Holiday Recipes to Warm the Heart
and Comfort the Soul

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Festive

Cheese and Spinach Roulade
Bruschetta

1 loaf French Bread Stick
2 tablespoons herbed olive oil

1 pound of fresh spinach (select the biggest leaves possible)
3 oz. spreadable cream cheese
3 oz. goat cheese
3 tablespoons pimentos, drained and finely chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread into 24 thin slices
and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Bake in a single layer, on
a baking sheet for 10 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once.
Remove and allow to cool.

Remove the stalks from the spinach and place the leaves in a bowl. Cover
with boiling water and leave for a couple of minutes to blanch. Drain immediately
and allow to cool, squeezing the excess liquid out, once it is cool and then allow
spinach to dry on a bed of crumpled paper towels.

Lay the spinach leaves flat, overlapping, on a piece of plastic wrap, to form an
8 x 10 inch rectangle. Beat the cheeses together until smooth. Spread the cheese
mixture evenly with the chopped pimento. Using the plastic wrap, as a guide,
gently roll up the spinach into a log, covering the cheese. Refrigerate for
one or more hourse and cut the log into 24 thin slices, using a very sharp knife.

Serve cheeses on top of each toasted bread piece.

The red and green colors makes this the perfect holiday serving.

Note: Make certain that you drain the spinach and pimentos well,
or you will have a "watery" serving that soaks into the bread.

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Holiday Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Bake your favorite, moist chocolate cake recipe.

Frost with your favorite white icing and then add crushed peppermint
sticks to the outer edges of the cake. Garnish with two candy canes
and you have a holiday favorite, that looks like you've spent hours
preparing!!!

 

 

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Viennese Coffee

 

3 cups strongly brewed coffee (your favorite blend)
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 creme de cacao or Irish cream liqueur

Additional whipped cream, chocolate curls and/or cinnamon
for garnish.

In a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker, combine the coffee, chocolate syrup,
and sugar. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. Stir in the
heavy cream and creme de cacao, covering and cooking for
30 minutes longer, or until heated through.

Ladle the coffee into mugs and garnish as desired.

Yield: 4 servings.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for the number of guests
you are hosting. It is also a great way to end a meal "on a sweet note"
and can be left brewing while you entertain guests.

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Festive Cajun Chicken
and Pasta

2 boneless chicken breasts
1  1/2 cups of your favorite pasta

Cajun Spice Rub
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups Asiago cheese
black pepper

Sea Salt
broccoli floretes
your favorite sweet or red cherry peppers
spinach

Take two chicken breasts and cut into small pieces and rub
with the Cajun spice rub. Place on a cedar plank and cook in
the oven, until done.

While the chicken roasts, melt butter in a saucepan, add half-and-half, and
slowly bring to a boil. Let simmer and thicken. Add Asiago cheese and
black pepper. Let sit on low heat while you steam the broccoli florets and
cherry peppers.

Cook your favorite pasta, according to package directions and add
pieces of spinach in with it.

Mix steamed broccoli and peppers, pasta and spinach, and the cream
sauce, add the sliced chicken and warm through. Sprinkle to taste
with Sea salt.

Serve hot with a salad, pieces of aged cheese, and your
favorite bread, for a great and quick dinner.

To add more color to the dish, garnish with paprika and parsley.

 

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