This hearty soup combines several fall crops, namely squash, apples, and of course chile. Add a salad, crusty bread, and a nice wine and you have a memorable holiday meal.
Southwestern Roasted Turkey with Green Chile Piñon Dressing
This dressing is best when baked in the turkey. For safeties sake, only stuff the bird right before putting it in the oven. Adjust the heat of the turkey by the amount of, and type of red chile you use to rub on the skin.. Serve with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, and habanero spiced acorn squash. When making the gravy, add some minced chipotle chiles and the adobo sauce they were canned in for a spiced version of turkey gravy.
Peppered Strawberries in Champagne
After cooking all day and sometimes for days and days, it’s nice to have a desert recipe that is so easy and takes absolutely no time to prepare, but is still elegant and delicious. In most areas you can find beautiful strawberries year round. Use a good quality champagne as the flavor really infuses the strawberries. Serve a glass of champagne with the dessert for a truly decadent finale to dinner.
Red and Green Empanadas
These little turnovers are like miniature pies. You can vary the fillings and really have fun experimenting with different jams and jellies. There are a lot of jellies flavored with peppers, so look in the jam and jelly section of your grocery store or a gourmet specialty store. You can always make your own hot variation by adding cayenne pepper, finely diced chiles of your choice to your favorite flavor of jam. If you don’t have time to make your own pie crust, you can always substitute premade refrigerated pie crusts. These delectable little pies also make great holiday gifts.
Cranberry & Chipotle Tiramisu
This is a holiday version of the popular Italian dessert. It can be served in a large glass bowl or in individual dessert bowls or large wine goblets. The cranberry chutney can be made in advance and then the dessert can be put together the morning of the party. The red and white color is beautiful and very dramatic.