We’ve left it to the experts to come up with these drool-worthy recipes you’ll want to make time and time again.
But in case you were looking for some notable tested and approved holiday recipes to try on your loved ones this week, here are a handful of our favourites.
The only requirement we had was that they’re simple – we know you don’t have a whole lot of extra time to perfect Julia Child’s advanced cooking techniques.
Well, not until you decide that’s your latest New Year’s resolution anyway…
Oh, and in case you don’t understand half the words below (what’s an ounce, anyway?), this conversion table will do all the heavy lifting for you.
YUKON GOLDS WITH SHALLOT BUTTER
What you need:
2 1/4 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 medium shallot, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
How to make it:
In a saucepan, boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the mustard seeds over moderate heat until they pop, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the parsley, shallot, lemon juice and mustard seeds. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Drain and halve the potatoes lengthwise. In a large dish, toss the potatoes with the shallot butter and serve.
The shallot butter can be refrigerated for 1 week.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH HOT BACON VINAGRETTE
What you need:
10 slices bacon, chopped
3 pounds Brussels sprouts, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons firmly-packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cook the bacon until crisp in a large skillet. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in the skillet.
Combine the Brussels sprouts, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Place the sprouts on the prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the vinegar, brown sugar and mustard to the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Pour the mixture over the sprouts, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with the bacon. Serve immediately.
WHOLE ROASTED CARROTS WITH GARLIC
What you need:
1 pound medium carrots, peeled
1/4 cup water
4 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400°.
In a medium baking dish, combine the carrots with the water, garlic, oil and butter and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes, until tender.
Uncover and roast for about 30 minutes longer, until the water has evaporated and the carrots are lightly browned in spots.
Transfer the carrots and garlic to a plate and serve.
What you need:
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 ounces bourbon
How to make it:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until the yolks lighten in color and the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 40 degrees F, approximately 4 to 6 hours.
Once chilled, process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve as is for soft-serve, or place in an airtight container and put in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours for traditional ice cream.
What you need:
Frosting
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Santas
12 large strawberries
24 mini chocolate chips
How to make it:
Special equipment: Pastry bag fitted with a small star piping tip
For the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the mascarpone and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is thick and smooth. Using a spatula, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small star piping tip.
For the Santas: Using a paring knife, cut off the leaf-end of each strawberry to make a flat surface. Cut a 1/2- to 3/4-inch piece from the pointed end of each strawberry and reserve as the hats.
Place the strawberries, wide-side down, on a work surface. Pipe a 3/4-inch-high swirl of frosting on each strawberry. Place the hats on top and pipe a small ball of frosting on top of the hats. Press two chocolate chips, pointed-sides inward, into the swirl of frosting to make eyes.
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Cover image from: istock.com
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