Potato Coins

What do we know about side dishes?

One thing is for sure, we serve lots of them with the holiday feast!  I think Thanksgiving is a prime example of having so many different side dishes to accompany one main entree.  For Christmas I don't go quite that far but I do serve a variety.

Today's recipe is a simple roasted potato side dish.  Perfect as your starch with your meal.  What is unique about this dish is the cut of the potato.  Using a small round white potatoes and cutting them into rounds turns this dish into something fun.  I call them coins!  They kinda look like gold coins when roasted all nice and brown don't you think?  They are cute, and fun to eat.  Plus they taste great as well!

If you are roasting vegetables for your holiday meal throw some of these in as well.  The kids will love the "coins" as well!

Potato Coins
serves 4

1 lb of small white potatoes
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder

1 T thyme, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut potatoes into 1/3" rounds, leaving the skin on.  Place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Sprinkle with chopped thyme.  Spread out potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Cook for about 20 minutes, turning potatoes over half way through the cooking time.  Remove when golden brown and serve.

Christmas Appetizers: Plum and Mascarpone Crostini

A few days ago I brought you a wonderful muffin for your Christmas Breakfast.  Today's goody is going to be a simple yet elegant appetizer to make.

Appetizers are wonderful little tidbits to serve to family and guests at a holiday party, Christmas dinner, or even New Years eve.  They are perfect for keeping hunger at bay while the dinner is being cooked.  Wouldn't it be fun to host a holiday party of all appetizers?  Just an array of small bites?  I often do that for New Years Eve.

MGG is a BIG snacker.  So keeping him from munching on all the food that I'm cooking is a task.  By preparing a few appetizers ahead of time and having them on hand when the snack monster attacks seems to do the trick!  Does anyone else have a snack monster in their house, or am I facing this monster alone??

These Plum and Mascarpone Crostini are super delishhh!  They go together pretty quickly once you re-constitute the plums, and they can be made ahead of time and assembled at the last minute.

What's better than toasted bites of bread, a blend of mascarpone and ricotta cheese, a little arugula, and some dried plums reconstituted in Sherry?  Not much!  This dish is very easy to change depending upon your tastes too.  Use figs, or cherries instead.  The Sherry can be substituted out if your don't want the alcohol, but I must say it's mighty tasty with it!

That's all there is to it!  Simple and elegant, that's what I like during the holiday festivities.  Enjoy!

Plum and Mascarpone Crostini 

8-10 dried plums, chopped
1/3 c Sherry
1 french baguette, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 c mascarpone cheese
1/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c arugula leaves
balsamic vinegar for drizzling

In a small saucepan place the chopped plums and the sherry.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Turn heat down to low and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes until plums have plumped up and the sherry is thick and syrupy.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take the baguette rounds and place them flat on a baking sheet, not touching.  Bake in the oven until toasted, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile combine the mascarpone cheese and the ricotta cheese together in a small bowl and blend to mix.  

To assemble take one bread round and spread some of the cheese mixture on the toasted side.  Top with a leaf of arugula and a small spoon full of the reconstituted plums.  Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.  Serve immediately.

Chicken and Pumpkin Stew

Some things are worth a second look don't you think?

Well this stew certainly is!  In October of last year I posted a dish of Pork and Pumpkin Stew.  It's an easy crock pot dish using Williams-Sonoma's product.  Stewsday Pumpkin Stew Starter.

Well I couldn't resist posting is again.  This time I made it with Chicken.    Pumpkin Stew Starter is an all-natural blend of roasted pumpkin, tomatoes and carrots, gently seasoned with garlic and aromatic autumn spices.  Pretty much all natural ingredients.  I love that about their items.  While it is a little costly $16.95 each or 2 for $30.00 this stew makes a great meal, and calls for 3lbs of pork, so it will feed quite a few people.  Great to make a big batch and freeze part of it for future meals.

This is so easy to do, and with the holidays staring me in the face I need something hearty but quick.   You just need 3 pounds of chicken cut up into chunks.  Season it with salt and pepper and toss it in your slow cooker.  Pour the jar of stew starter over the chicken and place the lid on it.  Cook it on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6.  Woohoo, instant stew!

When it is done the chicken will be pull apart tender.  Just take a fork and shred up some of the chicken and mixing it with the sauce.  I always serve it over a nice bed of rice.  Yum!

You can also make this from scratch.  For the recipe click here.

Enjoy and easy meal during the holidays!