Holiday Treats: Seven merry things to bring
The sight of frost signals this post, always fun to write, but harder each year because I no longer will fuss much with fancy-foodie effects. I even gave my collection of cookie-cutters to my daughter-in law.
But arriving with something homemade in hand adds sparkle and warmth, so let's tie on our aprons again, if only for a few hours. Today, treats hat neither take long to make nor require exotic ingredients.
Sweets
It's a celebratory season, so these are gastronomic party hats.
Gordon Ramsay's Salted Caramel Popcorn
This decadent snack takes only about a half-hour to make, but factor in time to let it cool before packing or the heat will render it soggy. Don't worry if the mixture looks rough, it's part of the charm.
The recipe, via ChefScribe.com, includes a link to a YouTube video.
Chocolate Bourbon Praline Fudge
Sometimes you need a good adults-only treat, though this fudge contains only a tablespoon of bourbon, or it can be omitted. Since our liquor stores no longer carry US-made bourbon, I substituted the outstanding Canadian product Sortilege, a blend of whiskey and maple syrup; it may have even improved this.
Recipe courtesy of HoneyB's Kitchen.com
Savouries
I am devoted to Epices de Cru, the spice store in Jean-Talon Market, and often give tins of their house-made blends as gifts. Their site includes recipes; some feature their proprietary spices but if you cannot order from them, just approximate the notes.
An elegant yet simple recipe by Spice Trekker Philippe Devienne, co-founder of the company. You do need five days to properly marinade the salmon, but no cooking required—it infuses while you sleep. If you are a thrifter, it's fun to find a vintage glass or ceramic plate on which to give it.
Recipe courtesy of Epices de Cru.
Bring these warm, or reheat with a short blast in a hot oven (bring to room temperature before the reheat.) If entertaining, it's comforting to offer a warm appetizer, and the dense sticks hold heat well. Serve with any kind of dip; I use store-bought tzatziki sprinkled with red pepper flakes. Opa!
Recipe courtesy of Fine Dining Lovers by SPellegrino.
This dead easy recipe could accompany the Halloumi Sticks or a soup. I always double this recipe; my sons blow through one batch in under two minutes. (If you buy bagged pita chips from a premium brand like Les Filles Fatoosh, you will save a small fortune by making your own.)
Recipe courtesy of Epices de Cru.
Main Course Contributions
Meaty, treaty, big and bouncy, this is what to bring to a carnivore clan's movie night or a teenager-enhanced communal supper. And not only teenagers; Le Duc wonders why "no one ever brings meat to a potluck".
Chris Pezzana, "The Night Owl Chef", has tricks up his sleeve to make baked wings as satisfying as the fried kind, and I like his spice categories: the essentials, add-ons and variations. Super easy, but you need to be around to baste them while baking; rejoice because there's no rack to scrub—they bake on parchment paper.
Recipe courtesy of The Night Owl Chef.
One-Pot Creamy Carrot Red-Lentil Soup
At the same party, vegans and vegetarians can dive into a silky, 'creamy' (go, coconut milk!) soup. This recipe can also be modified if you don't need it to be dairy-free; because I wanted to keep the coconut note, I used some coconut cream as well as diary, and barely blended the vegetables to keep it chunky. I added red pepper flakes for zip,
Recipe courtesy of The Natural Nurturer.
One last salted splash
One year, I made an elegant antipasto of marinated baby vegetables, very Chez Panisse; tons of prep and then canning. But then I noticed some jars untouched a year later. You know what is not relegated to the rear? Homemade salted caramel sauce.
Like anything made with fresh cream, it should be kept refrigerated and eaten within a week. It is divine drizzled on ice cream, cake, or apple slices. My friend Jenn says her grands love it as a dip for pretzels.
If making some for yourself, buy some good ice cream and maybe tiny cookies for a garnish, and there's dessert—but watch out that the jar isn't raided—and just when you are about to serve, you find the nearly-empty glass jar shoved behind the pickles.
I found this recipe by Sally McKenney of Sally's Baking at least six years ago; it's easy and needs no special equipment.
There! Making a treat always put me in a mood of gentle goodwill, and at a time of year when so many people say they are stressed, I find these low-effort /hjgh reward projects relaxing. You might recruit a helper, too; most of these are easy enough. (The two caramel recipes are not young child-safe, but the other recipes will welcome small hands.)
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