Entertaining in your home is a time-honored tradition of hospitality and generosity that has been practiced throughout time. It doesn’t have to be elaborate in order to achieve the goal of making friends and family feel loved and appreciated. The holiday season is an ideal time to host family and friends for gatherings and meals in your home, and it can be easy and stress-free. These recipes are make-ahead and include some options for store-bought items to make the prep work even easier!
Quiche bites
24 phylo dough cups (purchase in the freezer section)
8 eggs
1 cup Swiss cheese, finely shredded
1/3 cup Bacon crumbles or ham bits (purchase or make your own; substitutions okay)
1 cup Half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp. Onion powder
Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs and half and half together until uniform, add salt, pepper and onion powder. Add bacon or ham and swiss cheese, stir to combine. Place phyllo cups on parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon mixture into phyllo cups, just slightly less than full. Bake until just set, about 18 minutes. Cool on tray on cooling rack. Store in refrigerator in sealed container, do not stack. Reheat in oven just until warmed through before serving; microwave not recommended as it will alter the texture of the phyllo and the filling.
Feel free to substitute premade, frozen mini quiche if you’re pressed for time. You will find options in your grocer’s freezer section, and at some bulk-buying stores.
Cranberry Orange Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Yogurt
¼ cup Butter
2 Eggs
½ cup Milk
¼ cup Orange juice
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 cup Fresh Cranberries, halved
½ tsp. Orange extract
8 drops Orange oil (optional)
Decorative sugar crystals for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin pan with paper liners, or spray cups with non-stick cooking spray. In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, combine butter, yogurt, eggs, and sugar; mix well. Add juice, extract and oil. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and mix just until combined. Add milk to thin consistency from loose dough to thick, but pourable batter. Stir in cranberries gently. Fill muffin cups ¾ full with batter. When the pan is full, tap it on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 375 for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your muffin cups. (minis will be closer to 20 minutes, jumbos will take the full 40 minutes.) Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, turn out and complete cooling on the rack before frosting. Can be stored in a zipper bag on the counter for two days, or in the freezer for a month. Bring to room temperature on the counter. May be reheated in the oven or microwave if not frosted. Frosted muffins cannot be reheated as the frosting will melt and make the muffin soggy.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pkg. regular cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups Powdered sugar
½ tsp Vanilla extract
½ tsp Orange flavor (optional)
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy. Can be stored in refrigerator in covered container until ready to use; reblend with mixer to refluff frosting prior to topping muffins, or spoon into serving dish and allow guests to apply their own with a mini spatula or spreader.
Overnight Steel Cut Oats:
This isn’t much of a recipe, because it’s so simple! This is a great breakfast option any day, not just during the bustle of the Holiday Season.
3 cups Steel cut oats
6 cups Water, approximately
3 tbsp. Butter
Salt to taste
Non-stick cooking spray
Prepare the slow cooker bowl by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Add steel cut oats and water to cover oats by one inch, sprinkle with salt and dot with butter. Cover and set to low for 6-8 hours. The following morning, before serving, stir the oatmeal to creamy consistency.
Toppings:
Raisins, dried cherries, dried apples, pecans, walnuts, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, bananas, fresh berries, cream or milk, etc.
(recipes continued on next page.)
Recipes
21