Christmas dinner. It gets me every time, y'all. Well, it's gotten me for the past 4 years, at least. The whole process begins when my glossy Bon Appetit arrives in the mail, because I still believe in the revival of print magazines. Then, I take a look at all of the various articles Adam Rappaport has ok-ed. I may find a beautiful beef wellington, made with buffalo and oyster mushrooms. Or maybe a new latke recipe featuring Jerusalem artichokes. And there's always a mile-high chocolate cake that I wolf whistle at and tear out the picture to hang in my imaginary locker room. Then, I get a pen and paper (I want to seem old school. I'm not. I use my notepad app on my phone. PS that font, right? Get more options), and I write out a menu for Christmas Day Dinner.
December 25th rolls around and my family is always giddy with delight as we take our places at the table. We are thankful for each other, we promise that we will be healthier in the new year, and we dig in to enormous plates of food. 30 minutes later, we collapse on the couch in a pile and fart the night away. We are not happy. We are fatter than we've been all year, and we are simply aglow, not with the love of family, but with meat sweats. It's not a Norman Rockwell painting.
So without further ado, I present to you our newly-minted Christmas Day Dinner Menu. It is just as delicious as what we usually eat, only this year, we will maneuver lithely to the living room and plop on the couch to watch Die Hard, and my dad will probably still lift his leg high in the air to fart like a graceful ballerina, but we will not be filled with regret and high fructose corn syrup. Enjoy, and have a safe and happy holiday!
Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
This tenderloin gets all of its flavor from the herbs rubbed onto the meat rather than getting flavor from the fat. It's moist, has a great crunch from the crust, and doesn't use a single breadcrumb. I promise you'll love it.
Ingredients:
4 lb boneless pork loin, fat trimmed
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 tsp fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit Place pork loin in a roasting pan. In food processor or in a small bowl, combine herbs, olive oil, and seasonings. Using your hands, cover the pork loin completely with the mixture. Roast pork in oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F and roast for another hour. Using a meat thermometer, test to see that the meat reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. When the roast is done, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes so it can absorb juices and continue to cook. After the resting period, carve and serve. Serves 6.
Simple Applesauce
December 25th rolls around and my family is always giddy with delight as we take our places at the table. We are thankful for each other, we promise that we will be healthier in the new year, and we dig in to enormous plates of food. 30 minutes later, we collapse on the couch in a pile and fart the night away. We are not happy. We are fatter than we've been all year, and we are simply aglow, not with the love of family, but with meat sweats. It's not a Norman Rockwell painting.
So without further ado, I present to you our newly-minted Christmas Day Dinner Menu. It is just as delicious as what we usually eat, only this year, we will maneuver lithely to the living room and plop on the couch to watch Die Hard, and my dad will probably still lift his leg high in the air to fart like a graceful ballerina, but we will not be filled with regret and high fructose corn syrup. Enjoy, and have a safe and happy holiday!
Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
This tenderloin gets all of its flavor from the herbs rubbed onto the meat rather than getting flavor from the fat. It's moist, has a great crunch from the crust, and doesn't use a single breadcrumb. I promise you'll love it.
Ingredients:
4 lb boneless pork loin, fat trimmed
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 tsp fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit Place pork loin in a roasting pan. In food processor or in a small bowl, combine herbs, olive oil, and seasonings. Using your hands, cover the pork loin completely with the mixture. Roast pork in oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F and roast for another hour. Using a meat thermometer, test to see that the meat reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. When the roast is done, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes so it can absorb juices and continue to cook. After the resting period, carve and serve. Serves 6.
This applesauce is good not just for the pork tenderloin, but as a topping for some Greek yogurt the next morning, or just as an afternoon snack. The fruit acid of the apples will make the mixture become syrupy and perfect to spoon on top of the tenderloin. Not too sweet and perfectly refreshing!
Ingredients:
4 honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp agave nectar or honey
Directions:Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Yes, it's that difficult. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep in fridge, stirring occasionally. T
Brussels Sprouts
This is my favorite Brussels sprouts recipe to use. It's simple, and it has a little zing to it, and the crunch makes them so much more delicious!
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic glaze (I use the Blaze brand)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Cut off the ends of each Brussels sprout and remove any yellowing or brown outer leaves. In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture onto the baking pan and spread evenly in a single layer. Roast for 20-30 minutes until a fork goes through easily. Serves 4.
Peppermint Pots de Creme
There's something about pronouncing "Pots de Creme" in a Fronch accent that really gets people going. It sounds fancy, and it is fancy looking, but it's really just a bowl of delicious pudding. Serve these and you're guaranteed to be complimented on your outstanding pastry chef skills, and you can smile and shimmy away in your skinny jeans, because these aren't breaking the calorie bank.
Ingredients:
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups 1% milk, divided
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup half-and-half
For the glaze:
1/3 cup nonfat evaporated milk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used Guittard)
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
A hint: Lay out all ingredients in bowls ahead of time to make the custard process run smoothly!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 8 small (4 ounce) ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt in a large bowl and set it near the stove. Whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring until steaming hot. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the steaming milk and continue cooking, whisking CONSTANTLY, until the mixture boils and thickens, 2 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk the thickened milk into the egg yolk mixture. Carefully pour the custard through a mesh sieve into a large measuring cup (preferably glass or Pyrex because of heat). Evenly divide the sifted custard among the ramekins so they are about 3/4 full. Pour enough water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the cups. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven and bake until custards set, but still jiggle a little in the middle, about 30-40 minutes. Let custards cool in the water bath until the water feels room temperature. Remove from water bath and refrigerate for another hour.
To prepare chocolate glaze: Heat evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour chocolate chips and honey in a heatproof glass bowl. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, pour over chocolate chips and whisk vigorously until smooth. Add in cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar and continue whisking until all lumps are gone. Divide the glaze on each of the custards and garnish with mint! Serves 8.
Brussels Sprouts
This is my favorite Brussels sprouts recipe to use. It's simple, and it has a little zing to it, and the crunch makes them so much more delicious!
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic glaze (I use the Blaze brand)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Cut off the ends of each Brussels sprout and remove any yellowing or brown outer leaves. In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture onto the baking pan and spread evenly in a single layer. Roast for 20-30 minutes until a fork goes through easily. Serves 4.
Peppermint Pots de Creme
There's something about pronouncing "Pots de Creme" in a Fronch accent that really gets people going. It sounds fancy, and it is fancy looking, but it's really just a bowl of delicious pudding. Serve these and you're guaranteed to be complimented on your outstanding pastry chef skills, and you can smile and shimmy away in your skinny jeans, because these aren't breaking the calorie bank.
Ingredients:
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups 1% milk, divided
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup half-and-half
For the glaze:
1/3 cup nonfat evaporated milk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used Guittard)
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
A hint: Lay out all ingredients in bowls ahead of time to make the custard process run smoothly!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 8 small (4 ounce) ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt in a large bowl and set it near the stove. Whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring until steaming hot. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the steaming milk and continue cooking, whisking CONSTANTLY, until the mixture boils and thickens, 2 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk the thickened milk into the egg yolk mixture. Carefully pour the custard through a mesh sieve into a large measuring cup (preferably glass or Pyrex because of heat). Evenly divide the sifted custard among the ramekins so they are about 3/4 full. Pour enough water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the cups. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven and bake until custards set, but still jiggle a little in the middle, about 30-40 minutes. Let custards cool in the water bath until the water feels room temperature. Remove from water bath and refrigerate for another hour.
To prepare chocolate glaze: Heat evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour chocolate chips and honey in a heatproof glass bowl. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, pour over chocolate chips and whisk vigorously until smooth. Add in cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar and continue whisking until all lumps are gone. Divide the glaze on each of the custards and garnish with mint! Serves 8.
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