Fall Tapas, Gather Your People

Holiday season is fast approaching!  Noooooo!!!  It isn’t like I don’t have a great time and, let’s face it, after this summer (and the heat that is still lingering in San Diego) we are all ready for some slightly chillier weather.  But, for me this means that I only have a few more months to get my New Year’s resolutions resolved, it starts to get dark earlier; and every store in the country suddenly turns into the Christmas consumer-recruiter. I feel like time runs away from me more, one holiday leads to the next, and there are so many events scheduled on the calendar.  Luckily my friends and family decided a long time ago to bail on the obligatory Christmas gift giving; and just figure out more times for us to gather together and really celebrate our love and soulful connections.  

With all of the chaotic schedules in the family, we also learned that having a gathering doesn’t have to be stressful or perfect.  Sometimes you just have to throw together a couple of munchies and put the word out for the family and friends to bring something to contribute to the table.  So, what I like to do is turn the gathering into a Tapas Party. Everyone makes a couple of tasty appetizers, I make a big batch of sangria and we put on some great music. Never any pressure to dress up, in fact often times I request people show up in comfy pajamas. We spend an evening treasuring the real blessings in life:  love, laughter and each other. 

Seasonal, Nutrient Rich, Budget Friendly….and Delicious?

Super Foods So Easy and Tasty To Use!

I am always trying to experiment with ingredients that are in season, nutrient rich, budget friendly; and can be used in recipes that allow me to make most of the components ahead of time. This way I can do some prep the night before, or even a couple days in advance.  My upcoming Tapas Party will include two recipes I created that are festive and tasty, and follow all of the criteria above. Sweet Potato Medallions with Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese and Parsley Pesto are perfect served warm or chilled, and give us a boost of beta carotene and powerful antioxidants.  My Ancho Turkey Tostadas with Radish and Cabbage Slaw include walnuts, chilies, onions and the cruciferous super star: cabbage.

The day before the party, I can toss almost everything in the oven: the garlic for the goat cheese, the sliced sweet potatoes, the tortillas for the tostadas.  I then saute a base of onions, garlic and peppers so I can add slices of turkey cutlets (or even better yet make use of leftover turkey from Thanksgiving) and braise it low and slow with some ancho chili and organic free range chicken broth, until it is super tender.  The evening of the party, I can assemble my tapas by mashing the roasted garlic with goat cheese as a topping for the roasted sweet potatoes and drizzling with parsley pesto. The braised ancho turkey tops my baked tostadas and is finished with the fresh slaw.  And finally my Spiced Cider Sangria is a refreshing and festive way to wash it all down…perfect for the season but cooling at the same time.

So, with all of this easy and fun deliciousness happening, fill up your belly and your soul.  Gather your people for a fun Fall Tapas party! Check out my recipes for both tapas, plus my favorite bonus holiday cocktail, Spiced Cider Sangria.