With Thanksgiving behind us, everyone is probably focusing on Christmas now (or Hannukah, or any other holiday you may be celebrating). Between buying presents, and figuring out what to cook for the holidays, this is a really busy time of year. The fact of the matter is, however, that there is about a months worth of meals to make before the holidays sneak up on us. Hopefully I can help you out there.
I’m going to present some of my favorite of the many recipes that are featured on the Food Network website. I don’t think I would watch the Food Network nearly as much as I do if the recipes weren’t readily available on the web. Whether you’re looking for a good appetizer, an easy main course, or a dessert, I have the answer for you….
- Bobby Flay’s Flatbread with White Bean Hummus: A great appetizer that you can take a lot of shortcuts with. It won’t be popular with everyone because it has anchovies, but leave them off or get the Spanish white anchovies that the recipe calls for. They are mild and delicious. I’ve converted many people who thought they didn’t like anchovies. To cut corners, use store bought hummus and pita bread or naan instead of making your own flatbread.
- Alton Brown’s Spinach Artichoke Dip: This recipe is so easy and so good. Be the hero of any party by bringing this dip. Goes great with melba toasts.
- Tyler Florence’s Meatloaf with Tomato Relish: One of the best meatloaves I’ve ever made. Making the tomato relish takes a little more time than your average meatloaf, but it makes it incredibly moist and tasty.
- Emeril Lagasse’s Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo: A great one pot meal, especially in the cold weather. It takes a little while to make the roux, but it’s worth it.
- Tyler Florence’s Coq Au Vin: Another warming, one pot meal. This is great for a crowd, or just a day when you have time to let it cook for a long time. Plus, let’s face it, bacon makes just about any recipe better.
- Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies: Super chocolatey, decadent brownies. If you make them, I recommend using really high quality chocolate, it makes a huge difference with the end product.
- Nigella Lawson’s Triple Chocolate Brownies: Can you tell I’m a brownie fan? This recipe is a little insane, but it is amazingly good. The brownies have so much butter in them (3+ sticks) that they come out gooey. I usually substitute milk chocolate for the white chocolate, but that’s just a personal preference.
- Tyler Florence’s Banana Bread: If you like baking for friends and family during the holidays, this banana bread would make a great gift. It’s the best banana bread I’ve had, and manages to stuff four entire bananas into one loaf. I highly recommend it.
Do you have any favorite Food Network recipes you’d like to share?
Photo Credit: Food Network
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Clacked by Bob Degon
on Nov 29, 2008 @ 14:15 EST5EDT
Thank you! Now I have some new recipes to try out for the holidays!