Island Inspired Holiday Recipes

Whether you live in the coastal Carolinas or just like to visit, some of your fondest memories may be of the food that you’ve had in the area. Bald Head Island is the home to some of the best restaurants in Eastern North Carolina.  In this blog post, we share how you can add some island inspiration into your holiday meals. From seafood to dessert, there are island inspired dishes to satisfy every palate.   

If you are having company for the holidays, breakfast has to be part of the menu for your guests. Sweet potato biscuits and ham are a “Carolina favorite.” Since we live close to country ham production, you can easily find it to add some balance to the sweetness of the sweet potato biscuits.  The extra benefit of this meal is that you can make the biscuits ahead of time. Get the recipe here.    

Next, let’s move on to the star of many holiday meals. This main dish recipe takes a true island twist on a classic.  Roasted turkey can be seasoned with things you can find in your cabinet like olive oil, salt and pepper. The twist is added when you stuff it with oyster dressing. People report that this recipe is usually a hit with all of their holiday guests. Interested in serving? You can find the recipe on Coastalliving.com. 

If you’re looking for a main dish option different from turkey, then you may want to try this Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe. It’s easy to make, doesn’t contain a lot of fat but serves up a great deal of flavor. When you make enough for leftovers, this meat is also great as part of a sandwich.   

Side dishes are equally important in a holiday meal. Our first pick is Sauteed Swiss Chard with hazelnuts and garlic. It’s filled with complimentary flavors and this vegetable has a holiday feel with the addition of hazelnuts. Get the instructions on how to make this easy and quick dish here. 

Clam stuffed mushrooms is a nice alternative to potatoes. Chopped clams give a meaty like consistency to this herb and breadcrumb filling in these mushrooms. If you have someone that doesn’t eat turkey, this will give them another choice besides filling up on vegetables. You can find the recipe here. 

Can you have a holiday meal without a green bean casserole? We found an easy but delicious recipe for a green bean casserole that is topped with cheese and french onions. Just make sure that you head to the store early because french onions can run out pretty quickly.

Mashed Potatoes are also considered a staple for holiday meals. Whether you decide to add gravy or let it stand alone, mashed potatoes are a family favorite.  If you put the right seasonings in your recipe, you will have your family talking about the dish for hours after the meal is completed. The recipe that we share with you here has sea salt to add flavor.   

Another side dish that is super quick to make is Waldorf Salad. This fall inspired recipe takes about five minutes to make and can be easily made the day your holiday meal is served.  The recipe is just a nice way to serve apples, celery and walnuts. What makes this recipe different is yogurt that adds just a hint of tang.  

No meal is ever complete without dessert.  If you love pumpkin pie, we would like to give you a recipe for a Ginger-Pumpkin Trifle.  This delicious dessert serves up fall flavors with a hint of coffee. Your guests will love this light recipe that includes a vanilla mascarpone cream.   

Another dessert that you can include in your holiday meal contains key lime which we love on Bald Head Island.  Rum Cake with Key Lime Buttercream is a blend of island flavors that will wow your family.  Now this cake includes all of your favorites including cranberries but will be worth the investment of your time.  Find the recipe here.  

We hope some of these recipes will find their way to your holiday table this year.  If you are looking to have a truly relaxing holiday break, consider joining us on Bald Head Island for a few days.  Take a look at our specials to see if you want to have your holiday meal at the Bald Head Island Club or Shoals Club.  There are also some great annual events planned here at Bald Head Island for the holidays.   







 

Published on Friday, December 1, 2017