The Easiest Holiday Cookbook: 50+ Healthy, Easy, Fast аnd Delicious Meals For The Hоliday Season, Including Recipes For Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, 4th July, Halloween, and New Years 9798553832612

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T H E E A S I E S T H O L I D AY COOKBOOK Healthy Recipes, Easy, Fast аnd Delicious Meals For The Hоliday Season, Including Recipes For Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, 4th July, Halloween, and New Years

Alice B. Robinson

Copyright © 2020 Alice B. Robinson All rights reserved The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 9798553832612

CONTENTS Title Page Copyright Introduction APPETIZERS AND SALADS Bruschetta with pumpkin and feta cheese Carrot butter with walnuts Club sandwich with turkey and egg Deviled eggs with ham Gratin Dauphinois Green beans salad Mushrooms with feta cheese and garlic Pumpkin salad with feta and oranges Pumpkin tabbouleh Salad with baked pear Salad with citrus and feta cheese Salad with figs and salmon Salad with turkey and mandarin oranges Salad with pear and bacon Salad with pumpkin and cottage cheese Salad with shrimps Salad with spinach and orange Tuna pate with olive MAIN DISHES Beef stew Catfish fillet with couscous and vegetables Chicken drumsticks with pineapple salsa Confit Potatoes Glazed Carrots Grilled pineapple with chili Mashed potatoes Meat pie with dark beer

Meatloaf with spinach and nuts Pork kabob with shrimps Pork ribs in honey-garlic sauce Pork skewers in a spicy marinade Potato cake in a pan Potatoes with mushrooms Pumpkin cream soup with pesto sauce and parmesan chips Pumpkin gratin with bechamel sauce Salmon steak on a greaseproof paper Spicy meatballs in tomato sauce Turkey shin with cranberry sauce Turkey with dried fruits BAKING AND DESSERTS Avocado souffle with chocolate Carrot biscuit Cherry Clafouti Christmas cake Cupcakes with orange glaze Ginger-honey cookies Peach tart with thyme Pumpkin casserole Rice pudding Quiche with broccoli and peanuts BEVERAGES Cherry fruit-drink with apple and ginger Cranberry fruit-drink with orange zest Iced tea with berries Lemonade with basil Mandarin oranges lemonade with ginger Masala Tea Non-alcoholic mulled wine Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

How wonderful it is to get together at a festive table with your family. Have you ever had such a thing that, in the festive commotion, there is not enough time for anything? I had. You need to have time to solve work issues, decorate the house for the holiday, prepare costumes, gifts, invite friends and family to visit, or plan a dinner in a close family circle. This book is the result of my experience. I have created a collection of recipes that will save your time, but will be insanely delicious and simple at the same time. You will find dishes at any taste: salads, appetizers, main courses, pastries and desserts, as well as cooling and warming drinks. The book includes more than 50 recipes that you can use in everyday life. You need to spend quite a bit of time to prepare the products and the same amount of time to cook them. All recipes are created for 2, 4 or 6 people. To increase the number of servings, you will need to increase the number of ingredients proportionally. Let your holidays be filled with warmth, comfort and love. And the dishes from this book will become your favorite for you and your loved ones. Created for you with love!

APPETIZERS AND SALADS

BRUSCHETTA WITH PUMPKIN AND FETA CHEESE Prep: 5 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 baguette 10½ oz (300 g) pumpkin 1 orange 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 5 oz (150 g) feta cheese 3 sprigs basil 3 tablespoons Sugar 1 pinch of salt ½ fresh jalapeño pepper (optional) 1 pinch of black pepper How to do: 1. Cut the baguette in half lengthways and brown it in a dry pan until it crisps. 2. Peel the pumpkin and cut into small dice. Place the pumpkin in a saucepan and add orange juice, 1 tablespoon of butter, 3 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. Stew by steaming the extra moisture until the pumpkin is soft. 3. Put caramelized pumpkin on dried baguette. Break the feta cheese with your hands and place it on the pumpkin bruschetta. 4. Add thin slices of jalapeño pepper (optional) and black pepper to taste. Place the basil leaves on top.

CARROT BUTTER WITH WALNUTS Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 1-2 Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) carrots, peeled 2½ oz (70 g) butter (unsalted) 1½ oz (40 g) walnuts 1 teaspoon vegetable oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut carrots into circles, sprinkle with vegetable oil, wrap in foil and bake until ready for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. 2. Place baked carrots in a small bowl and add walnuts. 3. Blend the nuts and carrots to a homogeneous mass. 4. Add the butter (not cold) to the carrot mass and keep stirring until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Such pasta can be served on a roasted baguette or on cookies of your choice.

CLUB SANDWICH WITH TURKEY AND EGG Prep: 15 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) turkey fillet 3½ oz (100 g) romaine lettuce (or other) 6 slices bread to toast 2 eggs 2-3 tablespoons cream cheese 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying) 1 teaspoon mustard salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Cut the turkey meat into thin slices and beat it a little. Salt, pepper and fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil until ready. Let the meat cool. 2. Peel hard-boiled eggs 3. Mix mayonnaise with mustard. 4. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on a piece of bread, lay a mix of salad, slices of turkey, thin circles of eggs and add 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise with mustard. Cover it with a second slice of bread. Lubricate it with cream cheese on top and again lay out a mix of salad, egg and turkey. 5. Cover with a third piece of bread, greased with cream cheese and press tightly. Cut the sandwich into two parts. Pick up the second sandwich in the same way.

DEVILED EGGS WITH HAM Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 4 eggs 1 pickle 2½ oz (75 g) ham 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon curcuma 3-5 sprigs dill salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Well wash and dry the dill (3-5 branches), then finely cut with a knife. 2. Cut the ham first in strips and then in small cubes. 3. Cut one large cucumber into plates and then into small cubes, just like ham. 4. Peel and cut the hard-boiled eggs in half. 5. Take out the egg yolks with a spoon and put into a bowl of ham, greens and cucumber. 6. Add 1 teaspoon of curcuma to mayonnaise. 7. Add mayonnaise to the filling and mix gently. 8. Fill the egg whites with filling and decorate with dill.

GRATIN DAUPHINOIS Prep: 15 mins Cook: 30 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) potatoes (peeled) 1 cup heavy cream 2 bay leaves 1 pinch of ground nutmeg 2 garlic cloves 3½ oz (100 g) parmesan cheese (or gruyere) 1 oz (30 g) butter (unsalted) salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Using a mandoline, finely slice the peeled potatoes into thick pieces. 2. Place the sliced potatoes in a saucepan, pour 1 cup heavy cream. Add salt, pepper, 2 crushed garlic cloves, a pinch of ground nutmeg and bay leaves. Place on the middle fire, bring it to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes. If the cream thickens strongly, you can add some milk. 3. Remove bay leaves and garlic. 4. Place half of the potatoes with cream in the baking mould and sprinkle half of the grated parmesan on top. Then lay out the other half of the potatoes, a piece of butter and sprinkle the remaining cheese again. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. A brown crust should form on the surface of the gratin.

GREEN BEANS SALAD Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 11 oz (300 g) green beans 1/2 red onion 1 slice bread (white) 5 oz (100-150 g) cherry tomatoes 3-4 sprigs parsley 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 2-3 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Cut the bread into cubes with the side about ½ inches. 2. Fry the bread cubes in a dry pan, stirring them periodically. It is better to do it on medium heat so that the breadcrumbs do not burn. 3. Peel the red onion and cut into thin half rings. Try to cut it as thin as possible. Place the onions in a salad bowl. 4. Wash the asparagus beans, remove the tails from both sides, cut into 2-3 pieces and add to the salad bowl. If you are using frozen beans, pour boiling water over them. 5. Wash cherry tomatoes and cut them in half, if using regular tomatoes, just cut them into large pieces and add to a salad bowl. 6. Finely chop the parsley leaves with a knife and add to the salad. You can also use cilantro leaves for a spicier flavor. 7. Combine mustard with olive oil. 8. Dress the salad with mustard sauce and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 9. Arrange the salad on plates and add some breadcrumbs to each portion.

MUSHROOMS WITH FETA CHEESE AND GARLIC Prep: 20 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms 7 oz (200 g) feta cheese 2 garlic cloves 5 sprigs parsley 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Wash the mushrooms and separate the stipes from the caps. We don't need stipes, but you can add them to your soup or roast. Place the mushroom caps on a tray covered with ground black pepper, pour the olive oil and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool down. 2. Clean the garlic and chop it finely. Mix feta cheese with garlic cloves and chopped parsley in a bowl. Add the baked mushroom hats and mix a little.

PUMPKIN SALAD WITH FETA AND ORANGES Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 3½ oz (100 g) feta cheese 7 oz (200 g) pumpkin 1 orange 1 garlic clove 2 sprigs basil 2-3 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Peel the pumpkin and cut it into large cubes. Place the greaseproof paper on the baking tray. Place slices of pumpkin and 1 garlic clove on greaseproof paper and splash with olive oil. Bake until the pumpkin is soft. 2. Cut the feta cheese into medium dice. 3. Remove the zest from the orange with a fine grater. Then cut out the orange fillet. To do this, peel it and cut out the pulp between the strips with a knife. 4. Place slices of pumpkin, feta cheese and orange pulp on the plate. 5. Add basil leaves and orange zest. Pour the salad with olive oil, season with fresh black pepper and salt to taste.

PUMPKIN TABBOULEH Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 5½ oz (150 g) pumpkin (peeled) 3½ oz (100 g) couscous 1 red onion 3½ oz (100 g) cherry tomatoes 2 oz (50 g) green pitted olives 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying) 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 oz (30 g) parsley salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Cut the pumpkin into cubes with a side of about 1 inch. Fry in a pan with sunflower oil for 3-5 minutes, until the pumpkin becomes a little soft. It should not become too soft. 2. In a saucepan, steam the couscous with boiling water at the rate of 1 part cereal - 1 part boiling water. Finely chop the onion and herbs. Cut the cherry tomatoes into 2 or 4 pieces. 3. Combine ready-made couscous, pumpkin, onion, herbs, olives and tomatoes in a salad bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, fill with olive oil.

SALAD WITH BAKED PEAR Prep: 25 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 2-4 Ingredients: 1 pear (large and hard) 6 oz (170 g) canned mushrooms 9 oz (250 g) turkey tenderloin 3½ oz (100 g) green pitted olives 2 potatoes salt and ground black pepper to taste For sauce: 3½ oz (100 g) cranberries (fresh or frozen) 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 3 yolks 2 garlic cloves 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil How to do: 1. Salt and pepper the turkey, splash with vegetable oil and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 25 minutes. 2. Wash thoroughly and dry the potatoes. Wrap in foil and bake in the oven together with the turkey for 25-30 minutes. 3. Cook aioli sauce with cranberry. Combine yolks, mustard and garlic in a blender bowl. 4. Interrupt the sauce with an immersion blender, gradually pouring in vegetable oil. 5. Add cranberries, salt and pepper to taste. Cut to a homogeneous state. 6. Wash and dry the pear, cut it in half. Place the halves in the baking mould. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes so that it remains a little hard. 7. Cut the cold turkey filet into medium dice. Cut the potatoes with the same dice. 8. Cut the marinated mushrooms in half or on quarters, depending on their size. 9. Cut the seedless olives into rings. 10. Cut the pear into a medium dice. 11. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add aioli sauce with cranberry, mix well. 12. Put the ready salad in the salad bowl. If desired, add a little more salt and pepper.

SALAD WITH CITRUS AND FETA CHEESE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 grapefruit 1 orange 3 mandarin orange 1/2 lemon (200 g) feta cheese (150 g) arugula 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Rinse and peel all citrus fruits well. In oranges, grapefruits, and lemons, cut out the flesh, removing the white films that can give the salad unnecessary bitterness. Cut the citrus fruits into large pieces. 2. Cut the feta cheese into cubes, rinse and dry the arugula leaves. Place arugula leaves, citrus fruits and feta cheese in a salad bowl. Mix a little, add olive oil, salt, pepper to taste and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

SALAD WITH FIGS AND SALMON Prep: 5 mins Cook: 2 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 2 figs (fresh) 1-2 tomatoes (125 g) ricotta cheese (50 g) salted salmon 1 sprigs thyme dash of chili powder How to do: 1. Wash a few of the figs and cut them into 8 equal slices. Take a beautiful large ripe figs - this is important here. 2. Cut the tomatoes into 4-6 pieces, depending on the size of the fetus. I recommend using small size tomatoes. 3. Slice the slightly salted salmon in thin slices. If a piece of fish was with skin, be sure to cut it off. 4. On a flat plate place the "pillow" of ricotta cheese, then in the form of a crown place slices of figs and tomatoes. In the center, place the slices of salmon, sprinkle chili powder and thyme leaves.

SALAD WITH TURKEY AND MANDARIN ORANGES Prep: 5 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 mandarin oranges (fresh or canned) 3½ oz (100 g) arugula 7 oz (200 g) turkey breast 2 slices bread (preferably white) ½ lemon (juice of half a lemon) 2 teaspoons grain dijon mustard 4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pinch coriander seed salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Put the arugula and seedless mandarin oranges slices in the salad bowl. 2. 2 slices of white bread cut into small cubes and fry for 5-7 minutes in a frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden brown. 3. Cut the turkey breast as thin as possible with slides at an angle of 45 degrees. 4. Spray the turkey with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. 5. Heat the frying pan with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and fry the filet until it is ready. 6. Prepare the dressing: mix grain dijon mustard, the remaining lemon juice and a little salt. Mix until homogeneous. 7. Add fried turkey and breadcrumbs in the salad bowl to mandarin and arugula. 8. Then add 1 pinch of coriander seeds. That will perfectly complement the flavor of the salad. 9. Add 1 tablespoon of dressing and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

SALAD WITH PEAR AND BACON Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 pear 1 slice bread (any) 3½ oz (100 g) bacon (thinly cut) 2 oz (50 g) blue cheese 2 oz (50 g) arugula 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Wash and cut the pear into small slices. Wrap each slice in a thin slice of bacon. We recommend buying bacon already sliced in the market. 2. Place the pieces of pear in a bacon on the grill or in the oven preheated to 390°F (200°C) in grill mode for 10 minutes. Remove it from the grill and let it cool down. 3. Rip bread with your hands and dry it on the grill or in a hot, fatfree pan. 4. Cut the blue cheese in small cubes. Place clean arugula leaves in the salad bowl, add bacon pear, blue cheese and breadcrumbs. Pour olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

SALAD WITH PUMPKIN AND COTTAGE CHEESE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) pumpkin 5½ oz (150 g) lettuce 3½ oz (100 g) cottage cheese 1-2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons vegetable oil salt and ground black pepper to taste honey to taste How to do: 1. Wash the pumpkin, peel and cut into small ½ inch cubes. 2. Fry the pumpkin in a frying pan with vegetable oil and honey for about 1-2 minutes. The pumpkin must remain hard inside. 3. In the salad bowl, mix salad leaves, cottage cheese and pumpkin. Add pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper to taste. Fill with vegetable oil.

SALAD WITH SHRIMPS Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2-4 Ingredients: 9 oz (260 g) peeled shrimps (cooked, frozen) 7 oz (200 g) cherry tomatoes 1-2 cucumbers 10 sprigs cilantro For sauce: 1 avocado 5 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1-2 pinches of salt 1 pinch of black ground pepper 1 teaspoon mustard (optional) How to do: 1. Cook the sauce. Wash the avocado, peel it, cut it into two and remove the bone. Remember to use only ripe fruits, which are already soft enough. 2. Place cut pieces of avocado in a blender bowl and add the olive oil. Use less intense olive oil so that it doesn't become bitter. 3. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1-2 pinches of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Instead of lemon juice you can also take an apple or white wine vinegar, so it will also be delicious. 4. If desired, add 1 teaspoon of sweet mustard. Break the mixture with a blender until a thick homogeneous mass is obtained. If you want to make the sauce less thick, increase the amount of olive oil. 5. Pour freshly frozen shrimp with hot water and defrost. Purify from chitin shell. 6. Wash the cherry tomatoes well and cut in half lengthwise. 7. Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems, rinse well and chop finely with a knife. 8. Wash the cucumber and cut it into medium dice. Use 1 large or 2 medium cucumbers. 9. Combine all ingredients and add 5 tablespoons of sauce. Mix well. Serve immediately.

SALAD WITH SPINACH AND ORANGE Prep: 15 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 2 oranges 7 oz (200 g) fresh spinach 3½ oz (100 g) carrots 1 teaspoon sesame seeds ½ cup orange juice 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) or sunflower How to do: 1. Wash and dry the spinach, cut into wide strips. 2. If you use frozen spinach, defrost it at room temperature and squeeze well. Fry it in butter for 2 - 3 minutes and add salt to taste. 3. Peel one orange and separate the flesh from the white partitions. Squeeze the juice out of the second orange. 4. Cut the carrots in circles and boil them according to the principle of cooking glazed vegetables (look “Glazed Carrots”), only add orange juice instead of water. 5. Fry sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for 10 -20 seconds to reveal its flavor. Mix all the ingredients and add the sauce in which the carrots were cooked.

TUNA PATE WITH OLIVE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 can tuna 4 oz (100-120g) green pitted olives 1 lemon 5 sprigs parsley 7 oz (200 g) cream cheese 1 baguette 2-3 pinches of oregano leaves or Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste How to do: 1. Cut the baguette at an angle of approximately 45 degrees into thin slices. 2. Heat the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and dry the baguette slices on both sides until crisp. While frying, salt the slices of bread a little and sprinkle with a mixture of spicy herbs or ground oregano. 3. Cut the olives with a knife very finely. So our pate will have a more homogeneous structure. 4. Wash the lemon and cut off thin strips of zest with a special knife or fine grater. Remember to remove only the top yellow layer of the zest. 5. Wash 5 sprigs of parsley, separate the leaves from the stems and chop finely with a knife. 6. Open a can of tuna and pour out all the water. Mix tuna, olives, lemon peel, parsley greens and cream cheese in a bowl. Stir with a fork until a homogeneous mass is obtained, salt and pepper to taste. 7. Spread the pate over dried baguette pieces and garnish with a little lemon zest.

MAIN DISHES

BEEF STEW Prep: 10 mins Cook: 50 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 14 oz (400 g) beef 5½ oz (150 g) mushrooms 3½ oz (100 g) leek 3½ oz (100 g) tomatoes 3½ oz (100 g) zucchini 5½ oz (150 ml) tomato juice 3⅓ oz(100 ml) broth (or water) 3 garlic clove 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 1 carrot 3 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs rosemary ½ onion bay leaf How to do: 1. Wash, peel, cut all vegetables into medium pieces. Cut the meat into large pieces, salt and pepper. Place in a deep saucepan with butter and fry for 5 minutes, stir occasionally. 2. Add vegetables, mix and fry for 2 minutes with meat, then add tomato juice and broth. 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Put everything in a deep baking dish, add bay leaves and cloves. Put in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Add red wine, thyme and rosemary for a savory flavor (optional).

CATFISH FILLET WITH COUSCOUS AND VEGETABLES Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 1 Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) catfish fillet (1 piece) 1 oz (30 g) couscous 2 cherry tomatoes ½ red onion ½ lemon 1 pinch of fennel seed 1-2 tablespoons olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Fill couscous with boiling water (1:2) in a small bowl. Cover with the lid and let stand for a few minutes. 2. Add a little salt to the сatfish fillet. Put the couscous with vegetables on the greaseproof paper, put the fish on top, wrap it in an envelope and tie it on both sides with culinary thread. Put in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. 3. Carefully open the envelope and serve on a plate, after having poured a quarter of a lemon over the fish.

CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA Prep: 10 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 8 chicken drumstick 7 oz (200 g) pineapple (canned or fresh) 1 bunch of cilantro (small) ⅓ oz (10 g) jalapeño pepper ½ lime (juice) 1 garlic clove 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cucumber salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper. Fry in a pan with vegetable oil until golden brown. 2. Place the сhicken drumstick in a baking dish and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 3. Prepare salsa at this time. Chop pineapples, cucumbers, chili peppers, cilantro, garlic finely. Season with lime juice. Serve the cooked drumsticks with pineapple salsa.

CONFIT POTATOES Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 4-5 potatoes (medium) 2-3 garlic cloves 2½ oz (75 g) butter (unsalted) 3-5 sprigs thyme salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Peel potatoes and chop very thinly with transverse slides. You can do this simply with a knife or with a mandolin. 2. Lubricate the baking mold with plenty of butter. 3. Also cut the garlic into thin slides. Place the potatoes into the mould by sprinkling the garlic slides. 4. Cut the butter into large pieces and distribute evenly on the top of the potato slides. 5. Separate the leaves of 3-5 branches of thyme and sprinkle them on top of the potatoes. It is quite possible to use and dry thyme. 6. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake potatoes in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until they are ready for 30-40 minutes, depending on the variety of potatoes and the thickness of the layer in the form. Serve the potatoes hot.

GLAZED CARROTS Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 2-4 Ingredients: 5½ oz (150 g) сarrots 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 1½ fl oz (50 ml) water ½ - 1 teaspoon honey 1 pinch of salt How to do: 1. Peel the carrots and slice them into small pieces - sticks or circles, which you like best (not very thick and not very thin, and necessarily the same shape). Put the sliced vegetables in a small saucepan. Add butter, water, honey and a pinch of salt. If desired, honey can be replaced with sugar. 2. It is very important to pour water so that it covers the carrot no more than one centimeter. Place the saucepan on the middle fire. Cut a mug out of greaseproof paper (it's called a "cartouche") and cover the carrot with it on top instead of the lid. This is necessary for the steam to come out, and the flavors remain. If you do not have greaseproof paper, use a foil with a small hole in it. 3. Cook carrots on medium heat for 15 minutes. If you see that the liquid is boiling and the carrots are still solid, add some water. The main thing to remember here is that the carrots should be soft, but not boiled. At the end of the cooking, remove the greaseproof paper and stir the carrots so that the glaze spreads evenly.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WITH CHILI Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 pineapple (fresh) 3-4 pinches of chili powder 1 tablespoon olive oil How to do: 1. Remove the green top of the pineapple, cut the peel with a knife and cut into rings. Sprinkle dry chili on all sides. 2. Fry the pineapple rings in a grill pan with a little olive oil until golden stripes appear on each side. Serve pineapple with chili pepper as a side dish for grilled meat or chicken.

MASHED POTATOES Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 2 lb (1 kg) potatoes 5 oz (100-150 g) butter (unsalted) ¼ onion (20 g) dill (fresh, for serving) 1 tablespoon sour cream salt to taste How to do: 1. Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces. Cover with cold water and put on a small heat, add salt to taste. Chop the onion finely and add to the potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes. Increase heat, bring to a boil and cook until tender. 2. Pour out the water. If you want to make a liquid puree, pour some potato water into a cup and add as you cook. You can also use hot milk for these purposes. 3. Add butter and a tablespoon of sour cream to the potatoes. Prepare mashed potatoes using potato masher. 4. Garnish with chopped dill when serving.

MEAT PIE WITH DARK BEER Prep: 30 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) ground beef 5 oz (150 g) onion 17 fl oz (500 ml) beer (dark) 1 oz (30 g) parsley (fresh) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1½ oz (50 g) tomato paste 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 11 oz (300 g) puff pastry dough 1 egg salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Peel the onion and chop finely. Heat a skillet with olive oil and melt the butter in it. Fry the onion until transparent. 2. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Fry until the meat is brown. Pour in dark beer, add tomato paste and simmer over medium heat until beer evaporates. 3. Add chopped parsley and remove from heat. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). 4. Roll out the defrosted puff pastry on a floured table. Place the meat in a small ceramic or metal baking dish and cover with the dough. Brush with beaten egg on top and bake for 40 minutes.

MEATLOAF WITH SPINACH AND NUTS Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 3-4 Ingredients: 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) chuck shoulder steak (boneless) 3 oz (80 g) spinach 3½ (100 g) hazelnuts 1 tablespoon capers 1 tablespoon vegetable oil salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) in convection mode. Cut a piece of beef into a thin layer and beat off with a meat tenderizer. You should have a piece of meat about 2 inches thick. Season the meat with salt and pepper. 2. Chop the hazelnuts with a knife and mix with the capers. Rinse and dry spinach leaves. Spread the spinach over the meat and then lay out a layer of nuts. Roll the meat into a roll. Brush the roll with vegetable oil. 3. Wrap the meatloaf in foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Let the meatloaf cool slightly, unfold and cut into thin slices.

PORK KABOB WITH SHRIMPS Prep: 10 mins Cook: 30 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) ground pork 10½ oz (300 g) shrimp (frozen tiger shrimp tails) 1 bunch of arugula soy sauce (for serving) salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Season the ground pork with salt and pepper. 2. Beat the ground meat on a cutting board or in a bowl. Throw the stuffing forcefully onto the board. This will make the meat more sticky and keep the kebab in shape. 3. Defrost the shrimp tails, peel and chop finely. Mix with minced pork until smooth. 4. Form kebabs on wood or metal skewers. They should be small. Grill until tender for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve the kebabs with arugula and soy sauce.

PORK RIBS IN HONEY-GARLIC SAUCE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 50 mins Servings: 2-4 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) Pork ribs 1½ fl oz(50 ml) Soy sauce 2 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon honey 1 fl oz (30-40 ml) rum (or cognac) 1 tablespoon mustard chili powder to taste salt to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 370°F (190°C). Peel and chop the garlic. In a large bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients except the mustard. Place the ribs in the marinade for 5-10 minutes, turning them periodically. 2. Place the ribs on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, brush with mustard and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. 3. Then turn the oven to grill and bake for 10 minutes.

PORK SKEWERS IN A SPICY MARINADE Prep: 60 mins Cook: 10-15 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) pork tenderloin 1 red onion (large) 5 oz (150 g) bell pepper parsley to taste (for serving) For the marinade: 1 lemon (juice of one lemon) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves 1 jalapeño pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon thyme (freshly chopped) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sweet paprika How to do: 1. Prepare the marinade. In a small bowl, combine the juice of one lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, one finely chopped jalapeño pepper, two cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon each of thyme, oregano, salt and paprika. 2. Cut the meat in small pieces (about 1 inch cubes). Cut one large red onion and bell pepper into large slices and place the ingredients in a bowl of marinade. Toss to coat. Place in the fridge for 1 hour. 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place pork on skewers, alternating with onions and peppers. Grill in a skillet until golden brown. Place in a baking dish and put in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

POTATO CAKE IN A PAN Prep: 20 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) potatoes 9 oz (250 g) gouda cheese 2 eggs 1 oz (30 g) parsley vegetable oil (for frying) salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Peel, rinse and grate the potatoes on a large grater. Squeeze the potato juice and drain. 2. Put the potatoes in a bowl, add 2 eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. 3. Heat the frying pan with sunflower oil, lay the potato mixture in a thick layer (approx. 1 inch) and fry on medium heat for approx. 57 minutes. The lower part of the cake should become golden. 4. Gently turn the cake over to the other side and fry for 2 more minutes, then cover with the lid and fry for 5 more minutes. Before serving, sprinkle the cake with parsley.

POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 6 potatoes 3½ oz(100 g) butter (unsalted) (olive oil can be used) 5 oz (150 g) oyster mushrooms 1 onion 1 garlic clove salt and ground black pepper to taste 2 sprigs rosemary How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut the onion and garlic clove into small pieces. 2. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Fry onion and garlic until transparent. Cut the mushrooms and put them in the frying pan. Fry on medium heat until ready. 3. Wash the potatoes well. Do not need to be peeled. Cut it into two pieces along, then cut each half across into thin slices, about 1 inch thick. Hold the half of the potatoes at the edges so that it does not break up. 4. Carefully place the potatoes in the baking mould or on a tray covered with greaseproof paper so that the cut halves do not break up. Salt the potatoes to taste. 5. Melt the remaining butter on a small fire in a small pot. The butter should only melt, but not boil. Fill potatoes evenly with melted butter. 6. With the branches of rosemary cut off the leaves and sprinkle them on potatoes - this will give it a unique flavor. Bake the potatoes in a heated oven for 35-40 minutes. You can check the readiness of potatoes with a knife - it should become soft.

PUMPKIN CREAM SOUP WITH PESTO SAUCE AND PARMESAN CHIPS Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) pumpkin 7 fl oz (200 ml) heavy cream 3½ fl oz (100 ml) olive oil 2 oz (50 g) honey salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds 2 oz (50 g) basil 2 oz (50 g) cedar nuts 2 oz (50 g) parmesan cheese 3 garlic cloves How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel the pumpkin and cut into large cubes. Put pumpkin and garlic on a baking tray, pour melted honey and olive oil. Salt, pepper and put in the oven for 25 minutes. 2. Put it in a bowl of blender or in a pot, add warm cream, beat with a blender to a homogeneous condition. 3. Cooking pesto. To do this, we rub pine nuts, garlic clove, 2 fl oz olive oil, basil leaves and salt into paste in a bowl of blender. 4. Making parmesan chips. This will give an extraordinary taste to the soup. For this grated cheese put a small slide on greaseproof paper and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes. Serve the soup with pumpkin seeds, parmesan chips and pesto.

PUMPKIN GRATIN WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE Cook: 25 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) pumpkin 2 oz (50 g) parmesan cheese or (gruyere) salt and ground black pepper to taste For sauce: 17 fl oz (500 ml) milk 2 oz (50 g) onion 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 1-2 tablespoon flour 1 bay leaf 3 peas black pepper 1 pinch of ground nutmeg 2 pinches of salt How to do: 1. Cook bechamel sauce. Place the milk in a small saucepan and add onions and spices. Place it over a low heat and let it come very slowly up to a simmering point. 2. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and remove onions, bay leaf and black pepper. 3. In another saucepan, melt butter on medium heat and fry flour on it until it is light golden. 4. Reduce the fire, pour the milk and cook on a small fire for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken, whisking from time to time. 5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel and slice the pumpkin with thin slides. Salt a little and put a thin layer into the baking mould and pour a little bechamel sauce on top. 6. Continue to lay out the pieces of pumpkin in layers, abundantly pouring them with sauce. When you fill out the whole form, make the top layer of sauce and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

SALMON STEAK ON A GREASEPROOF PAPER Prep: 5 mins Cook: 8 mins Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1 salmon steak 1 oz (30 g) butter (unsalted) ½ lemon 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or any other greens) salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Season the salmon steak with salt and pepper. Preheat a skillet, place a piece of greaseproof paper cut to shape on top of it, and put butter on top. 2. Melt the butter, put salmon steak and fry on both sides until ready. Fry the fish for a short time so as not to dry it out. It is enough 2-3 minutes on each side. 3. Place the cooked fish on a plate, sprinkle with chopped herbs and pour over with lemon juice.

SPICY MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE Prep: 15 mins Cook: 30-40 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 1 lb (500 g) ground meat (pork and beef) 1 egg 20 fl oz (600 ml) tomato juice 3 cloves 3 peas of black pepper ⅓ oz (10 g) Ginger (fresh) 1 pinch of chopped jalapeno 1 garlic clove 1½ oz (50 g) sugar 1 pinch of cinnamon olive oil (for frying) salt to taste How to do: 1. Salt the minced meat, add the egg and mix well. Roll the minced meat into small balls and fry in a pan with olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Leave the meatballs in the pan. 2. Cook tomato sauce. Chop the garlic and ginger and fry a little in another pan with olive oil so that their aroma opens, add tomato juice, the remaining spices and sugar, simmer the sauce for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce through a sieve. 3. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add salt if necessary. Place the meatballs on wooden toothpicks and serve. Add greens or toasted sesame seeds if desired.

TURKEY SHIN WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 40-50 mins Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1 turkey shin (small) 5 oz (150 g) cranberries (frozen) 1½ oz (50 g) sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 1 sprig rosemary olive oil (for frying) salt and ground black pepper to taste How to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread salt and pepper on the turkey shin and fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil and a stalk of rosemary on all sides until golden crust. Then send to the oven for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the shin). 2. Cook cranberry sauce. In a small saucepan combine cranberry, sugar and spices: 1 cinnamon stick and star anise. Bring to the boil and cook on a small fire for 10 minutes. Then rub the sauce through a sieve. If the sauce is too liquid, boil it a little more. 3. Serve the turkey leg with cranberry sauce. The ideal side dish for the stem is potatoes baked in an oven with rosemary.

TURKEY WITH DRIED FRUITS Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: For turkey: turkey breast (with skin, approx. 1 lb 12 oz (800 g)) cinnamon to taste dried apricots to taste dried figs to taste white wine to taste olive oil to taste salt and ground black pepper to taste For cranberry sauce: 7 oz (200 g) cranberries (frozen) sugar to taste honey to taste How to do: 1. Finely slice dried apricots and dried figs (dried fruit should be enough to cover the turkey breast abundantly). 2. Mix dried fruits with cinnamon, salt, white wine, black pepper and olive oil. 3. Rub the mixture of meat. The meat must be thickly covered with dried fruit and spices. 4. Wrap the turkey in foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) until ready, about 20-25 minutes. When the meat is half ready, open the foil. 5. Cooking cranberry sauce. Pour hot water over the cranberries to defrost it. When the berries defrost, rub them through a sieve and put them on fire. As soon as the cranberries are hot, add sugar and honey. Boil over a slow fire until the sauce thickens. Serve the turkey together with the cranberry sauce.

BAKING AND DESSERTS

AVOCADO SOUFFLE WITH CHOCOLATE Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 2 avocado 3 egg whites 2 oz (60 g) sugar 3 oz (80 g) chocolate vanilla to taste How to do: 1. Remove the pulps from the avocados and mash with a fork or blender. Add natural vanilla or vanilla sugar to taste. Whip whites with sugar until stiff. 2. Put the avocado puree into a deep container, add the whipped egg whites there and mix gently. Divide the resulting mixture into molds, insert a slice of chocolate into each, immersing it completely. Bake in the oven at 390°F (200°C) for 7-10 minutes.

CARROT BISCUIT Prep: 15 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 4 eggs 2 tablespoons sugar 1 pinch of salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 3½ oz (100 g) flour 5⅓ oz (150 g) carrots For cream: 9 oz (250 g) sour cream 2 oz (50 g) powdered sugar How to do: 1. Separate the yolks from the whites. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks with half the sugar. Kill the proteins with the second half of the sugar until thick. 2. Add some salt to the yolks. Gradually pour flour into the mass, where the yolks are with sugar, stir. Then add baking powder. 3. Grate the carrots on a medium or fine grater. Add it to the yolk mixture. Stir until smooth. Gently add a thick protein mass there and stir. 4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Pour the greaseproof paper into the baking mould and pour the biscuit dough into it. Put the form in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check readiness. Check the dough to see if it is ready.

CHERRY CLAFOUTI Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 6-8 Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) flour (and additionally for sprinkling the mold) 4 eggs 7 oz (200 g) sugar 13½ oz (400 ml) milk 1 lb 5 oz (500-600 g) cherries (fresh or frozen) 1 tablespoon lemon (zest) 1 star anise 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) (for greasing the mold) 1 teaspoon vanilla Sugar How to do: 1. Wash the cherries, remove the seeds and put them in a bowl. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine eggs and sugar in another bowl. 3. Whisk the eggs and sugar well, but do not whisk the mixture into a very fluffy foam. 4. Add vanilla sugar. 5. Then add flour. It is recommended to sift the flour when baking, the clafouti will be more tender. 6. Whisk the mixture with a whisk until smooth. The texture of the mixture should be similar to thick sour cream. 7. Add milk to the mixture in a small stream, continuing to stir it. Now it should remind you of very runny sour cream. 8. Finely grate lemon zest into a bowl of cherries. Cherries and zest are a great flavor combination that will give your baked goods a unique taste. 9. Grease a baking dish with butter. The tart dish is best for clafoutis. The ideal mold size is 27 cm. 10. Add a tablespoon of flour to a greased form. Distribute the flour evenly over the form, turning it over in different directions. A thin layer of flour should adhere to the butter. Pour out excess flour. 11. Pour the juice from the cherry bowl. Place the cherry and lemon zest mixture into the baking pan and spread it evenly over the entire diameter of the baking pan. 12. Pour the dough into a mold so that it is evenly distributed over the mold. 13. In the middle of the cake add a star anise. It will give your clafouti a nice aniseed note. In general it is not necessary, but I strongly recommend it. Put the cake in a heated oven for 40-50 minutes. 14. Cool the ready clafouti at room temperature, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. The cake can be stored in the fridge for 2 days under the food wrapping.

CHRISTMAS CAKE Prep: 80 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 5⅓ oz(150 g) corn flour 7 oz (200 g) wheat flour (+2 tablespoons for yeast) 6½ oz (200 ml) milk 1 oz (25 g) fresh yeast 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar 4½ oz (125 g) sugar 1 egg 1½ -2 oz (50 ml) vegetable oil 1 orange 3½ oz (100 g) raisins 2 tablespoons rum (or cognac) 1 pinch of salt powdered sugar to taste walnuts to taste How to do: 1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of wheat flour. The temperature of the milk should be no more than 100°F (38℃), otherwise the yeast may die and your dough will not rise. Mix everything until smooth and leave for 15 minutes for the yeast to start working. During this time, a yeast "cap" will appear. Soak raisins in rum or cognac. 2. Combine two flours - corn flour and wheat flour in a bowl, add remaining sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then add the egg and of vegetable oil. 3. Add yeast mixture. Knead a very soft, homogeneous dough. 4. Leave the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour. During this time, it should increase in volume by 2-3 times. 5. Mash the dough and stir in the soaked raisins. Rub the zest of one orange into the dough. Knead the dough gently to distribute the raisins and zest evenly. 6. Grease the form with vegetable oil and put the dough into it. Leave in the mold for 30 minutes to allow the dough to rise a little more. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle the finished cake with powdered sugar and garnish with walnuts (optional).

CUPCAKES WITH ORANGE GLAZE Prep: 20 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 12½ oz (360 g) Flour 1-1½ teaspoon Baking powder 3 eggs 7 oz (200 g) sugar 1-1½ teaspoon vanilla sugar 1 cup of sour cream 1 orange (zest and juice) lemon juice to taste 1 cup powdered sugar 1 pinch of salt How to do: 1. Mix the eggs with sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Always put the salt in the dough, even if you are preparing a dessert. It is just necessary to balance the flavor in any baked goods. 2. Rub all the ingredients well with a whisk, but do not beat into lush foam. 3. Add the sour cream and mix well with a whisk until homogeneous. 4. Stir the dough on a fine grater orange zest. 5. Then squeeze half an orange juice into a bowl. It is best to first squeeze the juice into a glass and strain through a sieve, so that the muffins do not get the bones. 6. Now add the flour with the baking powder and mix everything well. 7. The dough must be thick enough, but still fluid. 8. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Fill the forms with a ⅔ dough and send them to the oven for 20-25 minutes. Check the readiness with a wooden skewer or toothpick. After you have pierced the baked goods, there should be no leftover dough on the skewer. In this case, the muffins are ready. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for a while. 9. While the cupcakes cool down, prepare the orange glaze. In a bowl of powdered sugar squeeze 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice. Mix the glaze well. Adjust the consistency of the lemon juice according to your preferences. 10. Pour glaze or brush over the ready cold cupcakes. Allow them to dry a little and serve them to the table.

GINGER-HONEY COOKIES Prep: 25 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 12½ oz (350 g) flour 5⅓ oz (150 g) sugar 5⅓ oz (150 g) honey 2½ oz (75 g) butter (unsalted) 1 tablespoon cognac (or rum) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon cocoa ½ teaspoons ginger (ground) ½ teaspoons of cardamom (ground) 1 egg 1 tablespoon powdered sugar How to do: 1. Combine butter, sugar and honey in a bowl. Warm up in a water bath until completely dissolved and combined. Add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 egg, stir and leave to cool to room temperature for 20 minutes. 2. Then add cognac or rum to the bowl. 3. Then add 1 tablespoon of cocoa to the bowl. Mix gently. 4. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour, ground ginger (½ teaspoon) and ground cardamom (½ teaspoon). 5. Combine dry ingredients with egg and butter mixture. Knead a plastic dough. You may need a little more flour. 6. Roll out the dough into a very thick layer. Using the molds, shape the dough into the shape of men. You can use any other molds. 7. Place the cookies on a greaseproof paper, lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-12 minutes. Decorate the finished biscuits with powdered sugar if desired.

PEACH TART WITH THYME Prep: 20 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 1 Ingredients: For the dough: 7 oz (200-220 g) flour 3½ oz (100 g) butter (unsalted) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (optional) 2 tablespoons yogurt 1 pinch of salt For filling: 4-5 peaches 2 tablespoons sugar 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 egg yolk (for smearing the dough before baking) 2-3 sprigs rhyme 1 lemon (juice and zest, optional) 1½ oz (50 g) almond How to do: 1. Prepare a shortcrust pastry breeze. Combine flour with butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar. Rub into oily crumbs with your hands. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt and mix with the crumb. 2. Gather the dough into a ball. Leave it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. 3. Wash and dry peaches well. Cut the fruit into very thick slices. 4. Fold the prepared slices into a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the sugar to taste. Stir gently so as not to break the peach slices. 5. Roll out the dough between two sheets of greaseproof paper. 6. Carefully place the peach filling on the dough, not reaching the edge of 1½-2 inches. 7. After that, carefully fold the edges of the dough onto the filling and pinch. 8. Grease the dough with an egg yolk with a culinary brush and cook in an oven heated to 390°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes. The dough should become golden and the peaches should become soft in juice caramel. 9. Chop almonds into a crumb, but not very fine. 10. Ready-made tart with peaches can be additionally flavored with 23 thyme leaves. 11. Add lemon zest, a couple of drops of lemon juice and almond

crumbs to the filling as desired to balance the flavor. Let the tart cool slightly to stabilize the filling.

PUMPKIN CASSEROLE Prep: 30 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: ½ pumpkin (around 18 oz (500 g)) 14 oz (400 g) cottage cheese 2 eggs 2 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted) 1 pinch of salt 1 bar of chocolate (optional) How to do: 1. Wash and wipe the pumpkin with a kitchen towel. Place on a tray and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes. Then use a spoon to select the pumpkin pulp in the bowl. 2. Add cottage cheese to the pumpkin pulp (adjust the fat content yourself), 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons. sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt. 3. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the mixture. If you want to give a more delicate structure to the casserole, you can use rice flour instead of wheat flour. 4. Break all the ingredients with the blender to a homogeneous creamy paste. 5. Put the resulting paste in the baking mould, lubricate with butter. Place in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 35-40 minutes until brown. 6. If you want, decorate the casserole with grated chocolate before serving.

RICE PUDDING Prep: 80 mins Cook: 40 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 17 fl oz (500 ml) milk 2 fl oz (50 ml) coconut milk 12 ⅓ oz (350 g) boiled rice ½ teaspoon vanilla sugar 1 lemon (zest) ½ orange 1 lime (zest) 2 eggs + 1 egg white 3½ oz (100 g) sugar How to do: 1. Boil the rice and cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Rub the zest over the orange, lemon and lime. Remove only the top layer without the white part, otherwise unnecessary bitterness will appear in the pudding. 2. Heat milk in a small saucepan, add vanilla sugar, coconut milk and citrus zest. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. 3. Beat eggs and whites with sugar until smooth. Add hot milk mixture and stir well. 4. Put the rice in a baking dish and cover with the milk-egg mixture. Place this container in an even larger container filled with water to make a water bath and place it in the oven for 45-60 minutes. Reach out and enjoy the amazingly delicate taste.

QUICHE WITH BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS Prep: 50 mins Cook: 30 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: For stuffing: 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) broccoli (frozen) 8½ fl oz (250 ml) heavy cream 2 oz (50 g) peanuts (salty fried) 2 eggs 7 oz (200 g) gouda cheese salt and ground black pepper to taste For dough: 12 oz (350 g) Flour 1 pinch of salt 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 5⅓ oz (150 g) butter (unsalted) 2 egg yolks 1-2 tablespoons water (or milk) 1 pinch of sugar How to do: 1. Prepare the dough. Mix flour, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Add softened butter and mix well with your hands until a homogeneous crumb is obtained. 2. Add two yolks and mix the dough well with your hands again. 3. If the dough will fall apart, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk. The dough should be soft and supple. 4. Form a ball of dough, wrap it in a food film and send it to the fridge for 30 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin between two sheets of waxy greaseproof paper ⅕ inch thick. This bookmark will be enough to roll out the dough to a 11 inches shape. 6. Put the dough in the mould, press it well to the edges of the mould. Cut the extra dough with a knife to create a perfectly flat edge. 7. Make punctures in the dough with a fork around the perimeter of the mold so that the dough does not swell when baked. Put into a heated oven for 8-10 minutes. Then take out the dough and let it cool down a little. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350°F (180°C). 8. Meanwhile, put the frozen broccoli in a bowl. Start to prepare the pouring. Combine in a bowl of heavy cream, 2 eggs and mix with a whisk. 9. Grate any hard cheese on a coarse grater and add to the egg-cream

10. 11. 12.

13.

mixture. Mix everything evenly. Put the broccoli in the form with the dough and spread evenly over the entire area. Fill the tart with the prepared filling, so that it is evenly spread over the form. Add 50g of fried peanuts. It can be added both at this stage and during the preparation of the quiche, when the egg mass is slightly baked. Bake the quiche in an oven at 350°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes. Take the ready cake out of the oven and let it cool down completely. Cut it into portions and serve.

BEVERAGES

CHERRY FRUIT-DRINK WITH APPLE AND GINGER Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 6-8 Ingredients: 10½ oz (300 g) cherries (frozen) 3 apples 2 inches (5 cm) ginger root 67-84 fl oz (2-2.5 L) Water sugar to taste How to do: 1. Defrost the cherries, wash the apples and chop them into large slices. Cut the ginger into thin slices (it's not necessary to peel). 2. Place all the ingredients in the pot, pour cold water, bring to the boil, reduce fire to a minimum and cook for 5 minutes.

CRANBERRY FRUIT-DRINK WITH ORANGE ZEST Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15 mins Servings: 6-8 Ingredients: 14 oz (400 g) cranberries (fresh or frozen) 5 tablespoons sugar 1 orange (juice and zest) 68 fl oz (2 l) water ice (optional) How to do: 1. Wash the orange and remove the zest from it. Try not to capture the white part of the orange peel, it can give bitterness. 2. Fill the cranberries with water, add orange peel and 5 tablespoons of sugar. Squeeze out the orange juice, bring it to a boil and completely dissolve the sugar. 3. Knead the hot mixture a little to enhance the taste of the fruitdrink. 4. Cool the drink and let it insist for a few hours (if possible). Before serving, strain the fruit-drink. You can additionally cool it with ice cubes when serving.

ICED TEA WITH BERRIES Prep: 3 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 14 oz (400 g) Frozen berries 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon black tea 68 fl oz (2 l) water How to do: 1. Fill the berries with water and bring them to the boil. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes, reducing the fire. 2. Turn off the fire and add black tea (1 tablespoon). Leave to insist and cool down a little. If desired, add ice when serving.

LEMONADE WITH BASIL Prep: 2 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 2 lemon 7 fl oz (200 ml) water 3½ oz (100 g) sugar 1 oz (30 g) basil 33-50 fl oz (1-1.5 l) carbonated water How to do: 1. Pour water into a small saucepan, add sugar and basil leaves. Save some leaves for serving. 2. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove from the fire and interrupt with a blender. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. 3. Pour the basil decoction into the decanter, add the juice of two lemons (save a few slices of lemon for serving) and add slightly degassed water. Taste the lemonade, if it tastes too sweet for you, you can increase the amount of water. 4. Add slices of lemon and basil leaves to the decanter and fridge for at least 1 hour.

MANDARIN ORANGES LEMONADE WITH GINGER Prep: 15 mins Cook: 25 mins Servings: 2-4 Ingredients: 5 mandarin oranges 1 inch (2.5 cm) ginger root 5 tablespoons sugar 17 fl oz (0.5 l) water 50 fl oz (1.5 l) mineral water (highly carbonated) ice (optional) mint to taste How to do: 1. Clean and chop the tangerines in random pieces. Place in a saucepan. 2. Ginger root, peel off the rind and cut into slices. Add to the tangerine saucepan. 3. Add sugar and water to the saucepan. Boil for 3 minutes and cool completely. 4. Fold the mixing, so that the taste of lemonade turned out more intense. 5. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve. 6. Arrange the syrup in the decanter where you will serve the lemonade. Add some tangerine or orange mugs for decoration. 7. Add a few leaves of mint to each decanter. 8. Dilute the syrup with highly carbonated water. When serving, cool with ice.

MASALA TEA Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Servings: 2 Ingredients: 10 fl oz (300 ml) milk 10 fl oz (300 ml) water 1 tablespoon honey 4 teaspoons black tea 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 5 seeds of cardamom 3 peas of black pepper 2 cloves ½ teaspoon ginger (powdered) How to do: 1. Break all the spices in a blender or a ceramic mortar. In a small saucepan or kettle mix milk and water, add tea brew, spices and honey. 2. Bring it to a boil, let it insist for 5 minutes, strain it through a sieve and pour it into cups. If you want to get a more intense taste of tea, boil it for a few minutes, and only then turn it off.

NON-ALCOHOLIC MULLED WINE Prep: 5 mins Cook: 10 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients: 35 fl oz (1 l) grape juice ½ orange 2 cinnamon sticks 5 cloves 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs thyme 2 tablespoons sugar How to do: 1. Wash the orange and slice in circles. We use half of them to make mulled wine. 2. In a small pot pour the juice and add all the spices: cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Then add sugar and half orange rings. Place on a small fire and cook for 10 minutes. Observe that your mulled wine is not boiling. 3. You can serve this drink hot and cold. When serving, add a mug of orange to each glass.

CONCLUSION

Thank you for reading my book. I hope that this holiday recipe book has provided you with a good variety of delicious recipes that will help you spend the holidays with your family without wasting a lot of time. Good luck. I wish you only the best! Alice Robinson. The Easiest Holiday Cookbook: 50+ Healthy, Easy, Fast аnd Delicious Meals For The Hоliday Season, Including Recipes For Holidays. Kindle Edition.