A Formal Christmas Dinner - Sunny & Stacie

A Victorian Christmas Dinner

December 2008

Sunny & Stacie

The Menu:

Appetizers:

Coconut Shrimp with Dipping  Sauce

Caramelized Bacon Smokies

Soup:

Winter White Soup

Salad:

The Painted Pony's Dixie Salad (With Homemade Marshmallows)

Main Course:

Feta Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Chicken

Asparagus with Tarragon

Pesto-Goat-Cheese Straws

 Dessert:

Egg Nog Pudding

Hot Chocolate with  Pink Peppermint Whipped Cream Dollops

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut Shrimp 

16 large shrimp

½ corn starch

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp red pepper

2 egg whites

¼ cup water

1 ½ cups shredded, unsweetened coconut

¾ cup panko bread crumbs (found in Asian section)

1 tsp kosher salt

vegetable oil

 Rinse and peel shrimp under cold water.  

Combine corn starch, salt and red pepper in plastic bag.  Whisk egg whites and water until frothy in small mixing bowl.  Combine coconut, panko and salt in another bag.

Dredge shrimp through the corn starch mixture, shake off excess cornstarch.  Drip dredged shrimp into egg white mixture.  Add shrimp into coconut a few at a time.  Shake bag to coat completely.  Place coated shrimp on baking sheet and chill 2 – 3 hours. 

Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in sauté pan over medium heat.  Fry shrimp 3-4 minutes per side.  Don’t overcook; try not to crowd shrimp.  Remove to cooling rack or paper towel.  Serve warm with shrimp sauce. 

Coconut shrimp sauce

 ½ cup orange marmalade

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup honey

 Mix all together; serve with coconut shrimp.  

Carmalized Bacon Smokies

Caramelized Bacon Smokies

 1 Pkg of Lean Quality Bacon

1 Pkg of Smoked Wieners

Brown Sugar

Cut bacon in half and then roll each wiener.  Coat baking sheet with Pam.

Put rolled bacon wiener seam down on a baking sheet.  Cover bacon wiener with a mound of brown sugar.  Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hrs.  Take out when brown sugar has completely melted and have caramelized.

The Painted Pony's "Dixie Salad"  (From The Painted Pony restaurant in St. George.)

Painted Pony’s Dixie Salad 

*** I had this when I went to the “The Painted Pony” in St. George.  I loved it so much, I called and they generously gave me the recipe.  (Thank you!)  This is how the restaurant gave me the recipe.  Obviously they make bigger portions.  I halved it for our group of 12 and still had a ton of dressing.  Just keep that mind if you make this.

 

-          Homemade Marshmallows (recipe below)

-          Pomegranate reduction (boil pomegranate juice until it is sticky enough to stick to the back of a spoon.  It took me about 45 minutes to get it to that consistency.)

-          Pomegranates

-          Sliced Pears

-          Pomegranate Jelly Squares (use recipe on unflavored Knox gelatin box; make with 100% pure pomegranate juice.)

-          Candied pecans

Dressing:

-          4 cups sherry wine (Heat sherry wine on stove to reduce to 1 cup)

-          3 vanillas beans (we used vanilla paste)

-          2 cups of honey

-          1 cup Dijon mustard

-          4 eggs large (we used the pasteurized eggs like “Egg Beaters”)

-          6 cups mayo

-          2 cups lemon oil (I halved the recipe and only used one little jar of the lemon oil you use to make candy.  It was plenty.)

-          2 cups salad oil (vegetable oil, olive oil, etc.)

-          1 cup water

Clean a vanilla bean, split down middle top to bottom scrape seeds out (Paste) seeds into wine and pods into, cover with plastic with wine and bring out flavor.  Strain out beans to get rid of chunks.  Add honey, mustard and eggs.  Whip well.  Whisk in mayo.  Mix oils, then whisk in oil so it is not separated.  Can add water to adjust consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Homemade Marshmallows

2 ½ Tablespoons unflavored gelatin

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment. Let it stand 30 minutes.

Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan; place over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve sugar crystals.  Clip on a candy thermometer; raise heat to high. Cook syrup without stirring until it reaches 244 degrees (firm-ball stage). Immediately remove pan from heat.

With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully pour syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase speed to high; beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla; beat to incorporate.

Generously dust an 8 x 12-inch glass baking pan with confectioners' sugar. Pour marshmallow mixture into pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar; let stand overnight, uncovered, to dry out.  Cut into squares and store in air tight container.

Winter White Soup

Winter White Soup

 1-14 oz can of chicken broth

1-4 oz mild diced green chilies

1- 4 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup heavy cream

 Combine all together in blender and then heat on stove.  

Main Course:  

Feta Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breasts

-          8 tablespoons olive oil

-          2 teaspoons lemon juice

-          4 cloves crushed garlic

-          1 tablespoon dried oregano

-          salt and pepper to taste

-          4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

-          4 slices feta cheese

-          4 slices bacon, fried and drained

-          (We added slices of red pepper for color and taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a small bowl combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix together. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour oil mixture over chicken.

3. Stuff each chicken breast with 1 slice feta cheese and 1 slice bacon. Secure open sides with toothpicks.

4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

Asparagus with Tarragon

1 pound asparagus

1 teaspoon olive oil

3-4 scallions (thinly sliced)

1 tablespoon of fresh chopped tarragon

Dash of sea salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

Lemon for garnish

1.  Steam asparagus 2-5 min until bright green and tender. Rinse under cool water. Drain and put on serving plate.

2.  Heat oil in small pan; Sauté scallions 1-2 minutes; add tarragon, salt, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes(liquid will reduce slightly); Pour over asparagus; add garnish. Serve warm or cool. Serves 3 to 4.

Pesto-Goat-Cheese Straws (Makes 18 Cheese Straws)

1 (4 oz.) package goat cheese

1 cup fresh arugula, torn into small pieces

¼ cup grated Parmesan

¼ cup chopped toasted pine nuts

1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (17.3 oz.) box puff pastry, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. 

2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the goat cheese, arugula, Parmesan, Pine nuts, pesto, lemon zest, salt and pepper, and pulse until well combined.

3. On a clean, flat surface, lay out 1 sheet of the puff pastry.  Carefully spread the cheese mixture evenly over the entire surface.  Top with a second puff pastry sheet, and gently press together.

4. Using a pizza cutter, cut the sandwiched puff pastry into 18 (1/2” wide) strips.  Gently twist each strip, and place on prepared baking sheets. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly before serving.

Egg Nog Pudding

Eggnog Pudding

 

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¾ cup sugar

3 cups milk

2 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Freshly grated nutmeg 

1. Mix together the flour, cornstarch, and sugar in a saucepan; stir well. Add ½ cup of the milk to the flour mixture and stir until smooth. In another saucepan, scald the remaining 21/2 cups milk (heat to just below the boiling point); add to the flour mixture. Cook and stir the mixture over medium-low heat; do not allow to boil. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Remove ½ cup of the hot mixture and add to the yolks to temper them; mix well and return to the saucepan. Continue to cook over low heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla.
2. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Thoroughly fold the egg whites into the hot mixture. Place in individual dessert dishes, sprinkle tops with nutmeg, and chill. If you wish, you may serve this from a single bowl.  Serves 6 to 8

Hot chocolate with pink peppermint whip cream dallops

Pink Peppermint Whipped Cream Dollops

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp pulverized peppermints
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp crushed peppermints

Beat cream, pulverized peppermints and sugar for the whipped cream to stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with crushed peppermints, and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. 

Sunny & Stacie

Stacie doing the star demonstration.  Remember . . . there are 6 sections of the star!  :)

More of the table

Take home gift (wrapping paper, ribbon and tape)  

"To help you wrap up the holidays!"

Place Setting

Stacie's amazing gingerbread house.  Wow!