Dinner’s ready! This Holiday Season, our Kensington Executive Chefs bring you a curated Holiday Menu just for you. We believe mealtimes are magic and a beautiful chance to savor special moments with the ones you love the most. We’re sharing our favorite easy, flavorful, healthy recipes. Highlights include apple spice soup with bacon, oven roasted pumpkin seed salmon with hollandaise sauce and more. Make spirits bright this holidays with our delicious and well-balanced menu. Bon Appetit & Happy Holidays!
Holiday Cocktail: French Manhattan
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces Pierre Ferrand Cognac
- 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth- preferably a Frenchvermouth like Dolin
- 1/4 ounce orange liqueur- Dry Curaçao by Pierre Ferrand
- 1 dash orange or aromatic bitters
- 1 candied or maraschino cherry
- Maraschino cherry syrup
Directions:
Add the cognac, vermouth, orange liqueur, teaspoon of maraschino syrup and a dash of bitters to a cocktail mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass two-thirds full with ice and stir briskly until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Warm Soup: Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash & Apple Spice Soup with Bacon
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of chicken broth.
- 2 pounds of raw peeled & seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 3 carrots, sliced about ½ inch pieces.
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled & cubed in 1-inch pieces.
- 1 medium apple, cored, peeled & diced into 1/2-inch pieces.
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ cup Chardonnay.
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon.
- ¼ tsp ground clove.
- ½ cup cooked & crumbled bacon
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onions
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, apples, carrots, butter & squash. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat & reduce to low heat. Continue to simmer for about 15-25 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. Puree in a blender until the mixture has a smooth consistency. Place the mixture back in the pot & add the heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove & chardonnay. Cook on a low flame, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Garnish with the crumbled bacon & green onions.
Healthy Salad: Grilled Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese Truffles and Spiced Pecans
Ingredients:
- 1b butternut squash
- ½ cup olive oil
- 8oz goat cheese 1oz each
- ½ # raw pecan halves
- 4 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 8 cups mixed salad
Directions:
Peel two whole butternut squash into ¼ inch slices, toss into olive oil and grill for 3-5 minutes until there are visible grill marks. Cut goat cheese and form into 1 inch balls. Toss pecans into frothed egg whites, add ground cinnamon, chipotle powder and white sugar. Bake at 400F for 5-8 minutes. Assemble salad with 4 slices of butternut squash 6 pieces of pecans and 2 goat cheese balls per salad serving. Add glazed balsamic vinegar or dressing of choice.
Tasty Appetizer: Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 round loaf sourdough bread
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans
- 4 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1-16 oz. wheel of brie, cubed
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Fresh rosemary, chopped to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread horizontally and vertically to create 1-inch cubes – do not slice all the way through the bread. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. butter, pecans, rosemary, and brown sugar. Use your hands to mix the butter into the pecans to create a crumble. Take the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and insert thin slices into the loaf of bread. Place the loaf on a baking sheet and stuff the brie inside the bread, filling in all the spaces in between the cuts. Add the cranberries. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the bride is melted. Serve immediately.
Savory Side: Holiday Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients:
- 16oz Brussels Sprouts
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnammon
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
Directions:
Trim ends of brussels sprouts and slice in half. In a medium bowl, combine brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400F for about 20-25 minutes. Then move on to roast the butternut squash: In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), 1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix. Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400F, turning once half-way through baking. Lastly, toast the pecans. Toast for about 5 minutes at 350F. Pecans burn very fast so keep a close eye on them. To assemble your plate, in a large bowl, combine roasted brussels sprouts, squash, pecans, and dried cranberries, and mix to combine. Add extra maple syrup if desired.
Delicious Entrée: Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seed Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce
For the Hollandaise Sauce:
Melt 1 cup of butter in a small pot over low heat. Combine in small bowl the following ingredients: 7 eggs yolks, 2 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, pinch of salt for taste, pinch of Cayenne pepper or black pepper (optional). While the butter is still hot combine the mixture togethers slowly whisk at the same time. Add salt and pepper for desired taste.
For the Roaster Salmon:
Filet and portion out 4 to 5lb of salmon. Marinate with 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 table spoon of fresh chopped garlic, 1 tea spoon of smoked paprika, 1 tea spoon of black pepper, 1 teas spoon of fresh chopped dill, 1 table spoon of white wine, and 1 bunch of chopped parsley. After marinating, layout the salmon on a baking sheet. Sprinkle and pat down the chopped toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the Salmons. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until salmon is cooked.
Sweet Dessert: Homemade Coconut & Raisin Macaroons
Ingredients:
- 400 grams of grated coconut
- 1 can of condensed milk
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1/2 cup of raisins
- 1 Tbsp of baking powder
Directions:
Mix together the flour, coconut shavings and beaten eggs. Melt butter and add it into mixture. Add raisins, baking powder and condensed milk and mix well. Line baking pan with small muffin liners and fill each with about 2/3 of mixture. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool & enjoy!