Elegant and delicious recipes for those holiday gatherings

This time of year is festive and jolly with lights twinkling and Christmas carols playing. Whether you are preparing for company or packing to go out of town, today's delicious, yet elegant recipes are sure to impress your holiday guests or hosts.

Fall-Apart Boston Butt

1 (4 lbs.) Boston butt pork
roast
1/4 to 1/3 C. Worcestershire
sauce
3/4 C. light brown sugar
1 C. apple juice

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the inside of a casserole or deep roasting dish. Put the Worcestershire sauce into a separate bowl and soak the Boston butt pork roast in the Worcestershire sauce. Remove roast from Worcestershire sauce and coat with brown sugar, being sure to press the brown sugar all over to form a crust. Place sugar-crusted roast in the casserole dish. Pour apple juice into the casserole, but do not pour over the sugar-crusted roast. Cover casserole or pan tightly, either with a casserole top or aluminum foil. Place the roast in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 200 degrees. Bake for about 5 hours. Uncover the roast and check for doneness. The meat should be so tender it falls apart easily. If it doesn't, re-cover the roast and cook for 30 minutes more or as needed.

Note: This can also be prepared in a crock-pot. Prepare roast as outlined above. Put roast into crock-pot insert. Pour apple juice into bottom of crockpot and add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the apple juice. Set the crock-pot on HIGH for 30 minutes and then turn the setting to Low and cook for 8 hours.

Roasted Chicken Oreganato

1 (3 1/2 lbs.) whole chicken, cut
into 10 serving pieces
4 Medium potatoes, scrubbed
and cut into medium chunks
4 Plum tomatoes, cut into medium
chunks
1 Large onion, cut into medium
chunks
2 Cloves garlic, sliced (optional)

1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. fresh oregano leaves,
coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange
chicken and vegetables in roaster pan putting the chicken on top. Mix oil, oregano, salt and pepper and pour over meat and vegetables. Bake uncovered 1 hour 15 minutes or until done.

Onion Soufflé

3 (8 ozs.) packages cream
cheese
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 C. shredded Parmesan
cheese
2 Packs frozen chopped onions,
thawed and drained

Combine ingredients. Put into round glass baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until browned.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic

1 1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts, outer
leaves removed and stems
trimmed, each cut in half
8 to 10 medium cloves garlic
3 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the Brussels sprouts, garlic, oil and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl, tossing to evenly coat the sprouts. Transfer to a roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The sprouts are ready when they have started to brown and are tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Serve immediately.

After Dinner Mint Pie

2 C. (24) crushed cream filled
chocolate cookies
1/4 C. melted butter or margarine

1/4 C. créme de menthe
1 (7 ozs.) jar Marshmallow
Creme
2 C. whipped cream
Combine cookie crumbs with butter or margarine. Reserve 1/2 cup for topping and press remaining crumb mix onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan or pie pan. Chill. Gradually add créme de menthe to Marshmallow Creme. Mix until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into the prepared pan and freeze until firm. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs before serving.

Kahlua Pecan Pie recipe

1/4 C. butter
3/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tblsp. flour
3 Eggs
1 C. Kahlua
1/2 C. dark corn syrup
3/4 C. evaporated milk
1 C. whole or chopped pecans
1 chilled unbaked crust

Combine and mix well the first 4 ingredients. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the Kahlua, syrup and milk, and mix well.

Stir in pecans and pour into pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake until firm - about 40 minutes. Chill.