HOLLADAY — A new year.
A clean slate.
There's the opportunity to do it right this year; entertain family and friends with elegance and grace without breaking the budget or the peace.
In "The Gathering of Friends" (Clarenden Woods, LLC., $24.95), the recipe for success is laid out by authors Michele Huxtable and Alyse Christensen.
In their book, the two put everything beautifully on the table with recipes and shopping lists. The book also includes a pouch for receipts and other items. There are even blank pages to jot down helpful notes.
They have recipes for everything from a patio supper to a springtime breakfast to a formal family luncheon to a romantic candlelight repast.
There are tips for preparing "treats and tokens" to give away, and a section on creating a no-bake baby shower, a neighborhood cookie party and even a "Hero Shower" for the groom-to-be.
The color photos show you how it's all supposed to come together.
The dishes are simple to make yet company-proof and come with easy and inexpensive centerpiece and decorating ideas. (How about a collection of water jars with fresh fruit floating in them?)
"The recipes are simple but tried and true," said Michelle Huxtable, executive editor of the book. "I really, really tried to simplify."
They're so simple that a friend of Huxtable's told her, "You wrote the recipes like you were talking on the phone."
"That was a great compliment, even though I'm not sure that's how she meant it," said Huxtable.
Alyse Christensen said she and Huxtable are thrilled that the cookbook is finished and people are buying it. It can be found at www.thegatheringoffriends.com as well as selected gift shops in the area.
"We love it," Christensen said. "We want people to realize you can entertain, but you don't need to spend days and days in the kitchen. There's not a 20-step recipe in the book."
"We believe food is the language of love," said Huxtable. "There is something that happens when you sit down with someone and break bread together. There's an interchange that goes on. If it's in your home, there's a bonding. It's emotional and it's spiritual."
"The Gathering of Friends" is designed to give people the confidence and the recipes to succeed at home.
"Every one of these ideas can be a meal, a Sunday meal, a lunch meal, an early morning brunch," said Huxtable.
SHORTBREAD TORTES WITH STRAWBERRIES AND ICE CREAM BALLS
2 cups butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate ice cream
1 cup toffee candy bar bits
1 cup coconut
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 dozen or more strawberries
Cream together butter and brown sugar. Sift in flour, salt and baking powder, gently folding into butter mixture.
Press dough into individual 2 1/2-inch torte pans. Bake at 300 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until golden.
Use a small ice cream scooper to create balls with the vanilla ice cream. Roll in coconut, place on tray and freeze.
Using a larger ice cream scoop, make balls out of the chocolate ice cream. Roll in toffee bits, place on a tray and freeze.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes until creamy. Do not overheat.
When ready to serve, add a strawberry and ice cream balls to each shortbread torte and top with a heaping tablespoon of melted chocolate.
PRIME RIB ROAST
1 6-8 pound prime rib roast
Extra virgin olive oil
Rosemary Seasoning Blend (recipe follows)
Take prime rib and rub with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil. Pat with Rosemary Seasoning Blend.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake, uncovered, in a large roasting pan for 1/2 hour, then turn oven down to 325 degrees. Roast for 15 minutes per pound.
Serves 10-12.
ROSEMARY SEASONING BLEND
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 cup rock salt
1/2 cup dried rosemary
1/4 cup dried red chilies
2 tablespoons coarse pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon lemon peel
2 teaspoons soy oil
Mix all ingredients in a medium-size bowl.
STEAMED ASPARAGUS WITH BACON
3 bunches fresh asparagus
1 pound bacon
Clean three bunches of fresh asparagus and cut off the last inch where the rich, green color fades.
Place in a 2-quart pot filled with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and add asparagus.
Cook for 3 minutes or until fork tender. In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon. Remove from pan, drain and chop it up. Sprinkle fresh bacon bits over the asparagus and serve.
Serves 10-12.
VEGETABLE RIBBONS
3 large carrots, peeled
2 medium yellow squash
2 medium zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup basil pesto
Fresh parsley for garnish
Using a vegetable peeler, cut lengthwise ribbon-like slices from the carrots, zucchini and yellow squash.
Add 1/2 inch of water to a medium-size saucepan. Heat to boiling. Add carrots, cover, and cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes. Add zucchini and squash and continue cooking 1-2 minutes.
Do not overcook to maintain crispness of vegetables.
Drain vegetables well and place in a serving bowl. Add pesto; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Serves 10-12.
CHICKEN AND APPLE SALAD
2 pounds chicken tenders, cooked
2 tart apples, cored and cubed
1 7-ounce pound Gouda cheese
1 8-ounce package bow-tie pasta, cooked
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 cup pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
2/3 cup sliced almonds
Honey Lime Dressing (recipe follows)
Lemon twists and avocado slices for garnishing
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and cool.
Combine pasta and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in Honey-Lime Dressing. Garnish with lemon twists and avocado slices.
For best results, add dressing just before serving.
HONEY LIME DRESSING
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon poppy seeds.
Mix dressing ingredients well.
NO BAKE COOKIES
2 cups sugar
1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
3 cups instant oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons cocoa
Heat sugar, milk and butter to boiling point. In a bowl, mix oatmeal, vanilla and cocoa. Pour hot mixture into a bowl and stir. Drop by teaspoonsful onto a cookie sheet. Cookies will harden as they cool. (Option: add a cup of nuts, coconut or raisins.)
HURRICANE CANDLES
Take a large candle and place in the bottom of a glass "hurricane" holder (any size will work. Surround it with fresh cranberries. These will last about a month, but you may be able to find artificial cranberries at a craft store.
DECORATIVE WATER JARS
Fill your favorite clear jars with water and add sliced or whole fruits or vegetables, depending on the desired look. (Options include sliced lemons, strawberries, cucumbers or limes.) Wash fruit well before you put into the water.
ARTICHOKE AND CLAY POT
Take an artichoke (purple or green cabbage also works) and trim the brown edges. Open up the center leaves. Insert a candle into the center and place into a small terra-cotta pot. Decorate with a colorful ribbon.
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com