McCosker - 4 ingredients christmas: recipes for a simply yummy holiday

Also by Kim McCosker Baby Bowl Home-Cooked Meals for Happy, Healthy Babies
and Toddlers By Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham 4 Ingredients More than 400 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipes Using 4 or Fewer Ingredients 4 Ingredients Gluten-Free More than 400 New and Exciting Gluten-Free Recipes Using 4 or Fewer Ingredients Thank you for purchasing this Atria Paperback eBook.

---

Join our mailing list and get updates on new releases, deals, bonus content and other great books from Atria Paperback and Simon & Schuster. C LICK H ERE T O S IGN U P or visit us online to sign up at
eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com I love Christmas and everything about it. Festive fare, family and friends, and a little time out from the business of life. Yet as we all know, it can also be an overwhelming amount of work! Clever entertaining to me is creating the illusion that I have been slaving away diligently in the kitchen, meticulously planning the menu, setting the table, choosing a theme, color, flowers, and prepping as much as I can so that when the time arrives, I too can actually enjoy myself. As with all of my books in the 4 Ingredients series, 4 Ingredients Christmas is all about making cooking and entertaining at home fast and fabulous.

I truly believe that as long as you have fresh ingredients, four are really all you need to come up with something delicious and impressive. (Special note: Salt, pepper, and water are not included in the four ingredients.) In this book, youll find recipes perfect for Christmas Eve treats, holiday brunches, and formal family dinners. Your table will be full of amazing-looking dishes that will appear much more complicated, time-consuming, and expensive than they actually are. Where I live in Caloundra, along Australias gorgeous Sunshine Coast, December 25 is in the middle of our summer. Christmas to me means outdoor parties, grilled fish, fresh cherries and watermelon, ice cream, and ice-cold cocktails. It means decorating with pink petunias and bright orange nasturtiums in addition to a festive Christmas tree and hints of red and green throughout the house.

The holiday wouldnt feel complete without traditional dishes like Citrus-Glazed Ham, Maple & PepperGlazed Turkey, Seasoned Roast Vegetables, Plum Pudding, and Christmas cake (your fruitcake), which is why Ive included glorious recipes for those in this book. But I also wanted American cooks to consider a Southern Hemisphere twist to the holiday with Watermelon & Feta Bites (you can replace the watermelon with pears, dates, or whatever lovely fruit is in season where you are), Ruby Jeweled Lobster Salad, and Caramel Ice Cream. Many of the desserts and sweet treats youll find here dont require baking. For me, its a way of keeping my kitchen calm and cool for the many friends and family passing through it. For those of you at home in a winter wonderland, these dishes will help save time and oven space. and the day after that... and the day after that...

The fact is, 4 Ingredients Christmas isnt just a Christmas cookbook. My husband requests the Wild Mushroom Beef Wellington every year for his February birthday. My dads July birthday wouldnt be the same without his beloved Chicken & Port Pt. My sister-in-law, Nelly, asks for the Heavenly Halloumi Skewers every time she visits (which is a lot Hi, Nelly! ). Sunday dinner is so much better with Roast Pork & Crispy Crackling, and the Lime & Macadamia Fudge makes a simple, elegant thank-you gift any day of the year. It is my hope that 4 Ingredients Christmas will become your go-to cookbook for any occasion, be it Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mothers Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or special dinner parties with family and friends.

Stress no more, my lovelies! Take a deep breath, pour a glass of wine,
and start to plan your menu from the simply yummy recipes within. Happy entertaining! Kim x

MAGIC REINDEER DUST MAKES 1 SPRINKLE BAG 1/4 cup oatmeal (rolled oats) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon edible glitter In a small plastic sandwich bag or cellophane gift bag, mix all the ingredients together. Tie with a ribbon. On Christmas Eve, give to your children to... Sprinkle on the lawn
at night, The moon will make
it sparkle bright. As Santas reindeer
fly and roam, This will guide them
to your home.

REINDEERS FAVORITE DIP SERVES 8 REINDEER (OR PEOPLE) 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 11/2 packages Boursin cheese (5.2 ounces each) or one 8-ounce tub cream cheese with chives 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives Cook the carrots in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Place the carrots, cheese, and tahini in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with sea salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Sprinkle with the chives just before serving. REINDEER TREATS MAKES 16 WAFERS 8 ounces Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups) 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, sliced 1 cup all-purpose flour Pinch of cayenne pepper Using a mixer with a paddle or a wooden spoon, mix all the ingredients until well blended. Shape into a roll about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm enough to cut. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the roll into 1/2-inch slices, place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

MAKES 30 SLICES 4 egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 5 ounces whole almonds Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 4 minutes, or until meringue consistency. Fold in the flour and almonds. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 260F. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan, then turn out of the pan onto a cutting board and peel off the parchment paper. Using a really sharp knife, cut into 30 slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Next page