Category Archives: Holidays

by | November 22, 2010 · 8:05 am

A Festive Holiday Table

When it comes to holiday decor, I love a look that’s equal parts rustic and glam. This year for my holiday table I’m working in flashes of gold on an otherwise neutral palette.  With just a little effort, a table full of things I already had feels festive and special enough for guests.
holiday tablescape
I dressed up a plain white tablecloth with an unfinished burlap runner, antler sheds and golden twig balls. Fragrant cedar boughs and real cranberries add bits of color and a fresh feel.

gold and crimson table settings

I couldn’t decide between these two DIY napkin rings so I used both and placed them on alternate settings.  I wrapped sparkly gold ribbon loosely around brown napkins and tucked a sprig of cedar and a nametag inside.

rustic table setting

For the cranberry napkin rings, I used a needle and floss to string a handful of cranberries into a circle shape.  Just knot the floss around the last cranberry and rotate the knot the to underside of the napkin for a prettier look.
cranberry napkin ring


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by | November 19, 2010 · 8:09 am

Cranberry Cider Margarita

Whether you’re greeting guests at the door or closing the evening with a nightcap, this year try trading in the basic wine for a signature holiday cocktail. We think that this gorgeous, fall-inspired Cranberry Cider Margarita recipe from Lauren Fister is sure to put your friends and family in a festive mood.

Lauren is a girl who knows the kitchen inside and out, working as a kitchen designer for Studio Snaidero by day and blogging by night over at Chat N’ Chow.

Favorite Thanksgiving Dish or Tradition: Growing up my mom (who’s from the south) always had a baked ham in addition to the turkey. I always love to have a bite of fresh sliced ham on a biscuit with my Thanksgiving dinner!

Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie? Pumpkin Pie – if I had it available to me I would eat it for breakfast every morning!!

Cooking Mantra? Just roll with it! If you’re going downhill with a recipe stick it out to the end so at least you gave it your all and you will have learned what not to do for next time. Also, never apologize (as Julia said)!

What are you thankful for this year? I started my blog a year ago in December. At first it started out as something I did to fill my time and my content was just OK. There was a turning point a couple months ago where I got totally inspired to push myself for higher quality content and to put more of myself into my posts. When this happened I found such an amazing community of readers and bloggers who inspire me even more. I don’t know where it’s going but I’m thankful to have discovered an outlet where I can creatively express myself and focus my energy!

Cranberry Cider Margarita

When I entertain I like to have cocktails ready for guests as they come in. This is a great cocktail because vodka could be easily swapped if someone doesn’t like tequila. Cocktails are also great at Thanksgiving because they can add fun edge (vs. just only having red and white wine) to what can sometimes become a stressful day (you know how it can go with all the different personalities that come together but only a few times a year). I show two serving ideas, as a martini and on the rocks. I think guys might like it on the rocks and ladies might like it in a martini glass. Mixing Note – I use a small shot glass as my measure for 1 oz.

holiday cocktail recipe

Rimming the Glass
I think rimmed glasses are a fun & flavorful addition to cocktails. For this cocktail I ran the lemon wedge around the rim of the glass to make it wet, I then dipped the glass in the following mixture spread out on a plate:

1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
zest of one orange

Optional garnish:
For a sliced apple garnish, place apple slices or wedges in a dish with cool water and the juice from half a lemon or lime. This will keep the apple from turning. Keep the dish at hand when making the cocktails.

thanksgiving cocktailCranberry Cider Margarita (serves 1)
2 oz tequila – I like silver tequila
1/2 oz triple sec
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz fresh cider
Juice from 1/4 of an orange

In a cocktail shaker combine all of the ingredients with ice. Shake well. Pour into chilled rimmed glass and garnish. Enjoy!!

cranberry cider margarita
Thanks again to all of our haute guest bloggers and to you, haute reader, for celebrating this foodie favorite holiday with us!

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by | November 18, 2010 · 8:23 am

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits

No Thanksgiving meal can be complete without dessert! Friend, artist and baker extraordinaire Michael Coates is with us today to share his delicious recipe for Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits.

A Little Bit about Michael: I work full-time for Rockwell Automation as a Photographer & Senior Designer.  For 6 years now I’ve also ran my own creative business under my name.  I started out doing mostly graphic design work but I’m now a full service business offing photography, web design, commissioned art, and even interior design.  I will be partnering up with a friend quite soon to venture into a dessert focused catering business.  We’re going to offer fine pastries, cakes and tarts to our clients for any kind of event.

My site is under construction for the remainder of this year, but I will be updating my blog quite often.  www.michaelguycoates.com &  http://inklingmgc.tumblr.com

Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition: Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year.  I love food flavors in autumn, and I just adore a good turkey.  Being from California, I don’t often get to go home to visit my family, so I have adopted the family of my best friend from college each year.  She has a large family, and it is always entertaining to be part of a “big production Thanksgiving Dinner.”  While I love all of the food during the actual dinner, it’s reinventing the leftovers that I have the most fun with.  Cranberry-Turkey sandwiches, Mashed Potato Pancakes, and roasted vegetable salads have all become cherished leftover dishes.

Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie?: Apple Pie, hands down.  You can do so much more with it.  Plus I enjoy the amount of time & effort that goes into a home-made apple pie.  I’ve had some amazing varieties, but no Apple Pie will ever beat Mom’s.

Cooking Mantra: Simple and local is best.  If you can’t grow it yourself, find someone who can locally.  It’s cheaper and always tastes better.  As for deserts, don’t layer tons of flavors and textures just to be fancy.  Sometimes just highlighting one or two great flavors delivers the best results.

What are you thankful for this year? I am supported by an astounding group of people.  My parents and best friends have never let me down, and have always been the stability and comfort in my life.  The holiday’s are about celebrating them, and thanking them for their unconditional love.

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for dish

For fruit filling:
1 cup packed (7 1/2 ounces) medium brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 cup fresh cranberries
8 large apples (I used Granny Smith & Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 1/2 pounds prepped)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter

For biscuits:
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (4 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/3 cups cold buttermilk, or more as needed
1 tablespoon bakers sanding sugar

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish.

For the fruit filling, with your hands, rub the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Add the apples and cranberries and toss to evenly coat. Gently stir in the lemon juice. Pour the filling contents into the prepared pan. Cut the butter into small cubes and scatter over the apples.
Cover the pan with foil and bake in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes. This gives the apples a jump-start on cooking while you make the biscuits.

To make the biscuits, whisk the flour, tablespoon of granulated sugar, the baking powder, and the salt together in a bowl. Add the cheese and toss until evenly coated. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the buttermilk. With a rubber spatula or fork, or by hand, stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will be shaggy and moist. If the dough seems dry, add a bit more buttermilk, no more than 1 tablespoon at a time.

Take the baking pan out of the oven and remove the foil. Using an ice cream scoop, place the dough atop the fruit, distributing the biscuits evenly. (You should end up with about 9-12 biscuits.) Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar sanding over the biscuits.

Return the cobbler to the oven (this time without the foil) and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender, the juices are bubbling, and the biscuits are golden brown.

Storage: This dessert is best served the day that it is made, but any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap (or foil) and kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Join the Party!
Got a great Thanksgiving dish or decorating idea? Share a link to your Turkey Day blog post or recipe in the comments or on our Facebook page!

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by | November 16, 2010 · 7:40 am

Pumpkin Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Parmigiano

It’s day two of our Virtual Thanksgiving Potluck and we have Chef Kendra Peterson from Drizzle Kitchen and writer of the blog Urban Tarte, joining us to shed some culinary insight and innovation to our Thanksgiving meal.

Hello all! My name is Kendra Peterson and I am a chef living in downtown Chicago.  I own a business called Drizzle Kitchen, which offers personal chef services, boutique catering, private cooking lessons and culinary consultation to individuals and businesses. The focus of Drizzle is “whole food” cuisine, that is, food that is not processed or manufactured.  Clean food that is good for the mind, body and soul. There is a Spanish Proverb that reads, “The belly rules the mind,” so fill your belly with the best food you can and make your body happy

For most people Thanksgiving is a holiday full of family tradition, the knowledge that your favorite dish will be on the table ready for you to take a big bite of and that familiar smell of the turkey in all its glory roasting in the oven.  Well, that’s a nice story and all but in my little world of culinary craziness tradition=boring.  Much to the dismay of my family!  For me, the tradition has to do with the china that is placed out, the crystal that is wiped, the silver that is polished.  The dining room set with its formal place settings, the candles that are lit and the comfortable glow of family smiling, chatting and enjoying each other’s company.

When I began my serious passion for cooking I saw the holidays as a fabulous time when I had a large audience at my ready, willing to try what I brought out of the kitchen.  And because at an age of 15 I wanted everything to be organic, look beautiful, taste fabulous and be healthy (over-achiever) I spent much time honing my holiday creation repertoire. Through the years my family has been very kind and has put up with some of the crazy concoctions that I presented to them (lentil-chestnut loaf. Yep.) But they have also been the happy recipients of many recipes that are now part of my collection. Pancetta roasted Brussels sprouts (in lieu of green beans amandine), sweet potato biscuits with ginger butter (in lieu of canned crescent rolls) and flourless chocolate tart with orange and crystallized ginger (in lieu of-gasp!-pumpkin pie). Yes, it’s true. There is only ONE person in my entire family who likes pumpkin pie (Good ‘ole daddio) and for the rest of us dessert is typically pumpkin mousse with gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin cheesecake or anything chocolate based!

So, now that you have an idea of what will be on my Thanksgiving table this year here is a recipe that maybe you can use to sass up your “traditional” menu!

Pumpkin Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Parmigiano

Serves 4

1 whole head garlic
1” Yukon gold potatoes (“butter” potatoes)
3 generous pats of unsalted, organic butter
¾ cup canned organic pumpkin puree
¼ cup milk, any kind-whole, skim, plain soy, plain coconut
1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano plus another ¼ cup, divided
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 T. minced fresh parsley
sea salt, cracked pepper, olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut the top off the garlic (think about cutting off a “hat”).  Place the garlic-discard the top-in the center of a piece of foil, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Close up the foil into a packet and roast 30 minutes until nice and soft.

Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with cold water.  Add the potatoes, a nice big pinch of salt and cover.  Place on medium heat and cook until potatoes a knife slips into the potatoes like a hot knife through butter.

Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Gently smash with the back of a fork and add the butter.  Let it melt into the potatoes.

Remove the garlic from the foil.  Using a paper towel, grab the base of the garlic and squeeze the cloves out into a small bowl.  Discard the papery skin. Smash the cloves with a fork (oh yeah, it smells ammmmazing!).

Into the bowl with the buttery potatoes add the pumpkin puree, the smashed roasted garlic, the milk, the 1/3 cup parmigiano and a hefty pinch of salt.  Smash all together with the back of a fork until pretty blended.

Add the fresh lemon zest, parsley, cracked pepper and more salt if needed.  Stir to blend.  Spoon into an oven safe baking dish (8×8 or smaller. Perhaps a pretty oval stoneware dish?!).

Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup parmigiano over the top and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.  Place under the broiler just until the cheese begins to melt the tips of the potatoes start to brown.

This year I am grateful for the incredible gift of my girlfriends.  Without them I would not have made it through this past year.  They held me up as I dealt with a very difficult situation and have pushed me forward in both my personal life and with my business.  They have made connections and opened up doors for me within the creative realm of Drizzle Kitchen that I never thought possible. So make sure to mentally send all your friends a little “thank you” during your Thanksgiving Day festivities and I guarantee that gratitude will come back to you tenfold.

With a big smile and a non-traditional Thanksgiving hug  ~ Kendra

Join the Party!

Got a great Thanksgiving dish or decorating idea? Share a link to your Turkey Day blog post or recipe in the comments or on our Facebook page!


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by | November 15, 2010 · 8:08 am

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Thanks for swinging by the HAP Virtual Thanksgiving Potluck!  Since Thanksgiving is all about bringing together family, friends and food we thought a little party with some of our favorite bloggers would be the perfect way to get in the mood.

Kicking things off with a starring side dish is Rachel Humiston, who by day is a brand manager and by night dishes up taste tests and restaurant reviews over at The Avid Appetite.

Favorite Thanksgiving dish and/or Tradition?
Do I have to pick one? I love mashed potatoes and don’t eat them the rest of the year, so it’s really a special treat on Turkey Day. Also, any super sweet potato casserole! Bonus points for lots of brown sugar! As for traditions, I love watching the Macy’s parade (you know, like I’m 5), baking and spending time with my family.

Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie?
I’ll never turn down a good apple pie, but pumpkin has my heart.

Cooking Mantra?
Have fun! Regardless of your level of expertise, when you are making something you love and sharing it with others, you can’t go wrong if you have fun doing it!

What are you thankful for this year?
My husband who makes me happy every day and my family who are always there for us and who make everything fun!

Rachel’s Classic Thanksgiving Potatoes

When the ladies of HAP asked me to guest blog as part of their Thanksgiving series, I was delighted. Even more so when I learned I’d be writing about potatoes, a major staple in every Turkey Day feast (have you ever heard of a Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes? Me neither). Admittedly, I had never made mashed potatoes. Though I’ve seen them made countless times while serving as my mom’s sous chef, I’d yet to tackle them in my own kitchen. And I have the ladies of HAP to thank for giving me the nudge, since this dish is nothing short of life-changing. Oh, and did I mention that they couldn’t be easier?

While there are an exhaustive number of options for mashed potatoes, with additions ranging from garlic and blue cheese to cheddar cheese, onions, they all begin with a classic base. Since it’s Thanksgiving, the holiday of traditions, why change it up? I vote for a standard yet unforgettable mashed potato. And once you taste this creamy, velvety version, you may find, as I did, that there’s no need for anything more. Except for some turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce.

thanksgiving potato recipe

Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes (erves 4-6)
2-3 tbsp salt (or more if needed)
2-3 lbs potatoes, peeled & cubed
1/2 C heavy cream (or more if needed)
4 tbsp butter
pinch black pepper
chives, dried or fresh

Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat slightly to a light boil and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the water and place in large mixing bowl.

Add butter and heavy cream. With the back of a wooden spoon or a fork, smush (yep, it’s a technical term) the potatoes and lightly mix together. This will prevent splatter all over your beautiful kitchen once you break out the mixer. Add black pepper. With a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add more salt or more heavy cream if needed. Garnish with chives.

whipped potatoes

So there you have it. A creamy, decadent mashed potato that’s quick and simple to boot. It’s the perfect potato addition to any Thanksgiving table which won’t have you slaving over the stove but will have your guests oooh-ing and aaah-ing! Happy Turkey Day!

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Got a great Thanksgiving dish or decorating idea? Share a link to your Turkey Day blog post or recipe in the comments or on our Facebook page!

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by | October 31, 2010 · 7:41 am

HAPpy Halloween!

Wishing you a very HAPpy Halloween from the Cheeseburger, the Penguin and the ladies of Haute Apple Pie!

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by | July 4, 2010 · 11:13 am

Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy your family, friends and all the classic Americana this weekend….and of course, don’t forget the pie!

4th of July American Flag

4th of July pie with star cutouts

American sailboat

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by | July 2, 2010 · 10:24 am

Red, White and Blueberry Bomb Pop

One of my favorite memories of summer is eating a big juicy, sugary bomb pop (always from our own freezer and not from the ice cream man, but that is another story for another time). And while I still like to indulge in a cavity provoking treat every now and again, I’ve put together a great alternative to the bomb pop. This is a great idea for a fun, Fourth of July BBQ treat! It is kid-friendly and adult-friendly and waistline-friendly as well.

First you will need a popsicle mold (I bought mine at Target for $4). For the first layer, blend 1 C. blueberries and 1 tsp. of sugar or Splenda. Layer the mixture one-third of the way in each popsicle holder. Freeze for three or more hours. Add a layer of fat-free vanilla yogurt. Lastly, blend a 1 C. strawberries with a dash of orange juice and layer on the top. Insert popsicle holder and freeze for five or more hours.

To remove popsicle holders, run warm water over the outside of the plastic containers to loosen up the popsicle. Pull it out and enjoy!

Happy 4th to everyone!

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by | April 2, 2010 · 6:53 am

Dying Easter Eggs – Au Naturale

We can’t fight it. Nowadays, natural is in. So I decided to take an old Easter tradition back to the good old days and dye them using tea bags. This is a process that my great grandma used to use. It is fun, easy, and it gives your Easter eggs that very natural look that is all the rage. 

All you need to do this is a pot, eggs, water, vinegar and tea varieties of your choice. I used passion fruit, blueberry and chai tea. 

To make the eggs:

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Add 2 TBSP of vinegar and a 2-3 tea bags. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Turn the eggs every once in a while to make sure the color sets in evenly. Remove from water and place on a drying rack. 

The chai tea turned out to have the boldest color and the passion fruit and blueberry gave the eggs a purplish-gray color. These eggs would be great for a centerpiece for Easter brunch or outside for an easter egg hunt!

Rumor has it that you can use other household kitchen items, such as spinach, different spices and onion skins. I have yet to try this. If you’ve tried it, please share with us, or share any of your other fun Easter traditions!

Have a blessed Easter!

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by | February 12, 2010 · 8:59 am

Valentine’s Day Breakfast in Bed

This may make me sound like the anti-woman, but Valentine’s Day has never been a big deal  to me. I do however, like to try to find some time to do something special to spend extra time with my man.

Tom works extremely long, hard hours all year-round, so for this Valentine’s Day, I decided to treat him to a little breakfast in bed – or perhaps – breakfast on the couch while watching SportsCenter. With a few cheap (and reusable!) touches from Target, I’ve put together a delectable Cinnamon French Toast with Cranberry Orange Chutney.

Ingredients (for 2):

  • 4 thick slices of brioche*
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
  • non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 C fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 TBSP orange zest
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

For Cranberry Orange Chutney:

In a medium sauce plan, mix cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Cinnamon French Toast:

Preheat griddle. Whisk eggs and milk together in shallow bowl. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Soak each piece of bread for 15 seconds on each side. Spray griddle (set at medium-high) with non-stick cooking spray. Place the bread on the griddle and cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown (time will vary based on the type and temperature of your griddle).

Place french toast on a plate and top it with a spoonful of chutney. Don’t overdo the chutney, you do not want to take away the flavor of the french toast. Or, if you don’t like the taste of cranberries, simply serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and some warm maple syrup. This dish tastes great with an Orange Strawberry Banana Smoothie or a homemade latte.

*A note on bread:  I usually make french toast with whatever bread I have around the house. But if you are looking for the diner taste, go with a loaf of brioche. I picked mine up at Breadsmith. You can also go for challah or a country loaf cut into thick slices. The thicker and denser the bread, the better it soaks up all the good stuff and creates a moist and savory french toast!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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