#Kitchen #Recipe and #HealthyFood: नवंबर 2021

मंगलवार, 30 नवंबर 2021

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

This Christmas wreath charcuterie board is the perfect festive touch to any holiday party! It’s stunning and delicious! Plus, it’s super easy to make and all of your guests will be so impressed!

If you are looking for more holiday appetizers to make this Christmas season then try out these Christmas Cornflake Wreaths, this AMAZING Cranberry Salsa, and these delicious homemade Madeleines!

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

This wreath isn’t meant to be hung on your door… it’s meant to be eaten! Which is the best kind of wreath in my opinion! I LOVE a good charcuterie (shar-koo-tuh-ree) board! They are SO delicious and you can literally make them for any occasion. I love how fancy they look and how you can put whatever you want on them to make them just what your party needs! This board is no exception! Filled with Christmas colors and delicious cheeses, fruits, and meat… It’s going to catch the attention of each and every one of your guests!

The best part about this is that it’s SO simple to make but it looks like a million bucks! I have included the step-by-step instructions to take you through exactly what you need to do to make this on your own at home. Once you are done, you will want to make a charcuterie board for everything! And you can! I love to make them with kid-friendly snacks for my kids to eat after school. They think it’s so fancy and they love it! There is no right way to make this so get creative and go crazy!

Cheese to Use for a Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

I like to start out building up a charcuterie board with my cheeses. As I said, feel free to use whatever items that you want on your board! Here are the cheeses that I used on this board:

Garlic Herb Brie
English Cheddar Cheese
Cranberry Cheese
Cranberry Cinnamon Goat’s Milk Cheese

If you love cheese and want to add in some more or these cheeses aren’t available then you could also try manchego, provolone, and pepper jack! You can’t go wrong with using more cheese!

A close up of the side of the charcuterie board with nuts, cheeses and cranberries.

Meats To Use on a Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

I didn’t load up this board with too many meats! But the beauty of these boards is that you can do that and use only exactly what you want! I used one specifically because I knew that I could form it into a gorgeous flower! For this board I used:

Italian Dry Salami

If you want to add in more meats and less cheese and fruits then I suggest using some pepperoni, prosciutto, Spanish chorizo, or capocollo!

A close up of the side of the Christmas wreath charcuterie board. Grapes, cheese, pecans, cranberries and blueberries.

Next Comes the Fruit!

The key to making a Christmas charcuterie wreath turn out so festive are the colors that you put on it! And the most color that you will get will be from the fruits that you pick! I picked some bold colors so that they would really pop on my board. Here are the fruits that I used:

Strawberries
Grapes
Pomegranate
Cranberries
Blueberries

I especially like to add fruit to a charcuterie board not only because it’s a classic ingredient but because of the great taste and texture. It’s nice to have some juicy, fresh taste to complement all of the savory meats and cheeses!

A close up of some grapes and fruit on the charcuterie board.

Don’t Forget the Nuts, Crackers and Sweets!

The final ingredients that you add to this board really take it to the next level in taste and texture! Adding in the nuts, crackers, and chocolates will be what set your board apart, and finish it off before you are ready to garnish! Here are the nuts, crackers, and sweets that I used:

Pistachios
Candied pecans
Baked crackers
Ghiradelli peppermint bark squares

This part of the board is a big mixture of salty and sweet which is so important! Using both makes it so that they will go with everything else on the board! If you would like to add more of these things then you can try using some chocolate whoppers, wheat thins, walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts!

A close up of some cheese, candied pecans, strawberries and a rosemary sprig.

Let’s Put it All Together!

Now that you’ve gathered all of the ingredients for this board, it’s time for the fun part! To put it together and make this Christmas wreath charcuterie board! It’s so pretty and delicious! It will definitely be the star of the party!

Add cheese: In a circular shape, start assembling your board by adding the cheeses.
Arrange the meat: Then, you want to add the meats. I used a small cup and arranged the salami like a flower.
Place the fruit: Add in your fruits
Add in the rest of the ingredients: Fill the board in with chocolate, nuts and crackers.
Garnish: Add the rosemary in the center and outline the wreath. Then, add some sprigs in the outside edges.

Make it Your Own!

Like I said before, the best part about a Christmas wreath charcuterie is that you can do whatever you want to make it your own! Here are some more ideas that you could use to make it festive and just perfect for your get-together!

Use shapes: I love using cookie cutters to make different shakes out of the cheeses! For this board, I cut out the cheese in the shape of a star and then filled it with pomegranate seeds. It really made them stand out! You can do this or even cut up smaller pieces in the shapes of stars of Christmas trees! Then you can really make it your own!
Change up your crackers: A good way to bring in some more flavor and texture is to add in more crackers. I like to use Trader Joe’s Savory Thin crackers, Wheat Thins, or Triscits.
Make it seasonal: Depending on what season you are making this for you can totally change it up! In fact, try this Halloween one or this fall one for next year! You can even make these for smaller occasions like mix together some goldfish, fruit snacks, fruit and veggies for your kids for an after school snack. These are SO fun to make!

Christmas Wreath Charcuterie

This Christmas wreath charcuterie board is the perfect festive touch to any holiday party! It's stunning and delicious!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas charcuterie

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings people

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Meat

Italian Dry Salami

Cheese

Garlic Herb Brie
English Cheddar Cheese
Cranberry Cheese
Cranberry Cinnamon Goat’s Milk Cheese

Fruit

Strawberries
Grapes
Pomegranate
Cranberries
Blueberries

Nuts

Pistachios
Candied pecans

Chocolate

Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Squares

Crackers:

Baked crackers (any kind)

Garnish

Rosemary sprigs

Instructions

In a circular shape charcuterie board, start assembling your board by adding the cheeses.
Next, add the meats. I used a small cup and arranged the salami like a flower.
Add in your fruits.
Fill the board in with nuts, chocolate, and crackers.
Add the rosemary in the center and outline the wreath. Add some sprigs to the outside edges.

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Cranberry Salsa (The Best Holiday Appetizer!)

Cranberry salsa is a fresh cranberry mixture of sweet and savory that is laid over the top of cream cheese. This makes for the BEST holiday appetizer!

If you love holiday appetizers as much as I do then for your next holiday party you must try these Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts, these Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites, or this Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball!

Cranberry Salsa

Ok, I know that there are a million and one holiday appetizers out there for you to try. But believe me when I tell you that this one is seriously the best! I have never had so many people ask me for a recipe more! It’s the perfect combo of sweet and savory and on top of that… It’s SO simple to make! I bring it to every holiday party that I can and if I’m being honest… I make this long after Christmastime is over. It’s THAT good!

It’s so easy to make and is blended together in minutes.. Simply blend all the ingredients together leaving out the cream cheese. Once it is blended then lay your cream cheese flat on a plate and add your cranberry salsa over top for dipping. Your friends and family will be so impressed by the flavor this cranberry salsa recipe has to offer. It is filled with fresh and flavorful ingredients in every bite. Add some chips, sliced bread or crackers for dipping and make this one AMAZING holiday appetizer!

Ingredients in Cranberry Salsa

Bring this cranberry salsa to your next holiday party. Try it out and then you will see how simple this cranberry salsa is to make this holiday season! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Fresh cranberries: Using fresh cranberries is perfect for this season. Fresh and tart really add to this dish!
Granny Smith apple: This adds a great crunch to the texture.
Green onions, cilantro and jalepeno: This is where the savory flavor comes in! They add a beautiful color as well as a little kick with the jalepeno.
Sugar: This adds some sweetness to counter the tanginess of the cream cheese.
Apple cider vinegar: I like that this adds a different taste to mix it all with.
Juice of one lime: A little citrus is used to cool down the jalapeño.
Cream cheese: This will be in it’s brick form with the salsa added over top of the cream cheese.

Let’s Make Some Salsa!

This cranberry salsa is going to blow you away with how good it is! It’s going to be a hit at any holiday party! Go ahead and try it, everyone is going to love it!

Blend ingredients together: In a food processor add the cranberries, apple, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and juice of one lime. Then, pulse until coarsely chopped.
Top and serve: Serve over softened cream cheese.

Cranberry salsa ingredients blended together.

Tips and Tricks to Making Cranberry Salsa

This holiday season be sure to make this cranberry salsa with fresh ingredients and know that it will be gone in minutes with everyone raving about it. Here are a few tips that will help make this cranberry salsa even better!

Food processor: If you do not have a food processor then a blender will work just as well to chop and blend all the ingredients together. Watch over your blender making sure you do not completely blend it all together. You will still want the cranberry salsa to be coarse, almost a chunky cranberry salsa.
Cranberries: Fresh is best and not canned for this cranberry salsa recipe. Cranberries are a little tart but with the sugar and juices it all blends together nicely.
Preparing cranberries: be sure to wash the cranberries and remove any cranberry that is squishy or too soft.
Jalapeños: Cut the ends off the jalapeños then slice in half and remove the seeds from them. The seeds hold in most of the heat. Add as little to no seeds to the food processor or blender depending on how hot you like your cranberry salsa. Then, finish chopping your jalapeño.
Honey: If you would like another sweetener then add honey or substitute it for the sugar. This will give you a glaze look on your cranberry salsa and still have the sweet taste.
Limes: Fresh limes are great or using lime juice from a bottle will work well too.

Cranberry salsa over top of a cream cheese block.

What to Serve it With

This cranberry salsa makes for the best holiday appetizer and is sure to please a crowd. Enjoy it with these fun ways of spreading and dipping it into the salsa this holiday season!

Crackers: Ritz crackers are soft but they still have the salty texture and great for spreading. Wheat thins, Triscuits or a whole wheat cracker are great for a sweet and salty blend.
Pretzels: The thick, flatter pretzels that are a little bigger in size are the best for dipping in this cranberry salsa.
Chips: Colored chips or a plain corn chip is delicious to dip in this!
Bread: Slice up some Sourdough Bread, a Crostini or this French Baguette. Then, either spread this on or dip it in!

Cranberry salsa with cream cheese spread over a cracker.

How to Store Leftovers (Or Make it Ahead of Time!)

With simple ingredients and with quick and easy instructions, this cranberry salsa comes together beautifully for your next holiday appetizer! Here are some great ways to store it.

Can you make cranberry salsa recipe ahead of time? Yes! This cranberry salsa will last in the refrigerator for up to 7 days when sealed in an airtight container. When ready to serve it then simply take it out and add it over cream cheese and crackers.
Can you freeze cranberry salsa? It is best fresh but if needed you can freeze this up to 1 month. When ready to serve it then let thaw in the refrigerator. Before serving, drain all of the extra juices from the cranberry salsa leaving it with only the chunks rather than with the juice.

Cranberry Salsa (The Best Holiday Appetizer!)

Cranberry salsa is a fresh cranberry mixture of sweet and savory that is laid over the top of cream cheese. This makes for the BEST holiday appetizer!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings people

Calories 127kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 small Granny Smith apple cubed
1/4 green onions chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
1 jalapeño seeded and diced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
juice of one lime
1 8 ounce cream cheese softened

Instructions

In a food processor add the cranberries, apple, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and juice of one lime. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Serve over softened cream cheese.

Notes

Updated on November 29, 2021

Originally Posted on December 11, 2019

Nutrition

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सोमवार, 29 नवंबर 2021

One-Pot Chicken Stew

Chicken Stew is hearty, filling, and comforting! It is the perfect dish for Sunday dinner or a cold rainy day! This chicken stew is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and chicken cooked until fall-apart tender.

Stews are a fall favorite! Try this Tortellini Soup, Beef Stew, or Vegetable Beef Soup for more stew ideas this fall.

A pot of chicken stew with a wooden spoon.

Homemade Chicken Stew

Nothing says comfort food like a warm stew. I took one of my favorite Beef Stew Recipes and replaced the beef with chicken thighs. It is just as rich and comforting as beef stew and is perfect for those cold winter days! This tastes amazing when you serve it with some crusty bread and a delicious side salad! Then you will have an entire delicious meal that the whole family will love!

This chicken stew cooks in the oven for 1 ½ hours or until the chicken is super tender and falls apart easily. It is best to cut the celery, carrots, potatoes, and onions on the larger side. This will help them since they will be cooking for a long period of time in the oven without breaking down! Not only is this stew delicious but it’s super simple to make. Plus, when I can cook my entire meal, veggies included, in one pot… Well, I call that a win!

Ingredients for Chicken Stew

This stew is perfect for your family! This is comfort food at its finest! See the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements.

Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. They have the most flavor and hold up better when cooking for longer periods of time.
Salt: This will enhance all of the other flavors in the stew!
Pepper: I use just the right amount to add some flavor but I’m not adding any heat.
Butter: I used unsalted butter that’s at room temperature (for easier mixing)
Vegetables: Onions, carrots, baby potatoes and celery are added.
Spices: Bay leaves, fresh thyme and sage are added. Feel free to substitute dried in place of the fresh.
Dry sherry: You can also substitute white wine in place of the dry sherry or leave it out if you prefer.
Chicken stock: This gives the base of the dish a lot of flavor.
Cornstarch: This is used to thicken up the stew at the end!
Parsley: This will be a garnish on top!

How to Make Stew

Enjoy this homemade chicken stew this fall. Impress your family with how simple it is to make a hearty and delicious family dinner!

Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken:Heat butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown, 2-3 minutes a side. (You just want to get color on the chicken it won’t be fully cooked). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Saute the veggies: Add in the carrots, onion and celery to the pan and saute for 5 minutes.
Deglaze the pan: Add in the sherry to deglaze the pan. Scrap the brown bites off the bottom of the pan.
Cook: Return the chicken to the pan along with the chicken broth, thyme, sage and bay leaves. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour.
Add in potatoes and cook for additional 30 minutes: Carefully remove the pot from the oven and add in the potatoes. Return back to the oven and cook for 30 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Thicken the stew: To thicken the stew remove ¼ cup of the chicken broth liquid to a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the mixture to the pot and bring to a rolling simmer on the stove. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
Serve: Remove bay leaves and top with fresh parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread for serving!

6 pictures showing how to cook veggies and chicken for stew.

Understanding How to Make the BEST Stew

If you aren’t familiar with how to make stew, then there may be a few things that you need to know! Here are a couple of common questions that people have before cooking up this chicken stew. Once you know these then you will be a pro!

What does it mean to deglaze? So when it comes to making a stew, this is a super important step! When you are told to deglaze a pan it means that you are adding a liquid to your hot pan to release all of the carmelized bits at the bottom (the bits of dark brown from searing your meat and veggies). It’s what adds so much more flavor to the base of your stew! You’ve probably done this in recipes before and just didn’t know that there was a name for it!
Why thicken your stew? At the end of this recipe, it tells you how to add cornstarch to thicken your stew. The reason for this is because stew is not as thin as a soup. Stew is typically thicken and heartier. So, if you want that classic consistency then add in that cornstarch!
Why can’t I add the potatoes in at the same time as the other vegetables? You don’t add in the potatoes until about halfway through because they cook so fast. You don’t want your potatoes to turn out all mushy! So putting them in later helps them to keep their shape and cooks them so that they are just right!

Chicken stew in a pot with a wooden spoon.

How to Store Leftovers

Some people will argue that stew is actually better to eat the next day! And with this chicken stew… they may just be right! In fact, double the recipe and you can have this again for lunch or dinner during the week! If you have leftovers, here is how you can store them!

Refrigerate: Once your stew has cooled then place it in an airttight container in your fridge. It will last 3-4 days!
Reheat: When you are ready to eat your stew then take it out of the fridge and place it in a pot. You can reheat it on your stove on medium heat until heated through.

One-Pot Chicken Stew

Chicken stew is hearty, filling, and comforting! It is the perfect dish for Sunday dinner or a cold rainy day! This chicken stew is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and chicken cooked until fall-apart tender.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Stew, stew

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings People

Calories 192kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tesapoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, large dice
3 medium carrots, sliced into ½ inch slices
3 ribs celery, large dice
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoon fresh sage
3 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds mini tri-color potatoes, cut in half
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoon cornstarch
parsley for serving, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown, 2-3 minutes a side. (You just want to get color on the chicken it won't be fully cooked). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add in the carrots, onion and celery to the pan and saute for 5 minutes.
Add in the sherry to deglaze the pan. Scrap the brown bites off the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken to the pan along with the chicken broth, thyme, sage, and bay leaves. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven and add in the potatoes. Return back to the oven and cook for 30 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
To thicken the stew remove ¼ cup of the chicken broth liquid to a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the mixture to the pot and bring to a rolling simmer on the stove. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
Remove bay leaves and top with fresh parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread for serving!

Notes

Updated on November 27, 2021

Originally Posted on September 4, 2020

Nutrition

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Butter Swim Biscuits

These butter swim biscuits are soft and fluffy on the inside with a crisp outside edge. They are SOO GOOD and will go with just about anything!

You need a good biscuit to go with just about any meal. Try these swim butter biscuits with this Fried Chicken, these Mashed Potatoes, and these amazing Green Beans for a meal the whole family will love!

What ARE Butter Swim Biscuits?

If you love a good biscuit then you are going to LOVE these! They are cooked in butter to make them soft, moist, and tasty. But they also have a delicious and crispy outside edge. The texture is just AMAZING. And you really can’t go wrong with a delicious biscuit. They are classic, simple and a side that everyone loves!

I can’t get over how easy this recipe is! In fact, you probably already have just about everything that you need to make them. You may just have to pick up some buttermilk. Or, you can make your own using this buttermilk recipe. I mean, you all know that I love a good recipe that screams home-cooked without having to spend the entire day in the kitchen! You will love these so much that you will want to include them in every meal! I know that I do!

Ingredients in Butter Swim Biscuits

You probably have just about everything that you need to make these delicious biscuits! See the recipe card below for a list of exact measurements.

Flour: I used all purpose flour and it worked great in this recipe!
Baking powder: This is what will help the biscuits rise and be fluffy.
Salt: The salt will help enhance the flavor of the biscuits.
Granulated sugar: I like to use a little bit of sure to sweeten them up just a touch.
Buttermilk: You can use store bought buttermilk or make this homemade buttermilk. It’s super easy!
Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I don’t have to change the amount of salt in the recipe.

Let’s Make Some Biscuits!

These swim butter biscuits only take a few minutes to put together! You will be drizzling honey and eating them before you know it!

Preheat: Preheat oven to 450°F.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk ingredients to combine.
Mix in buttermilk: Pour in 2 cups cold buttermilk. Stir just until combined. Be careful not to over mix it.
Melt the butter and pour into pan. Add dough: Pour the melted butter into an 8×8 inch baking pan. Pour the dough on top of the butter. Evenly spread the batter into the pan.
Precut the squares: Using a knife, pre-cut 9 squares into the unbaked batter.
Bake: Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the biscuits are baked through.
Cool and serve: Allow the biscuits to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

4 pictures showing steps on how to make biscuit batter and how to place them in the butter in a pan.

Tips and Tricks

These swim butter biscuits turn out perfectly soft and fluffy! Here are some baking tips to make sure that yours turn out just right.

Melting the butter: Watch your butter closely when you are melting it. You don’t want it to be so hot that it boils. Just melted enough that you can pour it into the pan!
Don’t open the oven door: I know that it’s tempting to open the oven door while you are baking your biscuits. After all, you just want to see how they are doing! But when you open the door while you are baking, you let a lot of the heat out. This makes it so that they can bake unevenly. Keep the door closed and then just use the oven light!
Don’t overmix: When you over mix or set your mixer to mix on high then you add more air to your batter! It can get rubbery if overmixed. So use room temperature ingredients so that you don’t have to mix so many lumps and do it on a lower speed!

A close up of swim butter biscuits in a pan.

How to Store Leftovers

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers of these swim butter biscuits, then you will be happy to know that they are super easy to store!

Refrigerator: Once they are cooled then place them in an airtight container. Put them in the fridge and they can last for 4-5 days!
Reheat: To warm them back up, simply warm them in the oven at the lowest temperature. This usually takes about 10 minutes! Or, you can pop them in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds to a minute or until they are warmed through!

Swim butter biscuit with some strawberry jam being spread on one with a knife.

Butter Swim Biscuits

These swim butter biscuits are soft and fluffy on the inside with a crisp outside edge. They are SO GOOD and will go with just about anything!

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword butter swim biscuits

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings biscuits

Calories 261kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups buttermilk, cold
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk ingredients to combine.
Pour in 2 cups cold buttermilk. Stir just until combined. Be careful not to over mix it.
Pour the melted butter into an 8×8 inch baking pan. Pour the dough on top of the butter. Evenly spread the batter into the pan.
Using a knife, pre-cut 9 squares into the unbaked batter.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the biscuits are baked through.
Allow the biscuits to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition

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