Christmas is finally here and we couldn't be more excited. When December hit, we knew that we would be rolling out all of the stops to celebrate our favorite holiday!
We all have special traditions for Christmas morning, but what about Christmas Eve morning? At 3RD & LUXE, we love to celebrate Christmas Eve morning with a delightful tea! While we rocked a more formal look, you could easily simplify this and make it perfect for your family or friends.
Tea time! We brewed a spiced chai tea with a super bold flavor. We loved the way it paired with our tea time food!
Let's talk about these adorable, pop-in-your-mouth goat cheese cups. They're Christmas colors and gave our tastebuds a nice savory moment amidst some of the sweeter things we were eating.
Goat Cheese Pomegranate Cups
Ingredients:
12 frozen phyllo shells
4 tablespoons goat cheese
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
2) Fill each phyllo shell with about 1 teaspoon of goat cheese each.
4) Remove from oven, top each cup with another pinch of thyme and about 1 teaspoon of pomegranate arils.
Recipe inspired by Fox and Briar
Make the ultimate Christmas tea sandwich with sliced brioche bread from Trader Joe’s, cream cheese, turkey, cranberry sauce, and arugula.
Christmas-themed drooling.
Bonjour, baby! Paris and Christmas are basically the two greatest things this world has to offer, so we decided to bring some French cuisine into this tea party.
PUFF PASTRY CROQUE MADAME
Ingredients:
2 sheets Puff Pastry, thawed to room temperature
1 whole Egg, whisked in a small bowl with a teaspoon of water for egg wash
6 ounces Gruyere Cheese, shredded
8 slices Black Forest Ham
8 whole Eggs
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper, for seasoning
Chives, chopped for garnish
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out each puff pastry sheet into an equal square, cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares. Lay each square evenly spaced apart on 2 large sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Poke holes in the center of the puff pastry with a fork, brush with egg wash and season with kosher salt.
2) Lay ham on top of the puff pastry. Sprinkle the cheese evenly in a circle on the ham and leave a space in the center to crack the egg into. Place in the oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the edges are beginning to puff.
3) Remove from the oven, use the back of a spoon to press a slight divot into the center of the puff pastry and crack the eggs into each well. Season egg with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
4) Bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until egg whites are set and puff pastry is golden. Remove and garnish with chives, serve immediately.
Recipe inspired by Dash of Savory
People will definitely think you're a gourmet cook if you place these on their plates!
A cookie charcuterie board will make Santa leave you EVERYTHING on your wishlist this year. Here we have many of our favorite Trader Joe's holiday cookies mixed with classic candies!
Less is more does not apply. Just like when you're placing cheese and crackers on a board, the more packed, the better. Trust.
Another AMAZING Trader Joe’s hack: Pipe fresh whipped cream onto their Almond Kringle and top with pomegranate seeds, cranberries rolled in sugar, and rosemary for a stunningly impressive dessert!
Remember, because you will put whip cream on top of this, you can tell everyone it's homemade. ;)
"Oh this? Just something I whipped up after work."
Sweet and savory Christmas cheer all on one plate.
We think that the Christmas Eve tea party might be the new Friendsgiving!
You'll definitely find us on the Nice List.
Merry Christmas from 3RD & LUXE! We hope that your holiday season is filled with family, friends, laughter, and love. Remember that your event doesn't have to be perfect to be special!
A big thank you to 805 Catering Co. for helping to bring our Christmas Eve gathering to life with your beautiful food!