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Soup to Nuts� Holiday Entertaining Guide

by: ARA

(ARA) - As the holidays approach, it�s natural for us to feel both festive and frantic and increasingly stressed as our list of errands gets longer than Santa�s. To make sure that this season is about true holiday spirit and joyous time with family and friends, heed the sage advice of an entertaining expert who shares her simple secret . . . serve soup!

�Most soups are not complicated to make but they can have magical powers to help restore the soul, nurture and inspire the spirit and make a holiday party great fun for the host and guests� says Jana Kolpen, author and illustrator of the enchanting fable and cookbook, �The Secrets of Pistoulet,� and designer of the Pistoulet Dinnerware Collection for The Pfaltzgraff Co.

Kolpen is a passionate cook who loves to entertain at home. Her successful motto is, �keep it fresh, seasonal, colorful and simple.� Depending on the soup recipe, it can be served as first course, entr�e or even a delicious snack. Regardless of its place at meal time, a simmering pot of soup warms guests� hearts and keeps the cook out of the kitchen and part of the celebration.

�I�ve always loved to entertain friends and family, and I discovered the magic of soups while on a journey in France where the ritual and the spirit of making soup for others became a life transforming experience,� says Kolpen. She left New York City for a small farmhouse in southern France to give herself a fresh start after some devastating life experiences. Kolpen�s adventures led her to write and illustrate �The Secrets of Pistoulet� in which she includes several soup recipes that chronicle her inspirational journey such as the Potage of Spirit and the Potage of Passion.

According to Kolpen, holiday entertaining should be a multi-sensory experience that satisfies more than just your guests� hunger. Kolpen collaborated with The Pfaltzgraff Co. to design a full collection of dinnerware and home accessories to complement her soup recipes and entertaining philosophy. Each piece in the Pistoulet Collection is hand painted with brightly colored flowers, vines and vegetables inspired by Kolpen�s illustrations in her book.

�I encourage mixing and matching dinnerware pieces to create whimsical and fun table settings. Place large soup crocks and tureens right on the dinner table and let guests serve themselves and participate in the full ritual of the holiday feast.� The Pistoulet Collection includes large, colorful soup tureens with ladles and a variety of soup bowls named after Kolpen�s favorite soup recipes such as the �Potage of Compassion� soup crocks and the �Potage of Spirit� soup bowls.

Kolpen recommends the �Potage of Spirit� soup as a good party starter. Using the freshest ingredients in the recipe she creates a hearty and healthful meal to nourish guests. The simple soup combines aromatic garlic, earthy potatoes and bright orange carrots (recipe included). But she does warn that �the spirit can express itself in many odd and wonderful ways. Be prepared for shocking behavior!�

The Potage of Spirit (makes 6 servings)

2 medium garlic bulbs (about 16 cloves)

4 14 ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into � inch pieces.

3 carrots, peeled and chopped (1 � cups)

1/3 cup whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Snipped fresh chives to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine broth, peeled garlic cloves, potatoes and carrots in saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly, puree in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan to heat through adding whipping cream, salt and pepper and chives for garnish.

The chip-resistant, highly durable Pistoulet Collection is a great dinnerware choice for holiday entertaining. It is safe in the dishwasher, oven, freezer and microwave and features a broad range of dinnerware, serveware and accessories. The collection is available at major department and specialty stores nationwide, including J.C. Penny, Amazon.com and more than 70 Pfaltzgraff stores at outlet malls across the country.

For more recipes from �The Secrets of Pistoulet� log on to The Pfaltzgraff Co. Web site at www.pfz.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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14 Easy Cooking Tips for Meat and Poultry Slow Cooker Recipes
by: Anjali Dawson

The first Christmas we spent with my in-laws in their new country home, my mother-in-law wisely gave me a slow cooker. Her thoughtful gift helped Dan and I enjoy the most convenient of all cooking methods, even with our long work days and commute.

I'll always treasure the memories of delicious aromas wafting through the front door as we stepped into the house after a long day at work and a nerve-jangling commute in heavy traffic.

Most of the slow cooker recipes I used were based on meats and poultry. Here are 14 easy tips to make your slow cooker recipes tasty and safe:

Tip # 1 - According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, bacteria in food are killed at a temperature of 165�F. Meats cooked in the slow cooker reach an internal temperature of 170� in beef and as high as 190�F in poultry. It is important to follow the recommended cooking times and to keep the cover on your slow cooker during the cooking process.

Tip # 2 - It is best not use the slow cooker for large pieces like a roast or whole chicken because the food will cook so slowly it could remain in the bacterial "danger zone" too long.

Tip # 3 - Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.

Tip # 4 - Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a slow cooker.

Tip # 5 - Trim all fat from meat and poultry. Fat can increase the temperature of the liquid in the slow cooker and decrease the cooking time. This will cause the food t be overcooked. Fats will also melt with long cooking times, and will add an unpleasant texture to the finished dish.

Tip # 6 - Cooking at higher temperatures will generally give you a tougher piece of meat. for all day cooking or for less-tender cuts of meat, you may want to use the low setting.

Tip # 7 - The slow cooker recipes are best used with the tougher cuts of meats.

Tip # 8 - For the best color and texture, ground beef is best browned before using, except in meatloaf or other similar dishes.

Tip # 9 - It is not necessary to brown meat before slow cooking, but it gives more depth of flavor in the food and removes some of the fat, especially in pork, lamb and sausages. If the meat is lean, well trimmed and not highly marbled, it doesn't need to be browned.

Tip # 10 - For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than specified in the slow cooker recipes. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow cooking than in conventional cooking.

Tip # 11 - Dark meat takes longer to cook, so if a whole cut up chicken is used, put the thighs and legs on the bottom.

Tip # 12 - The slightly coarser texture of corn-fed, organic or free-range poultry is ideal for slow cooker recipes.

Tip # 13 - Most meats require 8 hours of cooking on LOW. Use cheaper cuts of meat - not only do you save money, but these meats work better for slow cooker recipes. Cheaper cuts of meat have less fat, which makes them more suited to crockpot cooking. Moist, long cooking times result in very tender meats.

Tip # 14 - Farberware FSC600 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker oval design accommodates oversize roasts, whole chickens, hams, and/or ribs. It features a large, 6-quart capacity stoneware liner, which nests inside a chrome slow cooker base and the auto setting switches to a lower 'keep warm' setting after cooking food.

For those who are not concerned about cooking in aluminum the West Bend Versatility 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker will work well to cook meats. It has a removable aluminum insert that can be used on the stovetop to brown meats and caramelize onions before slow cooking. The bottom unit can also be used on its own as a small griddle. Its dishwasher-safe insert has a nonstick interior and an included roasting rack.

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