On the Fourth Day of Christmas, Spectrum Design Group Gives You: Four Holiday Recipes

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, Spectrum Design Group gives you: Four Holiday Dishes, Three Holiday Cocktails, Two Resolutions, and One Website in a pear tree.

Okay, so we know we all have one…that Pinterest Board with hundreds, if not thousands, of pinned recipes “we’re going to make someday,” right?

Well, on this fourth day of Christmas, we have decided to give to you, our friends, FOUR holiday recipes from our board! (Which, if we’re being honest, are never going to get around to making.) BUT, maybe, just maybe, it will be that perfect dish or dessert that will make your holiday merry and bright! If so, please let us know how it turned out. And if not, well shoot, just add it to your Pinterest Board. You’ll make it someday…

Regifted Pin #1

The Holiday Honeycrisp Salad

This gorgeous Holiday Honeycrisp Salad is full of flavor and texture, with fresh apple slices, crunchy toasted pecans, chewy dried cranberries, zippy blue cheese, and a tangy-sweet apple cider vinaigrette. It’s perfect as a Christmas salad, a Thanksgiving salad, for a dinner party, or as part of a regular weeknight dinner!

Author: Samantha Skaggs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light vegetable oil, such as sunflower or safflower OR extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice OR apple cider

• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 3 medium Honeycrisp apples (about 1 pound), thinly sliced

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 12 ounces salad greens, spring mix, baby spinach, arugula, baby romaine, OR a combo of your favorites

• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted or candied

• 3/4 cup dried cranberries OR dried cherries

• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

1. To prepare Apple Cider Vinaigrette, measure oil, apple cider vinegar, apple juice/cider, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a mason jar. Tightly screw on lid and shake vigorously until everything is thoroughly combined. Alternatively, you may briskly whisk the ingredients together in a medium bowl, or blend them in a blender or mini food processor.

2. Place apple slices in a large plastic baggie and squeeze the fresh lemon juice (from the lemon half) over them. Close bag and shake to coat. In a large salad bowl, layer salad greens, apple slices, pecans, dried cranberries, and blue cheese. Just before serving, dress with desired amount of Apple Cider Vinaigrette and toss until salad ingredients are evenly coated.

Notes

You may prep the individual components of this salad ahead of time and then assemble everything just before serving.

A day or two ahead of time:

• Make the vinaigrette and store in the refrigerator. Before using, allow it to come to room temperature and then shake well.

• Toast the pecans, allow to completely cool, and store in an airtight container.

• Wash and dry the salad greens (if they’re not already washed).

A few hours ahead of time on the same day:

• Cut the apples and shake the slices with a generous amount of lemon juice. Squeeze the air out of the bag and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the salad. Honeycrisp apples will typically hold their bright color (shaken with lemon juice) for several hours. Other varieties of softer apples (such as Gala) will brown more quickly, so those shouldn’t be sliced and shaken with lemon juice until just before serving.

Regifted Pin #2

Slow Cooker Cranberry Brisket

This tender, slow-cooked beef brisket is served with a savory cranberry glaze, making it the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 (3-4 lb.) beef brisket

• 2 (14 oz.) cans whole berry cranberry sauce

• 1 (12 oz.) can ginger ale

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1 envelope onion soup mix

• 1 tablespoons cornstarch

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place brisket in a lightly greased slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 can of cranberry sauce, ginger ail, dried cranberries, onion soup mix, corn starch, and salt and pepper, to taste.

2. Pour sauce over brisket. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or until brisket is tender.

3. Move brisket to a platter. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together remaining can of cranberry sauce with desired amount of juices from slow cooker to create a glaze. Slice brisket and serve with cranberry glaze.

Regifted Pin #3

Soft and Chewy Ginger Snap Cookies

Soft and chewy Ginger Snaps are an easy, fragrant cookie that are perfect for any holiday cookie spread!

Author: Melissa | Persnickety Plates

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 1 large egg

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg and beat on medium until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt, Stir well with a spatula until fully combined.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

5. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl (for rolling).

6. Use a medium cookie scoop to shape the dough into approx. 1″ balls. Roll in sugar and place 12 per baking sheet onto your prepared sheets.

7. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until just set (they will puff up then flatten while baking).

8. Remove from oven and let stand on the cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

9. Enjoy!

Regifted Pin #4

Gluten-Free Eggnog Cake

Deliciously creamy gluten-free eggnog cake that’s full of holiday flavor! Naturally vegan and dairy-free as well, this eggnog cake is perfect for the holidays!

Author: thebananadiaries

Ingredients

• 3 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, softened

• 1 cup coconut sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 3 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/4 cup vegan egg nog

Vegan Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease three 6″ cake pans with olive or coconut oil.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and coconut sugar with a hand mixer.

3. Add in the applesauce, and vanilla extract, and beat together until smooth.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

5. Sift in by 1 cup at a time the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, continuing to beat the mixture as it combines.

6. When the batter is thick and combined, add in the vegan eggnog, and beat again until well combined.

7. Pour the batter evenly among the three cake pans and place into the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

9. To make the frosting, begin by using a hand mixer to cream the butter.

10. Then sift in 1 cup at a time of powdered sugar until it’s all mixed together.

11. Add in the vanilla extract.

12. Frost your cake and serve!

Cory Interior Designer

Building his first treehouse at the age of eight, Cory has been interested in homes ever since. Many tents and treehouses later, Cory entered into the professional world of design working as a scenic designer in theater and a senior exhibit designer/art director in the museum and themed entertainment industry. Joining the SDG team has allowed Cory to channel his creative spirits back "home" for which he is thankful.

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