Nothing says it’s the holiday season better than the food. Whether it’s an old family recipe for cookies, pie, green bean casserole or whatever, it wouldn’t be the holiday season without it. Below are some of our readers’ favorite holiday recipes.
Corn Casserole
Submitted by Scott Thornhill
1 can cream-style corn
1 can whole corn, undrained
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
8 oz. sour cream
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Mix all together, pour into 13” x 9” pan, and bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes (325° if using a glass pan).
You can add sugar to taste, as well as cayenne pepper. If you have a big crowd coming, double the recipe.
Chickpea Salad
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 green/red/yellow pepper chopped (or a mix of the three)
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 can (16 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (I use a small can of diced tomatoes instead, drained, any flavor)
2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or tarragon
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Bring a small sauce pan of water to a boil. Add the onion, and cook 30 seconds. Drain, and toss with white wine vinegar.
Mix together the red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper and gradually whisk in the oil.
Toss the chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion with the dressing and let marinade 1 hour.
Add the chopped parsley or tarragon and lemon juice, toss to mix, and serve at room temperature.
Cherry Jell-O Salad
1 large pkg. (6 ounces) cherry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
Mix all together and refrigerate several hours to let it set. Cut into squares.
Vegetable Salad
This recipe could be cut in half if you are serving a smaller group of people.
5 cups chopped broccoli florets
5 cups chopped cauliflower florets
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries
2/3 cup minced onion
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, or 1/2 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup shelled, toasted sunflower seeds
Chop broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, add vegetables, cheese, raisins, minced onions and mix well. In another bowl, combine sugar, vinegar and mayonnaise.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until all vegetables are coated well. Sprinkle the bacon and sunflower seeds over the top.
Tip: This salad can be made ahead; add the bacon and sunflower seeds just before serving
3-Ingredient Pumpkin Donuts
by Brittanie Pyper
Servings 20 Donuts
Reprinted From Simplistically Living
You’ll need:
Piping bags
Domino powdered confectioners sugar
Pure Vermont maple syrup
Canned organic pumpkin puree
Betty Crocker Super Moist Spice Cake Mix
Wilton non-stick 6-cavity donut baking pans
Cooking spray
For The Pumpkin Donuts:
1 box spice cake mix, 15.25 oz.
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup heavy cream
For The Maple Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray.
Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and heavy cream in a large mixing bowl with a hand or stand mixer until combined. The batter will be thick.
Using a piping bag, pipe batter into each donut well, filling it about 1/2 full of batter.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the donuts bounce back if gently tapped.
Remove the donuts from the oven and allow them to cool for 3-5 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.
Allow the donuts to cool completely, and then make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and maple syrup in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Gradually pour in the heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you reach a thick, spreadable consistency.
Spread frosting onto the top of each donut. Serve and enjoy.
* If making mini donuts, bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes.
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
From The Seeing Eye
Yield: 8 – 10 pancakes
Celebrate autumn with these delicious pumpkin and spice pancakes topped with warm maple syrup and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
2 cups pancake mix of choice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk (or more as needed)
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
Whipped cream and pure maple syrup for topping
In a large bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine the milk and pumpkin puree. Slowly add milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter should be thick and lumpy.
Lightly grease griddle with oil and heat on medium-high. Drop 1/3 cup batter onto griddle and cook about 90 seconds until pancakes are golden on the bottom and bubbly on top. Flip pancakes and cook about 90 seconds more until bottoms are browned. Serve with warmed maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.
No-Bake Peppermint Pie
Reprinted from Princess Pinky Girl
You’ll need:
One Oreo pie crust
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
10 drops red food coloring
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
½ cup peppermint candy or mints, crushed
1 tub Cool Whip
Crushed peppermint candy for decoration
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Cream together the powdered sugar and cream cheese. Add the food coloring and vanilla & peppermint extract to the cream cheese/powdered sugar bowl and mix.
Mix in the peppermint candy bits with the cream cheese/powdered sugar. Then, add the powdered sugar/cream cheese mixture to the bowl of heavy whipping cream and mix together on low speed until combined.
Pour into crust. Top pie with Cool Whip and crushed peppermint.
Chill for 1-2 hours or until ready to serve.
Turtle Cheesecake Dip
Submitted by Nancy Christine Feela
Prep 15 min.
Total 1 hour 15 min. (including refrigerating)
Makes 26 servings, 2 Tbsp. each
Ingredients:
30 Kraft caramels
2 1/4 cups (about 3/4 of 8 oz. tub) thawed Cool Whip, divided
2 oz. Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
2 packages (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups chopped Planters pecans
Microwave caramels and 1/2 cup Cool Whip in medium microwavable bowl on high 1 minute 40 seconds, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until caramels are completely melted and sauce is well blended. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, microwave chocolate and 3/4 cup of the remaining Cool Whip in small microwavable bowl for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and sauce is well blended.
Beat cream cheese in separate medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add 2/3 cup caramel sauce; beat until blended. Gently stir in remaining 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture onto serving plate; drizzle with chocolate sauce and remaining caramel sauce. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve with pretzel twists.