Chef Teresa’s Holiday Meal Prep Guide
Tis the season for entertaining loved ones, gathering around a cozy fire and good food!
Chef Teresa Hansen knows a thing or two about prepping for a large gathering, so she prepared this handy holiday menu to take the planning out of your hands, giving you more time to live in the moment and enjoy your holidays!
In this guide you’ll find a complete four-course holiday menu for six people that includes a grocery list and schedule for prepping a seasonal appetizer, festive salad, a delicious main dish and a scrumptious dessert. Here’s what recipes are included:
Shopping List
Expand each section to reveal the shopping list. Please note, additional coupons can be found at your local grocery stores. Shop for what is on sale. All food prices are based in Phoenix, AZ
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Butternut Squash x 12 oz____ $0.99/lb
Fennel x 1 pound____ $1.99/lb
Fresh Sage x 1 pack____ $1.99
Fresh Rosemary____ $1.99
Mixed Greens ____ $3.99/lb
Baby Potatoes x 2 lbs____$1.99/lb
Fuji Apples x 2____$1.29
Granny Smith Apple x 1.____$1.00
Yellow onion x 1____$0.89
Garlic x 1____ $0.59
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Oats x 1 ____$1.99 ea.
Salted Caramel x 1____ $1.99 ea.
Apple Cider x 4 cups____ $2.99 ea
Dried Cranberries____ $1.99
Candied Pecans ____$1.99
Classic baguette x 1 ____$1.79 ea.
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Unsalted butter x 1 pound____ $2.49/lb
Cranberry Goat Cheese x4 oz ____$3.99
Pork Loin Roast x 3 pounds ____$3.99/lb
Heavy Cream x 8 ounces____ $2.99
Greek Yogurt x 1 cup____ $1.99
Cream Cheese x 8 oz____ $1.99
Prep Schedule
2-3 Days Before:
Make sautéed apples
Make Cheesecake Mousse
Make Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Day Before:
Make stuffing, roll up and tie pork roast. Rest for 24 hours prior to roasting
Cook butternut squash
Slice Baguette
Cook potatoes
Day Of:
Toast baguette
Assemble dessert
Roast pork
Assemble appetizer
Prepare Gravy
Butternut Squash Crostini
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted or olive oil
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups diced butternut squash, ¼ in dice
1 baguette, thinly sliced
4 ounces cranberry goat cheese, room temperature
Fennel fronds, for garnish
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Mix together butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt. Evenly coat butternut squash with butter mixture then spread on a greased baking sheet.
3. Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
4. Brush sliced baguettes with melted butter or olive oil. Place on baking sheet and bake for 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.
5. Spread about 2-3 teaspoons of goat cheese on each baguette, top with 1 tablespoon butternut squash and garnish with fennel fronds.
6. Serve immediately
*Leave goat cheese on counter at room temperature 1-2 hours prior to serving so that it easily spreads on baguette.
Fall Harvest Salad
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 8 MINUTES
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
6 cups mixed greens
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup candied pecans
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
maple dijon vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste.
Preparation
1. Place salad in a large bowl. Top with cranberries, goat cheese, pecans and apple.
2. Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle vinaigrette on salad when time to serve.
Fennel-Herb Stuffed Pork Roast + Apple Cider Gravy
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES PLUS 24 hour OVERNIGHT
COOK TIME: 60-90 MINUTES
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
FOR THE STUFFING:
3 ounces baguette, torn into 1 inch pieces
1 fennel bulb, about 8 ounces, core removed + cut into 1 inch pieces
½ granny smith apple, cored + cut into 1 inch pieces
½ medium yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
6 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves
FOR THE PORK:
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup apple cider
butcher’s twine
FOR THE GRAVY:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup apple cider
1 1/2 cups pan drippings
Kosher salt
Preparation
1. Place the bread in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse into fine crumbs, about 15 (1-second) pulses. Remove to a large bowl and set aside.
2. Place the fennel, apple, and onion in the food processor and pulse into fine pieces no larger than a grain of rice, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 20 (1-second) pulses; set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the processed fennel mixture and the rosemary, minced garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add to bowl with the breadcrumbs. Stir until combined and the bread is evenly moistened. Stir in chopped fresh sage. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed; set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and cut 6 (18-inch) lengths of kitchen twine; set the baking sheet and twine aside.
6. For the pork: Mix the salt, brown sugar and pepper in a small bowl until combined; set aside.
7. To butterfly the pork, place it on a cutting board with one end pointing toward you. Slice lengthwise down the center, almost but not quite cutting through the pork, leaving about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness of meat intact.
8. Open the pork up like a book and push on it to flatten.
9. Starting on the left side, with the blade of the knife parallel to the cutting board and the blade facing left, slice down the length of the seam, maintaining the 1/2-to 3/4-inch thickness.
10. Pull the meat open and press down to flatten. Continue cutting and flattening until the entire left half is 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness.
11. Rotate the pork and repeat on the other half. Evenly spread the reserved stuffing over the pork, leaving a 1-1/2-inch border.
12. Starting on the right side roll the pork in a tight cylinder. Tie the pieces of twine around the pork, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart and trimming off any excess.
13. Rub the oil evenly over the outside of the pork, then rub the roast with the sugar-salt and pepper mix.
14. Place the roast seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
15. Roast until the pork is light golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, rotate the baking sheet and pour in 1 cup apple cider.
16. Roast until an internal temperature into the center of the pork registers 145°F, about 25 to 35 minutes more. Let the roast rest on the baking sheet loosely tented with foil for 20 minutes before slicing.
17. Make Gravy: Remove 1 1/2 cups drippings/liquid from the roasting pan. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter then stir in the flour and cook until light brown, about 1 minute.
18. Whisk in the pan drippings and apple cider, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Continue whisking and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
MASHED POTATOES
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
2 pounds baby potatoes, washed but not peeled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Cover potatoes with water in a large pot and add 2 teaspoons salt to water.
2. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Drain and place potatoes back in pot. Mash with a potato masher or use a potato ricer.
5. Add butter, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Continue to mash until smooth.
6. Keep covered until ready to serve.
Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Mousse
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients
OAT PIE CRUMBLE:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup oats
pinch of kosher salt
CHEESECAKE MOUSSE:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 Greek yogurt
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
SAUTÉED APPLES:
2 Fuji apples, peeled + diced (1/2 inch dice)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt
Preparation
1. Combine oats, melted butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and evenly spread on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 300 F until oats are golden brown. Set aside.
2. Add cream cheese, greek yogurt and powdered sugar to a large electric mixer bowl fitted with a paddle.
3. Mix on medium high speed until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
4. Whip heavy whipping cream with a mixer until stiff peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
6. Cook until apples are tender about 6-8 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
7. Day of: Load cheesecake batter in piping bag.
8. Serving Directions: Layer 1 heaping teaspoon of oat crust topping into bottom of short glass.
9. Pipe cheesecake batter into shot glass until shot glass is almost full. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of sautéed apples.