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Summary
Summary
From Thanksgiving and Christmas to Super Bowl Sunday, the Fourth of July, and Halloween, holidays are a time to enjoy the company of family and friends, not to spend hours working alone in the kitchen. Al Roker is passionate about food and cooking, but he also knows that spending time with his family is more important than preparing a seven-course meal for Easter dinner. In Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook, Al presents more than 125 simple and casual recipes that will make your holiday gatherings stress free and special. Here are traditional American favorites for every occasion, from no-cook appetizers and simple side dishes to manageable main courses, and of course, plenty of grilling and outdoor food. And Al has the classics covered -- Thanksgiving turkey with gravy, stuffing, and all the trimmings; splendid Christmas fare, including Crown Pork Roast with Fruit Stuffing and scrumptious and quick gift breads and cookies; satisfying Super Bowl Sunday chili and snacks; a romantic Valentine's Day menu for two; and Halloween treats for adults and kids. Enjoy a Fourth of July picnic of Oven-Fried Chicken with Pecan-Cornmeal Crust accompanied by appetizing salads; honor the patron saint of barbecue on St. Lawrence Day with Texas Brisket and Al's fabulous Grilled Glazed Doughnuts with Vanilla Ice Cream; or try a St. Patrick's Day menu of Irish Stew, Soda Bread, and Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. Al provides his own holiday memories and tells how his family holiday celebrations have evolved over time. There are also a wealth of tips and hints on topics such as how to stock a holiday pantry, carve a turkey, handle leftovers creatively, and cook with kids. Think of Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook as the one thing you'll need to make each holiday flavorful, easy, and fun -- even for the cook!
Author Notes
Al Roker, 1954 Al Roker was raised in Queens, New York, and received his B.A. in Communications from the State University at Oswego in 1976. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the school in 1998. Roker began his broadcasting career while still in college when he got a job as a weekend weatherman for WTVH-TV in Syracuse, N.Y. in 1974. After graduating from college, he moved on to weathercasting jobs in Washington, D.C. from 1976 until 1978 and in Cleveland, Ohio from 1978 til 1983. He transferred to WNBC-TV as a weekend weathercaster in December 1983 from WKYC-TV, the NBC Television Station in Cleveland.
Roker soon became a features reporter as well as a weatherman for NBC. He interviewed many people on a variety of subjects, but the highlight of his interviewing career was when he conducted an exclusive interview with Peanuts creator Charles Shultz shortly before his death from colon cancer. Since 1985, he has served each holiday season as co-host for the annual Christmas at Rockefeller Center. He also co-hosts The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rose Bowl Parade and appears on various specials for NBC.
In 1994, he founded Al Roker Productions, Inc. which is involved in the development and production of network, cable, home video and public television projects. Two of the most successful projects of his production company include the critically acclaimed PBS special about severe weather, Savage Skies, as well as a highly rated travel series called Going Places. His company is also producing a series of specials for The Food Network. Roker is the author of "Don't Make Me Stop This Car! Adventures in Fatherhood," which was released in June 2000. Al is the co-author of Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle for Good.
New York Magazine has twice named Roker Best Weatherman. He is a recipient of the American Meteorological Society's prestigious Seal of Approval and has been a pioneer in the use of computer graphics for weathercasting. He is also a seven time Emmy Award winner and a member of several professional organizations including the Friars Club, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Meteorological Society.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (1)
Library Journal Review
In this guide to preparing tempting meals for special occasions from the Fourth of July to Christmas, popular Today show weatherman Roker offers traditional American favorites like stuffed pork crown roast and whiskey bread pudding. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Introduction The Holidays. Those two words can strike terror into the heart of just about anybody. Why? Because not only does it mean family and friends are coming to your home, which, depending on the family and friends, can mean you're going to have the beginning of a nervous breakdown, it means you have to cook for them. Now, if you're like me, you enjoy the chance to show off a bit. You wanna let 'em know that you can burn some pots. On the other hand, you want to enjoy the holidays as well. You probably took some time off, thinking you'd kick back and relax. Now you're thinking that your home is going to be sacked by the Visigoths. You will be spending hours in the kitchen preparing huge sides of roast mutton and great roasts of beef, while your guests gorge themselves at long wooden tables by the massive stone fireplace and Great Danes gnaw on the bones the gluttons toss aside. Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking of the Great Hall scene from Robin Hood when Errol Flynn tosses a dead deer at the feet of the Prince. Anyway, fear not, forsooth and verily. That is why you purchased this book. My merry band of thieves take from the time-rich and give to the time-poor. Forget about taxing recipes! But enough of the Robin Hood theme. I know what you're thinking. "Al, I don't need a cookbook for just Thanksgiving and Christmas! I entertain year-round!" Of course you do. This is a year-round holiday book, a book that can proudly sit out on your counter or under a small child to help him reach the table. Preferably one who's been potty trained. With this book, you can throw a party celebrating February 2nd, the day Punxsutawney Phil is hoisted from his burrow. I bet many is the time that you longed to rejoice on St. Lawrence's Day, feast of the patron Saint of barbecue, and now you can. Love to love Valentine's Day? We've got you covered. Ever hear of Boxing Day? Considering scaring up a party for Halloween? With these and so many other holidays in this book, you'll never be without an excuse to entertain. We've presented a menu for each holiday, starting with appetizers and moving on to main courses, sides, and desserts. We even have cool, refreshing beverages if the season calls for it, or hot, comforting drinks if that's what the calendar indicates. To accomplish this feat of cookbook derring-do, I had help. Marialisa Calta is a recipe writer par excellence and a darn good cook in her own right. We teamed up a couple of years ago for Al Roker's Big Bad Book of Barbecue. She took the recipes that I had gathered over the years from my own backyard cookouts, friends, and family and massaged them. Before I met Marialisa, my basic M.O. was a handful of this and a pinch of that. Measuring cup? We don' need no stinkin' measuring cup! Actually, we did. Otherwise, how would people know how much of what to use? So Marialisa refined the recipes and then, more importantly, tested them to make sure nobody keeled over. Since this book is a little more wide-ranging, we collaborated a lot more. We spent a lot of time talking about what kind of food I cooked and when, the holidays my family celebrates, and what we ate, both as kids and now as adults. Then we put together the menus and themes for the holidays. Some menus are direct throwbacks to childhood, and others reflect what we like to devour now. Still others represent what we'd like to set on the table. As you know when you cook for the holidays, it takes real skill to be able to come up with food that not only tastes good but is interesting and not a pain in the keester to make. While Marialisa and I were developing the recipes, we felt it was important to keep things as hassle-free as possible. In fact, this book is intended to help you actually enjoy yourself at your own holiday gatherings. This ain't America in the 1950s and 1960s. In those days, our mothers were mostly at home, taking care of the kids and making sure the family was well fed. It was hard to prepare for a holiday then, but it's even harder now, with both parents working and children whose after-school schedules can resemble the flow chart of a major corporation. Maybe you have your parties catered, complete with white-jacketed servers passing trays of canapés to your family and friends. But if you're like me, you and your significant other are running around like maniacs to get everything ready -- cook, set the table, make the drinks -- and visit with the people you invited and intended to be with in the first place. There was a time when I wanted to do everything. From appetizers to dessert, I had to be in control. And I was. I was also missing out on being at my own party, whether it was a brunch or a sit-down dinner. I've learned that being in control is a hassle. I have learned that my best, most fun parties are hassle-free. I don't have to make everything from scratch. I can purchase prepeeled garlic cloves. I can use bagged spinach or lettuce (I still wash it no matter what the bag says), and I have learned to appreciate ready-made pie crusts. And guess what? If I invite you over, don't ask, "Can I bring anything?" if you don't mean it. That's because I will take you up on it. See, that's using the hassle-free philosophy. If you make a better apple pie than I do, why would I waste time trying to make that pie when you can bring it? One less thing for me to do. My mother, Isabel Roker, worked miracles during the traditional holidays. With only one oven and a four-burner cooktop, she would churn out two meats, several vegetables, mashed potatoes, and a baked macaroni, effortlessly. Well, it seemed effortless. Now I know why she only weighs about 100 pounds. She was juggling pots, roasting pans, and baking dishes, putting the guy who spun the plates on the Ed Sullivan Show to shame. But my mother was no control freak; she would enlist us kids to help out. Potatoes to peel, green beans to cut, dishes to set out? She got us involved. Helping mom became part of our family tradition. Involving your family is the best hassle-free strategy of all. Not only does it give you a break, it allows you to spend time together. Remember...you don't have to do it all yourself. And so what if it isn't done exactly the way you'd do it? No one will know if you don't tell. Hassle-free, baby. From St. Patrick's Day to Halloween to the Fourth of July, we love any excuse to get together. You can take advantage of them all if you live by the hassle-free philosophy. This book is full of recipes, shortcuts, tips, and strategies that can make entertaining for any holiday as easy as possible. Do not fear the holidays. Together we can look at a holiday on the calendar and say, "Bring it on! Do your worst! I am ready for you." I do, however, draw the line at talking to your Aunt Millie, the one who's got the fuzzy lip thing going. You're on your own with her. Copyright (c) 2003 by Al Roker Excerpted from Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook: More Than 125 Recipes for Family Celebrations All Year Long by Al Roker All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
Introduction | p. xvii |
Thanksgiving with All the Trimmings | p. 1 |
Creamy Mushroom Soup | p. 3 |
Stocking the Holiday Pantry and Freezer | p. 4 |
Potato Leek Soup | p. 6 |
No-Cook Hors d'Oeuvres for a Crowd | p. 8 |
Thanksgiving Salad with Parsley Dressing | p. 10 |
Festive Juice Drinks | p. 11 |
Roast Turkey and Gravy | p. 12 |
Turkey Basics | p. 16 |
Turkey Leftovers | p. 18 |
Basic Bread Stuffing | p. 20 |
Corn Bread Stuffing for a Crowd | p. 22 |
Higher Stuffing Math | p. 23 |
Sweet Potato Poon | p. 24 |
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes | p. 26 |
Baking Powder Biscuits | p. 28 |
Green Beans with Walnuts | p. 30 |
Warm Cabbage with Bacon and Apple Cider | p. 31 |
Roast Acorn Squash | p. 32 |
Cranberry Sauce | p. 35 |
Fresh Cranberry Relish | p. 36 |
Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust | p. 37 |
How to Freeze Pies | p. 39 |
Chocolate Pecan Pie | p. 40 |
Freezing Unbaked Pie Crusts | p. 43 |
Sour Cream Apple Pie | p. 44 |
Pear Tart with Cranberries and Almonds | p. 46 |
Christmas Dinner | p. 47 |
Eggnog | p. 48 |
Store-Bought Eggnog with a Twist | p. 49 |
Mulled Wine | p. 50 |
Creamy Squash Soup | p. 51 |
Fennel Salad with Orange-Mustard Vinaigrette | p. 52 |
Red and Green Christmas Salad | p. 53 |
Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cracked Pepper Crust and Horseradish Cream | p. 54 |
Crown Pork Roast with Fruit Stuffing | p. 56 |
Christmas Leftovers | p. 58 |
Braised Endive with Orange Zest | p. 60 |
Sauteed Kale | p. 61 |
Scalloped Potatoes | p. 62 |
Spoon Bread | p. 63 |
Red Velvet Cake | p. 64 |
Christmas Brunch | p. 67 |
Citrus Salad with Raspberry-Lime Puree | p. 68 |
Breakfast Strata | p. 69 |
Blueberry Coffee Cake | p. 70 |
Brunch Beverages | p. 72 |
Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen | p. 75 |
Orange-Cranberry Bread | p. 76 |
Banana-Rum Bread | p. 78 |
Testing Baking Powder and Baking Soda for Freshness | p. 79 |
Microwave Fudge | p. 80 |
Bourbon Balls | p. 81 |
Basic Sugar Cookies | p. 82 |
Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough | p. 84 |
Decorating Unbaked Cookies | p. 84 |
Decorating Baked Cookies | p. 84 |
Thumbprint Cookies | p. 86 |
Cinnamon Almond Pinwheels | p. 87 |
Sesame Date Half-Moons | p. 88 |
Packaging Cookies for Gift-Giving | p. 89 |
Homemade Mixes: Toffee-Chip Cookies-in-a-Jar | p. 90 |
Gingerbread-in-a-Jar | p. 91 |
Vanilla-Cinnamon Party Nuts | p. 93 |
Caribbean Spice Mix | p. 94 |
Boxing Day: A Caribbean Menu | p. 95 |
Tropical Punch | p. 97 |
Twice-Fried Plantains with Green Salsa | p. 98 |
Chicken Pilau | p. 100 |
Caribbean Christmas Cake | p. 102 |
New Year's Eve Retro Cocktail Party | p. 105 |
Classic Cocktails | p. 107 |
Cocktail Talk | p. 109 |
Make-Ahead Drink Garnishes | p. 109 |
Cocktail Party Math | p. 110 |
Cocktail Party Equipment | p. 111 |
Champagne Cocktails | p. 113 |
Garlicky Cheese Dip | p. 114 |
Hot Crab Dip | p. 115 |
Cheese Straws | p. 116 |
Ten Things to Put on a Cracker | p. 118 |
Biscuits with Ham and Apple Butter | p. 119 |
Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce | p. 120 |
Pigs in a Blanket | p. 122 |
Swedish Meatballs | p. 124 |
Edible Toothpicks | p. 125 |
Rumaki | p. 126 |
Chocolate Fondue | p. 127 |
Super Bowl Party | p. 129 |
Nachos | p. 130 |
Spicy Chicken Wings | p. 132 |
Spicy Party Mix | p. 134 |
Meaty Chili | p. 135 |
Corn and Cheese Muffins | p. 137 |
Muffuletta | p. 138 |
Mac and Cheese | p. 140 |
Overnight Salad | p. 142 |
Texas Sheet Cake | p. 143 |
Groundhog Day Weatherman's Meal | p. 145 |
Chilled Pea Soup | p. 146 |
Hot Split Pea Soup | p. 147 |
Pasta Primavera | p. 148 |
Pot Roast with Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles | p. 150 |
Sunshine Cake | p. 152 |
Mud Pie | p. 154 |
Valentine's Day Dinner for Two | p. 157 |
Pink Lady | p. 158 |
Smoked Salmon Hors d'Oeuvre | p. 159 |
Herbed Stuffed Mushrooms | p. 160 |
Filet Mignon | p. 161 |
Oven Fries | p. 162 |
Wilted Spinach | p. 163 |
Easy Chocolate Mousse | p. 164 |
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries | p. 166 |
Valentine's Day Treats for Kids | p. 167 |
Traditional St. Patrick's Day Dinner | p. 169 |
Irish Stew | p. 170 |
Irish Soda Bread | p. 172 |
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce | p. 173 |
Easter Celebration | p. 175 |
Spring Salad | p. 176 |
Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Tarragon | p. 177 |
Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs | p. 178 |
Glazed Baked Ham | p. 180 |
Easter Leftovers | p. 182 |
Pan-Glazed Carrots | p. 184 |
Roasted Baby Potatoes | p. 185 |
Peas and Mint | p. 186 |
Lemon Pie | p. 187 |
Meringue Berry Basket | p. 190 |
Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed | p. 193 |
Sparkling Cocktail | p. 194 |
Overnight French Toast | p. 195 |
Baked Eggs With Salsa | p. 196 |
Home Fries | p. 198 |
Breakfast Meats | p. 199 |
Broiled Honey-Ginger Grapefruit | p. 200 |
Man-Pleasin' Father's Day Meal | p. 201 |
Deviled Eggs | p. 202 |
Seven-Layer Dip | p. 203 |
Mixed Grill | p. 204 |
Grilled Garlic Bread | p. 207 |
Warm Potato Salad with Bacon | p. 208 |
Cashew Coleslaw | p. 210 |
Frosted Yellow Cake | p. 211 |
Banana Cream Pie | p. 213 |
Fourth of July Picnic | p. 215 |
Fizzy Raspberry Lemonade | p. 216 |
Antipasti Salad | p. 217 |
Oven-Fried Chicken with Pecan-Cornmeal Crust | p. 218 |
Vegetarian Picnic Sandwich | p. 219 |
Classic Macaroni Salad | p. 220 |
Three-Bean Salad | p. 221 |
Platinum Blondies | p. 222 |
Candy Bar Bars | p. 223 |
St. Lawrence Day Barbecue | p. 225 |
Smoked Beef Ribs with Mustard Sauce | p. 226 |
Texas Brisket | p. 228 |
Braised Greens and Turnips | p. 230 |
Spicy Baked Beans | p. 232 |
Rice Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts | p. 234 |
Chopped Summer Salad | p. 235 |
Grilled Glazed Doughnuts with Vanilla Ice Cream | p. 236 |
Labor Day Summer Send-Off | p. 237 |
Ham and Pineapple Appetizers | p. 239 |
Orange Beef Tidbits | p. 240 |
Curried Chicken Skewers | p. 241 |
Stovetop Clambake | p. 242 |
Berry Crisp | p. 244 |
Triple Melon Salad | p. 246 |
Halloween Party for Kids and Grown-Ups | p. 247 |
Cider Punch | p. 249 |
Dill Dip | p. 250 |
Mini Burgers | p. 251 |
Sticky Spare Riblets | p. 252 |
Chicken Fingers | p. 254 |
Corny Crispy Rice Cereal Treats | p. 256 |
Carrot Cupcakes with Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting | p. 258 |
Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies | p. 260 |
Caramel Apples | p. 262 |
Holiday Hotlines and Helpful Web Sites | p. 263 |
Sources | p. 265 |
Index | p. 269 |