Wisconsin Holiday Foods: Scrumptious Gourmet Foods For Christmas Eve Dinner And Christmas Morning Breakfast

Festive foods liven up our holiday traditions. Christmas foods decorated in reds, whites, greens, and golden yellows presented on a simple white tablecloth transform an ordinary meal into a holiday feast. So this holiday season if you are looking to coordinate the colorful with the edible, here are some suggestions.
Let's start with the shades of Christmas red. I can't resist the peppermint fudge topped with candy cane chips. Okay, the fudge is pink, but It Looks Christmas! It's certainly as 'Christmasy' as the Santa Claus sugar cookies. And since we're starting with the dessert table, let's match those cookies with ice cream - red, green and white peppermint ice cream! Ah-haa! A peppermint theme here! Peppermint's cool sweetness carries the frosty excitement of winter's first snowfall. And if we've got the peppermint ice cream, how about scooping it on top of a Winter Wonderland Peppermint Chocolate Cake! And since we're talking cake, what about gingerbread! What says Christmas more than a deep, rich gingerbread cake with pure white frosting? Cake with peppermint ice cream and steaming coffee or hot chocolate? Of course we love winter! Of course we love Christmas! We're feasting!!!
But you also want "good food" aka "healthy food" before the desserts? Do those come on a Wisconsin holiday table or are Wisconsinites all sweets now and guilt later? Nonsense! Wisconsin gourmet chefs excel at cooking all courses of a holiday meal!
So let's talk turkey! Low-fat, high-flavor smoked whole turkey for Christmas dinner. It's a no brainer, no-work, and delicious holiday entree. Tired of turkey? Want meat? Easy, - Wisconsin beef is scrumptious. How about a Christmas Eve dinner featuring a Chateaubriand beef roast? It looks impressive, is simple to cook, and tastes heavenly. Equally as festive and a rival in flavor is the Wisconsin leg of lamb roast. Nothing says "special occasion" better than a leg of lamb. And what's a favorite Wisconsin holiday libation? A Tom and Jerry of course, - not the cat and mouse, - THE MIX! The secret's in the MIX!!! Yes, get the party rolling! Put on the holiday music! Listen to Wisconsin's Expressions of Christmas CD as you dine and sip the holiday brews. Christmas Eve only comes once a year, - pull out all the stops!
But what about Christmas morning? How will you feel at 5:45 am when the little ones beg you to rise and see what Santa Claus brought? Will you feel as cheery then as you did the night before? No, but you'll fake it. And Wisconsin holiday food can help. Start off with gourmet coffee, - make sure it's gourmet so it will pack a wake-up punch of flavor and a lot of VA-Va-Va-Voom! Next, serve up the Christmas kringle. A little sugar in the happy shape of a Christmas tree will bring warm smiles to everyone faces. Merry Christmas! - the way it's supposed to be. Another holiday of incredible eating with those we hold dear! Celebrating the good life the Wisconsin way!

Today Children...AND Adults...Celebrate Halloween With Gifts of Treats

Children love Halloween...and more and more adults are celebrating it too. Spooky decorations, costumes, and Halloween parties are becoming increasingly elaborate. One sign of Halloween's acceptance as a 'Not-for-children-only holiday' is the growing practice of giving Halloween gifts. For the grandparent, aunt, uncle, or family friend who wants to say, "I care about you," Halloween offers a fun theme for gift-giving. Common gifts of food, clothing, and home-decor accessories become unique and festive when crafted in the Halloween spirit.
And while children love Halloween decorations, they love Halloween treats the most! A ghost-shaped cookie, a white-chocolate skeleton, caramel corn, and a caramel apple with black and orange sprinkles make children grin with Halloween glee. No ordinary cookie, chocolate or apple would be as fun.
Adults with gourmet palettes enjoy Halloween treats too, but the traditional corn syrup candy corn is out of fashion. Today's adult, gourmet ghosts and goblins crave gifts of pumpkin truffles and their caramel apples are dipped in Belgian chocolate and coated in pecans. Even serious adults smile like children when they open gift baskets brimming with gourmet bakery treats. Yes, Halloween is a very easy holiday for gift-giving. The possibilities are out-of-this-world.