Eat Savvy From Savvy Mom

All recipes and photographs (Holly Sisson & Unknown) are from Savvy Mom .ca

http://www.savvymom.ca/index.php/guides/eatsavvy-holiday-entertaining/1

Pomegranate and Prosecco Punch

Makes 1 drink

You'll Need

• 1½ oz Grand Marnier
• 6 oz pomegranate juice
• Prosecco
• Ice
• Orange slices

Prep and Cook

1. Fill a glass halfway with ice. Pour in the Grand Marnier and pomegranate juice and top with prosecco until the glass is full or to taste.
2. To serve, garnish with a slice of orange.

Good to Know: The recipe can be doubled or tripled accordingly. To make a non-alcoholic version, replace the Grand Marnier with orange juice and the prosecco with sparkling or soda water.

Eggnog Cocktail

Makes 2 drinks

You'll Need

• 6 oz eggnog
• 1½ oz bourbon or whiskey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Ice
• Fresh grated nutmeg

Prep and Cook

1. Combine the eggnog, bourbon, vanilla and ice in a cocktail shaker, and shake until thick and frothy.
2. Strain into chilled tumblers and garnish with fresh grated nutmeg on top. 

Crostini with White Bean Rosemary Spread

Makes about 20 pieces

You'll Need

• 1 15 oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• ⅔ cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 baguette cut into ½ inch slices
• Optional toppings: chopped sundried tomatoes, sliced green onions, fresh rosemary

Prep and Cook

1. Combine the beans, lemon juice, garlic, ⅔ cup olive oil, Parmesan cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until completely pureed. Adjust the seasonings if necessary and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush the baguette pieces with the remaining olive oil and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
3. Remove the bread from the oven and cover each piece with the white bean spread. Top with suggested garnishes and serve.

Good to Know: The bread can be toasted up to 5 hours in advance and served at room temperature. 

Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad

Serves 4–6

You'll Need

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• ½ sweet red pepper, chopped fine
• 1 orange, cut into segments
• 1 grapefruit, cut into segments
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• ¼ cup pistachios/slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prep and Cook

1. In a strainer, rinse quinoa under running water and drain thoroughly.
2. Place quinoa, water and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes (or until the water is absorbed and quinoa is tender).
4. Remove pot from the heat, fluff with a fork, and bring to room temperature.
5. Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl.
6. Add fruit, vegetables, feta and nuts to the quinoa.
7. For dressing, whisk olive oil, orange juice, and rice vinegar together in a small mixing bowl.
8. Add dressing to the salad and toss gently, until just combined.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Good to Know: This salad can be made a day ahead, it travels well, and will last 3 days refrigerated. Before cooking quinoa, the seeds must be rinsed to remove the saponin, a bitter resin-like coating. Make this 15-Minute Meal with the leftover quinoa from the Family Meal.

Squash and Apple Soup

Serves 6–8

You'll Need

• 2 (3–4lb) butternut squash
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 apple, cored and diced
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• ½ cup apple juice
• ¾ cup cream (optional)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

Prep and Cook

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Peel, seed and chop butternut squash into 1-inch cubes.
3. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, tossing to coat.
5. Roast for approximately 25 minutes, tossing once in between.
6. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven, sauté onion apple, nutmeg and curry in butter over medium-high heat until soft.
7. Add cooked squash, chicken broth and apple juice to the pot and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Using a hand blender, food processor or potato masher, blend or puree soup to a desired consistency.
10. Add more broth to thin out if necessary.
11. When ready to serve, add cream (if using) and reheat soup in the pot over low heat. (Do not let soup boil after cream is added.)
12. Divide the soup into bowls, sprinkle with bacon bits, fresh herbs or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Good to Know: Substitute acorn squash for butternut, but double the number of squash as they are smaller. If freezing squash and apple soup, omit cream before freezing and add after the soup has thawed.

Vanilla and Cinnamon Poached Pears

Serves 4

You'll Need

• 4 firm, medium-size pears with stems (Bosc or Bartlett), peeled
• 1 bottle robust red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, cut in half and scraped
• 1 stick cinnamon
• Peel of one orange
• Peel of one lemon
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream or yogurt

Prep and Cook

1. Place pears in medium saucepan. Start poaching the liquid by adding all ingredients to the pot and enough water to cover pears.
2. Set saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, occasionally turning pears to cook evenly (approximately 15 min) or until pears pierce easily with knife.
3. Remove pan from heat and let cool.
4. Transfer pears to a plate. Pour poaching liquid through sieve, over a bowl. Discard solids and return liquid to saucepan.
5. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until liquid has been reduced to a syrup (about 45 min). Let cool. Refrigerate poaching liquid and pears separately.
6. Arrange pears on plates and drizzle with poaching liquid.

Good to Know: Cooking time will vary according to the ripeness of the pears. You can substitute red wine with apple cider. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Makes 64 bite-sized squares

You'll Need

For the Base

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ tsp fine salt

For the Caramel

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 8 oz chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp butter

Prep and Cook

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter an 8” x 8” baking pan. Line the baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper that is long enough to hang over the edges of the pan.
2. With an electric or hand-held mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugar, and mix for 3–5 minutes until thick and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour and salt and beat until just combined.
3. Press the dough into the prepared pan and prick with a fork at even intervals over the surface. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. While the shortbread bakes, combine the sweetened condensed milk, butter, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, stirring continuously, and cook until the caramel turns golden brown.
5. Pour the cooked caramel over the baked shortbread and allow it to set at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
6. Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave (or heat-proof bowl set over simmering water) and stir to combine. Spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel and let set at room temperature.
7. Remove the bars from the pan and cut into bite-sized squares.

Good to Know: To create clean edges when cutting, dip your knife into a glass of hot water, wipe it dry with a clean kitchen cloth and then cut. The warm but dry knife blade is more effective.

Double Chocolate Candy Cane Bark

Makes 32, 2” squares

You'll Need

• 10 oz milk (or dark) chocolate
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• 10 oz white chocolate
• ½ cup crushed candy canes

Prep and Cook

1. Spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with non-stick spray and line it with a piece of plastic wrap, letting the ends hang over the edge.
2. Combine the milk chocolate and peppermint extract in a microwaveable bowl (or heatproof bowl set over simmering water) and heat in 20-second intervals on medium power until melted.
3. Pour the chocolate into the baking dish, spreading it evenly to the edges with a spatula. Place the dish in the fridge until the chocolate is completely set.
4. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate using the same method as above. Pour it over the set milk chocolate and scatter the crushed candy canes over the top. Allow it to set at room temperature.
5. Using the plastic wrap to lift, remove the chocolate bark from the baking dish and cut it into 2” squares.