Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 77 of Life On the Brink!
Today I’m bringing another cooking-centered episode, perfect for the holiday season! Sometimes I don’t know what to bring to a Christmas gathering, or am interested in switching up my holiday baking. Sometimes you have a slow evening at home and really need to nourish your body and mind. This episode is covering all those bases with simple, enjoyable, delicious recipes that are personal favorites of mine this Christmas season.
What’s in my teacup? Hot mulled apple cider. Keep reading to find the recipe!
COZY DINNERS: and recipes for in-between your partying.
-Tomato soup. Surprisingly easy to make and 1000% yummier than anything in a can. I just sauté one chopped onion in oil or butter, then add one big can of crushed tomatoes and simmer. I season with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder, then process in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add a dash of cream and a spoon of pesto and that’s it!
-Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It’s been my new favorite side this fall. Just roast with oil and balsamic vinegar (and make sure to place the sprouts cut-side down), and they get all crispy and delicious. Here’s a recipe to get you started.
-Spaghetti Squash. Another fall veggie in its prime. I like to make it a simple meal by serving it with a quick meat sauce (onion, garlic, eggplant, ground beef, kale, marinara, cream and lots of Italian spices) and grated parmesan. Even on it’s own, it’s a great side with butter and salt.
-Reset Ginger Tea:
-1 teabag Organic Ginger Turmeric Herbal Tea
-4-5 slices fresh ginger
-1 cinnamon stick
-squeeze of lemon
-1 tbsp of honey
Bring water to boil and steep the tea, ginger, and cinnamon for at least 5 minutes. Remove the slices, teabag and ginger, then add lemon and honey. Sip slowly.
-Golden Milk Oatmeal. I developed this recipe last winter and it’s a great, nourishing way to start a Christmasy day.
SIMPLE PARTY FARE
Holiday Charcuterie Board: everything you need to build the easiest party spread.
-CHEESE. A good rule of thumb is to contain 2-3 cheeses of varying types. I like combining soft and hard cheeses, and having a variety of milks (goat, cow, sheep) if possible
-dried meats like salami, soppressata, and prosciutto
-fruit. I prioritize fresh fruit (apples, pears and pomegranate during this season), but dried cherries, figs, apricots, and dates are lovely too.
-bread, crostini, or crackers
-spreads like jam, honey, pesto, hummus, or mustard
-extras like olives, marinated vegetables or pickles
-For holiday boards, I like to include spiced nuts, sprigs of rosemary, and a bit of chocolate!
-serve with wine, a light cocktail, or sparkling cider
Perkins’ Family Dill Dip
To serve alongside veggie crudités. A staple at all Perkins family gatherings.
-1 cup sour cream
-1 cup mayonnaise
-2 tbsp dried dill weed
-1.5 tbsp dried minced onion
-2 tsp seasoned salt
Puff Pastry: I recommend keeping some of this in your freezer as the Holidays approach because it’s so versatile and EASY to use. You can make quick appetizers, wrapped brie, or a simple sweet tart that are impressive and delicious, but so simple.
Mulled cider. You really can’t go wrong with a hot holiday cider. This is the simple method I’ve been working with this season.
DESSERTS: these are my favorites this year.
-Yule log/ Bûche de Noël. I made this beauty last Christmas Eve and it was super impressive and delicious. It definitely took a bit of time, but it’s a great project for a day filled with wrapping gifts and snacking on popcorn.
-Also: the chocolate ganache from the Yule Log recipe became my favorite dessert for the next week. It made way too much, and I spent several days after re-melting portions of the ganache in the microwave and dipping fruit in it. It makes the perfect chocolate fondue whenever you want it (amazing with oranges).
-My old standby is a lemon cookie recipe I developed years ago. They’re easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. I’ve written out the whole thing in this post.
-I have my eye on these Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing. I’m still deciding what to make for Christmas Eve, so this might be it!
This Week’s Little Joy: This past Saturday I went caroling, one of my favorite things! My friend Jeanette organizes it and makes hot chocolate and brings adorable books of sheet music, then we all sing door to door in various neighborhoods, and it’s one of the best parts of December, in my opinion. This year my mom came with me, and it was a fun way to spread a little cheer!
What I’m Listening To: Victorian Christmas- Ye Olde British Carols, a Spotify playlist made by Patrick Sullivan. It’s filled with all the super old carols I WISH were on the radio, so I just listen to this! I’ve listened to it more than any other album or playlist this season, and can’t recommend it enough.
Thank you so much for listening!
We've one more episode before a little Christmas break, so I wish you a very merry and yummy week.
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