From the Inside Flap
All too often, preparing for Christmas festivities can take you away from family and friends. Luckily, the Pillsbury Editors have collected 155 delicious, kitchen-tested and totally reliable recipes, plus activities and kid-pleasing crafts so you can spend more time creating special holiday memories together.

There are dishes to suit any kind of holiday get-together, whether you’re expecting three guests or thirty, from a post-shopping party to a Christmas Day feast. Entrées such as Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy, Party Chicken Cacciatore, Pineapple-Orange Glazed Ham and Italian Roasted Salmon are as simple to make as they are impressive on the holiday table. Seasonal salads, vegetable sides and sweet treats like Cranberry-Walnut White Fudge will help you achieve a multicourse meal everyone will love. Snacks and appetizers, along with an array of breads, will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.

You’ll also find strategies for alleviating holiday stress while making memories. Whether it’s inviting a friend over to help with holiday baking or letting others lend a hand at parties, every tip will help you focus on spending quality time with family and friends. And to keep the little ones cabin-fever-free over winter breaks, activities such as making Fido’s Favorite Treats and Santa Grahams are fun and easy boredom busters. Recipes for thoughtful gifts, including Hot Buttered Rum Sauce and Orange-Spice Coffee Mix, add a personal touch to the holiday that can’t be achieved with a harried trip to a store.

From ideas for homemade gifts to recipes for the main entrée at the holiday meal, Pillsbury Family Christmas Cookbook is a one-stop guide to yuletide planning.

About the Author
PILLSBURY has been pleasing home cooks with its cookbooks for almost 100 years. The Pillsbury cookbook line includes a full collection of titles, ranging from the general all-purpose Pillsbury Complete Cookbook to specially themed books like Pillsbury Appetizers, Pillsbury Doughboy™ Slow Cooker Recipes and Pillsbury Dough Magic!

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Beef Crostini with Caper Mayonnaise

Prep Time: 30 minutes

24 (1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick) slices baguette or small French bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 to 4 tablespoons drained capers

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 lb. thinly sliced cooked roast beef (from deli), cut into 24 pieces

2 Italian plum tomatoes, cut into 24 thin slices

Chopped fresh chives, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place bread slices on ungreased cookie sheet; brush lightly with oil. Bake at 350°F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Cool 5 minutes or until completely cooled.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheese, 2 tablespoons chives, the capers and garlic powder; mix well.

3. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on each toasted bread slice. Top each with 1 piece of roast beef and 1 slice of tomato. Garnish with chives.

Yield: 24 appetizers

Nutrition Information Per Serving Serving Size: 1 Appetizer; Calories 80; Calories from Fat 55 % Daily Value: Total Fat 6g 9%; Saturated Fat 1g 5%; Cholesterol 10mg 3%; Sodium 190mg 8%; Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%; Dietary Fiber 0g 0%; Sugars 0g; Protein 3g; Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 2%; Iron 2% Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Fat, 0 Carbohydrate Choice

Special Touch

Love the taste of garlic? Chop a clove of garlic and heat with the olive oil in the microwave for about 20 seconds before brushing it onto the bread.

Pastrami and Pepper Roll-ups

Prep Time: 25 minutes (Ready in 2 hours 25 minutes)

1/2 lb. thinly sliced pastrami (from deli)

1/3 cup chive and onion cream cheese spread (from 8-oz. container)

1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers (from a jar), drained, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips

Fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired

1. Spread each pastrami slice with cream cheese spread. Top each with roasted pepper piece at one edge. Starting at roasted pepper edge, roll up each tightly. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.

2. To serve, cut each roll into 1-inch-thick pieces. Secure each with fresh rosemary sprig or cocktail toothpick.

Yield: 40 appetizers

Nutrition Information Per Serving Serving Size: 1 Appetizer; Calories 15; Calories from Fat 10 % Daily Value: Total Fat 1g 2%; Saturated Fat 1g 5%; Cholesterol 5mg 2%; Sodium 80mg 3%; Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%; Dietary Fiber 0g 0%; Sugars 0g; Protein 1g; Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 0%; Iron 0% Dietary Exchanges: Free, 0 Carbohydrate Choice

Family Ties

Involve the whole family when making this appetizer. One person can spread the cream cheese, another can top with the roasted peppers and a third can be in charge of rolling up the appetizers. Getting ready for a party has never been so much fun!

Chili Cheese Dip and Potato Wedges

Prep Time: 25 minutes

1 (24-oz.) pkg. frozen potato wedges with skins

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

8 oz. pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut into chunks (2 cups)

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Bake potato wedges as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Add cheese, tomato sauce and chiles; mix well. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted and mixture is hot, stirring frequently.

3. Serve hot potato wedges with cheese dip.

Yield: 24 servings

Nutrition Information Per Serving Serving Size: 1/24 of Recipe; Calories 115; Calories from Fat 55 % Daily Value: Total Fat 6g 9%; Saturated Fat 2g 10%; Cholesterol 15mg 5%; Sodium 300mg 13%; Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%; Dietary Fiber 1g 4%; Sugars 2g; Protein 4g; Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 4%; Iron 2% Dietary Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat, 1 Carbohydrate Choice

FROM THE PUBLISHER