Pumpkin Mascarpone, Chocolate Pecan and Apple Cranberry Pies
It’s no surprise many people find cooking a holiday meal overwhelming. There are large quantities of food to prepare, most likely some dietary restrictions to consider, plus the traditions people expect. It’s a lot to consider when planning a menu. This year, I prepared Christmas Dinner for 16 people. It’s a lot of work, but I thrive on entertaining. Plus, I’ve learned over the years that with some preparation and organization (and lots of help with the dishes from my mom), cooking a massive meal doesn’t have to induce stress.
Since my family only gathers together for Christmas now, I actually like to include some of the classic Thanksgiving dishes like Roast Turkey and Sausage Sage Stuffing on my menu. However, I have quite a few vegetarians in my family. So, that means lots of bacon-free sides (boo), so that they don’t feel left out.
One of my favorite vegetarian side dishes is The Chopping Block’s Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding (everyone always asks for the recipe, so I’ve included it below). This dish is great for meals year-round and the hearty mushroom flavor always mean few leftovers. It’s also suitable for the main dish in a completely vegetarian meal.
This year, I changed up a few of my traditional dishes. I became intrigued with the idea of a “slightly” tropical theme since I’ll be moving to Florida next month. I tweaked my usual fresh cranberry sauce to include pineapple, fresh lime juice, jalapeno and cilantro. It was a nice twist and for once, people actually put more than a tablespoon of cranberry sauce on their plate.
I also made my favorite cornbread recipe, Carribean Cornbread, from “At Blanchard’s Table: A Trip to the Beach Cookbook”. Those of you who know I’m from the South may be crying foul for using canned creamed corn, but the addition of this, Monterey Jack cheese, pineapple and jalapeno make this moist, slightly sweet cornbread a popular hit, especially with the kids.
Even the turkey got some tropical flair. I quartered limes, oranges and lemons and stuffed the cavity of my turkey with the citrus fruit. This lends extra flavor and moisture to the bird.
The desserts stayed traditional with a slight twist. When a five-year-old picky nephew requests pumpkin pie, you don’t want to change it up too much. He even ate two pieces!
Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to tast
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
freshly grated nutmeg
1 load day old French bread, cubed
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
Heat the butter in a large saute pan and add the shallots, stirring until translucent. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Add the dried mushrooms, their liquid and the herbes de provence and cook about 5 minutes more. Season to taste, stir in parsley and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream and milk. Add a few gratings of nutmeg and a generous pinch of salt and pepper , then add the bread and allow to site for about 10-15 minutes. toss in the cheese and mushrooms and transfer to a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until brown and firm, about 45-55 minutes. Serve warm.
