Blakely Trettenero’s simple holiday cooking tips

 

Keep the menu simple and pick recipes that you can prepare in advance before your loved ones arrive.

You don’t have to make a 10-course meal for everyone to be happy so don’t push yourself too much by trying recipes you’ve never made before. As long as you keep the cocktails flowing, they will think anything you make will be delicious! Enjoy the spirit of the Holidays and relax! They go by fast.

Mushroom, Herb & Gruyere Puffs

mushroom-herb-gruyere-puffsIngredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, diced small
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 pound baby bella (or crimini) mushrooms, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 2 sheets thawed puff pastry
  • egg wash for brushing

Instructions by Blakely

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
  2. In a sauté pan over medium high heat melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes, until cooked through
  3. To the onions add the minced garlic, finely chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, and the chopped fresh herbs
  4. Cook until all of the moisture is out of the pan from the mushrooms, 7-10 minutes
  5. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour and stir to combine. Let it cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor
  6. Add the white wine and Greek yogurt, mixing everything together
  7. Once everything is combined turn off the heat and add the shredded cheese. Stir to combine and set aside
  8. On a floured surface roll out the puff pastry lightly and cut it into squares. I got 12 squares per sheet of puff pastry
  9. Add a spoonful of the mushroom mixture to the middle of the puff pastry squares and brush the edges with the egg wash
  10. Fold the edges together, making little turnover shapes, and use your finger to crimp down the edges
  11. Add them to a parchment lined sheet tray, brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with pepper and thyme leaves, and put into the oven
  12. Let them bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes

That’s it! Serve them while they’re hot and watch them disappear in SECONDS!

Cranberry Orange Champagne Cocktail

cranberry-orange-champagne-cocktailIngredients

  • 1-ounce cranberry juice
  • 1 ounces Cointreau, or any orange liquor
  • sparkling wine
  • frozen cranberries (optional)

Instructions by Blakely

I love a good fancy cocktail for a special occasion! Makes everything seem festive with only a little effort. This cocktail is one of my favorites for the Holiday season and I know it will be yours too. In a champagne glass add the cranberry juice, orange liquor, and top with champagne. I like to add frozen cranberries or an orange peel to give is a festive look.

There you go! A delicious easy cocktail for any special occasion. Cheers!


About Blakely Trettenero

Blakely Trettenero, host of the Everyday Gourmet with Blakely ~ GourmetwithBlakely.com and Hungry for Travels ~ Hungryfortravels.com websites, is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Fla. She is a world traveler, having visited more than 30 countries, and is becoming a frequent guest on TV.



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