As we count down toward the New Year, many of us will make New Year's Resolutions. Most common resolutions involve self-improvement. Either physically - lose weight, becoming healthier, stop smoking, etc., or mentally - learn a language, become more patient, be a better friend, etc.

According to Statistic Brain (www.statisticbrain.com) about half (48%) of Americans make resolutions for the New Year. However, less than 10% of us achieve our resolution. In fact, most of us who commit to a resolution only continue to work on it for about a month (30 days).

Why do we struggle with maintaining our commitment and achieving our goals? According to Life Hacks (www.lifehacks.org) the level of success in attaining our resolution is directly related to identifying and executing a "plan" for our goal. Our plan should include tools and resources to help support us during this "challenge. For example: one of the top resolutions each year is for us to "lose weight. For some, they will wake up the day after New Year's (most popular starting day for resolutions) and say - ok - I am going to lose weight. However, it isn't that easy to just say it and then do it. Try instead before New Year's to identify your plan and secure resources to help you lose weight. It might be a meal guide and recipes for the first 2 weeks, or a shopping list including items that will help with your cravings, or it might be an exercise guide, etc. The point is - your chances of success are much greater if you give yourself tools and resources to support you in your endeavor.

So no matter what the resolution is - prepare yourself, help yourself, and commit yourself - and your chances of success will be greatly enhanced.  If your resolution is to enjoy more Bellisari's, we have a plan for you, full of resources and tools to help you achieve your goal. :) The photo is a variety of my favorite cooking ingredients that all happen to be healthy and taste amazing. You can put them in water and drink daily to kick off your weight loss plan or add them to a dish. Either way it is a good start to accomplishing your New Year's Resolution. I wish you a very safe and happy New Year, and nothing but happiness in the year to come.

Holiday entertaining is all about lots of food, drink and celebration.   It’s a time to gather family friends and even coworkers. Parties don’t have to be formal-they can be fun, simple and completely casual. Because most people have a variety of parties to attend, cocktail and appetizer parties are a great way to entertain for the guests that are in and out. A number of small bites, dips, spreads, savory tarts and a few drinks are all you need. Consider a holiday themed cocktail (I had this one and it is fabulous) or have guests bring their favorite bottle of wine and you’re all set with the drinks part.

Whether you’re the kind of person who has the holiday party that everyone wants to attend or are a first-time host or hostess, we have a variety of recipes to suit all your needs. You’ll find recipes with our Bellisari’s spreads and sauces that can please even the pickiest of palettes(I have two of those at home) as well as elegant hors d’oeuvres. These are also the standby’s I go to year after year!  The best part is all these recipes can easily be eaten with your hands, either picked up with your fingers or with the help of a skewer. Most of the recipes can be prepared ahead of your party or small gathering, making it that much easier to entertain. This way you can spend more time with your guests instead of in the kitchen!

Fig & Pesto Torte

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For crust

1 cup finely ground wheat crackers such as Wheat Thins

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden, cooled, and ground fine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling

1 1/4 pounds cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mascarpone or sour cream

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups homemade basil pesto (recipe follows) or prepared basil pesto

2 pounds firm-ripe fresh figs (about 16 large), 1 pound cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices-if out of season use dried.

1/2 cup Bellisari's Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread

1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

Accompaniment: baguettes cut diagonally into thin slices and toasted lightly

Directions:

To Make crust

Preheat oven to 325° F. and butter a 10-inch springform pan. In a bowl with a fork stir together crust ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Press mixture into bottom of pan and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

To Make filling

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together filling ingredients and salt and pepper to taste until very smooth. Assemble torte Pour half of filling into crust. Drop dollops of pesto over filling and spread carefully to form an even topping. (Some filling may show through.) Top pesto layer with half of fig slices, overlapping them slightly, and pour remaining filling over figs, spreading evenly. Bake torte in middle of oven 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until top is golden brown and set. Cool torte in pan on a rack (filling will deflate slightly). Chill torte, covered loosely, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

In a small saucepan stir together Bellisari's Blistered jalapeno Fig Spread and vinegar and bring to a simmer. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture. Stir in salt to taste. Slice remaining figs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side. Spread torte with preserves mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch border, and top decoratively with remaining fig slices. With 2 large metal spatulas transfer torte to a serving plate.

Serve torte at room temperature to spread on toasts.

Adapted from Epicurious.

Grilled Pork Belly Skewers

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1lb of skinless pork belly

1 Clove of Grated Garlic

1 Tbsp of grated ginger

1 Tbsp of apple juice

1 1/2 Tbsp of soy sauce

1/2 Jar Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce

1 Tsp Black Pepper

1 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil

½ cup prepared tomatillo sauce

½ cup prepared crème fresh

Directions:

To make the grilled pork belly: Slice the pork belly into 2″ wide, and 1/2″ thick pieces. Marinate with grated garlic, grated ginger, apple juice, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and black pepper for at least 2 hours.

Right before serving, preheat the top-broiler on high. Divide/make the pork belly into 8 bite size portions and place on a baking-rack, sitting over a parchment-lined baking-sheet. Bake until nicely browned/charred on the first side. This will only take a few min. Before serving, brush with Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce and Sprinkle with Sea Salt.  Place each belly onto of a tablespoon of tomatillo sauce and drizzle with crème fresh either on each piece or on the platter.

Chicken Bacon Bites

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 1/4 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts cut in 1" Cubes

1 lb. Bacon

1 Jar Bellisari’s Barista Sauce

1 Jar Marinated artichoke hearts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut bacon slices and artichokes into halves. Wrap each chicken cube and artichoke with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Brush with Bellisari’s Barista Sauce. Coat pan with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Serve with more sauce.

Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread Endive Appetizer

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1 Jar Bellisari's Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread

12 Endive spears

1 Small bag of walnuts

1 Small sandwich bag

Directions:

Wash endive spears thoroughly. Place 3 Tbsp of Bellisari's Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread into the sandwich bag. Cut a small slit in the corner of the bag. Gently squeeze the spread into the endive spears.

Top with chopped walnuts and serve.

The holiday season is about giving. The older I get the less I want to give useless trinkets or coffee mugs and the more I want to take some extra time to make something special from the heart. A little something that may spark a childhood memory of holidays past or create a new memory or tradition that one can look forward to year after year. In our family, I have a cousin that delivers handmade breakfast cakes to all the aunts for Christmas Eve morning beautifully wrapped for each to enjoy with their families.( To me the packaging is just as important as the item inside.) It truly is a gift from the heart and we all know that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach. This holiday season be sure to surprise not only family but a neighbor, friend or co-worker with a recipe of love. Below are a few unique Bellisari recipes that the whole family can help prepare as gifts.

Barista Beef Jerky

Ingredients

3 cups amber ale or lager 2 jars of Bellisari's Barista Sauce, 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns, plus 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, for sprinkling before drying the meat 2 pounds trimmed beef top round or bottom round, about 1 1/2 inches thick

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the ale or lager with the Bellisari's Barista Sauce and the cracked black peppercorns. Cut the beef into 1/4-inch-thick slices, either with or against the grain.

Add the beef to the marinade, a few slices at a time, stirring well to coat each slice with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

Dry the Meat: Preheat the oven to 200°. Set a large wire rack on each of 3 large rimmed baking sheets. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the beef on the racks, leaving 1/4 inch between slices. Sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper. Bake for about 4 hours, until the jerky is firm and almost completely dry, but still chewy. Let cool completely on the racks before serving.

Fig Jellies

Bring two jars of Bellisari's Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread and boil, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 223 degrees F, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 5 tablespoons liquid pectin. Pour into a foil-lined 8-inch-square pan and chill until firm. Cut into squares; toss in sugar.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Simmer 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in 1 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Let cool, then divide among jars and chill.

Dried Cranberry & Blue Cheese Cheesecake Bites

Line 36 mini-muffin cups with festive holiday paper liners. Mix 3/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter; press into the liners and chill until firm. Blend 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup each sour cream and confectioners sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and lemon zest; fold in 1/2 cup Bellisari's Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread add 1 cup dried cranberries and mix thoroughly. Pipe or spoon into the crusts; chill 1 hour. Top with toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds.

Saigon Spiced Pecans

Ingredients

1 pound pecan pieces

1 Jar Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce

4 Tablespoons of Butter

Directions

Melt butter and toss pecans in a bowl with butter.  Lay on parchment lined sheet tray and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool.  Pour the entire jar of Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce over the cooked pecans in a bowl and use a rubber spatula to toss the pecans so they are coated entirely. Lay on the parchment paper sheet tray, separate with a fork and cook for 12-15 minutes. Let cool and serve. Pecans keep, layered between parchment or wax paper in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 days

Planning a Thanksgiving menu can be overwhelming.  The shopping, cleaning, setting up and then the cooking-it is no easy feat.  Thankfully we all have our favorite recipes that we turn to year after year but it is nice to shake it up a bit with new ingredients and a twist on the old.

 Unfortunately, I don’t use my cookbooks that much anymore.  There is nothing better than the worn, folded down pages of the tried and true traditional cookbook that you can rely on every holiday season.  Each year it is a group effort in preparing our Thanksgiving meal. We end up with multiple turkeys…fried, baked, boneless, deconstructed, beer brined, you name it we will have it.  We have a family that includes many “home chef’s” so each family member has their one item that we all love, and they make and bring with them.  Here are some old standbys that we played around with in our Bellisari’s kitchen.

Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch chunks

5 large garlic cloves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces of Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup half-and-half or milk

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the potatoes, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender.

Drain the potatoes and garlic and process them together through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade set on top of a bowl. While the potatoes are still hot, stir in the Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread, butter, sour cream, half-and-half, 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-12-by-2-inch oval baking dish, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Barista Mexican Street Corn

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 Jar of Bellisari’s Barista Sauce

7 ears of corn

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 cup of grated jack cheese

1 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 knob of butter for greasing

1 egg

a handful of chopped cilantro

wedges of limes

a handful of crumbled cotija cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, jack cheese, parmesan, and egg and mix until combined. Cut the corn off the cob and add corn to the mayo mixture. Stir to combine.  Grease a casserole dish with butter. Pour the corn mayo mixture in and bake for about 35-40 minutes.  To serve drizzle Bellisari’s Barista Sauce, sprinkle cotija and cilantro.

Balsamic Green Bean Casserole

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the topping:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:

½ Cup Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot & Black Garlic Spread

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1-pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add Bellisari’s Balsamic, Shallot and Black Garlic Spread and the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

And the holiday flood gates are open. Once Halloween is over it seems time moves at warp speed and we are in the throes of the holiday season. Throwing an elegant holiday get-together whether a sit-down dinner or a cocktail party doesn't have to be stressful. The last thing you want is to spend your own party fixing drinks. Guests love creating their own cocktails, especially if you have a variety of mixers and liquors to choose from.  Make sure you have all the tools you need for guests to help themselves. The most important thing is to have the bar set up in a spacious area away from the kitchen so it isn't too crowded. The self-serve cocktail bar also is a great gathering and socializing venue. It can be fun, relaxed, and personalized so that each guest can create what they want. When setting up my bar I use one type of glassware for wine, beer and water.  You could also include a pitcher of a pre-made holiday cocktail, if you're feeling festive.  Set up an easy-to-make cocktail bar with precut garnishes, infused vodkas, and cocktail recipes so your guests can help themselves.   Here are a few tips and recipes to make it a little easier during this busy time.

Pitcher for water and plenty of ice.  You can never have enough of either.

Chilled Drinks: I use this large pewter bowl to chill a variety of seasonal beer and white wine.

Wine & Beer Opener

Cocktail Napkins-paper or cloth.

Glasses: I like to keep them organized on a single tray to keep the bar neat and organized during the party.  Make sure you restock during the party.

Snacks: I have a variety of nuts both sweet and salty and plenty of olives served in festive bowls.

Flowers: I always like to have something "fresh" in every room.  It adds special feeling to your display.

Stocking the bar

Plan on two drinks per person for the first two hours, one drink per person for each extra hour.  Assume 40% drink beer, 30% use hard liquor, and 30% sip wine.

25 People Beer: 60 bottles

Wine and champagne: 9 bottles

Hard liquor: 3 bottles

Mixers: 12 liters

50 People Beer: 120 bottles

Wine and champagne: 18 bottles

Hard liquor: 6 bottles

Mixers: 24 liters

100 People Beer: 240 bottles

Wine and champagne: 36 bottles

Hard liquor: 11 bottles

Mixers: 48 liters

Here are some drink and snack recipes with our Bellisari"s spreads and sauces:

Autumn Sangria with Apples, Pomegranate and Fig

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 large apple, cut into thin wedges

¼ cup Bellisari's Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread

1 bottle chilled prosecco

1 cup brandy

2 cups pomegranate juice

Ice

Directions

In a large pitcher filled half way with ice, add the fruit and the top with the juice, brandy and the mix Bellisari's Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread with the chilled prosecco and then pour over the fruit. Let sit and serve cold.

Tuscan Bloody Mary

Ingredients

1 oz. your favorite Vodka

3 oz. Bloody Mary Base

¼ cup Bellisari's Calabrian and Sweet Tomato Fennel

8 oz. tomato juice

5 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 pinches salt

1 tbsp. horseradish

3 pinches black pepper

1 oz. fresh lemon juice

Directions

Add ice and roll ingredients from shaker into a rocks glass. Garnish with a charred bell pepper flavored salt for the rim.

Cocktail Snacks

Ingredients

12 large pitted green olives

1 Jar of Bellisari's Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread

Directions

Transfer Bellisari's Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe 1/2 teaspoon blue cheese into each olive. May be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 1 day.

Saigon Spiced Pecans

Ingredients

1 pound pecan pieces

1 Jar Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce

4 Tablespoons of Butter

Melt butter and toss pecans in a bowl with butter.  Lay on parchment lined sheet tray and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Let cool.  Pour the entire jar of Bellisari's Saigon Street Sauce over the cooked pecans in a bowl and use a rubber spatula to toss the pecans so they are coated entirely.  Lay on the parchment paper sheet tray, separate with a fork and cook for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool and serve. Pecans keep, layered between parchment or wax paper in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 days