2 Delicious Ways to Ring in the New Year

delicious-ways-to-ring-in-the-new-year

New Year’s Eve recipes to try in the cabin

5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year! It’s time to say “goodbye” to 2015 and “hello” to 2016, and what better way to celebrate the start of a brand new year than with a memorable trip to the Great Smoky Mountains?! Our beautiful cabins in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge feature space for groups and boast all the amenities you could need for a fantastic weekend away. Some feature game tables, big screen TVs, private home theaters, and TVs over the outdoor hot tubs, while most boast fully equipped kitchens, indoor jetted tubs, fireplaces, inviting living rooms, and comfortable bedrooms with plenty of space. No matter where you stay, you’re sure to make some lasting memories! With all that celebrating, you’ll likely build up quite the appetite. Take advantage of the fully equipped kitchen with these 2 easy and delicious recipes!

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms | Rachael Ray via www.foodnetwork.com
In just 35 minutes, you can have 24 tasty mushroom appetizers for a fun New Year’s Eve celebration!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, one turn of the pan
  • 24 large gourmet stuffing mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved brushed with damp towel
  • Salt and pepper

Stuffing:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, half a turn of the pan
  • 3/4 pound sweet bulk Italian sausage
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 20 stems mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 rib of celery and green, leafy top from the heart of the stalk, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 3 slices white bread, toasted and buttered, chopped into small dice
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, 2 handfuls
  • Directions
    Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

    Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and mushroom caps and season caps with salt and pepper. Saute caps 5 to 7 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender on edges. Turn caps up and let juices drain away from caps. Transfer caps to a small nonstick baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and return to heat. Add a touch of oil and sausage to the hot skillet. Brown and crumble sausage for 3 minutes. In a food processor pulse and chop the garlic, add mushroom stems and pulse to chop the mushroom stems. Add celery, onion and red bell pepper to the mushrooms and pulse to chop. Remove mixture from the processor and saute veggies and mushrooms over medium high heat another 3 to 5 minutes. Add dry, defrosted spinach and stir into stuffing. Add chopped bread and cheese to the pan and toss stuffing until bread is moist and stuffing is combined, 2 or 3 minutes. Fill caps with stuffing using a small scoop or large spoon. Place caps in hot oven and reduce heat to 450 degrees F. Bake 6 to 8 minutes to crisp edges of stuffing and set stuffing in mushrooms. Transfer stuffed mushrooms to a serving plate.

    Polenta Crostini | Michael Chiarello via www.foodnetwork.com
    Whip up these cheesy, easy crostinis for a savory New Year’s Eve treat!

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups water
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
    • 1 cup fine grain polenta
    • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
    • Freshly ground coarse black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves

    Directions
    In a heavy saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the nutmeg and reduce the heat to the medium. Add the polenta gradually, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk for 5 minutes as the mixture bubbles. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to come away from the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine thoroughly.

    Invert a rimmed baking sheet on a countertop and cover the surface with parchment paper. Spread the polenta out with a spatula into a smooth, even layer. Cover the polenta with another sheet of parchment paper. Place another baking sheet, right side up, on top of the parchment. With 2 hands, press down evenly on the top baking sheet until the polenta is 1/4 inch thick. The idea is to sandwich the polenta between 2 flat surfaces. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Invert the baking sheets together. Remove the top baking sheet and the top layer of parchment paper. The smoother side of the polenta will be facing up. Cut the polenta into triangle about 2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Transfer the triangles to 1 or more baking sheets, spacing them 1/2-inch apart. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the remaining Parmesan cheese and the remaining thyme on top of triangles.

    Bake the crostini until hot throughout and starting to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil the crostini about 8 inches from the heat source until crispy and golden brown on top, about 3 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.