Holiday Recipes to Enjoy with Friends and Family

With the holidays around the corner, our kitchen and dining area become a focal point in our homes – to cook, prepare, gather, and share the food, celebrations, and love for each other.

We wanted to share some love with these delicious and festive looking recipes for the Holidays!

Cheese Ball Wreath

Create your own indoor holiday wreath with this festive and easy to make cheese ball.

Use a small Bundt pan to form a wreath shape, or roll the mixture into a ball or log. For a cheeseball worthy of any big gathering, skip the Bundt pan and colorful garnish and roll the ball in toasted sliced almonds instead.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound room temperature cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded firm cheese, such as Cheddar, Pepper Jack or Colby
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pickled piquante peppers, such as Peppadews, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• Crackers, sliced bread or crudités, for serving

Directions:

Line the inside of a 6-cup Bundt pan with plastic wrap.  Process the cream cheese, shredded cheese, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and few grinds of pepper in a food processor until smooth.  Put the mixture into a medium bowl, and fold in the chopped peppers, saving 2 tablespoons aside.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the prepared Bundt pan, form it into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until chilled, minimum of 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Before serving, unwrap and transfer the ball onto a serving platter; sprinkle with the chives and parsley to completely coat the wreath, and garnish with the 2 tablespoons of peppers.  Serve with crackers, sliced bread or crudites.

Eggplant Caponata

This jewel-toned eggplant dish will make a beautiful addition to your holiday table, whether as a side dish or appetizer, served with fresh-baked rolls or toasted bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 chopped onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 1 chopped eggplant
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon of chopped oregano
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon capers
• Salt and pepper
• A fresh sprigs of basil

Directions:

Cook the onion in a skillet with olive oil for 3 minutes.  Add chopped celery stalk and eggplant and cook 4 minutes.  Add chopped red bell pepper and cook 3 minutes.  Add golden raisins, oregano and water; simmer for 8 minutes.  Add halved grape tomatoes, cider vinegar and capers; cook for 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and top with pieces of basil.

Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloins

Rachael Ray’s juicy herb-crusted pork tenderloins are easy to make and a feast for any meat lover.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 pounds pork tenderloins, 2 packages with 2 tenderloins in each package
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, cracked
• Steak seasoning blend
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves stripped and finely chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Trim any silver skin or connective tissue off tenderloins with a sharp thin knife.  Place tender loins on a nonstick cookie sheet with a rim.  Coat tenderloins in a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, rubbing vinegar into meat, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.  Cut small slits into meat and disperse chunks of cracked garlic cloves into meat.  Combine steak seasoning blend with rosemary and thyme and rub meat with blend.

Roast on high heat for just 20 minutes – the inside will stay tender while a nice crackly skin will form on the outside.  Let meat rest, transfer to a carving board, slice and serve.

Gooey Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin pie lovers – here’s an easy cake you will absolutely love!

The pumpkin pie filling is baked into a spice cake crust, so you don’t have to worry about pie dough, and the rich pumpkin filling, topped with whipped cream, will steal your heart.

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
• 1 box spice cake mix (15.25-ounce)
• 2 large eggs, plus 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions for the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Combine the cake mix, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla in the bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.   Add the 1 1/2 sticks butter and mix just until combined.  Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.

Directions for the filling:

Beat the cream cheese in a clean mixer bowl with the paddle until light and smooth, scraping the sides occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add 3 eggs, pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until smooth.  Add the pumpkin and 4 tablespoons butter and beat until smooth.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed to combine, and then beat on medium until light and smooth, about 1 minute.  Pour over the cake layer and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake until the edges are puffed and golden brown and the center is just set, 35 to 40 minutes.  Let cool.  Cut into squares and serve topped with whipped cream.

All recipes and images are from the foodnetwork.com

We hope you and your dear ones enjoy these lovely recipes, and have a healthy and joyful holiday season!

And if your kitchen is tired and outdated, wouldn’t it be nice to cook these yummy dishes in a new, efficient and inviting kitchen?  Why not put it on the Christmas list!

Your search for top kitchen remodeling companies ends right here – turn to Harbor Stone Construction Company whether you’re considering a total remodeling of your home or looking to liven up your kitchen.

Rely on Harbor Stone home renovation contractors’ expert knowledge and skills to help you transform and customize your current kitchen into your dream kitchen just in time for the Holidays!

Contact Harbor Stone’s licensed contractors today to discuss your residential project in Chester County PA and Greater Philadelphia.