Sassy Holiday Favorites

Baked Brie and Cranberry Bites

Rosemary, Pepper Crusted Steak, served with Creamy Horseradish Mashed

 Holiday Roasted Vegetables

 Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 Baked brie and cranberry bites

  Yield: 2

½ round Brie cheese, rind removed, cubed

Cooking spray

½ sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

¼ cup cranberry sauce

2 tablespoons Cup finely chopped walnuts

Sea salt to taste

 Roll puff pastry sheet out and cut into squares.

. Add 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce to each pastry, press in 1 piece of Brie and top with 1 teaspoon of chopped walnuts. Sprinkle bites with sea salt.  Can be made ahead of time, up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Bake bites in the preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

 Rosemary, Pepper Crusted Steak, served with Creamy Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

  Yield: 2

Beef tenderloin

1 tablespoon rosemary finely chopped

2 teaspoons black pepper

For the horseradish mashed potatoes

2 potatoes cut into cubes or wedges

1 cup sour cream

1-2 tablespoons horseradish

1/2 lemon juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

 On a piece of parchment paper lay out steak, season with salt. Then heavily coat in rosemary and pepper. Cook in skillet with veg oil over medium high, cook to desired internal temperature.

In a small sauce pot with water, add potatoes and bring up to a boil. Boil until fork tender. Remove from water and begin to mash potatoes. Add in sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. serve mashed potatoes under crusted steak.

 Holiday Roasted Vegetables

  Yield: 2

3-4 cups of mixed winter vegetables (suggestions- Brussel sprouts, asparagus, sweet potatoes, potatoes, squash of any kind, broccoli, cauliflower)

¼ cup pecans

1 teaspoon oil

¼ cup mixed herbs (suggestions- parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, tarragon) use 2 tablespoons if using dried

4 tablespoons butter

 Preheat oven 350”F

Lay vegetables on sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Coat with oil, salt and pepper. then sprinkle over pecans. Place in oven for 25-35 minutes

Meanwhile in a small skillet over medium heat, add butter. Cook butter until melted and lightly browned. Add in mixed herbs then turn heat off.

Once vegetables are removed coat with browned herb butter.

 Ginger Bread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

  Yield: 1 cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking pans

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup molasses

1 cup boiling water

Frosting:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

4 cups (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Milk, as needed for thinning

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8-inches round cake pans and line the bottom of each with a parchment round.

Stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the brown sugar and butter in another large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined (its fine if the mixture looks a little curdled).

Stir the molasses into the boiling water in a large spouted measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium and beat just until smooth.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. Once cool, invert the cakes onto the rack, then peel off and discard the parchment.

For the frosting: Combine the butter and cream cheese in a clean mixer bowl. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner’s’ sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla and gradually increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adding up to 1 tablespoon of milk if needed so the frosting is spreadable.

Place one cake layer flat-side down on a cake stand or platter. Top with about 3/4 cup of the frosting, spreading almost to the edges using an offset spatula. Place the remaining cake layer on top, flat-side up. Spread the remaining frosting on the entire cake and smooth the top and sides with the offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake before serving.

Gingerbread

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (180ml) unsulphured or dark molasses

2 and 2/3 cups (334g) all purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature*

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Generously grease a 12-count muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.

Cut the butter into smaller pieces so it melts easier. In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and molasses together in the microwave on high for about 1 minute. Whisk until thoroughly mixed together. Set aside to slightly cool as you mix the dry ingredients together.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together.

Into the molasses/butter mixture, whisk the brown sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk until all wet ingredients are combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until *just* combined. Do not over-mix. Batter will be thick and a little lumpy.

Divide batter among prepared muffin pan, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (for added crunch, recommended!), if desired. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for 15-16 minutes until the tops are cracked and centers are set. Use a toothpick to test. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in pan before glazing and serving.

Make the glaze: As the muffins cool, prepare your lemon glaze by mixing all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. If desired, add more confectioners’ sugar to thicken or more milk to thin out. Drizzle on top of warm muffins. Icing will set as the muffins cool, so these are great for storing and/or transporting.