Category: Holiday

Christmas cruising, New Year’s celebrations aboard and more—if there’s a holiday or gathering on the water, Southern Boating has tips and recipes for you.

Easy and Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes for National Pizza Day

National Pizza Day: Quick and Easy Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes

Making pizza aboard is easy, fun, and flexible.

February 9th is National Pizza Day! Make pizza aboard in the oven or on the stovetop in the galley or on a grill on the aft deck using refrigerated pizza dough, ready-made pizza crusts, large flatbread, pita, naan, tortilla, or even french bread. Use classic Italian sauce, cheeses, and toppings, or get creative and try some of the following boat-friendly pizza recipes:

⊲ Buffalo Chicken Pizza: buffalo sauce, baked chicken, and mozzarella and blue cheese

⊲ BBQ Chicken Pizza: barbecue sauce, garlic, sautéed onions, cooked chicken, bacon bits, cheddar and mozzarella cheese

⊲ Greek Salad Pizza: tomato, onion, pepper, olive, oregano, and feta cheese

⊲ White Seafood Pizza: oil, garlic, pesto, cooked clams, shrimp, or scallops

Or set up a “pizza bar” with assorted sauces, toppings, and cheeses of your choice, and encourage everyone to “make their own pizza” which you can quickly cook.

In honor of National Pizza Day, the following are easy pizza recipes for onboard cocktail parties, lunches, or dinners. Servings depend on size of crust selected.

Basic Pizza with Ready-Made Pizza Crust, Flatbread, Lavash, Tortillas, Naan, Pita 

1 ready-made pizza crust or flatbread, lavash, tortillas, naan, or pita bread (e.g., Boboli, Stonefire, etc.)

4 oz. shredded cheese (mozzarella, Italian blend, or other melty cheese)

¼-½ cup sauce

¼ cup each of your favorite pizza toppings 

½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)

1 Tbsp. oil per pizza if using stovetop

The secret to making delicious, prepared-crust or flatbread/pita pizza is to use a light touch with sauces, toppings, and cooking. Too much sauce or too many toppings make the pizza crust soggy and too high heat will burn the bottom.

Place prepared-crust or flatbread pizza directly on a hot grill set to medium-high (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit). The grill creates a smoky flavor along with grill marks and cooks the pizza quickly. Prepared-crusts, pita, and naan will take 4-6 minutes, while thin flatbreads will take 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill when cheese is melted, and edges or bottom are lightly browned. If you prefer, place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on grill. 

Alternatively, cook prepared-crust pizzas or flatbreads on stone or sheet pan in the oven at 375-400 for 10 minutes. You can also use a covered skillet on the stovetop; just sauté each side of crust in 1 tablespoon of oil for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat, add sauce, then toppings and cheese, and cover 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. Thin flatbreads will take less time.

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Basic Pizza with Refrigerated Dough (4-6 slices)

1 tube or 2 cups refrigerated pizza dough (Pillsbury, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s)

1-2 Tbsp. flour or cornmeal for cutting board and pizza stone or sheet pan 

8 oz. sauce 

8 oz. shredded cheese

½ cup of each preferred pizza topping 

½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)

Set oven to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit. Unroll the dough on flour or cornmeal-sprinkled cutting board. Starting in the dough’s center and roll or press out to fit the stone or pan. Spread pizza sauce evenly on crust to within a half-inch of edges, then add toppings and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes* (or until top of pizza is bubbling and bottom of pizza is golden-brown). Cut and serve, offering extra Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.

No oven? No worries! Bake pizza on the grill! Simply set grill to medium-high and place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on the grill. Cover grill and cook 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbling and crust is browned.**

NOTE: The exact timing of these boat-friendly pizza recipes will depend on your grill, oven, or stovetop heat, so start on medium-low, be patient, and keep checking.

* or according to package directions for baking.

** I do not recommend cooking raw dough on the stovetop as it may undercook or burn too easily.  

-by Lori Ross

How To Have Nautical Celebrations: Unforgettable Holidays on Your Boat

Anchoring the Holidays: Innovative Ways to Celebrate on Your Boat

Throughout our cruising lives, holiday celebrations on boats often become a delightful norm. We tend to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays aboard our boats. Sometimes we do so because we have no choice—when we are delivering the boat from one place to another over a holiday or when we live aboard—but more often, we choose to celebrate holidays on board our vessels. As with land-bound holidays, most are delightful celebrations, often with new boating friends and traditions that provide meaning and continuity in our lives. 

It can be challenging to recapture and replicate land-bound holidays on a boat. Some of these challenges are physical—limited space, lack of equipment, or absence of specific ingredients may curtail traditional “sit-down” dinners—while others are emotional. Liveaboard cruisers may yearn to be surrounded by family and friends when they are far away. Vacationing cruisers may find themselves in circumstances or environments that differ greatly from their memories of childhood holiday celebrations—hot weather at Christmas, New Year’s in the islands, or bundling up for the Fourth of July in Alaska!

While we may long to reclaim childhood memories and traditions, celebrating holidays aboard offers terrific opportunities to create unique and exciting celebrations of your own. Blending cherished customs or rituals with new, exotic experiences makes for good times and vivid memories. In other words, if you can adjust your expectations and adopt a new attitude about holidays aboard, it will pay off in spades! 

What follows are some ideas for celebrations aboard your boat to get your creative juices flowing.

Seas the Holidays: Creating New Traditions Aboard Your Vessel

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My birthday and our wedding anniversary are on the same day, which usually falls during Thanksgiving week. The year I turned 50, we flew into Miami to celebrate aboard at Dinner Key. Our flight was very late, and we arrived at the marina to find out that all the nearby restaurants and grocery stores were closed for the night. We made a sad little pre-Thanksgiving meal out of canned tuna, a package of boxed mac and cheese, and some cheese crackers. However, my sweet husband surprised me with a vintage bottle of my favorite French Burgundy (packed in his luggage), and we opened it and toasted cruising life, our anniversary, and my birthday under a full Miami moon.  

I asked our cruising friends, who have sailed their 39-foot boat throughout the western Caribbean for several years, how they celebrated classic holidays aboard their boat in foreign ports. Their festivities usually involve getting together with nearby cruisers and creating gourmet potluck dinners. Each cruiser makes a very special dish, presented beautifully. While they found most ingredients nearby (poultry, squashes, potatoes, greens, bread), there are no cranberries outside the U.S. Knowing this, our friends stashed a couple bags in their freezer and made a delightful Cranberry Tart for the potluck. 

Christmas

While our cruising friends celebrated Christmas aboard for several years, their first year they were both feeling a little blue missing Christmas morning with their families. Suddenly, a nearby cruising vessel came over and delivered freshly made hot cinnamon buns, tied with a Christmas ribbon to their boat. This generous little gesture really got the day off on the right foot. 

If you plan ahead, there are lots of fun little gifts you can make aboard—baked goods, cocktails, fruit or herb vinegars, flavored salts, sugars, spice mixes—and they are always appreciated by friends and strangers alike. 

That afternoon, they gathered with friends on another boat. It was decorated with a small lit Christmas tree and colored fairy lights. As they were welcomed aboard with hot buttered rum, they saw that Christmas stockings hung on the boat rails, filled with goodies for each guest. Following a surf and turf dinner with potluck side dishes and desserts, they all sang Christmas carols and toasted the boating life.

New Year’s Day

In Florida, it was easy to adapt our New Year’s Day celebration aboard our Grand Banks 42. We invited friends and family to enjoy the great weather, go for dinghy rides, and watch the Bowl games. We introduced them to Cuban food (widely available in Miami) along with Mojito, Daiquiri, and Cuba Libre cocktails and soft drinks, Cuban pork, moros y cristianos (rice and beans), slaw, avocado and tomato salads, and flan. This became our standard New Year’s Day menu.

Festive Tides: Crafting Memorable Holidays on the Water

Planning, creativity, and spontaneity are the keys to success. Consider local customs and traditions, and participate in celebrations and events. Experiment with seasonal and locally available foods when designing your menu. Bring along “must have” ingredients and cherished decorations and lights, along with music to make the celebration complete. Use your senses and resourcefulness to create a festive and attractive environment for your holiday celebration aboard.  

Sight: If you want a casual and cozy environment, use candles and oil lamps, linens and flowers in yellows, golds, and reds to make your cabin glow. If the mood you seek is cool and sophisticated, use fairy lights, greens, plants, fruits, vegetables, and other natural things in your environment as décor (for example, votive candles sitting in seashells or driftwood).

Smell: Bring in scented flowers, fresh herbs, candles, and naturally fragrant items like oranges, vanilla, apples, and lavender to create the ambience you want. Heat herbs in hot water, or microwave a small bowl filled with sliced apples, vanilla, and cinnamon for the holidays. Nothing is as inviting as the fragrance of cookies baking or steaks grilling—so use your menu to entice your guests.

Sound: Think about what kind of music you want to play—rock, big band, or reggae for a more casual holiday, or sophisticated jazz and piano for a refined dinner, or simply use the sound of waves and water. You can change the tone and mood of a celebration by the sounds you choose.

Touch: Use a variety of textures to create the right environment. Pashmina shawls, soft pillows, and knit blankets on settees and chairs if the weather is cool. If the weather is warm, handheld fans, iced drinks, and chilled fruit on cool linens provide relief from heat. This sends the message to guests that you care about how they feel. 

-by Lori Ross

Boat Party Planning: How to make Memorable On-The-Water Gatherings

Entertaining family and friends on board is the No. 2 reason for owning a boat—right after the vessel’s primary use of cruising, fishing, waterskiing, etc. With so many holiday parties this time of the year, here are some tips for successful boat party planning.

The first step for low-stress entertaining is to make a list. A well-thought-out list will ensure you don’t forget to bring along important items and ingredients. At the same time, don’t overthink every possible worst-case scenario. Inclement weather? Yes, have the canvas ready and bring windbreakers. Tidal wave? Probably not.

Unless you own a luxury yacht, it’s best to keep the serving casual and let guests help themselves. If you want to host a fancy dinner, cook on shore and bring the dishes aboard. Nothing can bring down the mood of a boat party faster than a frustrated boat owner trying to cook something complex in a small galley.

Speaking of the galley, fabricate wooden or starboard covers for the stove burners and sink to increase workspace. Keep equipment to a minimum: one skillet, one pot/saucepan. Even if there’s a large fridge on board, get a cooler for drinks and place it in the cockpit or other key location. This will keep guests in the thick of the fun rather than in your way.

Nautical Edibles for Your Boat Party

Bring along food that is easily assembled on board and still a treat for the taste buds, like fresh basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella, which can be simply sliced and plated. Salads served at room temperature, such as cucumber salad, are also excellent for holiday entertaining. Pre-cooked shrimp is good to eat cold or tossed on the grill. Avoid serving greasy food that could exacerbate seasickness.

Steer clear of food that will roll around and fall from a plate. In addition to the old trick of squaring off meatballs, melon balls, and other round foods, realize that burgers are more stable than hot dogs or brats. Do you want to serve grilled corn on the cob? Turn them into finger food by cutting the ears into one-inch rounds so they lay on their side on a plate. Similarly, mashed potatoes make a better side dish than their baked cousins and allow guests to take as much or as little as they like.

If you’re looking for food that will accompany other things and stay fresh for a long time, the answer is rice. Stored in a cool, well-ventilated place, rice will keep for months. Rinse old rice before cooking to remove any starch buildup.

Freshly caught fish is a treat, but never rely on it; always have a backup plan. It’s better to have leftovers than to run out of food. That said, get your favorite spices ready for when you do have a good day’s catch.

Desserts can be as simple as fresh strawberries with whipped cream layered in a glass. Or, if you have the ingredients on-hand and the skills to bake, pies are always a holiday favorite. Don’t forget to ask guests if they have any food allergies. You don’t want to discover they do miles offshore.

Beyond the Menu: Preparing Your Boat for the Party

Two other key considerations when entertaining aboard are seating and shade. Make sure there are plenty of seats in the areas where you want them. If seating is at a premium, consider purchasing a few folding deck chairs. These are especially useful if you want to turn a large swim platform into a comfortable water-access patio.

Shade enhancement can range from inexpensive, compact, portable chair umbrellas for the aforementioned swim platform to extending the boat’s hardtop or bimini with a canvas awning to provide coverage for large groups. Having a stash of hats and sunglasses available for guests to use never hurts either.

Being outdoors always seems to heighten tastes and appetites, so prepare accordingly. Once your plan is set, cast off and have fun on the water—because that’s what entertaining on board is all about. quimbyscruisingguide.com

-by Sandy Lindsey, Quimby’s Cruising Guide, edited by Bonnie Schultz

Plan Your Festive Feast

Plan Your Festive Feast

Prepare this holiday dinner ahead to enjoy a few days later. Recipes serve 4.

My first ocean voyage took place on a Beneteau 30 entered in the Annapolis to Bermuda Race in 1984. As the least experienced crew member, I was assigned the role of cook. Typically, offshore sailboat racing meals are characterized by hardiness, not tastiness; however, my naïveté led to some interesting results.

The previous winter, I had read William F. Buckley’s Airborne about crossing the Atlantic in high style with his son. I was fascinated by his descriptions of the wonderful dinners and wines consumed during the passage. However, my propensity for seasickness and my lack of offshore experience required that I carefully plan to spend as little time down in the galley as possible. Thus, our trip to Bermuda was marked by serve-yourself breakfast muffins and pastries, make-your-own soup and sandwich lunches, and fabulous, reheated gourmet dinners paired with wine each night.

I still remember vividly the best of these dinner feasts:
• Beef tenderloin with mushroom red wine sauce, and baked stuffed potatoes.
• Grilled chicken teriyaki with pineapple rice paired with Dry Riesling
• Lasagna Bolognese with garlic bread along with Zinfandel
• Brunswick stew, cornbread, and Sauvignon Blanc
• Boeuf Bourguignon, biscuits, and Merlot

I cooked each dinner in advance, then froze each dish flat, wrapped in foil and freezer bags, and packed them (in the order we would eat them) in a cooler on dry ice. Once underway, we defrosted a daily meal, then reheated it gently in the oven or stovetop and served it at sunset. I replicated these dinners in future Bermuda races and Intracoastal Waterway trips with great success.

Below is the perpetual crew favorite dinner on every trip. It is so well-liked that I usually make it for Christmas. While this menu may be prepared ahead and reheated, it is easily cooked using a grill or oven.

Whole Beef Tenderloin
3-4 lbs. whole trimmed beef tenderloin
½ Tbsp. each pepper and salt
4 tsp. minced garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
Preheat grill or oven to 400°F. Place tenderloin in baking pan and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. When ready, roast 10 minutes per pound until meat reaches 140-145 degrees. Once cooked, let meat rest for five minutes before slicing. (If cooking ahead, undercook meat to 130 degrees so it will not overcook upon reheating.)
To serve, slice tenderloin into 1½-inch slices. Drizzle meat with mushroom sauce and provide one half potato per person.

Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
1 cup red wine
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. beef base or 2 beef broth cubes
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 tomato, chopped or 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
¼ tsp. each dried oregano or marjoram, basil, and parsley
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. flour

Cook mushrooms and onion in red wine for 10 minutes on medium-high. Add beef base, bay leaves, and tomato, and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in spices and flour and simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes until sauce is thickened.

Baked Stuffed Potatoes
2 large baking potatoes
1 tsp. oil
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk or half-and-half
¼-½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Grated cheese (optional)
Set oven to 400°F. Scrub potatoes, and oil the skin. Bake potatoes in oven for 60-75 minutes (until soft when pressed). Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out cooked potato and place in a medium bowl (preserving the skin for stuffing and baking). Mash cooked potato with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Stuff mashed potatoes back into skins and top with grated cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 400°F until reheated.

By Lori Ross

Festive Fruit Salad 

Festive Fruit Salad

While we all love the holidays, we DON’T love the heaviness that comes with big Christmas roasts or holiday hams. So skip the sluggishness this year. Go with a lighter, bright holiday brunch. This festive fruit salad is a great side dish to the main course.

It’s incredibly easy to customize according to your tastes.

Ingredients:  

8 cups assorted fruit slices and chunks (apple, pear, banana, kiwi, orange, peach, plum, berries)
1 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. lime juice
½ cup pomegranate seeds (substitute sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds)
1 tbsp. mint leaves or a pinch of dried mint

Directions: 

In a large bowl combine fruit. In a small bowl whisk together honey, lime juice, and pomegranate seeds. Pour over salad and gently toss. Top with mint and serve immediately.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating December 2018

More holiday recipes:

Billionaire’s Bacon

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Stuffed Dates

Eggnog Latte

Smoked Salmon Toasts

Breakfast Strata

Smoked Salmon Toasts with Avocado

Smoked Salmon Toasts

Simple and elegant, these smoked salmon toasts will be the perfect complement to any brunch you host this season. You can use leftovers (likely you won’t though) for a similar light lunch the next day. No ripe avocados onboard? Try it with cream cheese for classic brunch fare.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

16 slices smoked salmon
3 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup capers, drained
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
4 toasted bread slices
2 lemons, quartered

Directions: 

Arrange the smoked salmon slices on a platter and top with avocado slices, onions, and capers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. To serve, spread toast with avocado, then salmon, onions and capers. Drizzle with lemon juice.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating December 2018

More holiday recipes:

Billionaire’s Bacon

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Stuffed Dates

Eggnog Latte

Festive Fruit Salad

Breakfast Strata

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Cruising during Thanksgiving? You can skip the full bird this year, too much work, too much heat in the kitchen. Mix it up and try this twist on a turkey: a Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breast.

You certainly don’t have to miss out on the feast! If you happen to be with a few more people than usual, you can whip up a meal that all will be grateful for.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter softened
½ Tbsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. sage
1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
3-4 lb. skinless turkey breast
8 slices prosciutto

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or cook in a foil pan on a covered grill). Mix butter, lemon, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl to combine into a paste. Place turkey in baking pan and rub the paste on turkey breast. Lay each slice of prosciutto across the top of turkey breast, overlapping until covered. Bake for 50-60 minutes until juices run clear when tested with a skewer. Rest turkey 15 minutes before carving.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating November 2018

More Thanksgiving Recipes:

Corn Pudding

Green Beans Amandine

Relish and Liptaur Cheese Tray

Cranberry Vanilla Cake

Cranberry Spritz

Corn Pudding

Corn Pudding

Cruising during Thanksgiving? You certainly don’t have to miss out on the feast! If you happen to be with a few more people, you can whip up a meal that all will be grateful for.

Why settle for one dessert or sidedish when you can serve two? This decadent corn pudding can double as a savory side dish or a unique dessert. Either way, your guests are in luck!

Ingredients:

1 large egg
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups corn kernels
Pinch each of chives and nutmeg
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
½ cup crumbled butter crackers (Ritz, Club)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6- to 8-cup casserole dish with butter. Beat the egg, milk, cream, and sugar until just blended. Stir in the corn, chives, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Toss cracker crumbs with melted butter, then stir half of the crumbs in the corn mixture. Pour the corn mixture into the casserole and sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top. Bake the pudding uncovered until light golden brown and slightly firm to the touch, 45-50 minutes.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating November 2018

More Thanksgiving Recipes:

Relish and Liptaur Cheese Tray

Green Beans Amandine

Cranberry Vanilla Cake

Cranberry Spritz

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Junkanoo Food

A different type of “junk” food. The Bahamian festival of Junkanoo is an energetic, colorful parade that takes place December 26 –January 1. Ring in the New Year with some traditional Junkanoo food. All recipes serve 4.
Junk food? No, Junkanoo Food.

Junkanoo Punch

Ingredients:
4 oz. dark rum
8 dashes of Angostura bitters
6 oz. each orange and pineapple juice
4 tbsp. each grenadine and Cointreau
(or other orange liqueur)
1 orange, sliced

Directions: all the ingredients into a pitcher with ice and stir. Pour into festive glasses and garnish with an orange slice.

 

Junkanoo Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. sugar
3 boneless chicken breasts
6 tbsp. oil
½ cup chopped celery
2 cups sweet peppers, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups diced zucchini
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups tomato juice
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
For marinade, mix soy, garlic, and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Add chicken breasts, coat each and marinate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add celery, peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until softened, then transfer vegetables to a bowl. In same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add rice and tomato juice and cook for 20-30 minutes until rice has absorbed liquid.

Transfer the red rice to a serving bowl. Grill or sauté chicken in 2 tablespoons oil until just cooked through. Cool and dice chicken breasts.

In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger, and add to the skillet in which rice was cooked. Heat the broth over medium, then reduce to low and add vegetables and chicken to the mixture; cook stirring frequently until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Serve with red rice and hot sauce.

Bahamian Crab Bites

Ingredients:
16 slices of French baguette
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. crabmeat (or small peeled shrimp)
4 tbsp. mayonnaise
Pinch of parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. hot sauce
½ cup shredded cheese

Directions:
Melt butter with half of the minced garlic. Brush garlic butter onto one side of bread slices and place them buttered side up on a cookie sheet. Toast lightly under a broiler.

Combine the crabmeat, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, and hot sauce, and spread the mixture on the toasted bread. Top each slice with cheese and broil until cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Bahamian Baked Banana Custard

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. butter
4 ripe bananas
1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice
6 tbsp. sugar
Dash of nutmeg
½ cup breadcrumbs or granola
2 cups milk, warmed
3 eggs, beaten
Store-bought caramel sauce, warmed
Whipped cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 4-6 one cup ramekins. In a large bowl, mash bananas then add lemon juice, nutmeg and 2 tbsp. sugar; mix well. Divide mixture equally into ramekins and top with breadcrumbs.

Combine warm milk, eggs and remaining sugar. Pour into ramekins over breadcrumbs and bake for 40-60 minutes until custard is set. Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with whipped cream. Custard may be served warm or made ahead of time and served room temperature.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating Magazine December 2017

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Give Thanks for Leftovers
Transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a Tex-Mex Fiesta! All recipes serve 4.

Stuffed Jalapeños

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups leftover turkey dressing (I used
cornbread dressing)
12 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded
(or substitute 24 mushrooms, stems removed)
½ cup shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff jalapeño pepper halves or mushroom caps with leftover turkey dressing; top with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Tex-Mex Potato Skins

Ingredients:
12 baked potato skin halves (flesh scooped out for Thanksgiving’s mashed potatoes)
2 Tbsp. melted butter
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
12 slices cheddar or pepper jack cheese
6-8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Directions: 
Place potatoes skin side up on a baking sheet, brush them with butter and sprinkle them with half the salt and pepper. Bake until slightly crispy (10-15 minutes). Turn them over and brush the insides with butter, sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper, and top each with a slice of cheese and crumbled bacon. Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted (5-8 minutes).

Tex-Mex Veggie Rice

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups rice
1 ½ cups canned diced tomatoes with juice
3 cups chicken stock or equivalent in watered-down turkey gravy
2 cups chopped leftover vegetables (I used zucchini an mushrooms)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
Heat oil in medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; stir with a wooden spoon until lightly golden (2-3 minutes). Add rice, tomatoes and stock and bring ingredients to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook covered for 25-30 minutes (or until tender). Once cooked, add the leftover vegetables.

Remove from heat and cover, and leave undisturbed for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Season with salt and pepper
as desired.

Green Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp. each garlic powder and cumin
4 cups shredded turkey
6 oz. sliced black olives
2 cups shredded Mexican or
cheddar cheese
12 small corn tortillas
For sauce:
1 ½ cups green enchilada sauce, mild green salsa or salsa verde (may substitute red)
1 ½ cups turkey gravy
½ tsp. each salt and pepper

Toppings:
1 pint sour cream
Hot sauce

Directions: 
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium high heat, add onion, garlic powder and cumin, and sauté until softened. Add turkey, half of the olives, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, and stir until  combined. Set aside. For sauce, mix enchilada sauce and gravy; cook until sauce is slightly thickened (3-5 minutes). Season with
salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1/3 of the enchilada sauce in a 9×13 baking pan.

To assemble the enchiladas, dip a tortilla in warm sauce and put on a plate. Spoon 1/4 cup of turkey mixture in the bottom of tortilla and roll it up. Place enchiladas seam end down in the pan and close together. Repeat until you have 12 enchiladas. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese and olives. Bake until hot and bubbling (15-20 minutes). Serve 2-3 enchiladas per person with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating November 2017

See the bonus recipe for cranberry margaritas.

Throw a Ghoulishly Good Party

Eeek out this ghostly menu and invite your favorite goblins for Halloween festivities on board. The scariest drink of all is definitely a Bloody Mary!

Recipes serve 4 for dinner or 8 for cocktails.

Bloody Mary Bar

Ingredients: 
48 oz. spicy Bloody Mary mix
Vodka

Garnish options:
hot sauce, quartered limes and lemons, celery ribs, pitted green olives, pickle spears, whole pickled peppers, pickled asparagus or green beans, beef sticks cut bite-sized, toothpicks or skewers.

To assemble drinks, fill glasses with ice, add 2 oz. vodka to each, then top with Bloody Mary mix. Invite guests to garnish drinks as desired.

 

Other Halloween favorites:

Haunted Pumpkin Bars
Black and Blue Petrified Cheese Log
Vampire Blood Chili
Sea Monsters with Hellish Cocktail Sauce
Bloody Mary’s 

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating October 2017

Vampire Blood Chili

Eeek out this ghostly menu and invite your favorite goblins for Halloween festivities on board. This spooky vampire blood chili is sure to get your guests!

Vampire Blood Chili

1 Tbsp. oil
2 cups onion, chopped
½ lb. mild Italian sausage,
casings removed
2 lbs. ground beef
(or ground chicken or turkey)
6 oz. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. each dried basil, oregano,
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 Tbsp. mustard
28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
4 Tbsp. red wine
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
16 oz. can black beans, drained (optional)

Chili toppings:
Taco chips
Sour cream
Jalapeños, chopped or sliced into rings
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped raw onions

Heat oil in large pot. Add onions and meats, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until well-browned. Stir in the rest of ingredients and simmer uncovered for another 25 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings. (This chili is even better the next day, so make it ahead of time!) Place chili toppings in individual bowls with spoons for serving. Scoop chili into festive bowls and serve with toppings.

Other Halloween favorites:

Haunted Pumpkin Bars
Black and Blue Petrified Cheese Log
Vampire Blood Chili
Sea Monsters with Hellish Cocktail Sauce
Bloody Mary’s 

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating October 2017

Flag Friendly Food

Independence Day Indulgence

Celebrate July 4th with a delicious red, white and blue menu! Recipes serve four.

Red & White Hasselback Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
4 Tbsp. jarred basil pesto
12 slices red tomato
12 slices mozzarella cheese
4 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven or grill to 400°F. Lay chicken breasts in an oiled baking pan.

Make 6 deep slits across the top of each chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. Season each with salt, pepper and pesto. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella, and cut each into half-moons. Stuff a piece of mozzarella and a tomato slice into every slit in the chicken. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over top. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through (160°F on meat thermometer).

If using a grill or skillet, set to medium and cover while heating to ensure chicken cooks through.

Blue Potato Salad

1 lb. purple (or white) potatoes
4 Tbsp. diced red onion
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Pinch of chives

Cook potatoes in salted water until tender, then peel and dice. Combine onion, sour cream, oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl; pour over potatoes and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with chives.

Chambord Kir Royale

4 Tbsp. Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
1 bottle champagne or prosecco
Raspberries or blueberries and lemon twist

Pour Chambord into 4 flutes or wine glasses and top with champagne. Garnish each with some berries and a lemon twist.

No-Bake Flag Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4cup butter, melted
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
14-oz. can (1 1/2 cups) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
42 blueberries (about 1/2 pint)
20 sliced strawberries (about 1 pint)

Pour graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl; stir in sugar. Add butter, and mix until well-combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a rectangular 9×11 pan. Chill crust at least 30 minutes.

For filling, place softened cream cheese in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour filling evenly over chilled crust and smooth the top.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (2 1/2 to 3 hours). Once chilled, create the berry flag.

For the stars, place 6-7 blueberries in a line across the upper left corner of cake. Continue to lay down blueberries in rows until the square is filled and resembles the stars on a U.S. flag. For the stripes, arrange strawberry slices in horizontal rows around the blueberries to match the stripes on a U.S. flag. Cover with the plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating July 2017

Holiday-Ready Recipes

Escaping winter weather is more than enough of a reason to cruise warm waters during the holidays. However, cooking while cruising isn’t without its logistical challenges, since traditional holiday roasts aren’t always achievable.

At Southern Boating, we think the three best components of any meal are drinks (of course), appetizers and desserts. Here are SB&Y’s top three holiday-themed treats that can be made right in the galley!

Here are three simple, galley-friendly recipes for Christmas cruising. These tasty delights are just a snippet of our compilation of galley-friendly recipes. 

 “Taste of Summer” Punch*  

“Punch” up your holiday menu with this delicious fizzy cocktail

Although this drink is summery, it’s sure to warm you right up. Raspberry and mint brighten up any glass with Christmas colors!

Ingredients 

3 cups prosecco, chilled
1 cup limoncello liqueur, chilled
1 cup frozen raspberries
6 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:
1. In a large pitcher, whisk together prosecco and limoncello.
2. Serve over raspberries, garnish with mint.

*adapted from damndelicous.net

 

Holiday Caprese Bites*

 

It’s a little bite of Christmas on a toothpick.

You can put these simple and delicious petite bites together in just minutes. We’re guessing that guests will eat these tasty treats faster than you can make them!

Ingredients

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
10 to 14 fresh small mozzarella cheese balls, cut into thirds or use ciliegine Fresh Mozzarella

32 (4-inch) wooden skewers or toothpicks
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
15-16 fresh basil leaves, halved

  1. Thread 1 tomato half, 1 piece of cheese wrapped in basil, and another tomato half onto each skewer. Place skewers in a shallow serving dish.
  2. Whisk together oil and next 3 ingredients. Drizzle oil mixture over skewers; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

*adapted from foodnetwork.com

 

Red & Green Christmas Fudge*

It’s the best kind of dessert: the kind that requires no baking.

Fudge doesn’t have to be complicated. But in this case, it does have to be festive.

Ingredients

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup white chocolate morsels
2/3 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts
green sprinkles (optional)

  1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, extending over sides; coat with cooking spray.
  2. Beat cream cheese and next 3 ingredients with whisk until creamy. Whisk in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternatively, beat at high speed 3 minutes with a mixer.
  3. Melt white chocolate according to package directions; beat into cream cheese mixture. Reserve one-third of cream cheese mixture. Melt milk chocolate according to package directions. Stir milk chocolate and food coloring into remaining two-thirds of cream cheese mixture. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan; tap pan on the counter to remove air bubbles. Freeze 10 minutes or chill for 90 in fridge.
  4. Spread reserved cream cheese mixture over fudge and dot with sprinkles, if desired; chill 4 to 24 hours. Remove fudge from pan. Cut into rectangles, rinsing and wiping knife clean between each slice. Chill until ready to serve.

* adapted from myrecipes.com

 

 

Christmas Cocktail Meatballs

Host a colorful holiday cocktail party during your local boat parade of lights. All holiday recipes serve 6.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Southern Boating!

Christmas Cocktail Meatballs 

¼ cup each, vinegar and hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. each, oil and soy sauce
1 tbsp. honey
2 garlic cloves, chopped (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tsp. minced ginger (optional)
24 prepared frozen cocktail meatballs
Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Add meatballs and heat on medium-low until meatballs are warmed thoroughly, about 20-30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with toothpicks and enjoy this simple holiday recipes.

Herbed Goat Cheese and Grapes

4 4-oz. logs of goat cheese, each sliced into 6 rounds
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves (or pinch of dried)
Pepper
2 cups red grapes, halved
1 cup walnuts or sliced almonds
2-3 tbsp. honey
1 French baguette, sliced into rounds, toasted

Arrange sliced goat cheese in one layer on platter. Drizzle with olive oil, then strew with rosemary and pepper. Scatter grapes and nuts over platter, then drizzle honey over all. Serve with toasted bread.

Salmon Tortilla Spirals

4 large tortillas (green spinach or red flour look the most festive)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. smoked salmon (substitute tuna, smoked fish or crabmeat)
4 scallions trimmed and halved lengthwise or a small onion (diced)
1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced lengthwise into long thin batons
½ cup cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt

Lay one tortilla on a flat surface and spread a thin layer of cream cheese up to the edges. Layer with 1/4 of salmon in a thin layer, 1/4 of scallions, then 1/4 of cucumber batons. Roll the tortilla up tightly and slice into 8 pieces. Repeat for each tortilla. Arrange spirals cut side up on a festive platter. Mix cream, lemon and salt, and drizzle a little over each slice.

Winter Solstice Shrimp

24 large shrimp, shelled, tailed and deveined
16 slices bacon cut into 2-3-inch sections
2 tbsp. ground black pepper

Heat broiler or grill. Wrap each shrimp in a section of bacon, sprinkle with pepper and secure with a toothpick (or slide several shrimp on longer skewers). Sauté shrimp in large frypan, or place the shrimp on grill or under broiler until bacon is crisp, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Truffles

2/3 cup heavy cream
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (you may substitute finely chopped almonds or finely grated coconut)

Warm cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, remove pan from heat, pour chocolate into the warm cream and stir until the chocolate melts. Add butter and vanilla until incorporated. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

To form truffles, place cocoa powder in a bowl. Scoop out a heaping teaspoon of the chocolate mixture and roll it into a ball between your palms. Roll the ball in cocoa until it is completely covered. Roll it lightly in your palms again to make sure the cocoa sticks, then re-roll the truffle in cocoa. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture.

To store truffles, place in single layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place two or three truffles in each of 6 mini-cupcake liners for a pretty presentation.

Christmas Punch

1 cup vodka
3 cups cranberry juice
1 cup apple juice
4 cups club soda
2 cups frozen cranberries or other berries
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix vodka, juices and soda in a pitcher or punch bowl. Add frozen berries. Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with lemon slice.

 

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