Show THIS WEEKEND'S FOOD TURN YOUR PARTY INTO DAY Uj Ini ?v iaMriiBymffftfa A £3 A Dallas couple leams how to avoid serving their friends the same old turkey and ham and husband Kathryn Asjes-Rya- n Rusty of Dallas enjoy planning monthly dinners for six to eight friends They put a lot of effort into making those meals memorable But as the No vember-Decembparty season begins the Ryans like many of us find their creativity stymied “We get into a rut with the menu” says Kathryn “And I’m sometimes in a quandary about what to serve with holiday foods” WEEKEND took the Ryans’ concerns to Martha Stewart cookbook author and entertaining expert Stewart’s advice: Look at traditional holiday foods in a new way “You want er ions and prunes or served with a spicy chutney can be substituted for a ham Take small liberties with tradition Loosen the skin on the turkey breast by sliding your fingers gently under the skin Insert sprigs of fresh herbs (sage parsley) in a decorative pattern The herbs will flavor the breast meat and the pattern will be visible once the bird is roasted Or try the same idea on roast chicken using whole sage leaves and sliced goat cheese under the skin Use seasonal produce in unexpected ways Try purdeing cooked turnips and pears Make a pumpkin soup then shell of a serve it in the scooped-ou- t small pumpkin Substitute butternut or Hubbard squash OUR REISERS: OUR EXPERT: for the more common pumpkin in pies Instead of cranber- turning ries into sauce for the turkey make spicy chutneys tarts or even a liMartha Stewart "Quick Cook Menus” (Clarkson N F’otter $2295) is out in December Two new cooking videos “An Antipasto F’arty” and Her ‘A Holiday are out now Feast" Kathryn Asjes-ftya- a and Rusty Ryan She’s a diamond broker he’s a commercial artist They have a daughter (a second child is due in February) the Ryans prefer giving dinners so they can put their daughter to bed before guests arrive And they appreciate menus that are "quick and easy but still have that touch of elegance" says Kathryn who tries to do as much cooking in advance as possible ld to honor tradition but little surprises make it more interesting” she says On the other hand “you don’t want to get too bizarre with the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal itself People look forward to certain dishes I believe they really expect pumpkin pie and not cranberry sorbet for dessert” Her tips: Start with the main dish and build the menu around that Tired of the syndrome? Try a smaller bird like a capon which is about 9 to 12 pounds “It’s perfect if you are a lovers small family or are white-mebut still looks like the traditional bird” Similarly a pork loin roasted with on- - queur from the berries — a nice holiday gift Today’s cranberry clafouti (see page 16) is a takeoff on a simple classic French dessert Give the meal balance “While there is no real formula for menu planning the Ryans should think about variety contrast color and texture” says Stewart You don’t want to serve a cream-base- d soup followed by fish in a creamy sauce and chocolate mousse for dessert — too or much richness And watch foods: scallops rice pilaf cauliflower “If you do vegetable pur6es — mashed potatoes and butternut squash — with a pork roast add something crunchy like a salad or string beans that you quickly saut6” te at D USA WEEKEN DNOYEM B£R 1988 By Constance Recipe do’s and don’ts page 17 Kurz ' S08TIE: T6 greess and golds pick ep the eetors to Sfce sst-tr- i e Express yourself! Set a festive table Lovely linens: Instead of a tablecloth with matching napkins try a rag rug or pretty fabrics quickly hemmed on a sewing machine Use oversized napkins as place mats Tableware talk: You don’t need matching place settings to entertain grandly Start with white cream or black dinner plates neutral colors help show off the food Add interest by serving salad soup or desserts on contrasting dishes: glass colorful ceramics decorated china Holiday toadies: Use forms and glue to make small holiday trees or topiary with nuts in their shells or small pinecones Tuck in tiny sprigs of ' ' fresh greenery Decorate small living evergreen trees with cookies or bows (Later you can plant them in the garden) Simple and aromatic Make pomander balls with oranges or the tiny lady’s apples which you stud deccra-tive- ly with whole doves Pile them in a basket or bowL HAVE SOME WONDERFUL MUSIC Cole Porter to classical guitar on tape Or splurge and hire performers for important bashes ANTICIPATE YOUR GUESTS’ INTERESTS “Seat them nicely with someone they’ve always wanted to meet or possibly do business with The best hosts are aware of guests’ interests and know how to put people together” CREATE A SPECIAL COCKTAIL Stewart suggests: Champagne with a splash of mandarin orange liqueur and an orange slice Fruit punch made with fresh lemon lime and orange juices canned pineapple juice and ginger ale “It tastes like the best champagne punch” Blender shakes made with a fruit (strawberries mangoes papayas) skim milk fresh lime juice and ice “Kids love it” |