Truffled Mashed Potatoes | The Ultimate Holiday Dinner Party Menu

The Holidays are all about indulgences - even small ones.  Everyone loves mashed potatoes, but serve Truffled Mashed Potatoes for you special holiday dinner and everyone will oh-and-ah.  I love these served with roasted Beef Tenderloin. 





You can find Truffle Butter and Oil at Whole Foods, or any higher end markets.  You can also buy very good Truffle Oil at William-Sonoma.

Many people think that Mashed Potatoes have to be made just before serving, but they actually are great to make in advance.  I put mine in a pie dish, then reheat in the oven or microwave.
 
For really smooth mashed potatoes, I always use a potatoes ricer - it makes them very smooth without over processing, which can make them gummy.

Truffled 
Mashed Potatoes

2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 cup of Milk
1/4 cup of Sour Cream
4 ounces of Truffle Butter or 2 tablespoons of Truffle Oil
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces.  Place them pot filled with water, seasoned with salt.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender - about 7-10 minutes.  Drain the potatoes from the water.  Using the potato ricer, mash potatoes back into the sauce pan.  Return the potatoes to the stove.  On low heat, stir in milk, Truffle Butter or Oil, salt and pepper.  Do not leave the potatoes on the stove for longer than 5 minutes, or they will burn.   Transfer to an oven-safe dish - I use a pie dish.

To reheat, microwave them in a glass bowl, or reheat in low oven (275-300 degrees) for 20-30 minutes.


For the entire Holiday Dinner Party Menu and detailed cooking schedule worksheet, click here.

Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin | Holiday Dinner Party

When I was catering, sliced Beef Tenderloin was my go-to.  I served it with soft rolls for "heavy hors d'oeuvres," on bite-sized toasts for an elegant passed hors d'oeuvres or thickly sliced with blue cheese sauce (also based on one of the Barefoot Contessa's recipes) as an entree.
My method for preparation was always the same, per the Barefoot Contessa's book, Parties, 500 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, rest 15 minutes, then slice.  Fabulous every time.  Well, almost every time.  On occasion, I would run into an oven that was too hot or a guest that would chat with me a couple minutes too long, only to discover the beautiful beef tenderloin went from perfectly "rare" to "medium" in a matter of two minutes.  When cooking it at that super high temp, just as when grilling, you must time the cooking perfectly to avoid overcooking - or under-cooking.

I read Ina's new recipe for Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef (beef tenderloin) on our drive to my sisters last year on Christmas Day, knowing that I was in charge of cooking the beef tenderloin for dinner that night.  Ina had changed her tune from fast and hot to slow and low with apparently fabulous results.  Hum... it was a big risk.  Not only was it Christmas and everyone was looking forward to feasting on the traditional beef tenderloin, but I wasn't the one who had paid for it.  When you're trusted with a piece of meat for which someone else forked over $100+, you better know what you're doing!

I spent the 3 hour drive researching the slow and low method for beef tenderloin.  After reading several other reviews and recipes that claimed the same as Mrs. Garten, I asked Mike what he thought I should do?

He said, "What's the name of the book?"

Foolproof.

I put our Christmas Dinner fate in the capable hands of The Barefoot (...even though, I could hear her saying the back of my head, "Never try a new recipe when you're entertaining - only tried and true recipes that you know will work every time.").

Our Christmas Dinner was a huge success - everyone "oohhing and aahhhing" over the perfectly rare, perfectly tender - almost silky - beef tenderloin.  I shouldn't have doubted her for one minute.
 

When winter weather interrupted last year's New Years Eve plans, Mike and I opted to stay in for a night of indulgence.  Beef Tenderloin for two.  

This is what the beef tenderloin section looks like at my grocery store during the holidays.  You can also find them at Costco.  Typically, tenderloins are 5-6 pounds each, making them perfect for a crowd of 10-14 people, generously.  I called our butcher and asked for them to cut a 2 pound section for me. 

Most butchers are happy to do this because they just cut the rest of the tenderloin into filet steaks to sell.  I also had them trim (the fat) and tie it, as you can see above.

Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin

5-6 pound Beef Tenderloin, trimmed of fat, tied
olive oil
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Trim the fat from the beef, then tie it in sections with cotton twine.  Drizzle with olive oil, then coat in salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet.
*For preparation in advance, trim fat, tie and place on a baking sheet. Wait until just before roasting to season.

Roast at 275 degrees for 1 hour to 1:20 minutes until the inside of the beef reaches 130-135 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice 1-inch thick slices.

Photo : Here is the beef baking at 275 degrees after a generous salt and pepper.

I covered it with foil to let it rest.

Ready for carving at approx. 10pm on New Years Eve!

One more closeup... 

Perfectly rare all the way through.  When cooking it at the low temperature vs. high, I found that it cooks more evenly.  Instead of more "medium-well" ends and "rare" center, then entire tenderloin was hot pink and juicy, similar to a prime rib roast.  I highly, highly recommend this method.

See the entire Holiday Dinner Party Menu and print the detailed cooking schedule, here.

Holiday Dinner Cooking Schedule Worksheet

Today is a little bit of a teaser.  Sorry.  Just as I did for Thanksgiving, today I'm sharing a Holiday Dinner Cooking Schedule for my favorite special occasion menu.  This menu was my go-to for my catering days - all of my clients' favorites.



The Beef Tenderloin is unbelievable... and so easy.  It is a little bit of an investment, but if you go easy on the rest of the meal you can pull it off.

During the month of December, I would have made this 10 times for various holiday parties!  I used a worksheet just like this to keep myself organized and to keep everything running on time... and ready at the same time.  Timing is key for entertaining and doing a little countdown like this helps you be able to put your brain on auto pilot when your guests are there.

You can find all of the worksheets for downloading (including cooking schedule, bar set up and blank) here in PDF, Numbers or Excel.  

I'll be sharing all of the recipes the rest of the week.  One of the recipes that I've already shared is the Chocolate Molten Cakes.  Not only was this my most popular dessert for my business, it has become my most popular post, as well.  They are great for a crowd because they're made in a cupcake pan.

I'll post all of the other recipes and updating this post with links Thursday - Friday!  Have a great Wednesday!

Jenny

Photos from Weeknight Holiday Dinner Party

Last week we hosted three parties.  Wheew.   Three years ago, I would have said that I'd catered 3+ parties this week.  The holidays used to be sooo much different then - I spent every night cooking and everyday shopping for ingredients.  Then, the weekends were back-to-back parties.  Loading and unloading my car and making my way to clients' homes in the ice and snow. 

I loved my job during the holidays - everyone was so gracious and their guests were usually very kind.  I was fortunate to spend festive evenings in bustling homes that were filled with holiday cheer.  The only problem was that those home weren't filled with my festive friends and family (except when Mike was my happy helper).

This year we packed our holiday entertaining schedule to the max and hosted a family party (Emma's Birthday), an open house for everyone on our new street and a small dinner party.  Tonight, I'm sharing photos from our small dinner party for 5 - us, our 2 guests and Emma.

As you can see, I reworked the floral arrangement from Emma's birthday party by adding clove studded oranges and red/orange amaryllis to the pink amaryllis, magnolia and cedar.

A photo of the simply set table just before dinner.

Light snacks with wine before dinner.



  The evening's entertainment...
 

Goat Cheese & Roasted Beet Salad over greens with a Lemon Vinaigrette



A new dessert created from my old creme brulee recipe...

Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee (pre-caramelized top!)

Stay tuned for recipes and more photos from our holiday parties!

My Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining Tips on MyWell-Being.com

As most of you know, I write a monthly blog for MyWell-Being.com, a site that serves as a "guide to getting started on the path to complete well-being in every aspect of your life—health and money, people and play."  On their site they explain Well-Being as :

Well-being. It’s about so much more than simply being well.

While your health—physical and mental—is a big part of your well-being, it’s only one piece of a much bigger picture.

 Think about the sense of contentment you get from feeling close and connected to family, friends, and your broader community. That’s well-being.

And remember how good it feels to be financially confident? When your career’s in good shape and you’re on top of your savings—that’s well-being, too.

And let’s not forget the lift you get from the time you spend at play, traveling the world, or exploring new—and old—interests. Well-being, again. 

Isn't that great?  Their philosophy of "well-being" is very much in line with my beliefs of "living well" on a daily basis and what I try to inspire you, my readers, to do through entertaining friends and family, creating a warm home or traveling to a relaxing destination.


This month, my MyWell-Being.com post is all about Stress-Free Entertaining for the Holidays.  Here is a small excerpt.  You can read the rest at MyWell-Being.com :

At the beginning of each Holiday season, many of us make the resolution to spend less, rush around less, stress less and give more.  However, even with our good intentions, there are still Holiday dinners to be prepared, gifts to be purchased and parties to attend that seem to fill up our month of joyful celebrations with a list endless obligations.  Even now, as I write this I'm feeling very behind on my own Holiday checklist!

One way to make our Holiday "to-do's" less stressful is to simplify our Holiday Entertaining.  Hosting the perfect family dinner or festive cocktail party this time of year can sometimes seem like a big burden.  Too often, we feel like our homes have to look perfect and the food has to be expensive and elaborate so we can impress our friends and family.  With these high expectations come a lot of stress and not a whole lot of fun...

 Read the rest of the post and my 3 Solutions for Stress-Free Parties at MyWell-Being.com

*Do you remember this tablesetting?  I created it last year!  I think it is the perfect Christmas Morning Brunch table... complete with cookies at each place setting.  Read about the details, here.

Host a Gift Wrapping Party | Holiday Entertaining Ideas

We've all been to countless dinner parties and cocktail parties during the holidays.  They all start to blend together after a while.  Host a different kind of party this year - invite your friends over for a Gift Wrapping Party on a Saturday or Sunday evening.

After a long day of Christmas shopping, your guests will be glad to come over for a hearty winter dinner with gifts in tow.  Provide an easy help yourself soup and cookies meal and all of the materials to wrap beautiful packages.

Gift Wrapping Party
pretty packages & a warm winter dinner

Ribollita : Rustic Italian Bread Soup
Oatmeal, Chocolate & Pecan Cookies
Gift Wrapping Supplies

Ribollita : Rustic Italian Bread Soup : Perfect on a cold winters night!

Oatmeal, Chocolate & Pecan Cookies :  Gift wrap cookies for your guests to take home along with their wrapped gifts!

Have a variety of supplies.  My favorites are kraft paper wrapping with all sorts of ribbons... plaids, satin, cotton and natural twine.

Mr. Darcy is inspecting his presents... most kids shake their presents.  He prefers the sniff method.

Beef Tenderloin Recipe for Holiday Dinner Party | Holiday Party Recipes

Beef Tenderloin is the most classic of holiday fare.  I can not even begin to count how many Beef Tenderloins I have prepared over the years... maybe 100's.  It is the perfect entree for a dinner party, and sliced thinly as an hors d'oeuvres, it is the perfect special item at a cocktail party.  Elegant, easy, impressive... everything you want at a Holiday Party. 

As a caterer, I loved to serve beef tenderloin at dinner parties because it is so easy.  I could prepare it before the party in minutes with the butter and seasoning, it would go into the oven 45 minutes before dinner, then I would slice it just before it was served.   

To make it really special, serve it with this warm blue cheese cream sauce - it is so, so easy.

Be sure to clean your oven before the party - heating it to 500 degrees can really get it smoking!


Beef Tenderloin
serves 10 for dinner, or 25 canapes


5 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed & tied
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
2 tablespoons of sea salt
2 tablespoons of cracked black pepper
Blue Cheese Cream Sauce

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

If it has not already been done by your butcher, trim the fat off of the tenderloin.  Tie the tenderloin together with twine, every 3 inches, folding in the 'tail' (the end that gets really narrow) so the beef is all the same size around. 

Spread the softened butter on the entire tenderloin, then coat in salt & pepper.  Place the tenderloin on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan.  Place in a 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the beef.  Watch it carefully, a little too much time can make it too done.  If the beef is much larger, it could take 30 minutes.  Check the temperature with a meat thermometer - it should read 135-145 degrees.

Remove from the oven, then cover with foil.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  Slice in thick slices and serve.

Holiday Recipes with Puff Pastry | Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry

As the Holidays approach it can be very helpful to stock your home with everything you need to entertain at a moments notice.  For me, that means having Puff Pastry in the freezer.  

When I was catering I found it to be an irreplaceable ingredient that helped my business survive - I could make appetizers, dessert or breakfast in a pinch... that turned out beautifully!  There is something about golden, puffed glistening pastry that impresses everyone.

The best part about Puff Pastry is that it is virtually fool-proof.  Seriously.  It is very hard to mess up.  The recipes I've come to love merely enhance the already amazing flakey, buttery pastry.  For more recipes besides the ones I've featured here, visit the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry page for inspiration! 

These are some of my favorite Puff Pastry recipes for the Holidays :

Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe : Layers of Cinnamon and Brown Sugar in Flakey, Buttery Pastry topped with a Pecan Caramel Glaze... you won't believe how simple (and ah-mazing) these are!  If you're having house guests for Thanksgiving or Christmas, baking these in the morning would be a great way to wake them up.

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tartlets : Anytime you say "goat cheese" or "caramelized onions" you hear "ooohs" and "ahhhs" - can you imagine the reaction when you put them together on puff pastry?

Pain Au Chocolat Recipe : The famed French pastry of a buttery croissant filled with oozing chocolate.  Serve these in the morning, or after dinner with coffee - the not too sweet treat will be a welcome alternative to any heavy dessert.  You can put them in the oven just as you are finishing dinner.  In no time they will be ready to serve.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Pecans & Apples : Always the biggest hit at my dinner parties!  I love this combination of Caramelized Pecans, but you can add dried cranberries for a more "holiday" flavor.

*Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry is one of my Holiday Entertaining sponsors.  I approached them to join me in partnership this Holiday season because I LOVE their products and have relied on them for years to make my entertaining a success!

Recipes | Entertaining | Cocktail Party Budet Friendly Menu | Fingerling Potatoes with Blue Cheese & Bacon

This is the perfect solution to "man-friendly" hors d'oeuvres... they are basically dressed up potato skins. You can make them with any popular potato topper - sauteed mushrooms, cheddar, sour cream, chives, caviar, etc.  I like to get a variety of colors of the fingerling potatoes - it makes it that more special.

Fingerling Potato Canapes with Blue Cheese & Bacon

20 fingerling potatoes, sliced in half length-wise
8 ounces of blue cheese*
6 slices of bacon, cooking and crumbled*

In a large pot with a steam tray, put 1-inch of water in the bottom.  Pile the potatoes in the steam tray and cover the pot.  Steam the potatoes for 10-12 minutes, or until they are tender.  Drain the potatoes and place them cut side up on a baking sheet.  Top with blue cheese, then bacon.  Place under a low broiler for 2-3 minutes until the blue cheese melts.  These can be served immediately, or are great at room temperature, too.

*I just go to the salad bar at our grocery store and get the blue cheese & pre-cooked bacon - a huge money and time saver.

These Roasted Beef & Horseradish and Roasted Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Canapes are part of my "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu."  For all of the recipes and tips for creating a memorable, low-cost cocktail party, visit the "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu" Page!

Recipes | Entertaining | Cocktail Party Budet Friendly Menu | Beef Canapes | Roasted Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Canapes

Canapes are the quintessential hors d'oeuvres.  You can pile any tasty combination on a slice of bread (or puff pastry, or flat bread, etc.).  These are some of my favorites...

Roasted Beef & Horseradish Cream Canapes
25 canapes

2 baguettes, sliced into 1/2 inch toasts
1 packages of cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons of horseradish
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
salt & pepper
1 pound of Roast Beef, sliced
flat leaf parsley

Mix together cream cheese, horseradish, dijon, salt & pepper.  Spread the mixture onto each slice of bread.  Top with a thin slice of beef and sprinkling of parsley, salt & pepper.

Roasted Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Canapes
24 canapes

2 baguettes, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large jar of roasted red peppers, sliced
8 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled
pepper
parsley

On a baking sheet, spread out the slices of bread.  Pile the peppers and blue cheese on each piece.  Put them in the oven under the low broiler for 2-3 minutes just until the blue cheese melts.  Sprinkle with parsley and fresh black pepper.

These Roasted Beef & Horseradish and Roasted Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Canapes are part of my "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu."  For all of the recipes and tips for creating a memorable, low-cost cocktail party, visit the "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu" Page!

Recipes | Entertaining | Cocktail Party Budet Friendly Menu | Wild Mushroom & White Cheddar Quiche

Wild Mushroom, Chive & White Cheddar Quiche

Who says quiche is just for brunch?  Europeans serve egg-based dishes at every meal.  Serve this as a savory and satisfying addition to any cocktail party.

1 Pastry Crust - (store-bought or homemade)

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup of Half & Half

Salt & Pepper

1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1/2 cup of white cheddar cheese, shredded

1/3 cup of mushrooms, sliced (wild, shitake, porta, etc.)

1 tablespoon of chives, 1-inch snips

Roll out pie dough and place in a tart pan with a removable bottom.  Trim the excess dough by pressing the dough off at the top of the pan against the edge. For the filling, whisk together eggs, half-and-half and seasonings. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

This Wild Mushroom, Chive & White Cheddar Quiche is part of my "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu."  For all of the recipes and tips for creating a memorable, low-cost cocktail party, visit the "Budget Friendly Holiday Cocktail Party Menu" Page!

Recipes | Easy Holiday Entertaining | Holiday Breakfast Party | Herbed Scrambled Eggs

Herbed Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled Eggs have become utilitarian, basic, common and easy... we've all gotten used to rubbery versions at diners and over cooked, cold versions at most restaurants.  However, when prepared correctly, scrambled eggs can be so delicious.  They are a great example of eating simply and naturally.  These Herbed Scrambled Eggs were the silent star of the Christmas Breakfast Party.

Herbed Scrambled Eggs
serves 6

12 eggs
1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of salt 

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

3 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of sour cream
1 tablespoon of chives
1 tablespoon of flat leaf parsley

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet (I like to use the All-Clad 4-qt. Saute & Simmer).  Pour the egg mixture in the skillet and cook on medium low, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir until creamy for 4-7 minutes (depending on your desired doneness).  Stir in sour cream, chives and parsley.  Serve hot.

Get all of the recipes for the Holiday Breakfast Party : Banana Pecan Pancakes  |  Maple Glazed Thick Cut Bacon

Recipes | Banana Pecan Pancakes | Easy Holiday Entertaining | Christmas Breakfast Party

photo credit : charles richard photography

The Banana Pecan Pancakes were the star of my Christmas Breakfast Party... they are a very simple show-stopper.  I use Jiffy Baking Mix - it is by far my favorite for easy pancakes and biscuits.  

photo : charles richard

Banana Pecan Pancakes

4 bananas (2 bananas diced for the batter, 2 sliced for garnishing)

1/2 cup of pecans, toasted

1 cup of maple syrup 

2 cups of Jiffy Baking Mix

1 1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Before beginning the pancake batter, be sure to have the bananas sliced and diced and pecans toasted.  Place the pecans in a microwave safe bowl with the syrup.  Heat them for 40 seconds in the microwave.

Heat oven to 250 degrees. 

Prepare pancake batter by whisking together Jiffy Baking Mix, milk, sugar and salt.  On a griddle or cast-iron pan, heat oil on medium (about 1 minute).  Pour batter into the pan to form 4-5 inch pancakes.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bananas on each pancake before flipping.  Flip after 2-3 minutes, or when bubbles begin to form and the edges slightly brown.  Cook on medium for 2-3 more minutes.  Keep pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven until ready to serve.

Serve topped with sliced bananas and hot pecan syrup. 

Get the recipes for the Christmas Breakfast Party here : Herbed Scrambled Eggs  |  Maple Glazed Thick-cut Bacon