Whether you celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, the eight days of Hanukkah, the seven days of Kwanzaa, or simply the first snowfall of winter, we hope you can reflect back on this challenging year and find a few things to truly celebrate. At G.A.P., we’re celebrating our partners, whose trust and adherence to our mission and standards have helped us impact almost half a billion animals again this year. We’re celebrating our team, whose hard work has helped us evolve our current animal welfare standards, develop new ones, and also bring more farms, processors, and brands into the program. We’re celebrating our certifiers, who worked with us to define a process for conducting audits remotely and keeping everyone safe. And we’re also celebrating you – our loyal followers, for staying engaged and helping us move the needle for change each and every year, even in the midst of a pandemic. Your actions matter. Every time you purchase a product with the G.A.P. Animal Welfare Certified label, you are voting with your dollars for better farm animal welfare practices.
How will you be celebrating this year?
Planning to Zoom with grandma? Or have a remote happy-hour with friends across the globe? Your holiday plans will probably look a little different this year, but starting new traditions can be a good thing. For example, have you thought about gathering with family or friends outdoors? Whether you live in Florida or Canada, outdoor gatherings are possible – and fun! If you have kids, just ask them. Moving the eating and activities outside can be a new adventure. Spikeball or tag before dinner? Yes, please. Fire and s’mores after dinner? Even better. It will surely be a holiday to remember.
What will you be serving?
Of course, ham and brisket are staples on many tables for Christmas and Hanukkah. But this might be the year to actually go completely non-traditional! Take a family vote or, better yet, have each family member make a dish so everyone has their favorites. Traditions are wonderful, so if a sense of normalcy is what you crave; by all means, stick to that. But 2020 is not an ordinary year, so feel free to go off the rails with some new ideas. It might create some extra excitement in your household. Of course, you’ll need a plan for what you’re making so you can create your shopping list. We’ve shared a few of our suggestions and recipes below. Just don’t forget to #MakeitGAP!
Beef
If beef is your protein of choice, we recommend either a classic standing rib roast or a beef tenderloin. For the standing rib roast option, allow for 1 rib per 2 people. For example, a three-bone roast will serve six. Ask your butcher to cut the meat from the bone and re-tie the roast. This way you have the benefit of roasting bone-in and carving is easy peasy. For beef tenderloin, choose smaller filets for 2-4 people or a larger loin roast for more guests. We love this recipe for beef tenderloin with a mushroom cream sauce. Is your mouth watering yet?
Lamb
Not just for spring, lamb is a great option for this time of year too. Roasting a leg of lamb is perfect for a larger family, while a rack of lamb is fast, easy and makes a stunning presentation. Here’s a delicious recipe for roasted rack of lamb with a cranberry mint chutney.
Pork
Cooking a flavorful, juicy pork tenderloin is simple and it’s so versatile. Season with a savory herb rub, or garnish with a tangy sauce, then grill roast or broil. This lean, tender cut of meat never fails to impress. Here’s a fresh, easy marinade for grilled pork tenderloin with a citrus soy glaze.
Ham
A holiday favorite, ham serves any number of people, can be used as a centerpiece on your holiday table, and is great the next day for sandwiches, appetizers and soups – not to mention, when spiral cut, it’s a dream to serve. We love this leftover ham recipe made with crescent roll dough – yum! And who doesn’t like a good cup of chowder? Check out this delicious ham potato chowder recipe, too.
Relax and take it all in
This has been a tough year. We truly hope you can take some time off this month to relax, recharge, and take care of yourself. The pandemic has forced all of us to slow down and take stock. We hope you can do a little of that this holiday season too. Happiest of holidays from our families to yours!
