2011 Holiday Meals!

[IMGreat101]

Post you meal plans and recipes here.


This year I have "culinary block syndrome". My menus are usually thought up months ago. This year it is just not coming to me.

Today I got the ribeye roasts out to dry age. This year I tied the roasts so they hold their shape instead of spreading out.



These will dry age in the fridge until Christmas day. Christmas day these will come out for four hours and then cooked with this techinique. My seasoning will include rosemary, thyme, cracked black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

cookingfordads's Channel - YouTube

[IMGreat101]

Christmas Day Dinner

Appetizer
Antipasto served with Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

Salad
Mixed Green Salad served with a choice of homemade dressings, Roquefort, Creamy Parmesan, Garlic Vinaigrette

Entree
Prime Rib - Seasoned with onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, cracked black pepper and horseradish. Topped with bacon and a kosher salt crust.

Steamed fresh broccoli with onion and carrot. Seasoned with fresh nutmeg.

Sea salt crusted baked potato

Fresh baked golden brioche rolls

Served with Chateau Haute-Nauve 2005 Bordeaux

Dessert
Baked Alabama - Pound cake and sweet potato ice cream topped with meringue and baked.

Served with Cognac Grande Champagne Reserve De L'Empereur

[IMGreat101]

Mom requested my Mac-N-Chz Dinner.

Salad
Mixed Green Salad served with a choice of homemade dressings, Roquefort, Creamy Parmesan, Garlic Vinaigrette

Entree
My Mac-N-Chz - A four cheese blend sauce baked with rigatoni

Pan seared center cut ham steak.

Our homegrown green beans garnished with bacon and dill.

Fresh baked pesto focaccia bread

Dessert
Homemade Cheesecake garnished with fresh berries

Served with ChocoVine (Chocolate wine)

[Buttercup]

That sounds great, IM!!

Except for the ChocoVine.

I don't have to do any cooking for Christmas dinner, but I am cooking breakfast on Christmas morning. I'll keep it very simple - scrambled eggs with mixed herbs, bacon, some kind of potato, some kind of fruit, and scones. And mimosas or bellinis. I do have my annual holiday dinner coming up on the 30th, I still have no idea what I'm going to cook. I'm leaning toward a Southern menu...maybe smothered pork chops, I don't know.

[ManImBored]

We are doing breakfast at my Mom's. She usually keeps it simple. Christmas dinner is at the in-laws. We are doing seafood gumbo.

[IMGreat101]

Poundcake

* 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
* 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
* 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Cream the butter and sugar together. (about 5 minutes)
Add 1 egg at a time and mix well.

Sift dry ingredients together in one bowl and in another bowl mix the wet.



Add alternately until mixed well.



Prep pans: Grease and flour. Place parchment paper in the bottom of the loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour



Let poundcake rest for 15 minutes then pop out of pan onto cooling rack.

(My gf tried to convince me to use a box mix. The box mix is on the right.)

[IMGreat101]

Sweet Potato Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 egg yolks
1 cup sweet potato puree
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Pureed sweet potatoes



Heat the cream, milk, and brown sugar in a heavy medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks briefly; slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking briskly while you pour. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not boil.

Strain the mixture into a bowl. Whisk in the sweet potato puree and spices. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.



We used a Cuisipro: Donvier® Ice Cream Maker Set insert in freezer overnight then add sweet potato ice cream mix. Stir thoroughly every ten minutes until desired consistency.



This was my first time making ice cream. Just one word to describe it, sweetsilkysmoothyummm. It tasted just like my sweet potato pie.

[Jenna]

Looks great!

This was my first time making ice cream.

I didn't know there was a food you hadn't made!

[IMGreat101]

French Meringue

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing.

Baked Alabama Assembly

Cut poundcake, place on parchment paper.



Place scoop of sweet potato ice cream on poundcake.



Coat these about 3/4 to 1 inch with meringue.



Bake at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes or until browned.

[IMGreat101]

My gf made the creamy Roquefort dressing. I made the Garlic vinaigrette and the Creamy Parmesan.

2 cups olive oil
1 cup white wine vinegar
6 tbsps fresh lemon juice
12 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried red bell pepper
salt and pepper



Place garlic and oil in blender. Puree for about 30 seconds. Let this set for a couple hours then add the rest and puree another 30 seconds.





Garlickytangy with a little sweetness of the dried red bell pepper. This was a hit.

[IMGreat101]

Creamy Parmesan

2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup Western French Dressing
8 anchovy fillets
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup Parmesan cheese



Mince the roasted garlic and the anchovy fillets.





Place all ingredients in a large bowl.



Whisk until thoroughly mixed.



We made all of the salad dressings two days before the meal.

[IMGreat101]

Brioche Rolls

1/3 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1/3 cup warm milk (105°F to 115°F)
5 tsp dry yeast
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
3 sticks butter, each stick cut into 4 pieces, room temp.



Place 1/3 cup warm water, warm milk, and yeast in bowl of standing heavy-duty mixer; stir until yeast dissolves. Fit mixer with dough hook. Add flour and salt to bowl; mix on low speed just until flour is moistened, about 10 seconds. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in 3 eggs on low speed, then add sugar. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding next (dough will be soft and batter-like). Increase speed to medium-high and beat until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 7 minutes.



Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Lift up dough around edges and allow dough to fall and deflate in bowl. Cover bowl with plastic and chill until dough stops rising, lifting up dough around edges and allowing dough to fall and deflate in bowl every 30 minutes, about 2 hours total. Cover bowl with plastic; chill dough overnight.

Take dough out and form into rolls.







Let rise at room temp for two hours. Brush with egg wash. Bake @ 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.



This is one of my favorite breads. These are so tenderrichfluffy, you don't need any butter. It is definitely worth the time spent.

[IMGreat101]

I made a simple farmers cheese for the antipasto.

1 gallon whole milk
1 tsp citric acid
1 cup hot water
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsely

Place milk in a large bowl and microwave on high for 10 minutes (We have a 1200 watt microwave)



Dissolve citric acid in the hot water and add to the milk and stir.



Microwave for five more minutes then add salt and parsley.



Line a fine sieve with two layers of cheesecloth and pour into.



When the whey has drained off, wrap up tightly in the cheesecloth. Place back in sieve and keep in fridge for about one day before serving. You can use the whey in cooking in place of water.

[IMGreat101]

This year I decided to go with the kosher salt crust after watching this. (The video is kind of on the annoying side, but is very informative.)


Line the baking pan with aluminum foil. One three pound box of kosher to one cup of water. Mix well.



Place a 1/2 inch layer of the wet kosher salt in the pan. Season the ribeye roasts with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried thyme and rosemary. Place roasts in pan.



Top with bacon and cover entire roasts with about a 1/2 inch crust of the wet kosher salt.





These will roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then 250 degrees for about 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temp is 120 degrees.

[IMGreat101]

The potatoes are coated with oil and seasoned with black pepper and sea salt. Use a fork to pierce the skin on all sides. Bake at 350 for one hour fifteen minutes.

Perfect Baked Potatoes, Secrets For Baking Potatoes, How To Make Perfect Baked Potatoes, Baked Potato Recipe, How To Purchase Potatoes, Potato Recipes



A basic horseradish sauce.

1 part sour cream
1 part mayonnaise
1 part horseradish
Tip: If you want to kick up the horseradish, add a teaspoon of mustard oil.

[Jenna]

Top with bacon and cover entire roasts with about a 1/2 inch crust of the wet kosher salt.

Does the Kosher salt make the bacon Kosher?

[IMGreat101]

Does the Kosher salt make the bacon Kosher?

[IMGreat101]

First off, my supervisor during this culinary venture.

BONKERS



Our "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree"



The dining area.

[IMGreat101]

Hard salami, zucchini, artichoke hearts, olives, pepperoncini, roasted garlic and cornichons. The cheeses were gouda, 4 yr cheddar, farmers cheese and crackers.

[IMGreat101]

Our homemade dressings, Roquefort, Garlic Vinaigrette, Creamy Parmesan.