Meal #1
Cornish Hens with Brown Rice Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce
Meal #2
Pan-Seared Ham with Pineapple Chutney
Dad?s Red Cabbage with Apples
Meal #3
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches with Pears
Apple, Toasted Walnut and Mixed Green Salad with Champagne-Cranberry Vinaigrette
Holiday Treat ? Weeknight Dessert
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
GAMEPLAN:
Meal #1 ? Cornish Hens with Brown Rice Stuffing and Sautéed Snow Peas
- Prepare the rice stuffing: Combine the rice, broth, onions and seasonings.
While rice is cooking, chop green pepper and sun dried tomatoes. Add them to the rice mixture. Cool rice mixture. - Place the hens in a roasting pan, season them and stuff them with the rice.
- Roast the hens.
- During last few minutes of roasting, sauté snow peas in olive oil with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Remove hens from the oven and serve with the snow peas and roasted pan juices. Enjoy!
Meal #2 - Pan-Seared Ham with Pineapple Chutney and Dad?s Red Cabbage with Apples
- Prepare the Red Cabbage and Apples: Saute the onions and apples. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer.
- While the cabbage is cooking, prepare the Pineapple Chutney. Combine all ingredients for the chutney except for the fresh herbs. Simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- While cabbage and chutney are cooking, sauté ham slices until heated through.
- Finish the chutney by adding the fresh herbs. Transfer the ham and the chutney to a large platter.
- Stir the cabbage and add it to the platter with the ham. Serve and enjoy!
Meal # 3 - Croque Monsieur Sandwiches with Pears and an Apple, Toasted Walnut and Mixed Green Salad with Champagne-Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Prepare the Champagne-Cranberry Vinaigrette. Combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette and simmer. Turn off heat and allow flavors to infuse.
- Prepare the dipping mixture for the sandwiches and assemble the sandwiches.
- Dip the sandwiches and toast them on the griddle. Assemble the salad with the walnuts and dressing.
- Serve the sandwiches hot with dressed salad. Enjoy!
Weeknight Dessert - Holiday Treat Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
- Prepare the dipping chocolate. Melt chocolate in double boiler over medium heat on stove top.
- Dip pretzels, place on wax paper, and assemble with nuts, sugar or other toppings.
Allow to harden. You may need to refrigerate for a while to help this along. - Once hardened, remove from sheets and store in a cool location, with waxed paper between layers.
- Tip: Package pretzels in clear cellophane bags or in vase for festive gift giving!
