Five tantalizing recipes perfect for holiday dinners

Each family has their favorite, tried and true, holiday recipes, that are expected to be part of the bounty offered to celebrate the occasion. However, by investigating new recipes, one can try introducing a new option into the mix, that might make the family's favorite dish list!

Two ideas for main meat dishes are shared and for those who are always searching for a new twist on fresh vegetables, the recipes below might be of interest.

We offer the following recipes as some to consider for the holiday season, some of which are European-sourced. Enjoy!!

Cider Glazed Turkey

Not only are there many ways to cook a turkey (frying, smoking, roasting), there are a variety of methods to prepare the bird before cooking it. One popular procedure is brining the turkey, soaking it in salt water to prevent the meat from drying out.

Here is a slightly different recipe, courtesy of Sandra Lee that produces a moist and juicy turkey with the help of an apple cider-based brining solution as well as an apple cider glaze that is used to baste the turkey while it is cooking.

Total Time: 27 hr 10 min Prep: 10 min Inactive: 24 hr Cook: 3 hours Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider, divided
• 1 cup salt
• 1 bunch fresh thyme, divided
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch fresh sage
• 5 cups ice cubes
• 6 cups water
• 1 (13 to 15-pound) frozen turkey, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Brine:

In a large pot with a lid that is big enough to fit the turkey, add all but 2 cups apple cider and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the salt, 3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs rosemary and stir to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat, add 5 cups of ice, 6 cups water and stir. Put the turkey in the pot with the brine and hold it down so that the cavity fills with the brine. If the turkey is not completely submerged in the brine, add another 2 to 3 cups of water to the pot until covered. Cover the pot with a lid and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Arrange it, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Stuff the remaining thyme and the bunch of sage into the cavity and tuck the wings back underneath the bottom of the breast. Tie the legs together with a piece of butcher's twine.

In a small bowl combine the canola oil, poultry seasoning and pepper. Brush the turkey liberally until completely coated. Put in the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. About 30 minutes before the turkey is done, liberally baste the bird with the cider glaze. Baste with the remaining glaze 2 more times at 10 minute intervals. Remove from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before carving. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Glaze:

In a small saucepan combine the reserved 2 cups of apple cider and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Beef Wellington

For those who enjoy a nice beef entree for the holidays, it's hard to go wrong with Beef Wellington – a delicious and outstanding presentation.

Ingredients

• 1 package puff pastry
• 2 tblsp. butter
• 1 egg
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• oil
• 4 slices (thin) ham
• 4 filets of beef
• 3 shallots
• 1 cup mushrooms

1. Finely chop the shallots, garlic, and mushroom together. Add in the chopped thyme.
2. Heat a large frying pan and add the butter and the mixture of mushrooms, garlic, and shallots.
3. Cook this mixture for 4 to 5 minutes until all vegetables are soft. Allow mixture to cool.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large pan with a little oil and brown the steaks on both sides. Brown them quickly, but do not cook them. Remove from pan. Allow to cool.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Roll out a square of the puff pastry large enough to encase the meat and place one slice of ham in middle of pastry.
7. Spoon 1/4 of the mushroom mixture on top of the ham and then place one of the steaks on top of the mushroom mix.
8. Brush the sides of the pastry with beaten egg yolk and encase it neatly like a parcel.
9. Use some of the pastry trimming to create pretty designs to the outside of the Wellington, if desired.
10. Repeat the process with the other three steaks.
11. Brush all of the prepared Wellingtons with the beaten egg yolk and bake in the oven for 15 t 18 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
12. To test meat doneness, insert a skewer into the center of the Wellington, leaving it for 15 seconds, then withdraw it. If the skewer is cold, the meat is underdone. If warm, the meat is rare and it hot, the meat is well done.
13. Set Wellington aside to rest for 10 minutes, then slice into pieces and serve immediately.