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One Week 'Till Christmas! Preparing for the Holiday Feast!

by on ‎12-16-2011 06:24 PM

Hello, foodies…

 

I've been busier than one of Santa's elves this week! Last Sunday, I hadn't started the "two weeks before" tasks on my holiday checklist, so I had some work to do! Luckily, the tree is decorated, I managed to get some cookie dough in the freezer (without eating it all first), and my holiday cards are finished! So now that those tasks have been checked off, I'm starting to visualize that glorious holiday feast…from the roast beast down to those delicious sugar cookies. So this Sunday on In the Kitchen with David, it's all about the holiday meal. We'll help you prepare, from start to finish. Luckily, you've still got time to get those kitchen-helpers and last-minute gifts in time for Christmas!

 

"Cookbook Corner" this week is a favorite that you all just can't seem to get enough of…Bob Warden's Great Food Fast (F09631). Over 100,000 copies have been sold on QVC and the 5-star reviews on QVC.com are rolling in. If you have a Cooks Essentials pressure cooker, this is the book to buy. Or, if you're looking for a last-minute gift, a pressure cooker paired with this book would be appreciated by any novice or accomplished home-cook.

 

"David's Recipe" this week is a perfect starter for your holiday meal. We're making an Easy, Elegant Lobster Bisque! Now, I made "easy" and "elegant" part of the title for a reason. You absolutely can make this restaurant-quality soup at home because we're using Maine Lobster Tails from Lobster Gram (M24740) which are just boil- or bake-ready. And, the rest of the ingredients are things you probably have on hand for your holiday cooking. Your guests will be SO impressed when you bring this to the table! Look for the recipe on QVC.com.

 

"Food for Thought" includes a few lessons learned over my years of holiday cooking. You've heard this one before, but it couldn't be more relevant: use the freshest ingredients available. Flour, eggs, butter, milk, and chocolate can all pick up other flavors from things in your fridge, so buy fresh. To save time, it's perfectly fine to buy premade crust or dinner rolls. But, again, buy fresh, and use homemade pie filling and fresh butter to complement. When it comes to the cooking, be careful how much you put in the oven. Be sure you leave enough space between dishes for the air to circulate. And, don't forget about your toaster oven and microwave. Make or reheat what you can so you're not using all your precious oven space or constantly opening and closing the oven door.

 

Your blog question this week is: Which part of the holiday meal are you most looking forward to? The Christmas ham? The sweet potatoes? Or maybe you enjoy a gooey bread pudding for dessert? Hit "New Reply" above and type a quick response. I'm looking forward to my mom's Mac & Cheese. It makes my holiday complete!

 

Keep it flavorful!

David

 

P.S. We're also revealing the winners from the Vayama Facebook Sweepstakes this Sunday! Find out if you're the lucky winner off to Italy for a culinary vacation! See you Sunday at Noon ET!