Perfect Holiday Dinner Party Menu

Appetizer: Pancetta Crips with Goat Cheese and Pear

First Course: Roast Pumpkin Soup with Spicy Cinnamon Croutons

Side Dish: Cranberry Rice Pilaf

First Course: Apple Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Dessert: White Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce

 

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Recipes

Pancetta Crips with Goat Cheese and Pears

16 thin slices pancetta
16 tsp soft fresh goat cheese (from a 5-ounce log)
2 small very-ripe pears, halved, cored, cut into ¼-inch slices

fresh thyme leaves, chopped

 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 

 2. Place pancetta slices in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Using spatula, slide pancetta crisps onto platter. Top each with 1 tsp. goat cheese and 1 pear slice. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.

Yield: 16 appetizers

Tips:
*Plan ahead w/ your pears… purchase them a couple of days before using and let them sit on your counter to ripen. Crunchy pears won’t be good on this appetizer.
*No fresh thyme? In a pinch, use a sprinkle of parsley instead- you won’t get the flavor, but the garnish will work just fine.

Recipe Source: www.recipegirl.com

Roast Pumpkin Soup with Spicy Cinnamon Croutons 

4 cups peeled cubed pumpkin
1 large yellow onion, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl toss pumpkin with olive oil and and salt and pepper. Cook for 45 minutes until soft, and set aside.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot melt butter and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaf and spices and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add 4 cups of the chicken stock and 2 cups of cream. Simmer over low heat.
3. Place cooled pumpkin in food processor with reserved chicken stock (2 cups) and puree until smooth.
4. Add pureed pumpkin to the soup, bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
Serves 8-10

Recipe source: http://gourmetgirl1.blogspot.com

Cranberry Rice Pilaf

1 cup chicken broth
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1½ cups uncooked instant brown rice
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

1. In a saucepan, bring broth, orange juice and sugar to a boil. Stir in the rice, cranberries and butter. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds.

Servings: 4

Tips:
*I use a couple of oranges and fresh-squeeze them for maximum flavor
*Don’t use dried sweetened cranberries for this recipe- it won’t turn out the same as using fresh.

Recipe Source: www.recipegirl.com adapted from Taste of Home

Apple Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 boneless center cut pork loin roast (4 to 5 pounds)

1 tablespoon butter

2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 medium onion, cut into thin strips (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine garlic, salt, rosemary, thyme and pepper in small bowl. Cut lengthwise down roast almost to, but not through bottom. Open like a book. Rub half of garlic mixture onto cut sides of pork. 

2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and onion; cook and stir 5 to 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in brown sugar and mustard. Spread mixture evenly onto one cut side of roast. Close halves; tie roast with kitchen string at 2-inch intervals. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Pour apple cider over roast. Rub outside of roast with remaining garlic mixture.  

3.  Roast, uncovered, basting frequently with pan drippings 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast registers 155°F. Remove roast from oven; let stand 15 minutes before slicing. (Internal temperature will continue to rise 5°F to 10°F during stand time.) Carve roast crosswise to serve.  

Serving 14-16

Recipe Source: TLC cooking 

White Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

1 (16 ounce) Hawaiian Original Bread; cut into one-inch cubes  

2 cups heavy cream  

1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips  

1 1/2 cups sugar  

2 cups milk  

2 eggs, beaten  

3 egg yolks, beaten  

2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

2 cups toasted pecans, chopped 

Caramel Sauce (homemade, or store bought) 

1.  Cut bread into cubes the night before and leave out, allowing them to become slightly stale.  

2.  In a medium saucepan, heat cream over medium heat. Meanwhile, place white chocolate chips in large mixing bowl. When cream comes to a simmer, remove pan from heat and slowly pour over chips, whisking until chips melt. Whisk sugar into mixture; add milk, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla.  

3.  Add bread to bowl, gently stirring to coat cubes. Set mixture aside to allow bread to soak, tossing periodically. (About 30-40 minutes or so.)  

4.  Toss pecans into soaked bread mixture, then pour into a baking dish. (Individual dishes can be used for single servings).  

5.  Place in 350°F oven for about 45 minutes. Test bread pudding to make sure the top is golden brown and the inside is cooked (not too dry though).  

6.  Remove from oven and serve with caramel sauce.

Servings 8-10 

Recipe Source: www.culinary.net