HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Wondering how to make Halloween an extra special affair this year? Drop the stress, because we have some decadent recipes and quick, easy tips to create an easy-to-make Halloween party!
A delicious and filling pasta everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 4 Cans tomato puree
- 2 Whole carrots
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/4 Cup plus, 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Bunch basil
- 2 Pint grape tomatoes
- 3 Cup grated parmegiano
Steps
- Chop the garlic and grate the carrot, sauté in a 1/4 cup of olive oil until light brown. Then add the tomato, reduce flame and cook until thick about 2 hours stirring when needed.
- Slice the grape tomatoes in half and chiffonade the basil reserve. Toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- When ready and your pasta is cooked, you can toss lightly with some sauce. If using this with the ravioli, place some sauce on the bottom of a plate or platter and then place the pasta on top with the sliced tomatoes and basil and a little grated parmigiana and eat.
This festive fall bisque will warm you up!
Yields 12 cups.
Ingredients
- 4 Whole Butternut Squash
- 2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 Tsp Ginger
- 1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
- 4 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 2 to 4 Cup Heavy Cream OR 1 cup goat cheese and 3 cup vegetable stock
- 2 Cup Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Steps
- Take the squash and cut them in half and seed them. Rub them on the inside with the sugar and then roast them cut side down till tender about 35 to 55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly and then scoop the pulp out into a stainless bowl or terrine.
- Add the spices and with a hand burr mixer puree and add some or all the vegetable stock till it is smooth. Place in a non reactive pot and place on the stove and heat slowly.
- When hot enough add salt and pepper and then you can add the cream or the goat cheese and more stock. If you do not want dairy it is ok. Just use more stock if needed.
- At serving time place in a bowl or soup terrine and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds.
Spice up your plain cheesecake with Pumpkin!
Ingredients:
Crust -
Pie Filling -
Ingredients:
Crust -
- 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons of melted butter
Pie Filling -
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2 lbs (4 8 oz. boxes) of cream cheese
- 1 1/4 cup of sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablesppons of Cognac
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2 cup of sour cream
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of Cognac
Steps
- For crust:Mix all dry ingredients and add the melted butter.
- For filling:Whip cream cheese and sugar. When combined, add the eggs one at a time along with the pumpkin purée, cream, brandy, cinnamon, and nutmeg.Pour into crust.
- Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes then turn oven off and let sit for one hour.
- For the topping, mix all the ingredients and top off the cakes. Bake again at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Yields 5 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup butter, softened
- 1 Cup powdered sugar
- 1 Large egg
- 1 Tsp almond extract
- 1 Tsp vanilla
- 2 2/3 Cup flour
- 1 Tsp baking powder
- 1 Tsp salt
- 3/4 Cup almonds
- 1 tube red decorator gel
Steps
- In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla.
- Beat in flour, baking soda*, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in center to create knuckle shape.
- Place on greased baking sheets; bake in 325F oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden.
- Let cool for 3 minutes. Then, remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.
Ingredients
- 1 Lbs elbow macaroni
- 1 stick of butter
- 3 Tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce
- 2 large eggs
- 3 12 Oz cans of evaporated milk
- 20 Oz grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 Oz block of Monterey Jack cheese with jalepeno peppers, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350°. Boil the pasta until it is slightly under done. Drain and return to pot. Add butter, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- In a bowl, beat eggs slightly, combine with evaporated milk and set aside. In a second bowl, grate cheeses, combine and set aside.
- Prepare muffin tins by spraying with cooking spray. Stir ½ of grated cheese to cooled pasta. Mix well.
- Fill each muffin mold with ¼ cup of pasta mix. Carefully pour enough milk/egg mix into muffin tins placed on cookie sheets. Place in hot oven and bake for 45 minutes or until muffins have an evenly brown crust.
- Remove pans from oven and allow cooling for 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 boneless chicken breasts
Marinade
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking sherry
• 3 drops sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/8-1/4 cup white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon chili paste
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
Frying
• peanut oil 5 cups
Serving
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Steps
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients (the first 9 ingredients listed) and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
- To prepare the sauce:Mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.
- To Fry the Chicken:Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and then place chicken in warm oven (130 degrees) while you continue frying. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken. Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.
- Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve the Sesame Chicken with rice.
Recipe by Michael Purpura
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of flour
- 1.5 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 Tblsp salt
- 6 whole eggs
Steps
- Dump the flour and make a well. Crack the eggs and add the oil and salt. Mix the eggs and gradually add the flour to the mix until it forms a soft dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes and then wrap in plastic and let sit for 30 minutes to soften.*To make striped ravioli make this batch and then do a half batch of the same dough only with the eggs add 1 to 2 tablespoons of squid ink.
- Make the dough the same then and start to roll the doughs out. Take the plain and dark dough down in the pasta maker to 1 level above desired thickness.
- Then take the dark dough and slice it with a knife or pizza cutter about 1 inch thick or your desired size. Using some egg wash you brush the white dough very lightly and then place the slices of the dark to your design likings.
- Dust with flour and then roll out to the desired thickness. Stuff the ravioli as you wish with your favorite fillings or cook just like this the squid ink has no flavor.
A fabulous ravioli for the food loving guests.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Cooked Fish (best with a white flaky fish)
1/2 lb Ricotta
1/2 lb Parmegiano, grated
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Cooked Fish (best with a white flaky fish)
1/2 lb Ricotta
1/2 lb Parmegiano, grated
Steps
- Take all the ingredients And mix together until incorporated, you can add parsley if you like.
- Incorporate Pumpkin in your menu, like roasted pumpkin soup or pumpkin cheese cake
- When choosing the main course, use colors that are synonumous with Halloween, like Black and White Striped Ravioli with a Blood Red Tomato Ragu.
Create a real authentic spooky dinner table
- Cover your table with a black Linen.
- Adorn the table with place cards made out of store bought mini sculls or tombstones. You will be surprised what you can find in your local stores: lots of fun and inexpensive accessories.
- Sprinkle autumn leaves on your table and dine by candlelight by lighting your area with candles and home-made jack o’ lanterns in various shapes and sizes.
- For a more unique look to your pumpkins, you can spray paint the jackolanterns black or gold or red.
Extra Light Ambiance
Line your front walk with luminary bags and hide a small battery powered boom box behind a bush and have it play spooky Halloween tunes to set the mood for Halloween.
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Tips
Tips
