Ring in the New Year with a festive dinner party for family and friends! Pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly and fill champagne glasses half way and top with cranberry juice and a few frozen cranberries in each glass as a garnish. Serve your favourite salad and a special main course that is sure to please. Then save some bubbly to serve with dessert or for toasting the New Year. Here are two main dish entrees to try:
Coq Au Vin
The name just sounds special and oh la la! It may sound elegant, but it’s actually quite easy to prepare and very impressive!
4 slices of bacon, cooked and diced into pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp of flour
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup of pearl onions (if unavailable, use small peeled onions cut in quarters)
1 ½ cup white wine
1 cup of chicken stock
1 large bag of egg noodles
¼ cup of SOUR SUPREME®
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook bacon in a frying pan or the microwave, chop and set aside. In a bowl, mix together the salt, pepper and 2 Tbsp of flour. Dip chicken breasts in flour mixture, lightly coating both sides. In a large pan, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken and cook until golden, or about five minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add onions and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Add white wine and stir. Cook until reduced by half. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet. Add bacon. Stir in the SOUR SUPREME®
Put pan into the oven and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. While dish is in the oven, fill a large pot half way with cold water, add 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add l package of egg noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and pour pasta into a large casserole or platter. Spoon chicken and sauce over top and serve hot, topped with a dollop of SOUR SUPREME®
Strip Steaks with Mustard “Cream”
Make a trip to your favourite butcher or grocer for strip loin steaks. They are everyone’s favourite treat, and after all, it is New Year’s Eve!
4 small boneless strip loin steaks (6 to 8 oz each)
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup white wine
3 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 tsp of water
1 cup of Garlic & Herb TOFUTTI Better Than Cream Cheese
Take steaks out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a 10-inch cast iron frying pan on high for about 2 minutes until hot. Add butter and then add steaks. Sear steaks and cook about 5 minutes on the first side. Using tongs or a fork, place steak on side and sear around edges until a slight crust forms, Flip steak onto uncooked side and cook again for about 5-6 minutes (insert a meat thermometer and cook until it reaches 125 degrees F for medium to rare steak.) Once cooked to your liking, place steaks on a meat platter and let steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes to lock in the juices.
In the same frying pan, add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Stir in mustard and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. In measuring cup, mix the water and cornstarch together. Pour into pan and stir until mixture thickens. Then add 1 cup of Garlic & Herb TOFUTTI Better Than Cream Cheese and stir just until heated. Transfer steaks on to heated plates, pour 2 to 3 Tbsp of sauce over each steak and serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables of your choice.