I hope you’ve enjoyed my take on a holiday meal over the past few weeks.  I started off the Breakstone’s Holiday Showdown by sharing an appetizer of Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters. For the main dish, we enjoyed a savory salmon with a herb cream sauce. Our dessert was a tasty baked apple brulee.

I enjoy a traditional holiday meal as much as the next person, but I also find that by the time we are done with all the holiday entertaining, I get tired of eating the same thing over and over. By January, I’m definitely turkey’d out!

When we have our annual holiday party with friends, I like to make something different… something our friends aren’t going to be tired of by the time they get to our holiday party.

Sweet pumpkin desserts are popular during the holidays, but rarely does pumpkin get the chance to take on the starring role as an appetizer. Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters give pumpkin the chance to shine in a non-traditional way during the holidays.

Salmon is an elegant addition to any meal and what better time to treat your friends and family to something unexpected and delicious than during the holidays?

Baked Apple Brulee is a dessert I love. Typically when I am done with the main part of a holiday meal, I am stuffed. Apple brulee is a light, non-heavy dessert with a sweet richness and creamy texture. It’s definitely not your traditional way to end a holiday meal, but it certainly is delicious!

This is my last time to remind you all… you still have time to vote for your favorite holiday recipes over on the Better Homes and Gardens website. If you enjoyed my non-traditional take on the holiday meal, I would definitely appreciate your vote!

Head over to the Breakstone’s Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Showdown page to cast your vote. Voters will be entered to win a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. In addition, one lucky voter will win the  $2500 grand prize. Voting on the Holiday Showdown entries on the contest page will immediately enter you into the grand prize drawing. Thanks for voting and good luck!

Thanks so much and happy holidays to you all!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Breakstone’s Sour Cream. I was compensated for my time and ingredients and have the opportunity to win a cash prize if my menu is selected as the winner.

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Part three of the Breakstone’s Holiday Showdown had us creating a delicious holiday dessert recipe featuring Breakstone’s sour cream.

I love dessert and I especially love over indulging during the holidays, but sometimes it just feels like there is too much food all the time. I kept this in mind when I created my holiday dessert recipe and decided to go with something that isn’t overly heavy and won’t weigh you down at the end of the holiday meal.

Baked Apple Brulee is a dessert with tender, sweet apples and a caramelized sugar and Breakstone’s sour cream sauce. It isn’t your traditional holiday dessert, but I think that this year can be all about starting new traditions, don’t you think?

Head over to the Breakstone’s Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Showdown page each day to cast your vote. Voters will be entered to win a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. In addition, one lucky voter will win the  $2500 grand prize. Voting on the Holiday Showdown entries on the contest page will immediately enter you into the grand prize drawing. Thanks for voting and good luck!

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Baked Apple Brulee

A delicious, creamy, unexpected apple dessert.

Ingredients

• Recipe: Baked Apple Brulee
• 3 large Golden Delicious Apples
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup Breakstone’s Sour Cream
• 4 heaping tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

• Peel, core and cut apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; sauté 9 minutes or until apples are just tender.
• Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute or until sugar melts.
• Transfer apples to 4, individual 8-ounce ramekins. Top each ramekin with ¼ cup sour cream then 1 heaping tablespoon of brown sugar (evenly distributed over the top)
• Broil on high 4 inches from the heat for 5-8 minutes or until bubbly and sugar is caramelized.

This is part of a sponsored post series from Breakstone’s Sour Cream and Better Homes and Gardens. I was compensated for my time and ingredients. All opinions expressed are my own.

The post Breakstone’s Holiday Showdown {Dessert Recipe: Baked Apple Brulee} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Salmon is a mild flavored fish that even the pickiest of seafood eaters tend to like. This particular salmon recipe, featuring a rich and creamy herb sauce made with Breakstone’s sour cream, is an elegant addition to any holiday menu.

When you are tired of turkey and bored with ham, bring salmon to the table – you’ll be glad you gave salmon a chance at your holiday table!

Head over to the Breakstone’s Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Showdown page to cast your vote. Voters will be entered to win a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. In addition, one lucky voter will win the  $2500 grand prize. Voting on the Holiday Showdown entries on the contest page will immediately enter you into the grand prize drawing. Thanks for voting and good luck!

Recipe: Oven Baked Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

For the salmon:

• 2 pounds salmon fillets, skin removed
• 1/2 cup Breakstone’s sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup Breakstone’s Sour Cream
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a baking dish.
2. Arrange salmon fillets in prepared baking dish. Evenly coat with sour cream. Sprinkle black pepper evenly over salmon fillets.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, blend chicken broth and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, and with a whisk, stir continuously. Reduce heat and add sour cream, salt and Italian Seasoning. Continue to whisk until a smooth sauce has formed.
5. Plate cooked salmon and drizzle with creamy herb sauce. Top with one small squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

 This is a sponsored post on behalf of Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All opinions expressed are my own.

The post Breakstone’s Sour Cream Holiday Showdown {Recipe: Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

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You may remember back in the spring when I did some work creating a tablescape and holiday recipe for Breakstone’s Sour Cream and Better Homes & Gardens. I have joined together with these two great organizations again for a fun, 4 part, holiday showdown.

You can find out about this Holiday Showdown event by visiting the Better Homes & Gardens website. In short, 2 other bloggers and I have each created a unique holiday menu using Breakstone’s sour cream. We’ve each been tasked with creating an appetizer, main dish, and dessert recipe using Breakstone’s sour cream as an ingredient. Our recipes will be judged and based on those results, and your votes, one of the bloggers will be crowned the holiday showdown winner!

For the appetizer portion of the showdown, I have created Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters. Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters are served warm in small shot glasses. This appetizer is a perfect beginning for a holiday party as you can eat them without the use of utensils.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters can also be served in large bowls as a traditional soup.

Everyone loves pumpkin this time of year. Take pumpkin to a whole new level with Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters!

Head over to the Breakstone’s Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Showdown page to cast your vote. You can vote each and every day during the showdown. Voters will be entered to win a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. In addition, one lucky voter will win the  $2500 grand prize. Voting on the Holiday Showdown entries on the contest page will immediately enter you into the grand prize drawing. Thanks for voting and good luck!

Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters

• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup Breakstone’s sour cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly shredded parmesan (optional but highly recommended)
• 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon (optional but highly recommended)

1. Heat a medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and butter. Cook until softened, being careful not to burn. Add the chicken broth and pumpkin. Bring to a low boil. Turn off heat until warm.
2. Carefully pour mixture into a blender. Add milk, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pepper and sour cream. Continue blending until well combined.
3. Once blended, place mixture in a clean saucepan and heat through.
4. Serve warm in large shot glasses. Garnish with a sprinkle of crumbled bacon and shredded Parmesan.

The post Breakstone’s Holiday Showdown – Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters appeared first on Dine and Dish.

April in Kansas is not a good time for strawberries, yet each and every year, around this time, I get tempted. The weather warms up and I want fresh fruit. I walk into the grocery store and see the displays of red, ripe strawberries and can’t resist them. I get them home, wash them and dig in for my first bite only to be disappointed. They are never as sweet and delicious as I hope.

In the summer, Kansas strawberries are the most amazing things. They don’t need anything at all to make them taste good… no sugar, no cream… nothing. They are fantastic just the way they are.

The April strawberries I was tempted into buying and brought home did need something, and I knew just the enhancement they needed. This recipe for Strawberries with Maple Cream Sauce used to be my “go to” dessert recipe when we’d have last minute company.  It is a quick, easy and elegant dessert and it enhances strawberries perfectly!

If you have been tempted by less than stellar April strawberries, give this recipe a try. It’ll turn so-so strawberries into an amazing dessert!

Recipe: Strawberries with Maple Cream Sauce

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