Food and Beverage

A Full, Festive Menu for Holiday Celebrations

From the hors d’oeuvres to the main course and all the way through dessert, creating a full holiday menu doesn’t have to be hard.

Published

4 years ago

November 8, 2022

Rebecca Washington

Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Daily News Staff

(Family Features) From the hors d’oeuvres to the main course and all the way through dessert, creating a full holiday menu doesn’t have to be hard.

The key to a successful feast is focusing on dishes that can please loved ones of all ages and palates, such as a festive salad before the turkey or ham main dish, which can be accompanied by complementary sides like au gratin potatoes. Finally, top off the celebration with a divine dessert featuring classic cranberry flavor.

To find more holiday recipe inspiration, visit Culinary.net.

Start Holiday Celebrations with a Salad

With a bed of tender, leafy green spinach and pops of red cranberries, a salad lends itself perfectly to the colors and flavors of the holiday season. Plus, as a lighter bite ahead of the big meal, it makes for a delicious introduction to festive dinner parties, family gatherings and get-togethers.

This Spinach Christmas Tree Salad offers a fresh, festive option that adds a seasonal presentation to the table while inviting guests to take a bite. Harvested at the peak of flavor, tender Fresh Express Baby Spinach has a mild and delicate taste that makes it an ideal addition to recipes throughout the holidays.

Find more ways to freshen up your holiday menu at FreshExpress.com.

Spinach Christmas Tree Salad

Servings: 6

2 packages (5 ounces each) Fresh Express Baby Spinach
1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
1/3 cup pistachios, divided
1/2 cup feta cheese, divided
1 red pepper, cored, cut into thin strips
1 large apple, thinly sliced, cut into star shapes

Dressing:

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3 tablespoons cranberry juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In large bowl, toss baby spinach with 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/6 cup pistachios and 1/4 cup feta cheese. Transfer to Christmas tree cake mold. Neatly arrange spinach leaves to create smooth surface.
Arrange red pepper strips, trimming as needed, to create garland. Arrange remaining dried cranberries, remaining pistachios and remaining feta cheese as “ornaments” on top of spinach. Create tree topper with one apple star; place remaining apple stars around “tree.”
To make dressing: In blender, process cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, brown sugar and salt until smooth.

A Hearty Holiday Side Dish

From appetizers and snacks to the main course, sides and sweets, almost everyone has a favorite holiday dish. However, it’s the pairings and complementary dishes that make festive get-togethers special.

This Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes with Kale and Gruyere is an ideal example of a savory side that goes well with a variety of holiday meals, making it a perfect option for families seeking a versatile recipe to serve with dinner. Rosy-skinned and white-fleshed, Wisconsin Round Red potatoes have a firm, smooth and moist texture, making them well-suited for roasting in this hearty dish.

Visit eatwisconsinpotatoes.com to discover more recipes fit for serving your loved ones.

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes with Kale and Gruyere

Recipe courtesy of Wisconsin Potatoes

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves shallots, diced
4 large kale leaves, finely chopped (discard stems)
2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch
2 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oven to 325 F.
In small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, salt, black pepper, garlic and thyme; stir constantly, until cream starts to bubble, 4-6 minutes. When bubbling, remove from heat and stir until slightly cooled. Let cream sit.
Heat large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter melts, add shallots and kale leaves. Saute until kale is tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Turn off burner.
Add sliced potatoes to skillet, fanning over top of kale.
Use slotted spoon to remove garlic and thyme from heavy cream. Pour heavy cream over potatoes.
Cover skillet tightly with foil and bake until potatoes are tender, 75-85 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven and turn on broiler. Discard foil.
Sprinkle gruyere and Parmesan cheeses over potatoes, tucking some cheese between potato slices.
Return skillet to oven and broil until top is golden brown, 5-6 minutes.

Dish Up a Divine Holiday Dessert

Give your holiday gatherings a new twist this year with a creamy cranberry delight that’s a cause for celebration all on its own. Smooth, divine taste at the dessert table can be the memorable moment your family craves year after year.

This rich, festive Cranberry Cheesecake combines classic flavor with a homemade cranberry compote-infused layer above a crust sweetly made using C&H Light Brown Sugar and graham crackers. Top it all off with fresh and sugared cranberries, rosemary springs and whipped cream for a tempting treat that tastes as good as it looks.

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To find more sweet eats to celebrate the holidays, visit chsugar.com.

Cranberry Cheesecake

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cranberry Compote:

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup C&H Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons C&H Light Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake:

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups C&H Organic Raw Cane Sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup cranberry compote

fresh cranberries
sugared cranberries
rosemary sprigs
whipped cream

To make cranberry compote: In medium saucepan, bring cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice and orange zest to boil. Lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until most cranberries burst. Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature then transfer to bowl; refrigerate.
To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 8-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, butter, brown sugar and salt. Press crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F.
To make cheesecake: In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add cane sugar and beat 2-3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add flour, vanilla and salt. Beat 1 minute until incorporated.
Add one egg at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add sour cream and mix 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. In medium bowl, mix half of cheesecake batter with 1/2 cup cranberry compote.
Wrap springform pan with aluminum foil and place in large roasting pan. Pour cream cheese and cranberry mixture into prepared pan. Top with remaining cream cheese batter. Place roasting pan in oven and add hot water to 1-inch of springform pan. Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until cake looks set in center. Remove from oven and rest 1 hour. Refrigerate in pan overnight.
Decorate cake with fresh and sugared cranberries, rosemary springs and whipped cream.

SOURCE:
Fresh Express

Wisconsin Potatoes

C&H Sugar

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Rebecca Washington

Related Topics:holiday celebration menu Turkey

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Foodie News

Prioritize Brain Health with a Peanut-Packed Menu

Published

42 minutes ago

June 22, 2026

Daily News Staff

Prioritize Brain Health with a Peanut-Packed Menu

(Feature Impact) A healthy brain goes beyond reading exercises and completing puzzles – it extends to the kitchen, too. Emerging nutritional science is clear that what people eat doesn’t just fuel the body; it shapes memory, mood and cognitive health.

Among the foods you can include in your diet to give your brain a boost are peanuts and peanut butter, staples valued not only for their convenience but also for their cognitive benefits. In fact, a study published in the “Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease” found adults 60-80 years old who did not eat peanuts and peanut butter regularly were 30-50% more likely to perform poorly on tests measuring learning, memory, language, processing motor speed and attentiveness compared to those who did consumer peanuts and peanut butter.

It’s not just the older generation that can benefit. According to research published in “Clinical Nutrition,” a study of college students ages 18-33 showed consumption of peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory function and decreased anxiety, depression and stress.

Consider this key information from the Georgia Peanut Commission before your next meal planning session.

Nutrients that Give the Brain a Boost

Despite their small stature, peanuts pack a nutrition punch. Their unique blend of various vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds includes:

Niacin, which can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry”
Vitamin E, found to promote healthy brain aging and delay cognitive decline
Resveratrol, believed to be beneficial in fighting against Alzheimer’s disease and other nerve degenerating diseases, per the “Journal of Biological Chemistry”
P-coumaric acid, an antioxidant that appears to target the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, stress and anxiety

Peace of MIND

Peanuts are included in the MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which specifically includes foods shown to benefit the brain.

Adding peanuts to your menu can be a breeze. Look no further than a powerful main course like Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad, a perfect accompaniment at potlucks and cookouts as an easy side or light main course. Make breakfast-on-the-go part of your daily commute with Flourless Blueberry Muffins that require just five ingredients, including creamy peanut butter, or add a pinch of protein to snack time with Protein Balls that can be refrigerated until hunger strikes.

Brain Food for Thought

Supporting your brain starts with the right nutrition, and evidence makes clear peanuts and peanut butter should be top-of-mind as you head to the grocery store. For help getting started, find more recipes and nutritional information by visiting GAPeanuts.com.

Flourless Blueberry Muffins

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 12

2 bananas
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan.
In blender or food processor, combine bananas, peanut butter, eggs and baking powder; blend until smooth. Fold in blueberries by hand.
Pour mixture into muffin tin. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Store in airtight container up to 3 days.

Nutritional information per serving: 155 calories, 10 g carbohydrates, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 g saturated fat, 9 g unsaturated fat, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein, 98 mg sodium, 5 g sugar.

Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 8

Dressing:

1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Salad:

1 package (20 ounces) green peas, frozen
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup red onions, chopped
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
6 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 pinch salt, or to taste
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

To make dressing: In small mixing bowl, whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar.
To make salad: In large mixing bowl, combine frozen green peas, celery and onion. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Before serving, stir in roasted peanuts and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories, 17 g carbohydrates, 12 mg cholesterol, 3 g saturated fat, 9 g unsaturated fat, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein, 249 mg sodium, 6 g sugar, 1 g added sugar.

Protein Balls

Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 24

1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 cups quick oats
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried, chopped cranberries
1/8 teaspoon iodized salt
1/4 cup water

Using stand mixer, combine peanut butter, vanilla, honey, quick oats, flaxseed, coconut, cranberries, salt and water; mix until well combined.
Form dough into 1-ounce portions and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories, 7 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium. track

SOURCE:

Georgia Peanut Commission

STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.