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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.

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(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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.”
  3. 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
  1. Heat oven to 325 F.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add sliced potatoes to skillet, fanning over top of kale.
  5. Use slotted spoon to remove garlic and thyme from heavy cream. Pour heavy cream over potatoes.
  6. Cover skillet tightly with foil and bake until potatoes are tender, 75-85 minutes.
  7. Remove skillet from oven and turn on broiler. Discard foil.
  8. Sprinkle gruyere and Parmesan cheeses over potatoes, tucking some cheese between potato slices.
  9. 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.

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
  1. 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.
  2. To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 8-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Decorate cake with fresh and sugared cranberries, rosemary springs and whipped cream.


SOURCE:
Fresh Express

Wisconsin Potatoes

C&H Sugar

 

Rebecca Jo is a mother of four and is a creative soul from Phoenix, Arizona, who also enjoys new adventures. Rebecca Jo has a passion for the outdoors and indulges in activities like camping, fishing, hunting and riding roller coasters. She is married to Rod Washington

Family

Easy Easter Eats

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One-pan dishes to make hosting simple

(Family Features) Even if Easter hosting duties fell on your plate this year and added one more thing to your holiday to-do list, that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. After all, Easter is a time meant for fun and fellowship with the food just one part of the celebration.

Building the menu around simple, one-pan dishes can keep the focus where it needs to be: spending time and creating memories with family and friends. These dishes call for short lists of ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry, and simple preparation to create a full spread perfect for sharing with loved ones. Plus, using only one pan makes cleanup a breeze, so you can get back to the festivities quickly.

A dish like this Easter Roast lets you check both the main course and side dishes off your list, relying on the oven to do most of the work for you after some quick prep work. Similarly easy to prepare, these Refrigerator Rolls can also be made up to six days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to bake – a perfect complement to the savory roast and veggies.

Finish off your feast with an adaptable dessert like this Blueberry Crumble. Made using just five ingredients and ready in about an hour, you can swap the blueberry pie filling and yellow cake mix for any combination that suits your guests’ tastes like apple pie filling with spice cake or cherry pie filling with chocolate cake; the sky’s the limit when it comes to satisfying that sweet tooth.

For more Easter recipe inspiration, visit Culinary.net.

Easter Roast

Yield: 1 roast

  • Salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • 1 roast (3 pounds)
  • 1 bag (1 pound) baby carrots
  • 1 bag (1 1/2 pounds) trio potatoes or potato of choice
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 tablespoon garlic pepper
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 bundle asparagus
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder over roast and rub into front, back and sides. Place seasoned roast in middle of large roasting pan.
  3. Place carrots on one side of roasting pan and potatoes on other side.
  4. In large bowl, mix beef broth and cream of mushroom soup with garlic pepper. Pour mixture over roast, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle brown sugar over carrots and add chopped onion. Cover and cook 2 1/2 hours then remove from oven, add asparagus and cook uncovered 30 minutes.
  5. Serve from pan or place on platter for more formal presentation.

Refrigerator Rolls

Yield: 18 rolls

  • 2 packages yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups lukewarm water
  • 6-7cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick softened butter
  • oil, divided
  1. In large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. When yeast is foamy, add 3 cups flour. Mix in salt, eggs and butter.
  2. Once mixed well, add remaining flour 1 cup at a time and knead dough into ball in bowl. Remove dough from bowl and place on clean surface.
  3. Wash and dry bowl then grease with drizzle of oil. Place dough in bowl and let rise 1 hour or store in refrigerator if making in advance.
  4. When ready to use, grease muffin pan with oil. Roll dough into hand-size balls and place in each muffin hole; cover 1 hour.
  5. Heat oven to 350 F. Bake rolls 30 minutes.
  6. Note: Dough can be made in advance and stored in refrigerator up to six days. If making ahead, punch down dough, cover and place in refrigerator. Punch down daily until ready to use.

Blueberry Crumble

Yield: 1 cake

  • 1 can blueberry pie filling
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 bag (4 ounces) chopped pecans
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • whipped cream, for serving (optional)
  • vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Spread pie filling on bottom of 9-by-11-inch pan. Sprinkle cake mix and pecans on top. Do not mix.
  3. Drizzle melted butter and oil on top of cake mix and pecans. Do not mix. Lift pan and tilt from side to side until cake mix is completely covered in butter.
  4. Bake 1 hour until golden brown and bubbly.
  5. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.


SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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Food and Beverage

The Pickle Pad Is Serving Up a Chef-Inspired Menu at Crave Social Eatery

Emerging Franchise Concept, The Pickle Pad, Releases New Menu Details for On-Site Restaurant

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. /PRNewswire/ –Crave Social Eatery, a chef-inspired restaurant offering a crave-able menu geared toward light, fresh food that fits an active lifestyle will launch as part of the new indoor entertainment concept, The Pickle Pad.

Emerging Franchise Concept, The Pickle Pad, Releases New Menu Details for On-Site Restaurant
Crave Social Eatery

With its first location slated to open this Spring in Tallahassee, FL, The Pickle Pad, featuring Crave Social Eatery, is sure to be the new neighborhood hot spot. The Pickle Pad is a unique indoor pickleball and social gaming experience and Crave Social Eatery offers both courtside and in-restaurant dining. Guests will be able to unwind, grab a bite, or cheer on their friend seven days a week.

“Crave Social Eatery will offer real food and real fun as part of our new concept that offers much more than just pickleball,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Indoor Active Brands. “We are so excited to bring The Pickle Pad to the community in Tallahassee and to markets across the country. Crave Social Eatery will be the perfect spot to quench your thirst or hunger while enjoying your time at The Pickle Pad.”

As part of the Indoor Active Brands portfolio, Crave Social Eatery at The Pickle Pad joins its well-established sister company Altitude Trampoline Park. Brought to you by experts in both the restaurant and indoor activity industries, Crave will be the heart of social interaction at The Pickle Pad, connecting guests who may be participating in games and those who are relaxing with good company.

Developed by chefs, Crave will have a curated menu of modern American classics with a twist that are just as playful as the games. Below is a sampling of some of the top crave-worthy dishes:

  • Artisanal sandwiches, bowls, & salads
  • Delicious flatbread pizzas
  • All house made sauces
  • Tasty smoothies
  • Delectable shareable dishes including charcuterie with a selection of cured meats and artisan cheeses
  • Curated beer & wine selections

As The Pickle Pad expands, each location will also offer Crave Social Eatery, where guests can dine in the restaurant or courtside. With a wide variety of craveable dishes and multiple areas to dine, Crave is sure to bring a welcoming environment to communities across the nation. 

Indoor Active Brands has recently launched The Pickle Pad’s franchising program and plans to open its first location in Tallahassee at 1925 N. Monroe Street in Spring 2024. The 27,000-square-foot facility will feature multiple pickleball courts with casual guest seating, Crave Social Eatery, a full-service restaurant and bar, elevated private areas with social gaming as well as multiple green spaces full of exciting yard games for all ages.

The Pickle Pad is actively seeking qualified candidates to help grow its footprint throughout the U.S. specifically in the Southeast and Midwest regions. To learn more about franchise opportunities, contact Robert Morris, vice president of development, at robert.morris@thepicklepad.com or visit  https://www.thepicklepad.com/franchise/.

About Crave Social Eatery: 
Crave Social Eatery is both a quick and full-service, chef-inspired restaurant where guests can dine in the restaurant or courtside. The innovative menu offers something for all as it is geared toward light, fresh food that fits an active lifestyle and includes a curated selection of beer, wine, and drinks. Beyond the delicious food and beverages, Crave Social Eatery is a fun, welcoming environment where guests can relax and socialize outside of home and work seven days a week. For more information about Crave Social Eatery visit https://www.thepicklepad.com/#crave. 

About The Pickle Pad: 
The Pickle Pad is an indoor pickleball and entertainment experience featuring multiple courts, spectator seating and open green spaces with social and lawn games. Each location also offers Crave Social Eatery, a full-service, chef-inspired restaurant where guests can dine in the restaurant or courtside. The space is welcoming and offers something for everyone and any athletic level. The Pickle Pad is part of Indoor Active Brands, which also owns Altitude Trampoline Park, one of the largest entertainment brands in the world. For more information about The Pickle Pad visit https://www.thepicklepad.com/.

About Indoor Active Brands:
Indoor Active Brands is a platform company focused on owning and operating franchising concepts in the indoor family entertainment industry. Created by NRD Capital, Indoor Active Brands currently consists of Altitude Trampoline Park and The Pickle Pad. Indoor Active Brands leverages years of experience in the family entertainment and restaurant industries to provide unmatched support for its franchisees. For more information about Indoor Active Brands visit https://www.indooractivebrands.com/. 

SOURCE Indoor Active Brands

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Food and Beverage

Subway® Selects PepsiCo as its Beverage Partner in the U.S.

U.S. Subway restaurants will begin serving PepsiCo beverages in 2025 under a 10-year agreement

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MIAMI /PRNewswire/ — Subway®, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, today announced a 10-year agreement with PepsiCo to supply beverages in U.S. restaurants beginning January 1, 2025. Subway’s longstanding partnership with Frito-Lay® will also be extended through 2030, bringing the brand’s U.S. snack and beverage portfolio together under one supplier and driving more efficiency across the system.

U.S. Subway restaurants will begin serving PepsiCo beverages in 2025
Subway® Selects PepsiCo as its Beverage Partner in the U.S.

Under the new agreement, Subway restaurants will offer a consumer-driven assortment of beverages from the diverse PepsiCo beverages portfolio such as Pepsi®, Pepsi® Zero Sugar, MTN DEW®, Starry®, Tropicana®, Lipton®, Aquafina®, and Gatorade®. Subway franchisees will also have the option to offer a larger selection of Gatorade beverages.

The new agreement underscores Subway’s commitment to delivering better food and a better guest experience, which includes ensuring the brand’s beverage offerings align with guest preferences across demographics. In addition, the change will provide additional value to franchisees, including all new beverage equipment provided to restaurants.

“The partnership with PepsiCo is an exciting milestone in our journey to become America’s favorite place to eat, drink and work,” said Doug Fry, President of Subway, North America. “It is a win-win for everyone, as it brings a delicious suite of beverage and snack choices to our guests, driving additional consideration of these menu items, while also providing cost-effective, streamlined solutions to our franchisees.”

As part of the ongoing brand partnership, consumers can look forward to seeing Subway and PepsiCo brands enjoyed together in exciting marketing and media partnerships.

“The agreement with Subway represents two iconic companies coming together to further their commitment to delivering operational excellence and driving breakthrough innovation for consumers across the U.S.,” said Anne Fink, President, PepsiCo Global Foodservice. “Together, we’re elevating the consumer experience with dynamic beverage and snack offerings — including those that appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers — bringing new flavors to Subway fans in a powerful way.”

The transition to offer PepsiCo products in all U.S. restaurants will begin in 2025 and rollout over the course of several months. PepsiCo is also the current Subway beverage provider in several regions around the world, including Canada, Germany, the Nordics, and the Netherlands, among others.

About Subway® Restaurants
As one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant brands, Subway serves freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls to millions of guests, across more than 100 countries and territories in nearly 37,000 restaurants every day. Subway restaurants are owned and operated by Subway franchisees—a network that includes thousands of dedicated entrepreneurs and small business owners—who are committed to delivering the best guest experience possible in their local communities.

https://www.subway.com/en-us/

Subway® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP LLC. © 2024 Subway IP LLC

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter)InstagramFacebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

SOURCE Subway

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