Here at Abt, the holiday season is the busiest time of year. All of our customers are getting ready for the holidays, with many trying to find the right appliances to cook a great holiday meal. People tend to stress about making the perfect dinner, attempting to cook complex and fancy foods that make their holiday cooking not so enjoyable. Who says holidays dinners have to be fancy? A great meal can be easy and simple, and still taste delicious. Take a deep breath. Not only will we help you find the right appliances, but we will take the pressure off and guide you through your holiday cooking with these simple, yet tasty recipes!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle
Before you scroll down because you saw “Brussels Sprouts”, we should mention that there is pancetta in it. Yes, pancetta, the Italian bacon that is so rich in flavor and makes everything taste better. The rendered fat of the pancetta will subtlety mask the flavor of the Brussels sprouts, you’ll be surprised. Give it a try, the texture of the roasted Brussels sprouts, the rich flavor of pancetta and a drizzle of balsamic will create a harmonious flavor that your guests won’t forget.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 6 slices pancetta, chopped.
- Salt and pepper
- 2 pints Brussels sprouts. (Large ones cut in half, leave smaller ones whole)
- ½ Balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
While your oven heats up, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the pancetta to the hot pan and cook the pancetta until it’s just about rendered all the way. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and gently toss the Brussels sprouts.
Spread the Brussels sprouts and pancetta onto a baking sheet. Arrange halves of Brussels sprouts with the cut side down on the sheet. Roast the Brussels sprouts until the outer leaves are nicely crisped and brown, and the sprouts tender, which should take about 10-12 minutes. Finish off the brussels sprouts with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Kielbasa Sausage & Potato Stew with Caramelized Onions
It’s getting pretty cold out there and we all want to be inside and stay warm as much as possible. A great way to stay warm from the cold weather is by enjoying home cooked comfort food, like hearty soups and stews. Enjoying a piping hot stew on a cold day makes you reminisce about childhood memories. Remember walking home from school during very cold winters? Coming into your warm home, as the aromatic medley of potatoes and spices from mom’s stew filled the air, made the long walks worth it. Take your guests to memory lane and serve them this Kielbasa sausage and potato stew with caramelized onions. The smokiness of the kielbasa sausage goes well with the potatoes and the caramelized onions tie all the flavors together. It’s a simple dish that everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 package Kielbasa sausage, cut into ½ in slices
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- ¾ teaspoons paprika
- 8 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.
- 1 ⅔ cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped.
Preparation
Heat a large non-stick pot over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, add in the kielbasa and cook the sausage for a few minutes until they are a deep brown color and caramelized, then remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot (do not remove the oil) add in the butter, allow the butter to completely melt, then add the sliced onions. Cook the onions in the melted butter and the sausage drippings for about 5-7 minutes until they are caramelized and golden brown. Then add in the minced garlic, paprika, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. combine the onions, garlic and spices together until the garlic is fragrant.
Next, add in the potatoes and mix them in with the caramelized onions, making sure most of the potatoes are coated. Add in the chicken stock and stir to mix in everything. Push the potatoes down into the stock and onion mixture to ensure they cook evenly. Loosely cover the pot with a lid, allowing some steam to escape, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring gently once or twice during that time spant.
Then uncover the pot, have the potatoes continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is thickened. Gently stir the stew once or twice during the 10 minutes. It’s ok if some of the potatoes break up, it helps thicken the stew.
Lastly, add in the parsley and the caramelized smoked sausage, and gently stir it in the stew. Enjoy this stew with freshly baked bread!
Fresh Fruit Tarts
Finish off your holiday dinner with delicious desserts. You can’t go wrong with something sweet! These fruit tarts keep it fresh, yet simple, and will be great for your guests, even the little ones. This 3 ingredient dessert will look great on your table setting, as the assortment of fruits adds a pop of vibrant colors.
Ingredients
- A package of mini graham cracker pie crusts
- Vanilla instant pudding
- Assortment of different fruits, sliced
Preparation
Start with the vanilla instant pudding. Mix in all the necessary ingredients and have the pudding set in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
While your pudding sets, slice up the assortment of fruits of your choice. Slice the fruit into small pieces so they will be able to set on to of the pudding in the mini pie crusts.
Once the pudding sets, fill in the mini pie crusts with pudding. A good spoonful or two should be enough.
Then, take your sliced fruit and set them on top of the pudding. Use different slices of fruit to make these mini desserts pop with color.
Apple Crumble topped with Vanilla Ice Cream
Apple crumble is a classic dessert for any type of occasion. This is a crowd-pleaser! The scrumptious apple crumble topped with ice cream will be a favorite for all ages!
Ingredients
- 3-4 Braeburn Apples, cored and chopped into smaller chunks
- 6 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 10 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 5 Tablespoons butter
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
While your oven is heating up, fill a large sauce pan halfway with water. Place the apples into the pan to stop them from ruining.
Drain all of the water from the saucepan, then add another 2 tablespoons of water and add 3 tablespoons of sugar. heat the apples with water and sugar over medium heat . Cook the apples until they are mushy. Then place apples in a oven safe baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, mix in the flour, cinnamon, and the remaining sugar. Add the butter into the mixture, using a spatula to mix all of the ingredients together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Spread it evenly over the apples.
Bake the crumble mixture in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Once the crumble is baked, let it set to cool for about 5 minutes. Grab a plate, and top off the apple crumble with vanilla ice cream.
No Comments