A Festive Meal the Entire Family Will Enjoy

In today’s post, we propose a festive meal from Julia Rutland’s Homestyle Kitchen cookbook. From the Classic French Onion Soup as a starter to the Peanut Butter Pie for dessert, we are sure your entire family will love it.

Classic French Onion Soup

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients
3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups halved and sliced yellow onions (about 4 large)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup Cognac or sherry
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef broth
6 to 8 (1/2-inch) slices of French bread
1 1⁄2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter with oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and sugar, stirring until well blended. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes or until onions are dark brown. Stir in flour and black pepper; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in Cognac and wine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in beef broth.

Cook soup, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Preheat broiler. Place 6 to 8 ovenproof soup bowls on a sheet pan. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with 1 bread slice. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown. Garnish, if desired.

TIP: Caramelized onions and beef stock are the building blocks of a delicious onion soup. Be patient and allow the onions to fully caramelize. Slice them about 1⁄4-inch thick, not too thin or they’ll fall apart while cooking. Gruyère is the traditional cheese choice, but Swiss cheese may be substituted.

Maple-Apple-Spinach Salad

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 (10-ounce) container fresh spinach
2 apples, cored and chopped or sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 slices chopped cooked bacon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Let pecans cool.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, dry mustard, and pepper in a bowl. Add spinach, apples, and onion, tossing to coat. Divide among serving plates. Sprinkle with pecans and, if desired, bacon.

Marinated Flank Steak

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (11⁄2- to 13/4-pound) flank steak
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

Combine soy sauce, honey, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a zip-top plastic storage bag or shallow dish. Add steak and marinate for 2 to 6 hours.

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush grill grate with olive oil. Grill steak for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish, if desired.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, melted
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine oil, butter, garlic, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, zest, and juice in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, tossing to coat.

Spread cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle any remaining oil mixture over cauliflower. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir gently and bake for 15 more minutes or until cauliflower is tender and browned on the edges. Garnish, if desired.

Peanut Butter Pie

(makes 1 9-inch pie)

Ingredients
1 cup whipping cream
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cookie Piecrust (recipe below)
Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)

Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; set aside. Combine cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat until creamy. Fold in half of whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon filling into Chocolate Cookie Crust and smooth the top. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

Spread Chocolate Ganache over pie. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing. Cover and store in the freezer.

Chocolate Cookie Piecrust: Combine 1 1/3 cups chocolate graham cracker cookie crumbs (such as Teddy Grahams), 5 tablespoons melted butter, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a bowl, stirring until well blended. Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache: Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat or in a glass container in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, and stir in 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Makes 3⁄4 cup.

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