It's always good to plan ahead and have an easy crowd-pleaser to break out when company arrives. I love sangrias because they cater to almost any palette. No fumbling with cocktail mixers and martini shakers - just a little bit of prep work the day before and you're all set when company arrives.
Three More Cocktails To Add Sparkle To Your Holidays
Sangria is a wine based punch from Spain and Portugal that is sure to get your gathering off on the right foot.
The Bottom's-Up Sangria
Ingredients:
1 bottle Spanish red wine (750ml)
1 bottle of POM Pomegranate Blueberry Juice (473ml)
1 small bottle San Pellegrino soda (250ml)
1 lemon, sliced in 6
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, toss with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, chicken, celery, onion and garlic. Mix in the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, paprika, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the salad in lettuce cups and roll up to eat.
Serves 8
Every cook has performance anxiety at some point in time. Whether you are cooking a special holiday meal, have a big crowd over, or cooking with expensive ingredients - we have all had visions of smoke pouring from the oven door or cutting into a raw turkey at one point or another.
Based on the questions I get from friends, family, and readers, nothing strikes fear into the hearts of home cooks like oven roast beef. With a wide range of prices and so many different sizes and types, trying to make the perfect roast beef can be quite the intimidating task. Fortunately, the good folks over at Canadian Beef have perfected a simple process that will turn even the most nervous, amateur cook into a master roaster. After testing dozens of variations in their quest to design the perfect, fool-proof recipe for oven roast beef, what they've come up with is literally as easy as 1, 2, 3! I've tried it half a dozen times now with great success.
While roast beef can take some time based on the size of the roast, once in the oven it requires no attention. While it cooks - you relax! What more can we home cooks ask for?
Ingredients:
The same preparation will work for any size or type of beef listed.
Preparation:
Season roast with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper and place in shallow roasting pan (with rack) without water or lid. Insert ovenproof thermometer in centre of roast, avoiding fat or bone.
Oven-sear in preheated 450F oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 275F and roast to desired doneness, removing from oven when 5F below finished temperature. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest at least 15 minutes before carving.
Doneness: Medium-Rare 145F; Medium to Well-Done 160F
Check out the 5 tools you need to make sure your roast beef comes out just perfect!
Adapted from Canadian Beef
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