Story & Photography by Chelsea-Catherine Croom, Recipes by Allycin Alexander

We have enjoyed sharing our family recipes with you over the past few months, but December brings another layer. This time of year is full of events to attend and host, and the latter can be a bit overwhelming if you don't take it in stride. Let us help you! Greg and Allycin are excellent hosts, and do so often. I would trust any tips they have to give, and they recently hosted a Christmas dinner for some of their closest friends and let us take you along virtually. Get your markers ready to circle and note all of the things you'll want to try out at your own holiday soirée! We can't wait to hear how your dishes turn out and we'd love to know if you discover tips of your own! Share them with us on instagram @vipjacksonmagazine.

Parmesan Garlic Roasted Carrots

2 pounds carrots, washed, peeled diagonally, and cut into 3-inch pieces
4 Tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Ground Parmesan cheese to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with foil and set aside. Place prepared carrots in a large mixing bowl; set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave. Once melted, add the minced garlic, Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper to the melted butter until thoroughly combined. Pour the butter mixture over the carrots and toss to coat. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and mix until combined. Transfer carrots to the baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Mix them around halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Tossed Salad with Romaine Lettuce

Your favorite mixed greens
Garbanzo beans
Tomatoes
Feta cheese
Sliced Hearts of Palm
Salted Pepitas
Dried Cherries Honey Walnuts
Oil and Vinegar Dressing

Tip: I usually make this plate by plate but can combine in a bowl if serving buffet or family style.

Beverly’s Cheese & Olive Balls

3 Jars of Old English Cheese Spread
3 Sticks of Butter-Softened
3 Cups of all purpose flour
6 Dashes of Wocestershire
6 Dashes of Cayenne Red Pepper
Jar of Small Green Olives with pimentos

Mix all ingredients except olives. Shape into 1-1 1/2 inch size balls. Push olive into center.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Tips: I often double the recipe and freeze the rolled-out balls so later you can pop them in the oven from the freezer at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brown. 
I usually wear plastic gloves to mix and roll.
These cheese and olive balls are best served hot but will keep up to a week at room temperature.
I have used gluten-free flour, and the results are the same.

This recipe makes about 40-50 balls. Adjust recipe as needed. All ingredients are equal.

Loaded Spaghetti Squash Bowls

2 spaghetti squash
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow diced onion
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can diced drained tomatoes
1 15-ounce jar Marinara Sauce
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese to taste
Season to taste: Minced Garlic, Italian Seasoning, Chili Powder, Celery Seed, 1 Bay Leaf, Cumin, Accent and Oregano
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Basil, chopped to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash spaghetti squash and cut in half. Remove seed and pulp and line baking sheet with parchment paper and stand up the spaghetti squash halves. Brush tops of squash halves with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and cool. While squash is baking, prepare the meat sauce filling. Heat a large pot on stove over medium heat and add olive oil. Add diced onion to hot oil. Stir and allow to cook about 8 minutes, until onions cook down. Add seasoning, followed by the beef and another pinch of sea salt. Stir until well combined. Allow filling to cook until the meat is cooked through. Then pour in the marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. While filling is cooking, use a fork to separate the insides of spaghetti squash into strands leaving strands inside the firm hulls. Once insides are separated, add a large scoop of the meat mixture to each spaghetti squash. Top each squash with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Complete with chopped basil. Serve and enjoy. To store leftovers wrap the empty spaghetti squash in aluminum foil and store the meat filling in an airtight container.

Tips: Cook squash cut side down allowing it to steam well inside the squash making it easier to shred.Small to medium squash work best. Most spaghetti squash will naturally sit upright on one end. Before splitting squash, cut stem end slightly so it will stand upright. You may split squash horizontally or vertically based on how you want it to look when served. May prepare meat a day in advance. When adding the cheeses, you may need to pop back in oven to heat. (I like the cheese to run down the sides a bit.)

Christmas Spritz

3 ounces Aperol
3 ounces Prosecco
1 ounce cranberry juice
2 ounces club soda
1 orange wedge
1 orange zest twist1 sprig of rosemary

Combine the Aperol, Prosecco, and cranberry juice in a glass with ice. Add an orange wedge and an orange zest twist. Pop in a sprig of rosemary for festiveness. It’s so pretty and easy. (If you want the drink to be less bitter, add more Prosecco and less Aperol.)