If you can't decide between serving cake and pie on Christmas, offer a totally different treat: ice cream sundaes! With homemade peppermint ice cream and a super rich hot fudge sauce, this childhood favorite becomes sophisticated enough for adults to enjoy. The ice cream must be made in advance, so you can start on this today. To get guests involved, consider setting up a sundae bar with the ice cream, sauce, and other delicious treats like fudgy brownies or chewy sugar cookies. Check out the recipe after the break.
Peppermint Ice Cream Sundaes Are a Festive Holiday Finish
If you can't decide between serving cake and pie on Christmas, offer a totally different treat: ice cream sundaes!
One of the world's most sublimely simple pleasures is roasted garlic. There's something so wonderful about the soft spreadable cloves that are sweet and slightly caramelized. I can't help but pop them into my mouth or slather them on French bread. Roasted garlic is also a great flavor enhancer for all sorts of dishes from salad dressings to pasta sauces. Anytime I need a last minute appetizer, I'll roast a couple of heads of garlic, then throw them on a plate next to some bread, cheese, and olives. It totally fools people into thinking you've made something special. But really, the technique is so easy! To learn how to roast garlic, a culinary basic you'll use over and over again, 
Classic stroganoff is made with ground beef, but Ménagère used ground pork because that's what she had on hand and she wanted to "cut down on the salt a bit." The final dish, that combines the meat with sour cream, sherry, and mushrooms, is economical and surprisingly fast. More of Ménagère's stunning food photography can be viewed on her blog, 
