Christmas Recipes To Add Beauty and Taste

to Your Table

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

The days are counting down 'til Christmas, and there isn't much time left. However, the following recipes are easy and add color and spirit to your holiday table or buffet. Try them to add something nice to your holiday celebration, this year!

 

Poinsettia Salad

 

Chill your salad bowl in the refrigerator.
Add your favorite greens mixture to the bowl
(packaged salad greens work great when you're in a hurry.)

Core and cut one red apple into slices leaving the peeling on it,
and dip each piece in lime juice to keep it from turning brown.

Fan the apple slices around the top of the salad in a flower shape.

Cut open a pommegrante and fill the center of the apple slices
with seeds, sprinkling additional seeds around the top of the salad greens.

Serve with your favorite raspberry vinagrette dressing.

The salad is beautiful and easily prepared for a festive addition to your table.

 

___

 

 

Curried Pecans

 

 

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound shelled pecan halves

Put all the ingredients, except the pecans, in the largest flat dish, that will fit into

your microwave oven. Heat on high for 1 minute.

Stir and add the nuts, tossing to thoroughly coat.
Toast nuts on high for 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes.

Spread the nuts evenly on a length of foil paper to cool.
Store in a air-tight container or plastic freezer bag.

(These are a great addition to any holiday party table and can be made ahead
and brought out just before serving.)

____

 

 

Toasted Bread With Chocolate

8   -  1/2 inch thick slices of good bread, such as real baguette

Best quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
4 oz. best quality bittersweet chocolate, very coarsely chopped
sea salt

Place bread on a baking sheet and toast until light golden on
both sides ( 1 to 2 minutes per side).

Drizzle the bread with olive oil and distribute the chocolate evenly on top
of the bread slices.
Return to the oven and leave until the chocolate melts.
Smooth the chocolate with a case knife.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and serve warm!

Yield: 8 appetizers.

 

____

 

 

Chocolate Dipped Grapes

 

1 pound seedless grapes (either red or green)

1/2 pound best quality bittersweet milk or white chocolate
coarsely chopped.

(Hint: Milk Chocolate works great with red grapes and
white chocolate works great with green grapes, to add
variety to your table, do some of both.)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
Use sissors to snip the grapes in small clusters of four or five grapes.
Put the grape clusters in the freezer, while you melt the chocolate.

Melt your chocolate in the  microwave and remove and stir until smooth.

Hold a bunch of grapes by the stem and use a spoon to spoon the chocolate
over the cluster, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.
Arrange dipped grapes on the wax paper to cool and harden.
Once all of the grapes are dipped, return to the freezer for 10 minutes.
Can be refrigerated up to one day before serving.

(Make certain that your grapes are completely dry before dipping
for best results.)

____