Ahh it's that time of the year, we all started baking christmas cookies, shopping gifts, planning dinner parties... Holiday season is filled with pure joy and hapiness with loved ones. As much as it's the most cheerful time of the year, we all know that especially hosting dinners and parties can be a season filled with stress. But do not worry, I'll share a few tips and tricks that I learned from my mother to alleviate the pressure of planning.
I love hosting an open house styled holiday party because it's much more casual and easy to plan. if you are not familiar with this concept, let me explain. The casual style of entertaining is an open invitation for friends and family to come and go at their leisure.
Since it's a casual setting and you don't know how long the party may last for, this type of event gives you the flexibility to skip planning a complete sit-down dinner menu and swap to light bites, appetizers, tapas, desserts and beverages.
Light Bites
Convenience is key, remember your guests will want grab-and-go bites that allow them to move around while they eat. These simple apps come together in no time at all and will leave your guests satisfied.
Rosy-pink smoked-salmon canapes
Ingredients
4 ounces Neufchatel cheese (regular cream cheese also works fine), room temperature
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Coarse salt and ground pepper
20-24 butter crackers
4-5 thinly sliced radishes
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
Directions
Stir together cheese, chives, and horseradish; season with salt and pepper. Spread cheese mixture on crackers and top with radishes and smoked salmon.
Flaky Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles
Ingredients
6 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. honey
Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
1 bunch asparagus (ends trimmed)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 sheets puff pastry
12 slices prosciutto
8 oz. wheel brie, cut into 12 pieces
Egg wash
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, honey, and salt.
In a medium bowl, toss asparagus in oil.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a 15”-x-10” rectangle. Cut each into 6 squares for a total of 12 squares.
Rotate square into a diamond shape and brush with butter mixture. Top with a slice of prosciutto, then top with a few pieces of asparagus and slice of brie. Fold left side over top and brush with egg wash. Fold right side over and brush top and sides with more egg wash. Season with pepper. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining puff pastry.
Bake until golden and brie is melted, about 15 minutes.
Light Dip with roasted carrots
Ingredients for the dip:
500 g strained yogurt (3% plain greek yogurt)
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried mint
50 g butter
Salt
Ingredients for the carrots:
600 grams of Carrots
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Powdered Coriander
Salt, Black Pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° and start slicing each carrot vertically into 8 pieces.
Mix carrots, olive oil, powdered coriander, salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes.
While they're getting crispy, start on the dip. Crush the garlic and mix it with yogurt in a bowl.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add mint to the melted butter.
Add the butter mixture to the garlicy yogurt and mix them well.
Spread the yogurt mixture on a plate and arrange the baked carrots on it.
Garnish with peanuts and spring onions and serve.
Festive Beverages
Batch cocktails make everything easier for guests to help themselves, and you won't have to stress over who does and doesn't have a full glass.
Mulled Wine
As everyone knows this warming and comforting drink is extremely easy to prepare. You just simmer a few ingredients on the stovetop and its aroma fills the house with festive spirit.
Here is how to make this warm spicy drink:
1- Select the wine:
You need to know that, this is absolutely not the time to bring out the finest bottle of wine. This recipe tastes best with mid range bottles because as the wine simmers, the flavor in it change. You must pick wines with flavor characteristics that complement this spiced drink. You may want to choose a full bodied red wine that stands up to the spices and fruitiness, such as malbec, cabarnet sauvignon, zweigelt, or grenache. For this recipe you need 1 (750-ml.) bottle red wine of your choice.
2- Add an optional Spike:
You may want to add a small amount of higher proof alcohol to amp up the flavor of the wine. A common addition is brandy. If you choose to add, you need 1/2 cup brandy.
3- The spice blend and sweetness:
For this recipe you would need
1 orange, sliced into rounds, plus more for garnish
6 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
3 star anise
1/4 cup honey
Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Gently heat the wine at a simmer to infuse the mulling flavors into the beverage. Be careful to not boil. About 30 minutes of gentle simmering is usually the right amount of time. Remember that the longer the mulled wine simmers, the more intense the spice will become.
Once it's ready, serve warm and garnish with more citrus slices and cinnamon sticks.
Dessert
Peanut butter blossom cookie
I know it's such a classic! My mom used to bake these cookies every Holiday season, so these chewy chocolaty cookies bring a lot of good memories.This easy-to-make, sweet-and-salty treats are irresistible and very festive.
This recipe makes 40 cookies in total, so I can assure you that no one will miss out on these.
Ingredients
1 and a 2/3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk
40 chocolate kisses, such as Hershey's
Directions
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, peanut butter, and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low; alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beating until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls (1 tablespoon each) and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Freeze for another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until puffed, lightly cracked on top, for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and press a chocolate kiss into center of each cookie. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Rum Balls
These rum-infused brownie balls are perfectly-sized treats for big groups.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling
cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Once it's melted set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Stir in chocolate mixture, then fold in flour.
Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula.
Bake until top is shiny and a cake tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Break up brownie into small pieces; transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
On a low speed, pour in rum, and mix until crumbs start to come together to form a ball.
Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in sanding sugar to coat.
Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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