Modern Hospitality Tips for the Holidays With Chef Whitney Miller

Atalnta, GA, November 20, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Whitney Miller was only 22 when she defied the odds to become the winner of season one MasterChef. Her energy and personality impressed the judges, but it was her creativity and knowledge in the kitchen that made her a winner. Now, just in time for the holidays, the MasterChef champion shares her recipes for a successful holiday party or meal with some timely and tasty tips. Whitney is the author of two popular cookbooks, Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm, with foreword by Gordon Ramsay, and her newest book, Whitney Miller’s New Southern Table: My Favorite Family Recipes with a Modern Twist.

WHERE TO START WHEN PLANNING A GREAT HOLIDAY PARTY OR DINNER

When you’re entertaining this holiday season, keep it simple with appetizers that are deliciously crispy and big on flavor. This year, I’m saving a little time by serving Pagoda® egg rolls. They feature 100% white meat chicken and sweet chili dipping sauce and are all fresh to frozen. The best part is that they are made with fresh cut vegetables, hand-made wrappers and feature bold sauces. Plus, they’re crispy and ready in about 20 minutes. Pagoda® crab rangoons are made with 100% real rock crab meat and tangy cream cheese with zingy red peppers nestled in a crispy, crunchy wrapper and are a delicious and unexpected appetizer that your friends’ mouths will water over. Your guests will love it. Pagoda Snacks are made with all the good stuff and none of the bad stuff. You can find more information at www.PagodaSnacks.com

WHAT TO STOCK OUR KITCHEN WITH PRIOR TO THE BIG EVENTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

First and foremost, you must have good cookware. It makes a huge difference in how your dishes come out. Now is the time to upgrade. There are some great lines out there, but right now I am a big fan of the REVERE® brand. Known by generations for its iconic copper-bottom pots and pans, they’ve returned with two new cookware lines: Copper Confidence Core™ Stainless Steel cookware and CleanPan™ Hard Anodized Aluminum Non-Stick Cookware, both perfect for the modern hostess. The new lines feature Nest&Protect™, which interlocks the handles so they float above each other to protect your pans and easily store. The new cookware continues the brand’s long-standing history and commitment to durability and quality cooking performance at an affordable price, which every home entertainer can appreciate. You can find more information at www.REVEREWare.com

MORE CUTTING EDGE COOKING TIPS  

I don’t think people always realize how important knives are in creating a perfect dish. In cooking classes you spend almost as much time learning about the proper use of knives as you do about the food itself. A new set that I like to recommend is PRIME by Chicago Cutlery®. These knives are the perfect blend of form and function, to help you effortlessly prepare for all your holiday soirees. They are redesigned to feature an ergonomic handle with a Responsive Touch Technology grip, so the knives conform to the user’s hand. This gives you remarkable control and makes it comfortable to chop tons of veggies, meat and poultry for your all of your holiday apps and entrees. This block beautifully showcases the sleek Black Oxide knives while protecting them. They are a must have in any serious kitchen. You can find more information at  www.ChicagoCutlery.com or www.Williams-Sonoma.com.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COCKTAIL PARTY SNACKS   

For modern entertaining, you want snacks that will turn heads without hurting your waistline. Try something other than chips and dips. My favorite is Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps® because they are the better-for-you snack choice this holiday season. They’re made with simple ingredients, and no trans-fat, saturated fat or cholesterol. Pretzel Crisps® are easy to use in apps or desserts, paired with dips or topped with cheese and meat. You can find them conveniently in the deli section at your grocery store. And if you keep an eye out in your local newspaper, you’ll find a Pretzel Crisps® coupon on Sunday, November 13th, so you can save a little money, just in time for the holidays! You can find more information at  www.PretzelCrisps.com

BACKGROUND: Her recipes have been featured in the MasterChef and Ultimate MasterChef cookbooks. She is a food writer of magazine articles for Flavors (Atlanta), Taste of Home, Southern Living, and Eat. Drink. Mississippi. Her recipes, articles, and/or book promotions have appeared in People, Women’s Health, MasterChef, Clean Eating, and Cooking Light magazines as well as online at Self, California and Olive Ranch. www.WhitneyMiller.net

Source: Pagoda Snacks, REVERE, PRIME by Chicago Cutlery, Snack Factory P