New Year's Eve at Home Appetizer and Menu Ideas

 

It's not too late! You can make some great and tasty treats for New Year's Eve tonight!

We are all looking forward to a brighter 2021 - maybe you've heard some fun ideas for welcoming in the New Year by opening your door at midnight or maybe you enjoy sweeping all the dirt out of your home so you can start the New Year fresh...

Whatever your custom, having a satisfying snack in hand and a glass of your favorite beverage is a wonderful way to celebrate!

Check out my blog post on Zulily for recipes and inspiration by clicking here.

Wishing you and the people you love all good things for 2021 and I hope you are Fed Well!

Shop the Day After Christmas Sales for the Kitchen! A few shopping tips for online deals...

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Wasn't it a great Christmas? Likely it was a bit different from your normal celebration - not better or worse but different. And hopefully you made some wonderful memories. I sure did.

And now, maybe you have some gift cards to spend, or just enjoy a leisurely morning of sipping and scrolling. Here are some tips on the day-after-Christmas sales. Yes, it's a real thing.

Today, not only should you be thinking about stockpiling some wrapping paper, or cards, or other holiday items that will be deeply slashed by the retailers but consider your home and especially the kitchen. Not only can you find great on-line deals for the most used room of your house - you can also find potential shower gifts, birthday presents, and maybe even stash away a few items for next Christmas season.

For the full list of sale ideas for your shopping pleasure today, click here.

Enjoy this day and the remainder of the holiday season. Wishing you joy and happiness from the Fed Well kitchen!

Last Minute Christmas Side Dish Recipes and Inspiration

Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels

It's here! It's Christmas Eve and it is the most wonderful time of the year!

Not sure yet what to cook and serve? The key to the best side dishes is to put a twist on a classic you already know your family loves!

Love Cesar salad? Grill the romaine first. Or replace it entirely with shredded brussels spouts.

Love broccoli? Try broccolini with a little olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Big fans of barbecue sauce? Don't save it for meat - try tossing roasted brussels sprouts in it and cook a bit longer for Cowboy Sprouts. (Plus, this hides the green color we all know some kids object to when they reject vegetables.)

Try the same method but substitute buffalo sauce for the barbecue and use with broccoli or cauliflower.

For complete recipes and more detailed how-to's click here.

However you are spending this Christmas holiday, I hope you take the time to prepare a few dishes you love and are feeling Fed Well.

Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas Gifts for the Kitchen - Last Minute Ideas

 Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels

Scrambling for the right gift for someone on your list? Not sure what size they are? Or if they drink wine or whiskey? Tired of gift certificates?  Switch things up and go with a kitchen gift. Yes, kitchen. It can be personal, it can be fun, and it is appropriate during these times of everyone spending more time at home, more time preparing and cooking meals, and being in the most used room of the house!

So consider everything from the whimsical to the practical and find some great ideas by clicking here.  Have gifs shipped directly to the your friends and family to save time and send an e-card letting them know their gift is on the way!

Hoping you enjoy a Merry Christmas and spend the day feeling Fed Well!

Christmas Appetizer Ideas

Photo by Oleg Zaicev from Pexels

Whether you are having a much smaller gathering, a virtual holiday, or are thinking of trying something different this Christmas, appetizers can still fit in to the plan.

A little something, a starter, a snack, a jumpstart to the meal - an appetizer says, "Hey, today is special! Let's enjoy!"

AND - the great thing about appetizer recipes is they can be interchanged for any holiday. The Fed Well blog post about Thanksgiving appetizers is all about customization, finding what works for you and your family for the holidays or anytime. Find the combination of tastes and flavors that you love and turn it into a skewer, or a crostini, or put it on the charcuterie board (by the way - have you seen those cute little individual charcuterie board ideas? Jarcuterie. No sharing and individual servings - germs are cut down and double dipping is encouraged in your own jarcuterie).

So find some inspiration by clicking here and plan a selection of two or three little bites to set the mood for you holiday to leave you and your family feeling Fed Well!

 

Shrimp Sleigh Appetizer Ideas for Christmas

Thinking of new ways to recreate classics? If you know you and your family love shrimp cocktail or if eating shrimp is like eating potato chips (who can stop at just one?) then creating Shrimp Sleigh Appetizers for the holidays are something you can certainly do.

The photo recipe are cucumber slices, topped with mashed avocado or guacamole, topped with a shrimp garnished with seasoned pepper - but you could switch things up to match your tastes! That's the beauty of these appetizers. Use paprika, red pepper flakes, leave out the guac - top with sliced green onion or a dollop of cocktail sauce, or salsa. Shrimp is one of the most versatile appetizers you can serve as it adopts the flavors you pair it with - a seafood chameleon if you will.

My younger son enjoys serving shrimp in individual tortilla scoop shaped chips and that is how the Shrimp Sleigh originated in this house. He grilled the shrimp and place them in the chip on a spoonful of guacamole. See how ideas can grow from one basic recipe?  

We find food inspiration from many places in our house, trial and error, and twisting or elevating classics are two of our favorite methods. It keeps us at the table together, talking and eating, and feeling Fed Well.

For more interpretations of the Shrimp Sleigh visit my Zulily blog post by clicking here.

 

Christmas Menu Ideas

 

The one thing we all have in common this holiday season is it is pretty likely we are experiencing some kind of change. We cling to the traditions we can safely keep but maybe we are not gathering in as large numbers as we have in years past. This could also mean menu changes simply due to down sizing.  

Ham seems to really be a popular Christmas main dish and while yes, you can just buy a smaller version and cut back on the number of side dishes - it may be the perfect time to try something a little different. Maybe pork chops with cheery cherry sauce would be a great swap for you and your family or friends.  

Pork Chops

What you need:

· 4 – 6 pork chops (many prefer bone in)
· Olive or vegetable oil
· Salt and Pepper
· Garlic powder
· Onion powder
· Paprika

1. Mix 1 tablespoon each garlic powder, onion powder and paprika in a small bowl.
2. Heat 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and let pan warm.
3. Rub seasonings on pork chops and place in heated pan. Let sear and brown for 4 – 5 minutes untouched.
4. Flip and cook an additional 4 minutes (if chops are very thick allow extra cooking time on each side or place chops in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes to finish cooking at the center).
5. Remove chops and set aside.
6. Use the same pan the chops were cooked in for the cherry sauce without cleaning the pan.

Cherry Sauce

What you need:

· 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted and stemmed
· 1 cup red wine a bit sweet/fruity (port would also work)
· 3 tablespoons butter
· 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
· Pinch of kosher salt

1. After cooking pork tenderloin, chops, or roast, remove meat to rest and use the same pan to make the cherry sauce.
2. On medium heat, add the cherries, red wine, thyme, and salt while stirring pan juices and scraping up bits of pork to incorporate in the sauce.
3. Let simmer approximately ten minutes until sauce reduces and deepens.
4. Add butter one tablespoon at a time to add depth of flavor and silky mouth feel as well as a beautiful glossiness.

I am looking forward to a small gathering of our closest family for Christmas. I will be lucky to see my grandson who is just starting to be old enough to appreciate that something special is happening but he can't quite put his finger on it. Every time we are able to be together is magic and we make sure everyone is Fed Well.

For more Christmas menu ideas - check out my post on the Zulily blog by clicking here.