Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or even Easter, the holidays are always a time to showcase your cooking skills. With extra free time and traditions to celebrate, there’s all the more reason to treat your guests – and yourself – to a memorable feast. Let RiceSelect® enhance your much-cherished kitchen time.

In this guide, we’ll take you through 7 ways to make those holiday meals stand out!

1. Make Finger Foods Fancy

Canapés, usually referred to as finger appetizers, are an ideal option. You don't need a fork to eat them, and they are portable and simple to handle. They let you sample a wide range of dishes all at once. Unsurprisingly, finger foods grew in popularity at the same time when cocktail parties first came on the scene – and they’ve been popular ever since! .

Make these flavorful RiceSelect® Jasmati® Chicken Salad Puffs for your upcoming dinner party or get-together. Have some leftover risotto? These traditional Italian Arborio rice balls have all the tantalizing tastes of the East coast: for a mouthwatering mouthful that you won't soon forget, whip up some Crab Cake Arancini.

2. Salads with Style

Including nutritious salads in your diet has several advantages. Not only are they bursting with beneficial properties, but also salads are perfect for a light yet satisfying complement. Salads improve your body's absorption of vitamins and minerals, help you lose weight, and even keep you cool.

We love how light and fluffy couscous salads are! For example, this Cranberry Pearl Couscous Salad is the ideal wonderful and satisfying side dish for your upcoming supper because it contains grains, nuts, and dried fruits. This Holiday Couscous Salad, which includes almonds, Brussels sprouts, and salty bacon, is a delicious side dish for any holiday meal.

3. Vegetables That Steal the Show

Despite constantly hearing how important it is to incorporate vegetables into your daily routine, many people still see them as a bit boring. But we’ve got news for you: it doesn’t have to be that way! At RiceSelect®, we’ll help you level up vegetables so you can make fun, foodie-approved food!

With our Roasted Seven Vegetable Couscous, you can treat yourself to a satisfying meat-free supper, served over a bed of light and fluffy RiceSelect® Couscous. What’s more, this modern take on a traditional Moroccan vegetable dish is roasted, rather than stewed, to enhance the richness of flavor.

4. Poultry Platters

For poultry platters that’ll warm up your holidays, we recommend this Red-Wine Braised Duck with Royal Blend® Rice Recipe. This duck dish, which is ideal for celebratory feasts, is braised in a rich red wine sauce with spices, pancetta, and pearl onions, then served over a bed of RiceSelect® Royal Blend® rice.

Pantry Tip: Our Royal Blend® line is perfect for home chefs. Each blend begins with Texmati® Rice, an aromatic hybrid of American long-grain white or brown rice and basmati, making it distinct in quality and innovation. Each creation is properly paired with complementary grains to meet your high expectations for cuisine.

Asian food lovers may prefer our Quinoa & Chicken Nasi Goreng Recipe; every bite of this Indonesian-style dish is bursting with sweet and spicy aromas.

5. Meals for Meat lovers

For a fantastic weekend meal with friends, prepare a tasty rice bowl with Korean boneless short ribs that are easily cooked. This Instant Pot Braised Short Rib Recipe will not disappoint: taste for yourself.

Or how about this Lamb Shanks with Lemon Couscous Recipe? This is a light and enticing supper of roasted lamb served with lemon pearl couscous.

A show-stopping dish for any holiday table or special occasion, this Royal Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe of whole grain rice is sure to impress.

6. Seafood Sensations

Seafood is internationally loved for a reason: it’s something we can bring into our kitchens to liven up the holidays with fresh flavors.

This Curry Risotto with Baked Salmon dish is sure to please with crispy baked salmon atop a lovely bed of creamy curry risotto. Prepare for a delicious date night supper or a weeknight dinner.

This elegant dish for Wine-Poached Halibut with Celery Root Puree is another seafood wonder. Made with Texmati® White Rice and vegetables, it’s all topped with a celery root puree to elevate any weekday meal.

With fresh Greek flavors, this Tri-Color Pearl Couscous with Langoustines Recipe is perfect for an impressive seafood dinner.

7. Decadent Desserts

We all love desserts because they help us feel full after eating and counteract low blood sugar, but most importantly, they make us happy. Here are some of the best dessert suggestions for the holidays.

Dessert fans will swoon over this RiceSelect® Crème Brûlée Rice Pudding, a pairing of delicious delicacies prepared with rich, creamy rice pudding and your favorite Crème Brûlée's classic tastes. Light, fluffy and aromatic rice is flavored with cream, milk, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon. Eggs are used to thicken this mixture, and a crispy caramelized sugar topping is added on top.

For a slightly different festive touch and sweet dessert to your table, try this Festive Rice-Nog Pudding Recipe.

For a festive holiday meal that friends and family won’t be able to forget, reach for the red container with the iconic red cap; when you use RiceSelect®, you know you’re serving up the very best!

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