Flavorful Holiday Dishes Prepped in Minutes for Small, Family Gatherings

In what’s certain to be a holiday season unlike any other, you can transform your seasonal menu in 20 minutes of prep time or less by incorporating flavorful ingredients that make ordinary dishes extraordinary, ensuring the holidays are as special and memorable as any other year.

Stress-free holiday entertaining at home begins with ingredients like Holland House Cooking Wines that add an extra boost of flavor to recipes like Tuscan White Bean Soup. Perfect for chilly evenings, this recipe combines pantry staples and enticing seasonings for an easy-to-make soup that simmers in the slow cooker. This Sherry, Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake is another delicious and convenient recipe to feed your family on early holiday mornings. This simple, tasty brunch bake can be easily prepped the night before.

While holiday gatherings may be smaller this year, spending time with family can be made even more special when sharing a homemade, holiday-inspired meal. Sherry Cherry Pork Loin Roast, made in a time-saving slow cooker, provides an easy way to bring your family together for a flavorful holiday meal.

This festive season, Holland House Cooking Wines provide an easy way to delight your family. They’re available in four flavors – Marsala, Sherry, White and Red – made using fine grapes and blended seasonings, aged to perfection, to offer bold flavor to your holiday cooking.

Sherry Cherry Pork Loin Roast

Recipe courtesy of Cate Meade of “Cate’s Kitchen Fit”

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 5-6 hours

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons avocado or grapeseed oil, divided

2 large Vidalia onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 pork loin roast (4-4 1/2 pounds), trimmed and patted dry

3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

Sherry Cherry Sauce:

3/4 cup Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine

5-6 cloves garlic

1 cup frozen Bing cherries, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard powder

4 tablespoons Holland House Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 bunch fresh parsley, large stems removed, plus additional reserved for garnish

3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

Directions:

In large slow cooker on high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, sliced onions and 1 teaspoon salt.
Season roast evenly on all sides with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Place large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan. Sear pork loin 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer roast to slow cooker on top of onions.
Cover and cook on low 3 hours.
To make Sherry Cherry Sauce: In blender, blend sherry cooking wine, garlic, 1/2 cup cherries, mustard powder, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, parsley, remaining olive oil, remaining salt and remaining pepper until smooth; set aside.
After pork loin cooks 3 hours, add Sherry Cherry Sauce around pork roast. Cover and cook 2-3 hours on low.
To glaze, brush roast with warm sauce 3-4 times in last hour of cooking.
Once pork reaches internal temperature of 145 F, remove and let rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.
To finish sauce, remove 1/4 cup cooking liquid and mix with cornstarch to make a slurry. Whisk slurry and remaining cherries into sauce. Cook in slow cooker on high 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slice roast 1/2-inch thick, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with Sherry Cherry Sauce and braised onions.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Recipe courtesy of Jillian Wade of “Food, Folks & Fun”

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup Holland House White Cooking Wine

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

6 large cloves garlic, minced

3 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (13 3/4 ounces) artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

4 cups kale (about 6 ounces), cleaned, destemmed and chopped

5 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced

8 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, shaved (for garnish)

Directions:

Place chicken stock, white cooking wine, tomatoes, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, cannellini beans, artichoke hearts, bay leaf, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and rosemary in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving soup, stir in kale and cover.
In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta until crispy, about 4 minutes. Move pancetta to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with pancetta and Parmesan cheese shavings.

Sherry, Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake

Recipe courtesy of Jillian Wade of “Food, Folks & Fun”

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons salted butter, melted, plus additional for greasing pan, divided

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 large shallots, minced

1/2 cup Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine

1 package (20 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese

8 ounces precooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

8 large eggs

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill, for garnish (optional)

2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Move oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400 F. Generously grease 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter; set aside.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, add olive oil and preheat pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, about 7-8 minutes.
Stir in cooking wine and cook until liquid is evaporated, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add frozen hash browns to prepared baking dish. Pour melted butter over potatoes and add salt, pepper and caramelized shallots.
Use spoon to mix well. Bake 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and some edges are beginning to brown. Remove potatoes from oven and reduce temperature to 325 F.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese and 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes followed by ham.
In large measuring cup or small bowl, vigorously whisk eggs, milk, mustard powder and dill until fully combined and eggs become frothy, about 1 minute.
Pour egg mixture evenly over potatoes, cheese and ham. Store covered in refrigerator if prepping night before.
Bake 35-40 minutes, or until edges of casserole are golden brown and center of casserole is set.
Cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with chopped dill and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Source: Family Features