Every celebration needs a toast
Holiday season feast preparations – Blue Ribbon has some super simple tips.
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The only way to celebrate the holiday season is to munch on some delectably festive snacks, while spending time with friends and family.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so create equally wonderful toast-inspired snacks with these simple ideas and some Blue Ribbon bread.
Summer starter
Although the temperature’s a bit high to eat piping hot soup, there are loads of chilled soups you can enjoy over the holiday. Slice bread into fingers, drizzle with olive oil and toast in the oven until golden to make homemade breadsticks. Serve with chilled gazpacho, cucumber or watercress soup in espresso or tea cups.
Get French
If you’re not into piles of dirty dishes after your celebration, why not serve a bite-sized dessert? Make French toast, then cut into cubes and dust with cinnamon sugar. Use a toothpick to secure the mini toasts with strawberries, and serve with a bowl of whipped cream to dip.
Nibbly nosh
Classic pizza flavours are always moreish. Layer mozzarella cubes, basil leaves, cherry tomatoes and toasted bread squares on skewers and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Leafy greens
Keep things light with a salad starter. Serve mixed leaves with cheesy toasts – toast, topped with caramelised onion and parmesan and grilled until crisp.
Easy pearsy
Not all festive desserts have to be temple-achingly sweet. Fans of a cheeseboard will love this simple tip: toast white bread, then top with a layer of camembert or brie, then a slice of pear. Add a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Flavour feast
Toasting bread before using it in stuffing adds an extra depth of flavour. Toast until lightly golden, then combine in a blender with a pinch of nutmeg, sausage meat, beaten egg, thyme, onion and ground almonds. Instead of baking the stuffing inside your roast, try baking it in a separate buttered loaf tin to make it extra crispy on top.
Simply spicy
Whether it’s a super-simple breakfast or a tea-time snack, cinnamon toast always goes down a treat – and there are ways you can spice it up. Toast bread, then spread liberally with butter. Mix together cinnamon, castor sugar and dried fruit cake mix, then sprinkle onto the buttered toast. For an extra decadent twist, add some dark chocolate chips.
Fancy free
It may be retro, but there’s a reason smoked salmon is everyone’s favourite starter this time of year. Don’t waste money buying Melba toast – cut the crusts off fresh bread, drizzle the slices with olive oil and grill until crisp. Top with a thin layer of cream cheese, a piece of smoked salmon, a squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper.
For more delicious recipes made with Blue Ribbon bread, click here.
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