Exotic Flowers in Boston

New Years Eve dinner is one of the most anticipated meals of the year where dishes are slaved over to ensure a tasty feast for all who sit at their holiday table.   Including delicious sides of mashed potatoes, squash, green beans and more, guests look forward to the eclectic presentation of food served for this celebration.  Although cuisine varies from plate to plate, the main course usually includes a roast that can be prepared in several different ways depending on the host prefers.  While different seasonings, glazes and even oven temperatures will vary, there is a simple recipe for those who new to cooking their very first New Years Eve dinner.  While we might be anxious about the pressure to perform perfection, I assure you there’s an easy way to make sure your roast will turn out scrumptiously.  Follow these steps and you too will have a New Years Eve dinner with a main course fit for a king! 

Ingredients

Roast

1 Garlic Clove

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Yellow Onion                                                        

2 Stalks of Celery Baby Carrots

Red Potatoes (Quartered)

Ken’s Italian Dressing

2 Leaves of Sage

Rosemary

Parsley

Salt                                                                                              photo credit: Seriouseats.com

White Pepper

Preheat oven at 325 degrees and place the roast face up in a roasting pan.  With a knife, slice 1inch slits on the surface of the meat making sure to spread the cuts at least 1 ½ inches apart from one another.   On a cutting board, thinly slice the garlic clove to produce at least 7 separate pieces.  Insert one garlic slice into each whole pressing the seasoning down deep.  Lightly dust the surface with salt, pepper and parsley, afterwards spreading the cream of mushroom soup over the top of the roast, which will sink into the meat and create a wonderful taste while cooking.  Then slice the yellow onion into ringlets and place over the glazed mixture.  Place the two sprigs of Sage delicately across the top, which will not only add to the unbelievable flavor but will also enhance the presentation of the dish.  On the bottom of the dish at the top and bottom of the roast, add the baby carrots and quartered red potatoes.  Sprinkle the veggies with a dash of salt, pepper and rosemary herbs and drizzle the Italian dressing on top.  Toss the vegetables together making sure that all of the ingredients are fully covered with the marinade.  Place the celery stalks on each side of the roast now completing a box around the meat.  Place in the oven for 2 hours and you have yourself a dynamite meal to serve  for New Years Eve dinner!

 and what could be better on New Years Day than a pot roast patty melt ? 

photo credit: cassiecraves.blogspot.com

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

Suzie's New Year's tradition is writing her and her family resolutions and sending themm out to sea as a message in a bottle.

The Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, consists of a wonderfully eclectic variety of cuisine that can be easily compared to culinary art at its finest.  Traditionally based on foods containing oil (one cruse lasting for eight days) and cheese (based on the book of Judith), the selection is endlessly yummy and includes favorites such as latkes, donuts and scrumptious challah bread.  From family to family, there are amazing variations of dishes, bringing in their own story and personality to the table.   Recipes are passed down from each generation in the hopes that some of our ancestor’s time honored recipes will be included in the celebration of the Festival of Lights.  Here are few of the top rated Hanukkah recipes that are not only customary to this holiday feast but have been praised as mouth watering delicacies by Boston’s top chefs.

Parsnip Latkes

                                                                 Photo credit: bettycrocker.com

Here’s a great spin on the customary fried potato latke where parsnips and sweet potato are used as the main ingredient.  Start by grating 2 large parsnips and 2 large sweet potatoes in a food processor.  Combine root vegetables with 4 egg whites, 3 thinly sliced shallots, 1½ teaspoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of dried thyme.  Mix together thoroughly.  Heat a frying pan with canola oil and place a quarter cup of the batter on the pan, pressing down to brown the cake with a fork or spoon for 3 minutes per side.  Place on paper towel to relieve the latkes of excess oil.  Makes up to 20 latkes and can be served immediately or kept warm in a low temperature oven. 

 Jelly Donuts

                                                    Photo Credit: Food.com

These are so good and wicked easy to make!  Grab three eggs and combine them with ¾ cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, ½ cup of sugar and mix together well.  In another bowl, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1½ cups of flour with a teaspoon of salt mixed in as well.  Combine the two bowls slowly making sure that a smooth doe is formed to make a sandwich like shape.  Heat a deep fryer at 375 degrees with canola oil and add a precooked donut that consists of two layers of doe with a layer of jam in the middle.  I prefer strawberry but any kind will taste superb including raspberry and blueberry.  Making sure not to overcrowd the pan, fry donuts for about 4 minutes each until they reveal a golden color.  Let them cool on plate and sprinkle with confectionary sugar for an attractive presentation. 

 Maple Applesauce

This is a wonderful recipe for tart applesauce with a little kick to it that also pairs well with a large variety of main courses.  Gather 8 peeled apples with a sour taste (such as Jonathan apples or Granny Smith’s) and 3 sweet apples (such as Golden Delicious).  Slice apples into small pieces making the process of cooking them easier.  Place in ½ cup of boiling water and reduced heat to medium allowing the apples to soften until they begin to pull apart.  Once ready, mash down the apples to a desired consistency and then add 4 tablespoons of Vermont Maple Syrup (only use the good stuff).  Once you have thoroughly mixed the sauce, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to add zip to the flavor.  Refrigerate the dish until the desired time of serving.

 Suzie Canale, Union Oyster House, Boston, MA August 2014

Suzie lives in Westwood, MA. She is avid chef and makes an amazing New England clam chowder.