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Cooking Up a Festive Table

Here’s a start — a special section of recipes sure to please a crowd this holiday season. In the survey, we also asked what type of holiday recipes you’d like to see in this issue. Main dishes is the winner (39%), followed by appetizers (32%), desserts (23%), other suggestions (5%) and drinks (1%). Carolina Country Contributing Recipes Editor Wendy Perry took your request and ran with it, creating three simple (though impressive) main dishes.

Creamed Spinach Shrimp Scampi

Creamed Spinach Shrimp Scampi

Creamed Spinach Shrimp Scampi

With lemon-chive cornbread dumplings

What could be as delicious as shrimp scampi and lemony creamed spinach? Combining the two and topping off with fluffy lemon-chive cornbread dumplings, that’s what! The tender dumplings are just the right touch to float atop the scampi to spoon into all that buttery creamy goodness. And the best part: You can have this impressive dish ready, start to finish, in only about 30 minutes!

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Maple and Apple Cider Brined Tomahawk Pork Chops

Maple and Apple Cider Brined Tomahawk Pork Chops

With herbed butter

Want to impress guests with taste and presentation too? Offer them these fancy brined “Frenched” chops. Just a bit of planning ahead is needed to brine, but after that, a quick sear and you’re ready to gather round the table in under 30 minutes. What’s the perfect side for this dish? NC sweet potatoes, of course!

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Open Faced Chicken Cordon Bleu

Open Faced Chicken Cordon Bleu

Over savory French toast

Cordon Bleu is such a crowd pleaser but can be a bit intimidating for some. Make our sheet pan recipe in short order for something to be enjoyed by most everyone (the young ones, too). Nice for supper or a holiday brunch gathering!

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Creamed Spinach Shrimp Scampi

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