Entertaining: Festive Kale Salad & Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Taylor Mathis  

Our Peachy family gathered for a wonderful soirée to kick off the holiday season. We shared our favorite holiday appetizers and sides. We share with you two fabulous holiday recipes you’ll have to try!!

First, Jenni Council, our Hair Photography gal shares with you one of her favorite dishes to prepare for the holidays…festive kale salad! Jenni discovered this delicious salad in one of her favorite cookbooks, The Oh She Glows Cookbook.

Then, Caroline Hallett, our Editorial Assistant shares with you her go-to recipe for the holidays…sweet potatoes with caramelized apples! Caroline found this recipe from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Parties. She loves to add in chopped pecans with the caramelized apples to make the dish extra delicious.

[schema type=”recipe” name=”Festive Kale Salad with Sweet Apple Cinnamon Vinaigrette and Pecan Parmesan” image=”http://peachythemagazine.com/peachy/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ent_salad.jpg” yield=”serves 4-6″ ingrt_1=”1/2 cup pecans, toasted” ingrt_2=”2 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast” ingrt_3=”2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil” ingrt_4=”1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt” ingrt_5=”3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar” ingrt_6=”2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from half a lemon)” ingrt_7=”2 tablespoons pure maple syrup” ingrt_8=”1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon” ingrt_9=”1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt” ingrt_10=”1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or grape seed oil)” ingrt_11=”2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce” ingrt_12=”1/2 teaspoon minced fresh peeled ginger” ingrt_13=”1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces ” ingrt_14=”1 apple, cored and finely chopped” ingrt_15=”1/4 cup dried cranberries” ingrt_16=”1/2 cup pomegranate arils (from about 1/2 a pomegranate)” instructions=”Make the pecan parmesan: Preheat the oven to 300°. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7–9 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. In a mini food processor, combine the toasted pecans, nutritional yeast, oil and salt; process until crumbly and combined. (You can also chop the pecans by hand, and mix everything in a small bowl.) Set aside. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, oil, apple sauce and ginger until combined. Assemble the salad: Place the kale in a large salad bowl and pour on the dressing. With your hands, massage the dressing into the kale leaves until fully coated. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. The kale will soften slightly during this time. Top the kale with apple, cranberries and pomegranate arils. Sprinkle with pecan parmesan before serving.” ] [schema type=”recipe” name=”Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples” image=”http://www.dev2.peachythemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ent_sweetpotatoes.jpg” ingrt_1=”4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)” ingrt_2=”1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice” ingrt_3=”1/2 cup heavy cream” ingrt_4=”4 tablespoons salted butter, melted” ingrt_5=”1/4 cup light brown sugar” ingrt_6=”1 teaspoon ground nutmeg” ingrt_7=”1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon” ingrt_8=”2 teaspoons salt” ingrt_9=”1 teaspoon black pepper” ingrt_10=”3 tablespoons salted butter” ingrt_11=”3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices” ingrt_12=”3 tablespoons light brown sugar” ingrt_13=”1/2 cup pecans, chopped” instructions=”Preheat oven to 375°. Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour, or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potatoes into the bowl of an electric mixer and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth, and pour into a baking dish. For the topping, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple wedges, brown sugar and chopped pecans and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned on both sides. Place on top of the sweet potatoes. Bake the potatoes and apples for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.” ]