For many hosts and hostesses, planning a holiday gathering involves many details and careful planning of everything from the tablecloths to the dessert plates. Free yourself from this stress, and focus your attention on creating a holiday menu that includes plenty of tasty bites, sweet eats and flavorful drinks. Focus on the food and watch all the details fall into place, making your festive celebration the most memorable event of the year.

Brie with Chilean Grape Salsa and Tortillas

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quartered fresh Chilean red seedless grapes
• 1 small mild red chile pepper (jalapeno), chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Pomegranate seeds (optional)
• 4 ounces wedge Brie cheese
• 6 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine quartered grapes, chile pepper, lime juice, honey and pomegranate seeds (if using). Stir well. Keep chilled. Upon standing, salsa generates delicious grape “juice.”
3. Cut tortillas into triangles. Place on baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, until brown and crispy. Bake Brie until soft and melted about 5–8 minutes.
4. Serve grape salsa from bowl or spoon it over top of warm Brie.

Apple Pie in a Glass

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 thin slices fresh ginger root
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 ounces dry sherry
• 2 ounces apple brandy

Preparation

1. Put cider, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and brown sugar in small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and divide between two Irish coffee glasses or mugs. Transfer cinnamon stick to each. Top each with half the sherry and brandy. Serve hot.

Salted Chocolate Tart with Chip Crust

Ingredients

For crust:

• 1 “Sharing Size” bag Kettle Brand Chips, Sea Salt flavor
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For filling:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Preparation

1. To make crust, first preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In food processor, pulse potato chips until finely ground. Add melted butter and flour and pulse for 30 seconds to combine.
3. Press potato chip crust into bottom and sides of 9-inch tart pan.
4. Transfer to pre-heated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
5. To make chocolate filling, combine cream and chocolate chips in medium pot over medium heat; warm cream until chocolate starts to melt. Whisk both ingredients together until completely smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and salt and continue to whisk until smooth.
6. Pour chocolate filling mixture into cooled tart shell and place back into oven and bake for 22–25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
7. To make chocolate ganache topping, heat cream in small saucepan and add chocolate. Whisk together over medium heat until mixture is smooth and all chocolate has melted.
8. Pour mixture over middle of chocolate tart and use offset spatula to spread around evenly.
9. Let entire tart chill overnight in refrigerator.
10. Dust with flaky sea salt before slicing and serving.

Grilled Salmon Nachos with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons jerk marinade
• 1 package (6.3 ounces) Gorton’s Classic Grilled Salmon Fillets
• 1 fresh mango, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped cilantro
• 20 tortilla chips
• Cilantro leaves and lime wedges (for garnish)

Preparation

1. Spoon marinade over fillets and cook according to package instructions.
2. Mix mango, red onion, jalapeno, honey and pinch of salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro and pinch of salt in small bowl. Set aside.
4. Arrange tortilla chips in single layer on platter. Top each chip with mango mixture.
5. Cut cooked fillets into approximately 20 pieces and place one piece on top of each chip.
6. Top with lime sour cream and garnish each chip with cilantro leaf. Serve with lime wedges.

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