean favorite. But getting comfortable with a casse-role recipe can make it a forgettable presence on a holiday dinner table.
“The best thing about casseroles is that you can be really creative,” says Stephanie Ashcraft, co-author of 200 Casseroles (Gibbs Smith, 2011).
Here are some ways to concoct an attention-grabbing piece that guests can really sink their teeth into.
BReAkfAst with A twis Breakfast casseroles typically are egg and cheese-filled, but Ashcraft sug-
gests trying other varieties to start a holiday party day right.
“I love starting the day with a blueberry French toast casserole and a sausage-hash brown breakfast bake,” she says.
Including spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice is a way to sweeten up a breakfast casserole, according to Jennifer Bardell, who runs the cooking blog The Misadventures of Mrs. B.
A seAsOnAL punCh Adding bursts of fresh seasonal ingredients are a sure way to give any casserole a flavor and texture boost.
“Try dried cranberries, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, even leftover turkey,”
says Maryana Vollstedt, author of The Big Book of Casseroles: 250 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food (Chronicle Books, 1999).
Ashcraft agrees. “Turkey and cran-berries are my favorite holiday ingre-dients,” she says, also suggesting pecans as a way to add a surprising crunch to every bite.
Bardall uses squash, corn and green beans to thicken her recipes, and suggests frozen vegetables if your favorites are out of season.
“Stuffing can also be baked into a casserole,” she says, noting it’s safer to prepare stuffing outside of the bird to prevent contamination.
heALthy BAkes For family members and other guests focused on health and weight maintenance this year, crafting a casserole that is both satisfying and health conscious can be achieved by keeping a watchful eye on ingredients.
“Remember that you can always substitute low-sodium and low-fat products in the recipes,” says Ashcraft, who suggests plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
Vollstedt adds that managing and adjusting the amount of an ingredi-ent can save room.
“Go easy on rich sauces,” she says, adding that sticking to local, fresh produce is another way to reduce additives and sodium intake.
For a traditional green bean casse-role done healthy, Bardall suggests sautéing mushrooms instead of using canned soup, and toasting onions instead of using the fried pre-pack-aged strips.
If a rich, decadent casserole is on your mind, try prepping two sepa-rate versions.
mindfuL tRAnspORtAtiOn One thing that might get overlooked with casseroles is the transport. Unless prepared at home, moving a casserole from place to place can be a messy endeavor, which can take away from the flavor and texture. Improper reheats can also ruin the dish.
“I bake my casseroles in a Pampered Chef stone pan, cover it with aluminum foil and place it in an insulated rectangular food carrier designed to carry a 9-by-13-inch stone pan,” says Ashcraft. “The stone pan retains heat longer than normal pans while the carrier holds the heat inside the bag, insuring hot food upon arrival.”
Vollstedt suggests wrapping pans in towels or newspaper for a less expensive means of insulation.
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BlueBerry French ToasT casseroleServes 6
1. Place half the bread cubes in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Layer cream cheese cubes evenly over bread. Sprinkle blueberries over top. Cover with the remaining bread cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and syrup. 2. Drizzle the egg mixture evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or over-night; remove 30 minutes prior to baking. 3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Let casserole come to room temperature, then cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until center is firm and top is golden brown. Lightly dust casserole with the powdered sugar. Serve with blueberry or maple syrup.
sausage-hash Brown BreakFasT BakeServes 6 to 8
1. Spread the hash browns into the bottom of a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle cooked sausage and cheese over top. 2. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over sausage and hash browns. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before baking. 3. Preheat oven to 350 F. 4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, or until center is set. grandma’s yummy mashed PoTaTo BakeServes 6 to 8
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Peel and shred the potatoes. Boil shredded potatoes in water for 10 minutes and drain. Stir into the potatoes the cheese, butter, soup, onion, pimientos and sour cream. 3. Spread the potato mixture into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle the corn flakes or chips over top and bake 5 minutes more. sweeT PoTaTo casseroleServes 6 to 8
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. Place the potatoes on a lightly greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender; let cool to touch and then peel and mash the potatoes. With an electric mixer, beat the mashed potatoes, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt at medium speed until smooth. Spoon the mix-ture into a greased 11-by-7-inch baking dish. 3. In a small bowl, combine the corn-flakes, pecans, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle the mixture diagonally over the casserole in rows 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marsmallows; bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
1 (20-ounce) loaf bread, cubed1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese,
cubed1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries12 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk1 teaspoon vanilla1 1⁄3 cups maple syrup Powdered sugarMaple or blueberry syrup
3 1⁄2 cups frozen shredded hash browns 1 pound sausage, browned and drained1 cup grated cheddar cheese6 eggs, beaten
3⁄4 cup milk 1 teaspoon dry mustard1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1-1⁄2 teaspoons black pepper
8 medium russet potatoes1 cup grated cheddar cheese1⁄4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, condensed
1⁄2 cup chopped onion 1 small jar diced pimientos, optional1 (16-ounce) container sour cream3⁄4 cup crushed corn flakes or potato chips
4 1⁄2 pounds sweet potatoes 1 cup sugar1⁄4 cup milk 1⁄2 cup butter, softened 2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1 1⁄4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed 1⁄4 cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon brown sugar1 tablespoon butter, melted1⁄2 cup miniature marshmallows
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Stick ’Em UpSweet and savory ideas to turn the almost finger food into a stick-y party success MatthEw M. F. MillEr/Ctw photos by Matt armendariz/Quirk Books
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Ice cream SandwIcheS4 Pop sticks
1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper 2. Make the cook-ies: Combine sugars, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat eggs until light and fluffy; add butter and vanilla and continue beating until combined. A little at a time, add dry mixture to egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until ingredients are fully incorporated. 3. Drop dough by heaping spoonful (about 2 ½ tablespoons each) onto prepared baking sheet and bake 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. 4. Top the underside of 1 cookie with 1 cup of ice cream and press a second cookie on top. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream. Tightly wrap each ice cream sandwich individually in plastic wrap and freeze at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
Once reserved for state fairs and carnivals, the food-on-a-stick concept has made its way into the upper eche-lons of chic eats. Even coffee giant Starbucks has gotten into the game with its popular “cake pops” — frosted cake bites on a stick.
Matt Armendariz, author of On a Stick (Quirk Books, 2011) says food on a stick is more popular than ever because in this economic climate, people are yearning for simpler, fun times.
“We’ve always had food-on-a-stick around, but I think there’s a desire to return to nostalgic flavors and ideas,” Armendariz says. “Plus they’re just so much darned fun!”
As the concept has become more popular, the trend toward using non-tra-ditional fare as on-a-stick treats has taken off. If you’re not opting for corn dogs and lollipops, Armendariz says to keep in mind that you’ll need to apply a little bit of cooking knowledge, engi-
neering and science to your kitchen mix to make it successful.
“Think of different portions, ways of making them bite-sized and, most importantly, the right type of stick to make them stay put,” he says.
Experiment with the stick itself. Sprigs of thyme and candy canes can be flavorful alternatives to popsicle sticks, skewers and traditional pop sticks.
Armendariz’s go-to treat for the holi-days is ice cream sandwiches.
“For the holidays, I love making ice cream sandwiches on a stick because I can take advantage of holiday cookies — provided they’re firm enough to use — as well as things like peppermint ice cream. You could also adapt the sum-mery strawberry shortcake on a stick to be more holiday-esque.”
Armendariz shares his recipe for holiday ice cream sandwiches on a stick.
Cookies:1 cup light brown sugar3/4 cup sugar2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup chocolate chips4 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly soft-
ened
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One Gourmet Meal, All the Fixin’s, Straight From the BoxA stress-free holiday meal? Can it be true? Buying dinner in a box from the local super-market could save money, deliver great taste and lessen the cooking load. Here’s how to ‘prepare’ the meal of their dreams | by Bev Bennett/CtW FeAtureS
MAke WAy FOr turkeyThe day before your festive meal your refrigerator is about to get very full. Make sure you have room for the food.
If the dishes you bring home are still hot from the supermarket, divide the items into smaller amounts and pack in separate covered containers for faster chilling in the refrigerator. If the food was cooked and chilled at the store, place it in covered containers and refrigerate.
Your supermarket may offer the option of a cooked, stuffed turkey. If that’s your choice you should buy it hot to eat immediately, according to the food safety experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Otherwise, purchase a cooked, unstuffed bird to reduce the risk food-borne illness.
To reheat a turkey, preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the bird in a shallow roasting pan. Add a small amount of chicken broth to keep the meat moist and lightly cover the bird with heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent it from drying.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, not touching bone. When heated through the bird’s inter-nal temperature should reach 165 F.
To reheat a spiral-sliced baked ham, preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the meat in a shallow roasting pan, cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil and heat for about 10 minutes per pound of ham. A meat thermom-eter should read 165 F.
Heat vegetables and stuffing in covered containers
either in a microwave or a conventional oven, using appropriate cookware. Soup and gravy can be heated in a microwave oven or on top of the stove over low heat.
reSOurCeS:For more information on heating and storing
cooked turkey and stuffing and ham, visit the following web sites:
www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/lets_talk_turkey/index.asp
www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Stuffing_and_Food_Safety/index.asp
www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/ham/index.asp
Image courtesy National Turkey Federation
As you plan your holiday gathering with family and friends, you’re recall-ing the wonderful experiences of pre-vious years. But cooking the festive meal, which some consider the high-light of the celebration, may not be your fondest memory. Maybe spend-ing a day in the kitchen is as stressful for you as a root canal.
There is an alternative, and it’s not making a dinner reservation for 24. Instead, you can order a precooked dinner from your local supermarket.
Imagine a roast turkey or baked ham. Mashed potatoes with gravy. Stuffing. Cranberry sauce. Sweet pota-toes. Rolls. Dessert. All you have to do warm the courses before serving.
You’ll have a traditional menu on the table in a fraction of the time it takes to make it from scratch. However, you may feel a twinge of guilt — aren’t you supposed to work your culinary magic?
Maybe you’re like Missy Chase Lapine, who’s not comfortable unless she puts her own stamp on dinner.
That’s why “it’s fantastic to add your personal touch,” says Lapine, author of The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for
Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals (Running Press, 2007).
Decide what you want to leave to the supermarket’s culinary team and what you’d prefer to either prepare or embellish.
For example, maybe you’d like to free yourself from baby-sitting a tur-key for 6 hours. Many cooks consid-er the main protein intimidating and time-consuming, says Lapine. Let a supermarket assume the turkey-roast-ing task while you exercise your ingenuity with the side dishes.
“For some people it’s all about the bird. I think people need to be mind-ful of the things that come along the sides of the plate,” says Julie Jones, Ph.D., professor emeritus of foods and nutrition at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn.
If you’re only seeing white — stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls — ask for colorful enhancements or add your own.
Add the supermarket’s green beans, cranberry sauce, sweet pota-toes and carrots to the order. Switch from white to whole-wheat rolls if you have the choice.
Always add your own fresh salad. It’s easy to do and will be a welcome addition for those who don’t want to fill up on starches.
“Buy a bag salad; add feta cheese, spinach and walnuts for crunch,” says Dee Sandquist, a registered dietitian spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Pick up raw prepared vegetables in bags; add a
yogurt dip and you’re adding nutri-tional value to the meal, she adds.
Although packaged meals usually include a dessert classic, such as pumpkin pie or fruit cobbler, your guests will appreciate a fresh and light alternative. Offer sliced pears, drizzled with honey and walnuts, or vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt with thawed frozen blueberries.
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Turkey, WiTh a TWisTIf the meal-in-a-box approach is too outside-the-box for the holiday main course, perhaps a new-look turkey is in order. Preparing a fancy turkey and buying pre-made side dishes will still save time, but also keep it very personal. Try this recipe for Orange and Maple Roasted Turkey, from the National Turkey Federation, which adds the traditional citrus and maple flavors of win-ter to the bird. —Matthew M. F. Miller
Orange and Maple rOasTed TurkeyRecipe Created By: Marc Van Steyn, executive chef, Rigsby’s Cuisine Volatile, Columbus, Ohio
1. Combine all ingredients, except turkey, in large pot and simmer over low heat for 1-½ hours. 2. Chill brine in ice bath until cold. 3. Place whole turkey into foodservice-safe grade container. 4. Pour chilled brine over top to submerge. Close bag and cover. 5. Marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator. 6. Remove turkey from brine, drain excess liquid.
1. Place herbs and vegetables in body cavity and secure.
1. Combine butter, orange juice, salt, pepper, maple syrup, rosemary, thyme and garlic in a large bowl.
2. With fingers, slowly massage the compound butter into the skin of the turkey until well absorbed.
3. Fold wings under the back of the turkey and return legs to the tucked position. Turkey may be cooked in a 325 F oven or on a rotisserie.
4. If roasting in a thermal oven, cook on a rack for approximately 3 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 170 F in the breast and 180 F in the thigh.
5. If cooking by the rotisserie method, thread turkey evenly on the rotisserie-spit fork using a counterweight to achieve an even balance. Place a drip pan in the center of the grill beneath the area where the turkey juices will drip. Cook the turkey over indirect medium heat in a covered rotisserie.
6. If cooking with charcoal, replenish briquettes with about 15 briquettes every hour, as needed, to maintain medium heat. Cook until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 170 F in the breast and 180 F in the thigh (about 3 hours).
7. Allow turkey to rest for about 15 minutes. Remove vegetables and herbs from the cavity prior to carving. Place slices on a platter and garnish with oranges.
Brine 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup salt 10 black peppercorns, whole
1 medium orange, peeled and juiced 1 gallon cold water 1 12-pound whole turkey, fresh or
thawed
Turkey prep 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 celery ribs, peeled, cut into 2-inch
pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium white onions, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
Cooking procedure 1 pound unsalted butter, softened 2 medium oranges, juiced 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
dressing up The MenuThink of a supermarket’s holiday meal as the plain white T-shirt. It covers the essentials, but with
some adornment, it can be a knockout. Accessories include nuts, herbs, olive oil, cheese, wine and/or spirits, honey and fruit. Start with appetizers, the course that sets the tone.Your simple but elegant open-ing gambit is fresh figs, stuffed with a little cheese, maybe Gorgonzola or Camembert, and wrapped in sliced prosciutto. You can heat it just until the cheese melts, says Julie Jones, Ph.D., who works with the California Fig Advisory Board.
Dinner rolls don’t have to be an afterthought, not if you follow a tip from Missy Chase Lapine, author of the upcoming book, The Speedy Sneaky Chef. “I always warm them, no matter what. It makes them taste better,” says Lapine. She recommends heating rolls in a conventional oven, not a microwave. For another layer of flavor, brush the rolls with olive oil, sprinkle with a little coarse salt and chopped rose-mary, before putting them in the oven. “It gives [the roll] a wonderful homemade taste,” adds Lapine.
Switch to an elegant fig and Port reduction in place of the gravy, suggests Jones. If you prefer an easy approach using the gravy that comes with the prepared meal, you can enliven the flavor. Pour the gravy into a small saucepan. Add a generous pinch of minced fresh sage and a splash of dry vermouth. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until your company crowds the kitchen. We all know nuts are delicious, but they’re even better after toasting. “If you’re serving nuts of any kind, toast them in a dry skillet for two to three minutes, adding a little rosemary,” says Lapine, who recommends herb-toasted nuts as an appetizer.
Although you may not expect guests to clamor for vegetables, you can change that. Stir minced chives into the mashed potatoes; drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over baked squash, sprinkle toasted nuts on green beans or broccoli and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on baked potato wedges.
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Dark ChoColate BisCottiAdapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)
Center a rack in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Line a bak-ing sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Working with a stand mixer, pref-erably fitted with a paddle attach-ment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 min-utes; don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped espresso beans, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that may have escaped mixing.
Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12-inch-long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are 1/2 to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.
Bake the logs for about 25 min-utes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack – and that’s fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cool-ing rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)
espresso Yourself, Cookie styleDon’t let kids have all the sweet fun. Two classic Italian holiday flavors – lemon and espresso – transform the after-dinner treat into a grown-up classic | text and photos by Beth kujawski/Ctw Features
Every family has holiday favorites, sweets spelled out on well-worn recipe cards passed down from one generation to the next. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to try something new, to find a new family favorite to share. After all, traditions have to start somewhere. For a bit of departure from the usual spate of kid-friendly favorites, these recipes reinterpret the classic pairing of espresso and lemon into treats sure to please the grown ups. In each recipe, granulated sugar adds a fin-ishing touch of sweetness and holiday sparkle.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar2 large eggs, lightly
beaten1 teaspoon pure
vanilla extract1/2 cup chopped
dark chocolate-covered espresso beans
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2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick/4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup semolina1 cup granulated
sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg1 large egg yolkFreshly grated zest
and squeezed juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons limoncello
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Beth Kujawski is the creator of
The Cookie Queen’s
English blog.
Work with one log at a time. Using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet and bake the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.
Transfer biscotti to a rack to cool.Yield: About 40 cookies
LEmony SEmoLina CooKiESAdapted from Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., 2007)
In a medium bowl, whisk togeth-er the all-purpose flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and set aside.
Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, olive oil and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until very light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and
egg yolk, followed by the lemon zest and juice, limoncello and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. On low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a soft dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic and chill until it is firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
Place the additional granulated sugar in a small bowl. With lightly floured fingers, break off teaspoon-fuls of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar to coat evenly. Place the cookies on the baking sheets, evenly spacing them 1 inch apart.
Bake the cookies until they have collapsed and are crinkled and pale golden brown, 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees half-way through the baking to ensure even browning. Allow the cookies to cool for 1 or 2 minutes on the bak-ing sheets, then use a spatula to transfer them gently onto wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container, lay-ered with parchment paper, in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days. Yield: About 5 dozen
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Socializing is one of the joys of the holiday party, but to one likes to leave the conversation to fetch another drink from the kitchen. So bring the conversation to the drinks by setting up a homemade soda bar. It livens up the party and gives guests an opportunity to create their own fresh-flavored drinks.
“You can go as high-tech or as low-tech as you want,” says Jeremy Butler, the self-professed Homemade Soda Expert who writes a blog of the same name. “It all depends on how you’re making and carbonating your soda, the amount of space you have and how much money you want to put into it.”
More expensive routes involve con-verting chest freezers into chilled keg draft systems or bottling homemade club sodas, but for an easy party set-up, all that’s needed is a carbonated water source and pre-made syrups for guests to mix and experiment as they please.
The volume of flavors depends on the party, but Butler advises stocking up and being prepared.
“I always go through more than I think I will,” he says, “so be sure to have extra syrup and carbonated water on hand.”
Butler also says to allow plenty of space and to keep a checklist of other necessary items: syrups in easy-to-use dispensing bottles, clean glass-es, adequate amounts of carbonated water and lots of ice. Keep cleaning materials nearby, because syrups can create a sticky mess.
Purchasing premade syrups from the store may be easiest, but be warned: additives and artificial sweetening can muddle the ingredi-ents list. Try making a simple syrup by boiling equal parts sugar and water. Or try other natural flavoring products, like agave syrup or honey.
“Start with flavors that are nostal-gic but basic,” says Butler. “If you can tap into what the main flavor components are in traditional holi-day foods, you can probably adapt them into a soda: rum flavor and nutmeg for eggnog, peppermint for candy cane, molasses and ginger and cinnamon for gingerbread.”
And don’t be afraid to experiment with more complex concoctions. Add milk to make a frothier, heartier drink, like an egg cream soda. Despite the name, egg cream sodas don’t actually contain egg; they get their name from the foam generated when the milk and carbonated water are combined. Try this recipe for a dark chocolate egg cream soda, excerpted from Homemade Soda1 by Andrew Schloss (Storey Publishing, 2011), or stick to Jeremy Butler’s recipes for candy cane2 and ginger-bread3 sodas.
Soda Time! Add a bit of fizz to your holiday party with a homemade soda bar | by LindSey Romain/CTW FeaTUReS
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Dark ChoColate egg Cream SyrupMakes 3 servings
Combine the sugar, cocoa powder and water in a small saucepan, and whisk together until smooth. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the milk and vanilla. Let cool to room tempera-ture, then chill.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
to mix with seltzer:Combine the syrup and crushed ice in a tall glass. Add the seltzer, aiming it toward the side of the glass to encourage a large white head of foam to rise to the top. Makes 1 serving.
¾ cup sugar½ cup
unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup water1 cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup ice-cold chocolate egg cream syrup
¼ cup crushed ice
¾ cup seltzer, preferably from a siphon
2 1/8 cups sugar1/4 teaspoon
cream of tartar8 drops red food
coloring (optional)cold carbonated
water up to 1 gallon (2 2-liter bottles)
3 teaspoon peppermint extract or 3 peppermint tea bags or 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh peppermint leaves
1 cup water
2 1/8 cups sugar1 cup water1/4 teaspoon
cream of tartar1/8 cup caramel
malt, cracked1 teaspoon ground
ginger2 tablespoon
molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cloves
cold carbonated water up to 1 gallon (2 2-liter bottles)
1
2 3 CanDy Cane SoDa Makes 1 gallon.
Combine sugar, water and cream of tar-tar. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 min-utes. Let cool. Add food coloring and mint extract, ensure it is well blended. Add to carbonated water and mix gently until dissolved.
If using tea bags or peppermint leaves, steep in 2 cups of water sepa-rately for 30 minutes covered. Let cool. Strain out the leaves and add to the sugar solution in place of extract.
gingerbreaD SoDaMakes 1 gallon.
Combine sugar, water and cream of tartar, bring to a boil, simmer 20 minutes. Allow to cool. In a separate saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups water to just before boiling. You will see small bubbles form at the base of the pan, but they shouldn't rise to the top. Turn heat to low to maintain this tempera-ture. Add in the caramel malt and all the spices. Steep for 30 minutes covered. Let cool. Strain out the grain and spice sedi-ment and add to the sugar solution with the molasses. Add to carbonated water and mix gently until dissolved.
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Party On... No Stress, No Fuss RequiredKaren Bussen, entertaining expert and author of Simply Stunning Parties at Home offers tips to be the ‘hostess with the mostest’ under any circumstances | by Matthew M. F. MilleR /Ctw FeatuReS
Karen Bussen fell in love with parties at a very young age.
“I have always loved celebrating,” says Bussen, author of SimpIy Stunning Parties at Home (Stuart, Tabori and Chang, 2009). “I think I naturally have a very festive personality, and I love to put people in a good mood. I am always looking for a reason to have fun.”As a child, Karen was inspired by her mother’s love of décor, art and paint-ing. After she left her childhood home in Ohio to become a magician’s assistant on a cruise ship, the idea of entertaining and decorating as a career locked into place.
“We traveled all over the world, floating between continents, and I was overwhelmed by all the wonder-ful foods and colors and spices and environments I experienced. I wanted to bring that home with me.”
Today, Bussen makes her home in New York, where she fine-tuned her knowledge of food, wine and high-end hospitality working for Danny Meyer, a notable restaurateur, as well as styling flowers and creating party décor for celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito. In 2000, she opened her events company and has spent the last 11 years looking at life as one big party — especially the holiday season.
“At the holidays, I like to choose a unique color palette every year and let that weave through the whole sea-son, from gift wrap to my tree decor, to my table settings,” Bussen says. “On a daily basis, I see inspiration all around me, in nature, in a beauti-ful design, in the fascinating people I meet, and I am constantly bowled over by how much inspiration there is around us everywhere.”
Here, Bussen shares her advice on how to be a tip-top hostess, even when guests show up at the last minute.
why is the role of host/hostess so daunting for people? how do you take the pain and fear out of it?
I think it’s two things. The first is expectations. Home hosts don’t want to disappoint — they want their gatherings to be seen as stylish and sumptuous. The second is time. Especially around the holidays, folks are busier than ever, so just pulling together any kind of party on top of everything else can seem overwhelm-ing. Then add to that fact that a gra-cious hostess may also feel she has to ramp up all the details to be holiday-worthy. My solution is to take just a little time before it gets too crazy to get your party pantry together, and then to limit your offerings to just a few great things your guests will love, instead of making yourself crazy with endless options.
what is the key to making your guests feel comfortable?
From a practical standpoint, space planning is important — if you’ll have a big group, make sure to clear clutter and place food and drinks in several spots so that as they mingle, guests will find a nibble and sip here and there. Also, I like to offer folks
something as soon as they walk in the door. That can be as easy as placing a bottle of Champagne (or a pitcher of your signature cocktail) and some glasses on a foyer table. But more than anything, I think the host cre-ates the vibe at any party. If the host is frazzled, the guests pick up on that energy. If he’s having a great time, so is everyone else.
what is the first thing a host or hostess should do when they find out company is coming at the last minute?
Don’t panic! Instead of running out to the store immediately, take 10 minutes and make a plan. If you’ve stocked your holiday party pantry, you should have at least some of the core elements you need. Pick three food items you want to serve (and don’t be afraid of presenting high-quality prepared foods from a good grocer) and check your quantities of drinks on hand. Make a list of remaining items you need, and stop off for the fresh ingredients like pro-
duce and cheese, that aren’t already in your party pantry.
what are the little details that can make a last-minute celebration feel like a well-planned event?
It’s in the simple, thoughtful details. A warm, relaxed greeting, appealing presentations of food and drinks, even the little touches that make a dinner table so inviting. That doesn’t mean you have to invest in fine crystal — I like to use things I find around my house. An example: I’ll turn a mushroom upside down, cut a slit in the stem, and use it as a place card at my holiday table. This costs pennies, but all my friends think I’m a genius. Another detail that real-ly makes a party — music. Music cre-ates mood. And with all the online sources for creating great playlists, there’s no reason not to start making your holiday soundtrack right now. Then, when guests are on their way, just pour yourself a glass of Champagne and press “Play.”
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Stuffed With the BaSicSWhen keeping a celebration low-key, it’s important to stick to the basics, but adding your own unique twist. Here are 3 of Bussen’s favorite recipes for easy holiday side dishes:
claSSic herB StuffingServes 8
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a deep saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sweat the onion and celery until translucent. Add the bread cubes, raisins, herbs and remaining butter, and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the liq-uids in gradually.
2. Transfer the stuffing to an oven dish and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer to create a crisper top.
cranBerry clementine SauceServes 8
1. In a saucepan, bring ½ cup water, the clementine juice and the sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cranberries burst.
2. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature and then chill it in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Garnish with the clementine zest.
BruSSelS SproutS With Bacon and BalSamicServes 8
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Discard most of the fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan.2. Add the Brussels sprouts to the reserved fat in the pan, pour in the balsamic vin-egar, and sauté until the vinegar caramelizes on the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 cups finely chopped celery
1 loaf day-old bread, chopped into 3/4-inch cubes (10 to 12 cups)
1/2 cup raisins1 teaspoon dried
oregano1/2 teaspoon ground
sageSalt and pepper1 1/2 cup chicken
stock1/4 cup white wine
vinegar
Juice of 2 clementines1/2 cup sugar
1 pound fresh cranberriesGrated clementine zest, for garnish
1/4 pound (4 strips) bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces2 pounds Brussels sprouts, stalk ends removed, cut into halves
2 tablespoons butter1/4 cup balsamic vinegarSalt and pepper
Shopping CenterWhere 40th Avenue meets Summitview
WESTPARK40th & Summitview, Suite 9
509.965.5397for the home
© 2011 Vera Bradley Designs, Inc.
Fashionably Home for the Holidays!Introducing holiday-ready styles and colors for Winter 2011.
Featured: East West Tote in Suzani
Fashionably Home for the
Holidays!
Introducing holiday-ready
styles and colors for
Winter 2011.
Featured: East West Tote in Suzani
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Try our new Holiday Flavors
• Pumpkin• Egg Nog• Peppermint
TSS is simply scrumptious yogurt!
Top it off with fresh fruit, candy or cookies. Nonfat,
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Westpark - 40th & SummitviewHours: Sun.-Thur.:11-9, • Fri & Sat.: 11-10
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Stock a ’Holiday Party Pantry’Find a place in your home (a cup-board, closet, or a few shelves) where you can collect basic ele-ments to help you pull together a great celebration, even at the last minute. Think platters and large serving bowls for a start, and buy them on sale before the season for the best prices. Then add col-orful table accents in your favorite holiday palette — place mats, a table runner, and napkins, along with seasonal touches like a box or two of ornaments you can use as napkin rings or to create a quick centerpiece. I recommend keeping non-perishable food items on hand too, like spiced nuts, olives, dips, flatbreads and crack-ers, holiday cookies, even a great pancake mix or Panettone (fluffy Italian holiday fruitcake, available at good grocery stores) for an impromptu holiday brunch.
Buy Wines In Bulk
Instead of running out at the last minute for Champagne and wine, stock up early. Visit a local wine shop or look online for deals. Most retailers will offer a discount on a case of wine (sometimes even a mixed case) so consider buying in bulk at the beginning of the season and you’ll be ready to toast on a moment’s notice. If you’re looking for a bargain, choose Prosecco or Cava over fancier Champagnes — they are party-friendly wines at a great price point.
Raise the Bar I also recommend keeping other bar basics on hand — one good vodka
and a single malt scotch, plus a sea-sonal microbrew, and maybe a fun mixer or two (think Pomegranate martinis) are all you need to host a great holiday get-together.
Limit Menu and Drink OfferingsYou don’t have to serve eight hors d’oeuvres and a four-course meal. Focus on quality ingredients and a few delicious dishes. For drinks, serve a white and a red, a sparkling wine, and a signature cocktail that matches your color scheme. I sug-gest mixing up two pitchers of your chosen libation, setting one out in a pretty pitcher, then keeping the other in the refrigerator for instant replenishment. This way, you’re not playing bartender during the party.
Clear the Clutter Look at your space with an eye for mingling and flow. Reposition any chairs or tables that might create a bottleneck during the gathering. Get delicate objects out of the way before your guests arrive. And place food and drinks in several places to avoid crowding.
Glow For It ‘Tis the season of light, and can-dles add instant magic to any holi-day party — no flowers required! I recommend keeping unscented white votives and pillars on hand as they coordinate with any kind of décor and make a room feel warm and welcoming. Also, pick up a few holiday-scented candles — pine or pumpkin, for example, to use as accents in a foyer or powder room.
Party planning expert, Karen Bussen, offers these easy tips to put any hostess in the driver’s seat of her holiday celebration.
6
Stress-Free Tips For Holiday Entertaining
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2
4
5
6
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Shopping CenterWhere 40th Avenue meets Summitview
WESTPARK40th & Summitview, Suite 9
509.965.5397for the home
© 2011 Vera Bradley Designs, Inc.
Fashionably Home for the Holidays!Introducing holiday-ready styles and colors for Winter 2011.
Featured: East West Tote in Suzani
Fashionably Home for the
Holidays!
Introducing holiday-ready
styles and colors for
Winter 2011.
Featured: East West Tote in Suzani
XX.XXXXX.HGG.M
Try our new Holiday Flavors
• Pumpkin• Egg Nog• Peppermint
TSS is simply scrumptious yogurt!
Top it off with fresh fruit, candy or cookies. Nonfat,
no-sugar added and lactose-free
varieties available.
Westpark - 40th & SummitviewHours: Sun.-Thur.:11-9, • Fri & Sat.: 11-10
www.TSSYogurt.com
Name our character contest!
Forms available at our store.
49.45318.PLD.M
SHOP • DINE STROLL Shopping Center
Where 40th Avenue meets Summitview
Westpark • 972-2670
This year, try a natural palette
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