A Chic Holiday Feast Made Easy
(NAPSA) - Hosting a holiday party that's fun and features fantastic food need not be complicated to be chic. These simple tips can help you create a memorable evening with ease:
Consider serving the food A la carte and ask guests to bring favorite holiday dishes. An A la carte table setting encourages socializing and sharing favorite holiday treats and not only cuts catering costs, but helps create conversation.
Make the most of your meal with water, wine and food combinations. Pair red wines with red meats and red sauces and white wines with white meat and white sauces, placing the appropriate wine choices next to each dish for easy self-serve pairing.
Serve these red wines and dishes with S.Pellegrino(r) Sparkling Natural Mineral Water to continually cleanse the palate throughout the meal. The subtle bubbles and minerals stand up to the robust flavors, bringing out subtleties in the wine and food.
Serve white wine such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc and Acqua Panna(r) Natural Spring Water with fish, chicken or pasta.
The smooth texture of the spring water cleanses the palate and enhances the flavor of the meal.
Don't have a favorite holiday dish? This fun and easy recipe is sure to please:
Ingredients:
8 chicken breasts, halved, skinned, boned
2 Tbsp. butter
6 mushrooms, chopped
1/4 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. chopped, cooked ham
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 or 4 thin orange slices
Parsley sprig
White Wine Sauce:
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. white wine
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. apricot preserves
Directions:
Pound chicken breasts between 2 pieces of waxed paper to even thickness; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet; add mushrooms, nuts and ham; stir in bread crumbs.
Salt and pepper breasts, spoon crumb mixture in center of each breast, roll up jelly roll style. Secure with picks. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Spoon white wine sauce over chicken, garnish with orange slices and parsley.
