From Thanksgiving and Christmas to Super Bowl Sunday, the Fourth of July, and Halloween, holidays are a time to enjoy the company of family and friends, not to spend hours working alone in the kitchen. Al Roker is passionate about food and cooking, but he also knows that spending time with his family is more important than preparing a seven-course meal for Easter dinner. In Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook, Al presents more than 125 simple and casual recipes that will make your holiday gatherings stress free and special.
Here are traditional American favorites for every occasion, from no-cook appetizers and simple side dishes to manageable main courses, and of course, plenty of grilling and outdoor food. And Al has the classics covered -- Thanksgiving turkey with gravy, stuffing, and all the trimmings; splendid Christmas fare, including Crown Pork Roast with Fruit Stuffing and scrumptious and quick gift breads and cookies; satisfying Super Bowl Sunday chili and snacks; a romantic Valentine's Day menu for two; and Halloween treats for adults and kids. Enjoy a Fourth of July picnic of Oven-Fried Chicken with Pecan-Cornmeal Crust accompanied by appetizing salads; honor the patron saint of barbecue on St. Lawrence Day with Texas Brisket and Al's fabulous Grilled Glazed Doughnuts with Vanilla Ice Cream; or try a St. Patrick's Day menu of Irish Stew, Soda Bread, and Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce.
Al provides his own holiday memories and tells how his family holiday celebrations have evolved over time. There are also a wealth of tips and hints on topics such as how to stock a holiday pantry, carve a turkey, handle leftovers creatively, and cook with kids. Think of Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook as the one thing you'll need to make each holiday flavorful, easy, and fun -- even for the cook!
Contents
Introduction
Thanksgiving with All the Trimmings
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Stocking the Holiday Pantry and Freezer
Potato Leek Soup
No-Cook Hors d'Oeuvres for a Crowd
Thanksgiving Salad with Parsley Dressing
Festive Juice Drinks
Roast Turkey and Gravy
Turkey Basics Turkey Leftovers
Basic Bread Stuffing
Corn Bread Stuffing for a Crowd
Higher Stuffing Math
Sweet Potato Poon
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Baking Powder Biscuits
Green Beans with Walnuts
Warm Cabbage with Bacon and Apple Cider
Roast Acorn Squash
Cranberry Sauce
Fresh Cranberry Relish
Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
How to Freeze Pies
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Freezing Unbaked Pie Crusts
Sour Cream Apple Pie
Pear Tart with Cranberries and Almonds
Christmas Dinner
Eggnog
Store-Bought Eggnog with a Twist
Mulled Wine
Creamy Squash Soup
Fennel Salad with Orange-Mustard Vinaigrette
Red and Green Christmas Salad
Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cracked Pepper Crust and Horseradish Cream
Crown Pork Roast with Fruit Stuffing
Christmas Leftovers
Braised Endive with Orange Zest
Sautéed Kale
Scalloped Potatoes
Spoon Bread
Red Velvet Cake
Christmas Brunch
Citrus Salad with Raspberry-Lime Puree Breakfast Strata
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Brunch Beverages
Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen
Orange-Cranberry Bread Banana-Rum Bread
Testing Baking Powder and Baking Soda for Freshness
Microwave Fudge
Bourbon Balls
Basic Sugar Cookies
Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough Decorating Unbaked Cookies
Decorating Baked Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
Cinnamon Almond Pinwheels
Sesame Date Half-Moons
Packaging Cookies for Gift-Giving
Homemade Mixes: Toffee-Chip Cookies-in-a-Jar
Gingerbread-in-a-Jar
Vanilla-Cinnamon Party Nuts
Caribbean Spice Mix
Boxing Day: A Caribbean Menu
Tropical Punch Twice-Fried Plantains with Green Salsa
Chicken Pilau
Caribbean Christmas Cake
New Year's Eve Retro Cocktail Party
Classic Cocktails Cocktail Talk Make-Ahead Drink Garnishes
Cocktail Party Math
Cocktail Party Equipment
Champagne Cocktails
Garlicky Cheese Dip
Hot Crab Dip
Cheese Straws
Ten Things to Put on a Cracker
Biscuits with Ham and Apple Butter
Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
Pigs in a Blanket
Swedish Meatballs
Edible Toothpicks
Rumaki
Chocolate Fondue
Super Bowl Party
Nachos Spicy Chicken Wings
Spicy Party Mix134
Meaty Chili
Corn and Cheese Muffins
Muffuletta
Mac and Cheese
Overnight Salad
Texas Sheet Cake
Groundhog Day Weatherman's Meal
Chilled Pea Soup Hot Split Pea Soup
Pasta Primavera
Pot Roast with Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles
Sunshine Cake
Mud Pie
Valentine's Day Dinner for Two
Pink Lady Smoked Salmon Hors d'Oeuvre
Herbed Stuffed Mushrooms
Filet Mignon
Oven Fries
Wilted Spinach
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Valentine's Day Treats for Kids
Traditional St. Patrick's Day Dinner
Irish Stew Irish Soda Bread
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Easter Celebration
Spring Salad Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Tarragon
Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs
Glazed Baked Ham
Easter Leftovers
Pan-Glazed Carrots
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Peas and Mint
Lemon Pie
Meringue Berry Basket
Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed
Sparkling Cocktail Overnight French Toast
Baked Eggs With Salsa
Home Fries
Breakfast Meats
Broiled Honey-Ginger Grapefruit
Man-Pleasin' Father's Day Meal
Deviled Eggs Seven-Layer Dip
Mixed Grill
Grilled Garlic Bread
Warm Potato Salad with Bacon
Cashew Coleslaw
Frosted Yellow Cake
Banana Cream Pie
Fourth of July Picnic
Fizzy Raspberry Lemonade Antipasti Salad
Oven-Fried Chicken with Pecan-Cornmeal Crust
Vegetarian Picnic Sandwich
Classic Macaroni Salad
Three-Bean Salad
Platinum Blondies
Candy Bar Bars
St. Lawrence Day Barbecue
Smoked Beef Ribs with Mustard Sauce Texas Brisket
Braised Greens and Turnips
Spicy Baked Beans
Rice Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts
Chopped Summer Salad
Grilled Glazed Doughnuts with Vanilla Ice Cream
Labor Day Summer Send-Off
Ham and Pineapple Appetizers Orange Beef Tidbits
Curried Chicken Skewers
Stovetop Clambake
Berry Crisp
Triple Melon Salad
Halloween Party for Kids and Grown-Ups
Cider Punch Dill Dip
Mini Burgers
Sticky Spare Riblets
Chicken Fingers
Corny Crispy Rice Cereal Treats
Carrot Cupcakes with Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies
Caramel Apples
Holiday Hotlines and Helpful Web Sites
Sources
Index
Introduction The Holidays. Those two words can strike terror into the heart of just about anybody. Why? Because not only does it mean family and friends are coming to your home, which, depending on the family and friends, can mean you're going to have the beginning of a nervous breakdown, it means you have to cook for them.Now, if you're like me, you enjoy the chance to show off a bit. You wanna let 'em know that you can burn some pots.On the other hand, you want to enjoy the holidays as well. You probably took some time off, thinking you'd kick back and relax. Now you're thinking that your home is going to be sacked by the Visigoths. You will be spending hours in the kitchen preparing huge sides of roast mutton and great roasts of beef, while your guests gorge themselves at long wooden tables by the massive stone fireplace and Great Danes gnaw on the bones the gluttons toss aside. Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking of the Great Hall scene from Robin Hood when Errol Flynn tosses a dead deer at the feet of the Prince.Anyway, fear not, forsooth and verily. That is why you purchased this book. My merry band of thieves take from the time-rich and give to the time-poor. Forget about taxing recipes! But enough of the Robin Hood theme.I know what you're thinking. "Al, I don't need a cookbook for just Thanksgiving and Christmas! I entertain year-round!" Of course you do. This is a year-round holiday book, a book that can proudly sit out on your counter or under a small child to help him reach the table. Preferably one who's been potty trained. With this book, you can throw a party celebrating February 2nd, the day Punxsutawney Phil is hoisted from his burrow. I bet many is the time that you longed to rejoice on St. Lawrence's Day, feast of the patron Saint of barbecue, and now you can. Love to love Valentine's Day? We've got you covered. Ever hear of Boxing Day? Considering scaring up a party for Halloween? With these and so many other holidays in this book, you'll never be without an excuse to entertain.We've presented a menu for each holiday, starting with appetizers and moving on to main courses, sides, and desserts. We even have cool, refreshing beverages if the season calls for it, or hot, comforting drinks if that's what the calendar indicates.To accomplish this feat of cookbook derring-do, I had help. Marialisa Calta is a recipe writer par excellence and a darn good cook in her own right. We teamed up a couple of years ago for Al Roker's Big Bad Book of Barbecue. She took the recipes that I had gathered over the years from my own backyard cookouts, friends, and family and massaged them. Before I met Marialisa, my basic M.O. was a handful of this and a pinch of that. Measuring cup? We don' need no stinkin' measuring cup!Actually, we did. Otherwise, how would people know how much of what to use? So Marialisa refined the recipes and then, more importantly, tested them to make sure nobody keeled over.Since this book is a little more wide-ranging, we collaborated a lot more. We spent a lot of time talking about what kind of food I cooked and when, the holidays my family celebrates, and what we ate, both as kids and now as adults.Then we put together the menus and themes for the holidays. Some menus are direct throwbacks to childhood, and others reflect what we like to devour now. Still others represent what we'd like to set on the table.As you know when you cook for the holidays, it takes real skill to be able to come up with food that not only tastes good but is interesting and not a pain in the keester to make. While Marialisa and I were developing the recipes, we felt it was important to keep things as hassle-free as possible. In fact, this book is intended to help you actually enjoy yourself at your own holiday gatherings.This ain't America in the 1950s and 1960s. In those days, our mothers were mostly at home, taking care of the kids
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