This simple and elegant dish is perfect for an hors d’oeuvre or first course at your holiday meal. It travels well and your guests will be so impressed! Tres Fabulous!

Belgian Endive spears with Pecans, Bleu Cheese & Cherries

serves 8 as a first course or 16 as an hors d’oeuvre

• 4 bunches Endive, washed & separated
• 1 Cup Bleu Cheese (Maytag, Cabrales, Gorgonzola or your favorite)
• 1 Cup dried Cherries
• 1 1/4 Cup whole candied Pecans (or walnuts)
• 3/4 Cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (store bought)

Arrange endive on serving platter. Sprinkle bleu cheese, nuts and cherries on endive; making sure that each spear has some of the ingredients on them. Lightly drizzle dressing over the spears.* Bon Appetit!

*If you are traveling to a party with this dish, wait to drizzle dressing until you are ready to serve.

(Kristin Hamzik)

Tis the season for holiday pot lucks and tailgating. So, we put together a list of foods that “travel” well so your par-tay doesn’t become a faux paus!

YES
Potato salad sans mayo
Fruits
Veggies
Casseroles/gratins
Pastas
Salads
Cakes, cookies, pies, crisps/crumbles & brownies/dessert bars

NO
Mayo
Cheese
Raw eggs
Milk/cream
Uncooked meats

You can still bring the the “No” items to your bash as long as you put them in the fridge or in the oven as soon as you arrive to your destination and until you’re ready to serve.

(Kristin Hamzik)

This soup is an easy recipe that can be used to keep you warm and toasty on a brisk fall day. The ingredients are cheap, but the presentation is worthy enough to entertain your closest friends.

I suggest using butternut squash from the freezer section of your grocery store. You just simply thaw it in the microwave for 2 minutes and voila! No peeling or chopping. The work is done for you!

Butternut Squash Soup with Apples (Serves 6-8)

• 1 ½ qts of chicken stock (or canned broth)
• 2 packages of frozen butternut squash puree or 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 medium Granny Smith, or other tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces (reserve 1 for garnish)
• 1/2 tsp fresh garlic chopped
• 1 lg. onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbl unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. dried sage
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. finely ground pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apple

 
Heat butter in large soup pot. Add chopped onions and sautee on medium low for 8 minutes or until transluscent. Meanwhile, defrost squash in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes or until no longer frozen. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer (5-8 minutes). Then add squash and and heat for another 15 minutes on low. Turn off heat.
Carefully, spoon soup into a blender and blend smooth. Continue to blend in batches until the entire pot is pureed. Then return to original pot. Turn heat on low and add in heavy cream. Cook until heated through and ladle into bowls.
Core and cut remaining apple in half and then in half again. Garnish each bowl with 2 slices of apple and serve.

(Recipe and Story courtesy of Kristin Hamzik)