The Perfect 3 Course Meal For The Holidays

Appetizer

Artichoke Bruschetta

Recipe by An American in Spain on www.food.com

Ingredients

1 (6 1/2 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 medium tomato, seeds removed and diced

1/2 cup grated romano cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed

5 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 French baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices

Directions 

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast lightly under the broiler.

3. In a medium bowl, mix marinated artichoke hearts, Romano or Parmesan cheese, red onion, crushed garlic, diced tomato and mayonnaise.

4. Top the lightly toasted French baguette slices with equal amounts of the artichoke heart mixture being careful to spread the mixture over the entire surface.

5. The edges of the bread will tend to burn if not covered by the artichoke mixture.

6. Arrange slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.

7. Broil in the preheated oven for 2 minutes, or until toppings are bubbly and lightly browned.

Entrée

Josh Capon’s Roasted Garlic, Lemon and Thyme Chicken with Root Vegetables

Recipe by Chef Josh Capon on www.rachelrayshow.com

Ingredients 

Extra virgin olive oil

1 3 to 4-pound chicken

2 lemons, cut in half, divided

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 head garlic, cut in half

10 sprigs fresh thyme

8 red bliss potatoes, cut in half

1 bunch carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

4 stalks celery, washed and chopped

Salt and pepper

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Wash and dry the bird then drizzle with EVOO and rub with a lemon half.

3. Rub the bird with the mustard then season with salt and pepper.

4. Stuff the cavity with both halves of the garlic, the remaining lemon halves and the thyme.

5. Place all the vegetables in a bowl and season with oil and salt and pepper.

6. Place in the bottom of a roasting tray or large, ovenproof skillet.

7. Place the chicken upside down on top of the vegetables so the dark meat is facing up and place in the oven.

8. After 20 minutes, turn the bird over and roast another 40-60 minutes, until the skin is nice and golden brown.

9. Let rest for a few minutes then remove the garlic and lemons from the cavity, squeezing the lemon juice over the bird before serving

Tip: Take any leftover meat off and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, dice some red onions and celery, and mix with some mayo, a touch of Dijon, a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. Dice the leftover chicken and toss it with the veggies to make a delicious chicken salad.

Dessert

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Shortbread Cookie with Peppermint Bark

Recipe by www.ghirardelli.com

Ingredients 

1 cup (8 oz.) cold salted butter, cubed

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups (about 10 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (about 1 oz.)

1 (12-oz.) pkg. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Optional for decoration: (12-oz.) pkg. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips; or 1 (10-oz.]) pkg. Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips; Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark, sparkling sugar, or gold sprinkles

Directions 

1. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer* fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed just until blended and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour and cocoa, and beat until dough comes together, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in chocolate chips on low speed until just combined.

2. Divide dough in half, and roll each half into a compact 2-inchthick log (about 8 inches long). Wrap each log in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and freeze just until firm (but not frozen solid), about 25 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove cookie dough logs from freezer, and unwrap. Using a sharp serrated knife and a sawing motion, cut cookie dough into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. (If rounds crumble slightly, press dough back together.) Place rounds on prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake, 1 baking sheet at a time, in preheated oven until firm, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets, about 20 minutes.

5. To decorate, place 1 (12-oz.) pkg. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 1 [10-oz.] pkg. Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips) in a medium-size microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute, stirring at 30-second intervals. Dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle cookies with 4 oz. chopped Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark, sparkling sugar, or gold sprinkles. Refrigerate until chocolate has set, about 15 minutes.

6. Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer and prefer to use a hand mixer, use room temperature butter, bake the full 18 minutes, and leave on baking sheets to cool.

Make-Ahead Instructions: Dough logs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month. If refrigerated, let dough logs stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly before slicing. If frozen, let dough logs stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes