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

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.
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)

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, extending over sides; coat with cooking spray.
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.
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.
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

Like Spanish tapas, mezedes or meze, the legendary small plates of Greece are always served with drinks as a starter for a party or dinner. This Greek culinary custom derives from the ancient Greeks, who believed that no guest should be welcomed without a little something to eat (or drink!).

There are hundreds of complex Greek Meze, main courses and desserts, but I prefer to serve a platter of easy, simple dishes on the boat. I also favor Meze that are shelf stable such as pita chips, jarred olives, artichokes, peppers and fish because they can be pulled out last minute for drinks aboard. Greek yogurt is convenient and easily prepared, as well as hummus, eggplant dips and tahini. For a full-blown Greek meal simply plan ahead and bring aboard fresh meat, fish, veggies, and fruit along with some greens and herbs. Serve red and white wines with dinner rather than retsina or ouzo.

While the menu this month, as seen in Southern Boating magazine, is fairly complete, you may wish to add one or both of the following salads:

Greek Cucumber Salad (Angouri Salata)
3 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 medium cucumbers, halved, seeded (if necessary), and thickly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of dill
1/4 cup crumbled feta

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Add the cucumbers, onion, dill, and feta, and toss to coat.

Greek Salad (Horiatiki)
4 ripe tomatoes cut into wedges
1 medium green pepper, seeded and sliced
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1 cup pitted black olives
½ cup feta cheese
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. vinegar
Pinch of dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and onions on a plate or shallow bowl. Scatter with olives and feta. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings and pour over the salad. Serve immediately.

Lost Orange Cake (Fanouropita)
This olive oil cake is named after St. Fanourios, the Greek Saint of lost things.
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ cup olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup chopped walnuts
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup Metaxa or other brandy
Zest from ½ orange
Powdered sugar for topping

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and walnuts. Add in remaining wet ingredients: olive oil, vanilla, orange juice, brandy, orange zest. Mix well until batter is formed. Pour into cake pan lightly coated with olive oil. Place in preheated oven at 350F for 40-45 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, cool cake, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve alone or with macerated berries.

By Lori Ross, Southern Exposure

Tag: Salads