Special Holiday Recipes

Savory Bread Pudding —By Allison Fishman
Serves: 8-12
Active Prep-time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9” x 13” x 2” dish and set aside.
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter. Remove sausages from their casings, and cook in skillet. Use a spoon to break up the sausage, making crumbles. Sausage should brown in 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
3. Add onion, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until softened - about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the sausage.
4. Place bread pieces in a large bowl. Add sausage mixture and stir to combine.
5. Add sliced chestnuts, apple, sage, thyme, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper; mix well.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and half and half. Pour over bread mixture and stir gently to mix in the liquid.
7. Pour entire mixture into the buttered pan. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the top has browned and the pudding has set.
8. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Use the serving suggestions below as inspiration.

Savory Bread Pudding Preparation Tips

To make preparation faster and easier during the holiday season, use these quick tips for a few of the key ingredients you’ll need for the bread pudding.

• There’s no need to roast and peel fresh chestnuts, just look for pre-roasted and shelled chestnuts in your grocery store or specialty market. You may also be able to find them packaged in the frozen food section.

• If your bread is fresh, dry it out by simply putting sliced pieces in a preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes.

• To remove the casings from sausages, use a paring knife to slit the casing at one end without cutting through the sausage. Grasp the cut edge and carefully pull the casing away. You can also use 1/2-pound sausage patties instead, if they are easier to find and prepare for you.

• If using dried herbs from your spice rack instead of fresh herbs, just follow this simple equation; 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs is the equivalent to the amount of fresh herbs. For example—3 tablespoons of fresh thyme = 1 tablespoon of dried thyme.

Sensational Holiday Servings

• For a pretty presentation, punch out the pudding into rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter or the top of a juice glass. Arrange circular puddings on a long platter, and serve with a thin spatula or cake server.

• Deep-fried sage leaves make a lovely garnish and can be fried in a small skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil. To test the oil, simply dip in the edge of a sage leaf. When the oil bubbles it’s ready to use. Drop the leaves into the skillet, cook for 10 to 20 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. This creates a fantastic addition for the individual pudding rounds.

• Traditional gravy can be served as a savory sauce for bread pudding.

Holiday Cranberry Sauce with Strawberries
Serves: 6-8

This recipe is so simple and refreshing, it requires just two easy-to-find ingredients. Use a lovely glass serving bowl for preparation and serving to add rich, beautiful color to your holiday table. Only using one bowl also helps cut down your clean-up time. With very little effort, this unique cranberry sauce will be the talk of your table.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Thaw frozen strawberries.
2. Mix cranberries and strawberries together in your favorite holiday serving bowl.
3. Serve!

INGREDIENTS
2 lb. pork loin
2 tablespoons orange zest, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
3 pears, quartered
1 medium onion, large diced
2 carrots, cut in 1" pieces
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine orange zest, minced garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Remove pork loin from packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Rub the salt mixture all over the pork loin until well coated.
5. Place the loin into a roasting pan with pears, onions, and carrots and roast until the internal temperature is between 150-160°F for approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
6. Let the pork sit for five minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle.
7. Remove the pork from the pan and put drippings and vegetables into a blender and blend on high until smooth.
8. Stir in dried cranberries and spoon sauce over medallion slices of the pork. Serve.

Roast Sage Turkey Tenderloin with Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce —By Nathan Lyon

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine cranberries, cinnamon, ginger ale (or ginger beer), oranges, orange zest and apple in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat.
2. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by three-fourths, approximately 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks.
3. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender and pulse until the desired texture is achieved.
4. Stir in lemon juice to taste and garnish with crushed, toasted walnuts.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine sage leaves, olive oil, butter, garlic and lemon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
3. Place the tenderloin in a medium-sized, oven-safe sauté pan. Liberally season on both sides with salt and pepper. Spread the sage mixture over the tenderloin and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Place pan in the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 160°F, approximately 25 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer tenderloin to a cutting board. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Top with cranberry spread, fresh walnuts and chopped parsley.

These four unique dishes will perfectly complement your holiday feast. Have fun and enjoy!