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It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to haul out the holly, hang up the stockings and figure out what, exactly, you’re bringing to the potluck. Maybe there’s a tried and true finger food you bring every year or a cocktail you’re planning to stir up for everyone—or maybe you’re in the market for a change of pace this holiday season.
For folks in the market for a new holiday recipe, you can’t go wrong looking to the authority in entertaining herself, Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa always has the most luxe and delicious holiday menus, whether they includea cheesy, savory bread pudding on Thanksgivingor afruity dessert for Valentine’s Day—and the winter holiday season is no exception. If, like the rest of us, you don’t anticipate getting an invite to one of Ina’s holiday soirées, you can at least bring a little bit of her style to your own get-together. The Food Network host took over theTODAYshow’s second houron Thursday to unveil her go-to recipes for holiday hosting, and we’ve rounded up all the dishes in question so you can replicate them on your own.
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Ina Garten’s Holiday Menu
Fig and Goat Cheese Toasts
Get the Recipe
These glamorous little crostini come from Garten’sModern Comfort Food, and they tend to show up whenever Ina’s throwing a bash. They even starred in Ina’sThanksgiving menufor this year. They’re an easy addition to any spread, since all you need is six ingredients and a pretty serving dish to make them sing. These toasts get double the fig flavor from fresh figs and a slathering of fig spread, which Garten recommends over fig jam or preserves, since it usually has less sugar. No matter what you pick, be sure to follow her expert advice and aim for something thick, so it’s easy to spread the goat cheese or cream cheese on top off it.
Croissants with Smoked Salmon
Chipotle Cheddar Crackers
We’ve heard about keeping slice-and-bake cookie dough on hand for a sweet treat, but slice-and-bake crackers are a game-changer. The dough has just five ingredients: butter, cheddar, flour, chipotle powder and sea salt. Use plain ol' kosher salt in the dough and sprinkle sea salt on the crackers before they go into the oven for an extra pinch of flavor. Ina says she likes to make the dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for any unexpected guests. Once the crackers are sliced and on a lined baking sheet, they’re done and ready to eat in as little as 15 minutes.
Cranberry Martinis
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