holiday recipe hack

12.12.2014


this is the season of celebration and joy. when i was a kid that meant presents, but now it means enjoying different kinds of gifts. now, the holidays are about gathering with family + friends, of everyone coming together, enjoying each other's company, and of course, food.

when i think about food during this time of year, i crave comfort. sometimes comfort comes from a hearty dish, other times it comes from the sentimentality of a dish that has a story behind it. either way, i am drawn to ingredients that offer one, if not both. ingredients like cranberries, rosemary, walnuts, and blue cheese. all those come together in this recipe hack, which would make either a great appetizer to add to a potluck or as a fancy offering to your holiday host.

the lush cranberries and evergreen rosemary coordinate with the seasonal color palate, making it a festive platter. the presentation alone is enough to impress, but you're not totally winning until all the flavors come together. the combination of the berries and herbs is bright and woodsy. pair that with the richness of blue cheese and the savoriness of walnuts and it's comfort at its best.

the best thing about this dish is how easily it comes together. every ingredient can be found right at the grocery store: a wedge of stilton, cranberry sauce, walnut halves, and crackers, all for under $20! if you're feeling ambitious, you can definitely up your game by making the cranberry sauce from scratch (i used this recipe for our thanksgiving dinner and highly recommend it), but if you'd rather spend that time pre-gaming with a mocha and christmas tunes, then buy the pre-made stuff and the other party guests will be none the wiser. wink, wink!



15 comments:

Amy S. said...

Oh my goodness, this looks so good!! I love all those flavors. Wish I was spending the holidays at your house! Haha ;-)

Amy {EatSleepDecorate} said...

Cranberry and any kind of cheese is my favorite! Yum!

Kaylan Buteyn said...

what a beautiful presentation! I'm not a huge blue cheese fan but I bet I could find something to substitute ;)

Erin said...

You had me at bleu cheese. And then to add walnuts and cranberries? It's like I've died and gone to heaven. xo

Christine D. | The Plumed Nest said...

oh yum! i love bleu cheese and cranberries. i will definitely have to give this a try. these pictures are so beautiful!! i love that serving board.

Erika Lee @ A Tiny Rocket said...

cranberries are so my fav! love the photos.

Unknown said...

This is so up my alley - absolutely delicious-looking! Will definitely need to try this combo of flavors :) (And finally I found my way over to your lovely blog again - the link you use when you comment over at mine doesn't work properly.)

Fiona Harding said...

and it looks so super pretty!

rebecca said...

Ack! I love this! AND you just sorted out what I'm bringing to my the holiday party with all my friends (they think I'm just bringing cheese and crackers like always! ha! Won't they be surprised!!:)) Thanks for the idea lady!!! :)

ursula @ Nothern Ambitions said...

I crave comfort food too. This dish looks tasty and I'm a big fan of bold flavours, not to mention the pretty presentation

Ting said...

This look so good!

www.eatlovemerry.com

Bec said...

CHEESE! I am the biggest cheese board lover so this caught my eye straight away. Love it and I hope you have an amazing festive season. Bec x

Hollands reverie said...

Yum- sounds delicious!! I have been wanting to try homemade cranberry sauce so may give this a go and pair it with your suggestions for a Christmassy snack for my crew- thanks!!

www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com

lucinda said...

i suspect it would pair well with a hard, salty cheese like manchego but you could also top a melty brie with the cranberry sauce too, which would be delicious i'm sure!

Lauren said...

Oh my gosh, this sounds amazing. We used to do more apps at Christmas dinner, but now I cook too much and forget about them. What the heck! That might have to change this year!

 

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