Holiday Recipes
Holiday Recipes
The tangy fragrance of Wassail, or the aroma of a huge turkey roasting in the oven takes us back to our most pleasant memories of family and home. It's an instant sensation that warms the heart. For most of us, we love to try new recipes sometime during the holiday season that add spice to our life. If you have a holiday recipe to share (or more than one!), please email it to me at info@prairiedreamsdecor.com Only your first name will be used unless you instruct otherwise. Don't forget to check the "Recipes" page for more great recipes that will work for you and your family throughout the season.
APPLE SHAPED TRUFFLES
Ingredients:
- 15 creme-filled chocolate mint sandwich cookies
- 2 oz (60 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 pkg (6oz or 175 g) red candy melts
- 1 t (5 mL) vegetable oil.
- 9 pretzel sticks, broken in half 1
- 18 green jelly beans or squishy
These simple and impressive candy truffles will delight guests at your next gathering.
1. Break cookies in half and place into Manual Food Processor; cover and pump handle to form very fine crumbs. Add cream cheese; process until dough forms. Using smallscoop, scoop cookie mixture onto medium sheet pan lined with parchment paper; roll into balls.
2. In 2-cupPrep Bowl, microwave red candy melts and 1 tsp. (5 mL) vegetable oil for one to two minutes or until mostly melted, stirring halfway through. Cool slightly. Dip truffles; place onto pan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until set.
3. To decorate, insert half a small pretzel stick into the truffle and add a green jelly bean for a leaf. Refrigerate until set.
Yield: about 18 truffles
Contributed by Trish
Turkey Tetrazzini
- 16 oz linguine or spaghetti noodles, boiled and drained
- 3 cups cooked turkey
- ½ cup butter – use salted or unsalted butter
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken or cream of mushroom)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth – chicken stock or vegetable broth can also be used
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs or Panko (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 in pan and set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chopped turkey, butter, cream of celery soup, sour cream, garlic salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a medium bowl. Stir in the pasta until well combined.
Pour mixture into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle grated Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese on top and then the breadcrumbs or Panko. Bake for 36–42 minutes, until cheeses are melted and bubbling.
Chocolate Striped Delight
Ingredients:
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter
- 3 C Cool Whip or whipped cream
- 1 C chopped pecans
- 1 large pkg & 1 small pkg
- 1 C flour
- 1 large pkg & 1 small package instant chocolate pudding
- 2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese
- 3 C milk
- 1 C powdered sugar
- 1t vanilla
Mix butter, pecans and flour until crumbly and pat into a 9 X 13” pan to form a bottom crust. It is a very thin crust. Bake for 20 minutes at 350⁰. Cool completely. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Fold in 2 C Cool Whip. Spoon mixture onto crust and refrigerate until you get the pudding made. Combine the instant pudding with the cold milk and vanilla and mix until it starts to get thick. Spoon the pudding on top of the cream cheese layer and spread. Top the layers with the remaining Cool Whip. You can add chocolate chips, pecan pieces, grated chocolate, or any other topping you desire. Chill well.
*If you would like a thicker crust, just double the butter, and flour.
Cinnamon Sugar Pecans
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of pecans
- 1 egg white
- 1 C granulated sugar
- ½ t salt
- 1 T ground cinnamon
- 2 t water
- 2 t vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 250⁰. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large Ziploc bag. Whisk the egg white, vanilla, and water with a fork in a large bowl until frothy. Add the pecans to the egg white mixture and stir until they are well coated. Pour the pecans into the Ziploc bag, seal, and shake until well coated with your cinnamon/sugar mixture. Spread them out on your prepared baking sheet into a single layer. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Try not to eat them all at one time!
German Potato Salad
8 large potatoes, cubed, boiled and drained-you can leave them unpeeled if desired.
- ½ C finely diced onions
- 1 ½ t salt
- Pepper to taste
- 8 slices of bacon, crumbled or torn
Heat together
- 1 ½ C water
- ½ C sugar
- ½ C vinegar (I like to use cider vinegar)
Thicken with flour – one teaspoon of flour at a time. You don’t want it to be quite as thick as milk gravy, but you do want to add some body to the dish.
Pour the hot mixture over the potatoes and onions and mix. Serve warm.
Contributed by Jeanette
Ham & Cheese Sliders
For the sandwiches, you will need:
- 12 Kings Hawaiian rolls
- 24 slices Swiss, provolone, or pepper jack cheese (or more if desired) or mix it up!
- 12 slices thinly sliced deli ham
Make the glaze:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Step 1: Prep the rolls.
Using a serrated knife, slice the entire sheet of rolls in half horizontally to create a top and bottom slab. Keep the rolls connected to make assembly so much faster. (If you don’t want soggy bottoms, you can place both cut sides under the broiler for 1–2 minutes to toast lightly at this point.)
Step 2: Assemble.
Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the bottom slab of rolls in the dish. Layer with half of the cheese, then all the ham, and finish with the remaining cheese. Place the top slab of rolls back on.
Step 3: Brush and bake.
Brush the glaze generously over the tops of the rolls, pouring any extra to coat thoroughly. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, just until the cheese begins to melt. Remove the foil and continue baking another 5–10 minutes, until the sliders are hot, and the tops are golden brown.
Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 extra minutes.
Storage: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered with foil at 325°F until warmed through.
Variations: (Use the glaze!)
Turkey and provolone
Roast beef and cheddar
Pepperoni and mozzarella for “pizza sliders”
Vegetarian with sautéed mushrooms and spinach
Breakfast sliders with ham, eggs, and cheddar
Contributed by Jeanette
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ C powdered milk
- 1 T cornstarch
- 1 C sugar
- ¾ C cocoa powder
This is a real money saving recipe for families. I usually double the recipe. It’s also great to make a large pot of hot chocolate. I like to make it in the crockpot for parties and let everyone serve themselves.
Mix the ingredients together well and store in an airtight container. Use 1-2 tablespoons mix to 1 C hot water, more if you like your hot chocolate really rich.
*Kids' Holiday Punch - Easy Peasy! *
Ingredients:
- 1/2 carton sherbet, your choice of flavor
- 2 liters of 7Up or Sprite
You can adjust the amount of sherbet, according to your taste. Sometimes, It looks better in a punch bowl to use more.
Pour the soda into a punch bowl or pitcher. Carefully spoon in the sherbet. Serve, using a dipper or ladle.
* Do not use Neopolitan sherbet! It comes out looking like mud! This is so simple, but the kids (and adults) love it!
Peanut Brittle
- 1 C sugar
- 1 t vanilla
- ½ C water
- 1 T butter
- ½ C Karo syrup
- 1 T baking soda
- 1 ½ C raw peanuts
Mix the sugar, water, and syrup in a skillet. When mixture starts to boil, add peanuts and cook until the mixture turns brown. Carefully add the vanilla, butter, and baking soda into the mixture. Be careful at this point because it will swell and bubble up. Pour the mixture onto a sheet pan. When the brittle has cooled, break it apart.
Rum Cake and Glaze
- 1 Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 small box of banana creme instant pudding
- 4 eggs
- ½ C water
- ½ C vegetable oil
- ½ C dark rum
- ½ C chopped pecans
Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Mix all the ingredients well. Follow the directions on the box as to temperature and how long to bake. Generally, when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean, the cake is done.
Rum Cake Glaze
- 1/2 cup butter (unsalted)
- I1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Mix ingredients well. The glaze can be poured over the entire cake or on the individual servings. Add 2 C sifted powdered sugar if you desire a more frosting type of glaze.
Turkey Pot Pie
- A 10 inch double crust
- 4 T butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 t dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 2 C water
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 ½ C cooked turkey, cubed
- 3 T all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place your bottom pie crust in a 10-inch pie pan and set aside.
Place 2 T of the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, carrots, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes and cook until tender but still firm.
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 T butter. Stir in the flour, then the turkey. Add the milk and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture and cook until thickened. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Place the top crust and place on top of the filling. Flute the edges of the crust and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
Vienna Coffee
Ingredients:
- 2 C powdered milk
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1 C sugar
- 1 C espresso powder (can substitute Instant coffee)
- 4 T unsweetened cocoa powder
This recipe is so 80s! However, these ingredients will pay for themselves after just a few trips to the coffee shop. This coffee is rich and sweet, an absolute must for specialty coffee.
Mix the ingredients together well and store in an airtight container. Use 2 heaping teaspoons mix to 1 C hot water.
Wassail
I love making Wassail for Christmas time. One of my sons as asked for it saying he loves it. Here is what I use, roughly...
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon of apple CIDER
- 1 t lemon juice
- one large orange
- 1 bag of cranberries
- Whole cloves
- Dash of nutmeg
- Cinnamon ssticks
- Brown sugar
Place a gallon of apple cider (NOT juice) in a large pan. Add whole cloves (about 10-15, to taste), and add about 1-2 T of brown sugar. Slice the oranges in thin whole slices. Add 5 or so thin orange slices and 2 handfuls of cranberries. Warm on the stove til almost boiling, stirring occasionally. Ladle into cups, with or without fresh thin orange slices, and add a connamon stick (for flavor when stirring, and decoration) Yum and fun!
Submitted by Ginger