Delta Digital Holiday Delights Recipes & Stories from GDDS 2020 Holiday Season
Table of Contents Appetizers & Snacks
Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball by Jay Holmes.................................................4 Holiday Sausage Balls by Katelyn Snow........................................................5 Honey Roasted Chex Mix by Kelsey Shultz..................................................6 Cranberry Salsa by Rhonda Crawford...........................................................7
Salads & Sides
Fresh Festive Avocado & Cranberry Salad by Angel Wen.........................9 Pomegranate & Pear Fall Salad by Lesleigh MacNabb...........................10 Jodi's Mac & Cheese by Jodi Evans...............................................................11 Corn Souffle by Scott Struletz.......................................................................12 Grandma Peggy's Hashbrown Casserole by Mark Farrish.....................13 Hashbrown Casserole by Erin McAuley......................................................14 Savory Cornbread (GF, LF, EF) by Rachel Blankenship............................15 Sweet Potato Pie by Lucy Zuraw...................................................................16
Soups & Entrees
Spicy Venison Stew by Gaines Halstead.....................................................18 Bridget's Tomato-y Chili by Andrew Doss...................................................20 Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo by Angel Wen...............................................22 Armstrong Family Lasagna by Jenna Armstrong.......................................25 Seafood Linguine by Clare Callahan............................................................26 Crockpot Beef Tips by Jim Cvitkovic.............................................................28 Russian Chicken Rice Pilaf by Lusiena Barylo............................................30 Low n’ Slow BBQ Ribs by Justin Sicotte.......................................................31
Desserts Bantoffee Pie by Jamie Harrington...............................................................33 Christmas Holly by Sara Matthews..............................................................34 Mini Cherry Cheesecakes by Kama Winters............................................. 35 Nutella-Stuffed Sea-Salt Chocolate-Chip Cookies by Meghan Rogers...........36
Drinks
Classic Margarita by Vineet Chhabra...........................................................39 Fruity Berry Margarita by Daniela Dimitrov ..............................................40 Cranberry Lime Sparkling Cocktail by Eduardo Acevedo.......................41 Coquito: Coconut Eggnog by Carlos Dalmeida......................................... 42
Appetizers & Snacks
Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Ball
By Jay Holmes "Great for parties and is not too hot, just a bit of kick!"
Ingredients 8oz cream cheese (room temperature) ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces) 2 TBSP chopped parsley
Directions Mix together: cream cheese, cheddar cheese, parsley, garlic, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, half of diced jalapeños, half crumbled cooked bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
Place the remaining diced jalapeños
¼ tsp ground cumin
and bacon on a plate. Stir together so
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 jalapenos (stems & seeds removed, diced, divided) 6 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled, divided (about 6 ounces) Crackers for serving
that it is well mixed. With your hands, roll the cheese mixture into a ball. It helps to get your hands a little wet so no sticking. Place ball on the plate and roll in the jalapeños and bacon until covered. Chill covered for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with crackers.
Holiday Sausage Balls
By Katelyn Snow "These were a staple in our house growing up every holiday season. We had fun as kids getting to mix all the ingredients together in the bowl – not to mention it was quite the arm workout! In our family it was not a proper Christmas without these."
Ingredients
Directions
1 lb ground
Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
sausage (spicy or
In a large bowl, combine sausage,
mild)
biscuit baking mix and cheese. Form
2 cups biscuit
into walnut size balls and place on
baking mix
baking sheets.
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and sausage is cooked through.
Honey Roasted Chex Mix
By Kelsey Schultz "Ever since I was little, this recipe torn straight off of a box of Chex cereal has been a holiday staple in our family. As my sisters and I moved away for school and careers, my mom always had a huge bowl of Chex Mix waiting for us when we returned home. My favorite memories are the three of us walking in the house straight from the airport, dropping our bags at the door,and standing around the kitchen island eating chex mix and talking all night. I recommend making at least 2 batches at a time – it’ll be gone before you know it!"
Ingredients
7 cups Chex cereal 1 cup pretzel twists 1 cup pecan halves ¼ cup butter ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup honey 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Combine the Chex, pretzels, & pecans in a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, and honey. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue to boil 5 minutes, but do not stir. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour syrup over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Bake at 250F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool in the baking pan. Enjoy!
Cranberry Salsa
By Rhonda Crawford "This is a family favorite at our house and with extended family in Texas, now this recipe is everywhere. I usually would bring it to our GDDS potluck."
Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 2 limes, juiced ž cup white sugar 1 pinch salt
Directions
Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Serve at room temperature.
Salads & Sides
Fresh Festive Avocado & Cranberry Salad
By Angel Wen "The first week I moved to Atlanta, I went to Bocado. I didn’t know that burgers were the thing and I ordered a salad that had ingredients that appealed to my California tastes. I started recreating it for myself and had always gotten compliments for it at potlucks. It has since evolved quite a bit from that Bocado salad and become a staple for me to share at potlucks."
Ingredients
2 cucumbers 3 avocados ·½ cup cooked quinoa (red quinoa for color and texture) ¾ cup dried cranberries 2-3 cups sour cream (preferably Kroger brand Sour Cream & Chives) Fresh Dill to taste and for presentation Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Seed & cube cucumber to 1/2- inch chunks. Cube avocado to a similar size as the cucumber. Mix cucumbers, avocados, and quinoa together with sour cream. Use enough to coat and to suit your personal preferences (I like sour cream a lot!) Add dill, salt, and pepper to taste Sprinkle dried cranberries over the salad. Minimize mixing them in so as to maintain the colors Garnish with additional dill for presentation
Pomegranate & Pear Fall Salad
By Lesleigh MacNabb
Ingredients
For the Salad 1 cup toasted walnuts 5 cups mixed greens 2 cups baby arugula 2 bosc or Anjou pears Arils (seeds) from 2 pomegranates 6 oz crumbled blue cheese (can substitute goat or feta) Pomegranate Vinaigrette 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp pomegranate juice 2 tsp orange zest Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Toast the walnuts on a sheet pan for 10 min at 375 degrees. Allow to cool. Add the greens to a large bowl with sliced pears, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and blue cheese. Drizzle the dressing over the salad upon serving. Enjoy!
Jodi's Mac & Cheese
By Jodi Evans
Ingredients
1 lb. pasta (corkscrew recommended) 8 oz muenster cheese 8 oz extra sharp cheddar 8 oz Velveeta cheese 12 oz mozzarella 1 stick of butter 16 oz half and half 1 egg 4 tbsp onion powder 4 tbsp garlic powder 1 shake of seasoning salt
"The best ever!!!"
Directions
Cube butter & cheeses (cube 6 oz of mozzarella, shred the other 6 oz) Preheat oven to 350F Cook pasta al dente, drain, set aside Make a heavy sauce by slowly combining and stirring all ingredients above EXCEPT mozzarella in a large pot on low to medium heat Add pasta to sauce pot stirring thoroughly on low heat Add 6 oz of small cubed mozzarella into pasta pot with sauce on low heat Pour pasta with sauce into a large Pyrex Sprinkle remaining shredded 6oz of mozzarella on top Bake for 35-40 mins or until top is golden brown. Cool for 10 mins. ENJOY!!
Corn Souffle
By Scott Struletz "I love this recipe because 1. It is so easy to make and 2. It is somewhere between a side dish and dessert. If you like sweet things, you will love this! Enjoy!"
Ingredients
Directions
1 12oz can of yellow corn, drained
Mix all ingredients.
2 17oz cans of creamed corn
Preheat oven to 400F.
5 eggs beaten
Pour mixture in a
½ cup sugar
buttered Pyrex dish
3 tbs flour
Bake 30-40 minutes.
½ tsp. salt ½ tsp dry mustard 1 tsp dried minced onion ½ c milk or nondairy creamer ½ c melted butter or margarine
Grandma Peggy’s Hashbrown Casserole
By Mark Farrish "Nothing fancy here, but always loved this side dish as a staple for any holiday meal! As a kid, I always enjoyed mixing my sides together (and maybe still do) – and this provides the perfect staple for any meal, going well with any sides! My dad grew up on a farm in Ontario, Canada, and this always reminds me of my Grandma’s house – even though we make it no matter where we’re spending the holidays."
Ingredients
1 package shredded hash browns (20 oz) 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ¾ cup sour cream ¼ cup chopped onion ¼ cup melted butter Topping Ingredients: 1.5 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed 2 tbsp melted butter
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 quart glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine all ingredients, mix well. Spread into prepared baking dish. In small bowl, stir together topping ingredients. Spread topping evenly over hash browns. Bake 45 min or until hash browns are tender.
Hashbrown Casserole
By Erin McAuley "My mom has been cooking this casserole which is a family favorite since I can remember. While it might not be the healthiest – it is SO good. So good that when I couldn’t have it for Christmas one year, she made me my own personal casserole in lieu of a birthday cake with candles and all! (my birthday is 5 days after Christmas)."
Ingredients
1 can cream of chicken soup 8oz sour cream 1 cup milk 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese Salt and pepper 1 stick butter 1 bag of southern style frozen hashbrowns Rice Krispies
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees Mix together everything but the butter Pour evenly into pan Cut butter into smaller pieces and spread across the top Cook for 20 minutes then stir Add Rice Krispies to top of casserole Cook for 1.5 hours
Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Egg Free Savory Cornbread By Rachel Blankenship "I know this is hard to believe but it really is yummy cornbread."
Ingredients
3 tbsps ghee (or pork/duck lard) 1 cup lactose-free sour
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place 3 tbsps ghee in a heavy 10-inch cast iron skillet
cream 1 cup lactose free buttermilk (1 cup water, 8 tbsp of powdered buttermilk) or also sub lactaid or milkadamia 1 large egg (or 3 tbs
Place in the oven to melt and warm the skillet. Whisk together LF sour cream, water from buttermilk & egg (or aquafaba) In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, GF flour mix, powdered buttermilk, baking
aquafaba from chickpeas) 1 cup gluten-free yellow cornmeal 1 cup gluten free flour (1/3 arrow root, 1/3 coconut, 1/3 almond) 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2-4 tbsps granulated swerve
powder, baking soda, salt and swerve. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Spread in the hot greased skillet or baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until set & crispy brown around the edges. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack; cut into squares or wedges, depending on the shape of your pan.
Sweet Potato Pie
By Lucy Zuraw "My husband’s family recipe! A savory pie as a side dish that is just as good as dessert!"
Ingredients
5 medium sweet potatoes 1/2 stick butter, softened 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup evaporated milk 1 unbaked pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Pierce Sweet Potatoes all over and cook in microwave for 5 minutes to soften Bake sweet potatoes for 40-45 minutes in the oven on a baking sheet. When done, let cool. Scrape the pulp out of the skin, transfer to a large bowl, and mash. Set aside. Leave chunky for extra texture & flavor. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Add evaporated milk and stir mixture into sweet potatoes. Beat together with mixer until smooth and pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake on bottom rack of oven for 1 hour or until center of pie is firm. Serve warm. Add dollop of whipped cream if desired.
Entrees
Spicy Venison Stew
By Gaines Halstead "Growing up in the deep south, venison was a staple in our household and the community. So much so that when I went off to college, I packed my truck up with all of my belongings: a mattress, clothes, video games,etc. and a cooler full of deer meat given to me by my neighbor as parting gift. Most of the meals we cooked with venison ranged from its inclusion in Hamburger Helper, frying it up and serving it as country fried steak – smothered in ketchup and tabasco, or throwing it on the grill. We never really explored recipes outside of the ones that worked for us, so once out in the world on my own, I began to branch out and look for different ways of cooking the massive surplus of venison that inevitably begins to build at that time right around Thanksgiving. I must admit the recipe below is not one passed down through the generations, but it is one I found online in my culinary quest to eat venison in a different way for once. It’s a great hearty stew that warms the bones like no other in the winter and a great way to introduce venison to thosewho might be a little on the fence regarding deer meat. Finally, because it includes just a cup of wine and takes a while to cook, it’s a great excuse to have a glass (or two) and enjoy the aroma of a fresh stew on the stove."
Spicy Venison Stew Ingredients
Directions
3 tbsp olive oil
1. Remove all fat from venison and cut
2 lbs. venison stew meat
into cubes. Leave silver skin. Toss the
1/4 cup flour
venison in flour and Creole Seasoning.
Creole seasoning, (recipe
2. Over high heat, heat 3 tbs. olive oil
provided)
in a large pot, and sear venison for 2-
2 cups onion, chopped
3 minutes-- shake off excess
1 cup celery, chopped
seasonings, stirring occasionally.
1 cup carrots, chopped
There will still be lots of seasonings
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
left behind from the venison, so set
1 cup tomato, chopped,
aside for later.
peeled and seeded
3. Add onions & saute for 2 minutes.
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
4. Add celery and carrots. Saute for 2
2 bay leaves
minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay
1 cup red wine
leaves and basil to the pot.
4 cups beef stock
5. Deglaze the pot with red wine,
2 large russet potatoes,
scraping the bottom. Add the beef
peeled and cubed
stock and the rest of the leftover
4 tbsp unsalted butter
creole seasoning. Bring to a boil,
salt & black pepper to taste
cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
crusty bread
Simmer for 45 minutes. 6. After 45 minutes, add the potatoes.
Creole Seasoning
Cover & continue to simmer until the
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
potatoes soften, about 30 minutes.
1 tbsp salt
7. When the potatoes are tender, add
2 tbsp garlic powder
the butter and stir until it's completely
1/2 tbsp black pepper
melted. Season with salt and pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
to taste. If the stew is still too thin for
1 tbsp dried oregano
you, continue to cook over low heat
1 tbsp dried thyme
for a few minutes without the lid. Stew will thicken as it cools. Serve with crusty bread.
Bridget's Tomato-y Chili
By Andrew Doss "This is my wife’s amazing chili. It was originally shared among a group of history professors at KSU many years ago, but Bridget took it and made some modifications of her own, and now I call it “food of the gods”! She made it this weekend, and with the cooler weather, and some Fritos scoops, nothing to me says “love” and “comfort food” like Bridget’s chili!"
Ingredients 1 green pepper 1 medium-sized yellow onion 1 lb ground beef 1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce 1 28 oz can of petite diced tomatoes 1 14.5 oz can of dark red kidney beans 2 tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp of cumin 1 tsp of salt 1 tsp of black pepper Generous pinch of red pepper flakes (not necessary, does make more spicy) Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, Fritos scoops, jalepenos
Directions Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: At least 1 hour. If you have time, 1.5 to 2 hours. Dice your onion and green pepper. Brown ground beef. Add onion and green pepper to browned ground beef. Add some pepper and red pepper flakes during this step. Saute the onion and green pepper with the browned ground beef until the onion turns translucent and the green pepper begins to soften. In a large pot, dump the onion, green pepper, and ground beef mixture in. Add the tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, dark red kidney beans to the pot and stir together. Then add the chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. Stir together. Cooking Options: Stove Top, 1.5 Hours (30 minutes prep, 1 hour cooking time) When you only have about an hour for cooking, do the following: Cover your pot for 30 minutes and cook on medium heat, stirring often. For the last 30 minutes, uncover the pot (or place it slightly over it to allow steam to vent) and turn down the heat slightly, stirring often. This allows the chili to reduce down a bit and the flavors to come out. Stove Top, 2.5 Hours (30 minutes prep, 2 hour cooking time) Cover the pot for about 45 minutes on medium-to-low heat. Stir often. Uncover or slightly ajar lid (to vent and reduce down) on low heat, stir occasionally. Crock Pot, 4-6 Hours Put all of the spices and canned ingredients into your crock pot with your cooked ground beef, onion, and green pepper mixture. Stir together. If you have 4+ hours, Set the temp to “high” and go. For 6+ Hours: Set the temp to “low” and go. For the last 30 minutes or so, place the lid ajar so that the chili can vent and reduce down. If you are home, stir occasionally but not necessary.
Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo
By Angel Wen "We make this with the Thanksgiving turkey carcass every year for Christmas, but this could also work well the day after Thanksgiving if you are ready to eat something else. This is not an easy recipe and does take quite a bit of love and patience, but it has become a great family tradition for us. In 2018, while being full-term pregnant and several days past my expected delivery date, I gorged on this gumbo and finally started to feel the first signs of labor. So, you might say that it was this Turkey Gumbo that helped bring Jetson into this world."
Ingredients Roasted Turkey Bone Broth Leftover Thanksgiving turkey carcass (bones, giblets and leftover skin); freeze after Thanksgiving if planning to prepare later 3 ribs celery, cut into 4-inch pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered Peel from 1 orange 6 cloves garlic, smashed 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 4 bay leaves Water
Ingredients
Directions
Turkey Bone Gumbo 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup flour 2 cups chopped onions 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 pound smoked sausage (such as andouille or kielbasa), sliced 3 quarts turkey broth 2 tbsps chopped parsley 2 tbsps chopped green onion steamed white rice, for serving
Total time: 5 hours, 30 minutes Prep time: 3 hours, 30 minutes Cook time: 2 hours Yield: 8 Make the Broth Place turkey carcass in large stockpot. Add celery, onions, orange peel, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves and add enough water to cover the carcass. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, for 3-4 hours. Remove from heat and skim any fat from the top. Strain through a large colander into another pot. Reserve any meat that has fallen off the bones and pick off any meat that may still remain on the carcass. Use immediately or refrigerate if making gumbo the following day. Makes about 2 to 3 quarts (or enough for 1 gumbo). Gumbo recipe continues on next page.
Directions Make the Gumbo Combine oil and flour in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron pot or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. Mix onions, bell peppers, celery, salt and cayenne into a bowl and have ready to add once the roux is finished. Grab a beer, wine, Capri Sun or your other favorite beverage because you’re not leaving the pot until this next step is done. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring slowly and consistently (seriously, you can not stop stirring) for 20 to 25 minutes (sometimes more), to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. Your roux will go through various shades of yellow to a light brown peanut butter to a milk chocolate to finally a dark chocolate, if you are patient enough. If you don’t notice any color change after 20 minutes, turn up the heat slightly but never stop stirring. If you see black flecks in your roux, it is burned and you must start over. Add onion, bell peppers, celery, salt and cayenne mixture to the roux carefully (the roux is very hot). Cook and stir vegetables and roux over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Add reserved turkey meat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add parsley and green onions. To serve, ladle into soup bowls over steamed white rice.
Armstrong Family Lasagna By Jenna Armstrong "Growing up, my mom was the one who was most often in the kitchen making meals. But every once in a while you could find my dad making his famous lasagna all day in the kitchen – especially for the eve of a holiday or a big family get together. The recipe actually comes from his mom, and it is even more special when we all spend time making it together. My sister and I were typically on noodle duty as kids, but we got to spend more time putting the lasagna together as we got older. He still makes his famous lasagna, and still gets rave reviews every time!"
Ingredients
Jar of Tomato Sauce (choose your favorite) You will probably need about 64 oz or more – my dad likes to use a lot of sauce Sausage of your choice (between 0.5 lbs-1 lb) 1 pound of Hamburger seasoned to your liking 1 box of lasagna noodles 15oz ricotta cheese 1 egg ¾ cup parmesan cheese + more for topping 2 bags shredded mozzarella (16 oz)
Directions
Fry up the sausage and hamburger separately until browned Heat up the sauce and season to your liking Boil lasagna noodles according to package In a bowl stir together 15oz of ricotta cheese, 1 Egg & 3/4 Cup of parmesan Cheese. In a 13x9x3 roasting pan spread 2 cups of the sauce, half of the sausage and hamburger and layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles Cover noodles with 2.5 cups of sauce, the other half of the sausage and hamburger, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Layer with 1/3 noodles Repeat once more with sauce, ricotta mix and mozzarella. Layer remaining noodles on top Top with thin layer of sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 50 min or until bubbly on the top.
Seafood Linguine
By Clare Callahan "This is one of my favorite recipes to cook for a special night at home. A seafood pasta or frutti di mare, is one of my favorite pasta dishes to order in Italy. With that off the table in 2020, I'll be making this dish at home again this holiday season with a salad, some crusty bread, and probably some red wine."
Ingredients 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc 1 pound cockles or small clams, scrubbed well 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed well, beards removed 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 pound dry sea scallops, tough muscles removed Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1 medium onion, finely diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on 8 ounces squid, cut into 1/4-inch slices, tentacles left whole 1 pound linguine 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Directions Note: This recipe calls for five varieties of seafood. Omit, customize or substitute as you'd like! Skip the first step if omitting clams & mussels. Heat wine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until simmering. Add cockles and mussels, cover pot, and cook until shellfish have opened, about 5 minutes. (Discard any unopened ones.) Using a slotted spoon, remove shellfish and transfer to a bowl. Shuck half of mussels; discard shells. Cover shellfish with foil to keep warm. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. (You should have about 1 cup broth.) Wipe Dutch oven clean with a paper towel. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high, swirling to coat bottom. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel; season with salt and pepper. Add to Dutch oven and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; loosely cover with foil. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan drippings in Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shellfish broth and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until mixture is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and squid and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and shrimp are bright pink, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of generously salted water. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with tomato sauce, adding pasta water to adjust consistency until creamy. Gently stir in cockles and mussels, reserving a few for garnish if desired. Transfer to a large serving platter; top with scallops and reserved shellfish, if using. Sprinkle with parsley, drizzle with oil, and serve.
Crockpot Beef Tips
By Jim Cvitkovic Ridiculously tender beef tips done in a crockpot is just pure crazy deliciousness. This can be made in a crockpot/slow cooker or a glass 9x13 cake dish. Either way, you’ll be drooling over this again and again.
Ingredients Beef (chuck roast or any savory meat you prefer) Salt & pepper and/or other spices you like Beef broth ¼ c soy sauce ½ c chopped onion
Carrots cut in pieces ¼ garlic minced 2 beef bouillon cubes (for added flavor) Butter
Directions In a cast iron skillet (if available), add a dash of oil over medium heat, add the meat & brown until evenly cooked. Remove the meat, add a little butter to the pan to melt. Whisk so it’s evenly spread. Add about 1/3 cup of flour to make the gravy. Pour out the drippings and add to a pot to make the gravy. Add the beef broth. Make the gravy to your desired thickness. Add the soy sauce and other spices to taste (personally I didn’t use the soy sauce because the gravy was perfect as is). Whisk it all up. Add the beef, carrots, onion, & garlic to the crockpot and stir. Set crockpot on medium. Cook for a few hours stirring occasionally. If Baking: In my initial cooking, I used a cake glass 9x13 because I didn’t have a crockpot. Since then, I acquired a crockpot & made it again in it. Set oven to 350 & bake about an hour. I suggest an oven bag for easier cleanup. Make your favorite recipe mashed potatoes or cauliflower. When done, pour the beef tips and gravy over the potatoes and enjoy! Bon appetit!
Russian Chicken Rice Pilaf
By Lusiena Barylo It was a very common and popular dish with my immediate and extended family to have as I was growing up in Russia. I still frequently make it for my kids and family here in the US, and it usually is well-eaten – even kids enjoy it and don’t fuss. What also makes it special is that I have made this dish on various occasions to help friends who were ill, or had an ill family member and this dish never failed to bring enjoyment to my friends, their families and palates :)
Ingredients 3 cups of rice 4 skinless chicken breasts, cubed. (If using stew beef as an alternative sauté 30 minutes) 2 mid-sized carrots, shredded ½ yellow onion, chopped 2 bay leaves 3 cloves garlic chopped Salt & Pepper to taste ½ cup Vegetable oil About 6 cups of water
Directions Combine oil, onion, carrots, garlic, chicken, bay leaves in a frying pan. Cover & sauté on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water, cover and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a separate oven-proof pan, place rice (after rinsing). Pour the frying pan mixture over the rice and mix in. If the liquid from the frying pan does not cover the rice and other ingredients by about 1 inch, add boiled water. Cover tightly and place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 50 - 60 minutes at 375 degrees. When cooked, stir, serve, and enjoy!
Low n’ Slow BBQ Ribs
By Justin Sicotte “Use Baby Back Ribs! Once in the oven you can forget about ‘em for 2 hours. Low maintenance but delicious. Good for a football watchin’ day.”
Directions Unwrap ribs, pat dry. Create dry rub, mix in a bowl: Lots of sugar, brown sugar, garlic, and salt Medium amount of paprika and pepper Little bit of chili powder, cumin, cayenne, dry mustard powder, and red pepper flakes Rub on both sides of ribs and let absorb for 15-30 minutes. Put a little olive oil on a paper towel and rub grates of grill so it doesn’t stick as too much when cooking. Grill for 10-12 min thick side down on medium heat. Flip, turn down heat to medium-Low, grill another 10 minutes. It’s OK if the ribs catch on fire a little, but not for more than a few seconds at a time.
Put ribs in large tin or glass tray. Fill bottom with ~ 1/3rd -1/2 inch of water. Cover top with tin foil. No sauce. Bake in oven for 2 hours @ 215 degrees. Take tray out. Remove foil. Brush tops and sides of ribs with any bbq sauce. Put tray back in over, uncovered, for 20-30 min @ 250 degrees. Ribs are done.
Desserts
Banoffee Pie
By Jamie Harrington "Banoffee (banana & toffee) is my favorite pie and is so easy to make. Its my go to if I ever need to “make” anything for a family occasion. Picture is from the last time I made it a couple years ago for Mother’s Day in the UK. I can’t bake or cook really so if I can do this anyway can & its delicious. Author note: these are ingredients I use in the UK but I’m sure you can find alternatives here in the US of A."
Ingredients
Directions
Packet of digestive
Smash up digestives in a bowl to make a
biscuits (not
crumbly base
cookies)
Heat butter and mix with the base
2 or 3 Bananas
Leave to set in the fridge for 10-15 mins
Carnation caramel
Pour caramel on top of the base
or if you can make
Slice up banana & place on top of caramel
it, actual caramel
Whisk the double cream until it is of
Couple tbsps of
whipped texture and place on top of the
butter
bananas and caramel. Place in fridge until
Double cream or
ready to serve
whipped cream
Just before serving, slice up another banana or 2 to add on top for decoration ENJOY
Christmas Holly
By Sara Matthews "I love marshmalllows and these cookies are delicious, quick and easy, and so pretty to display with other cookies. They are so pretty you don’t want to eat them!"
Ingredients
Directions
30 large
Melt butter with marshmallows and
marshmallows
blend.
1 stick butter
Add flavorings, food coloring and
½ tsp. almond
cereal.
flavoring
Toss gently and drop by tablespoon
½ tsp. vanilla
onto waxed paper. Place red hots on
1 ½ tsp. green food
holly.
coloring
Let dry and store.
3 ½ cups cornflakes Red hots
Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
By Kama Winters "This is my go-to dessert every Thanksgiving! You can also make these with caramel, strawberry or mini oreos and top with crushed oreos."
Ingredients
Directions
2 8oz packages
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
cream cheese,
Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon
softened
juice and vanilla until light and fluffy.
½ cup sugar
Line regular (or mini) sized muffin pans
2 large eggs
or cupcake tins with paper baking cups
1 tbsp lemon juice
and place a vanilla wafer in the bottom
2 teaspoons vanilla
of each cup.
24 vanilla wafers
Fill the cups 2/3 full of cream cheese
(regular size or
mixture.
mini’s depending on
Bake for 10 min for minis, 15 to 20
cupcake size)
minutes (for regular) or until set.
1 (21 ounce) can
While still warm, top each with a
cherry pie filling
tablespoon of cherry filling (or
(optional)
strawberry). Chill in refrigerator
Nutella-Stuffed Sea-Salt Chocolate-Chip Cookies
By Meghan Rogers "I found this recipe online and started making these for myself because I am obsessed with Nutella. However, once I realized how much our team enjoys these cookies, I continued to make them on occasion as a way to help brighten the day. It brings me joy to give a gift that makes others happy."
Ingredients
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Directions
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Make your brown butter: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda & salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix on low until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix again until just combined. Cover your bowl and chill your dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or place in freezer for 20-30 minutes if you are super eager, although I cannot promise the same results if you do this. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once dough is chilled measure about 1 1/2 tbsps of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the dough ball very thinly into the palm of your hand. Place 1 tsp of chilled Nutella in the middle and fold dough around it; gently roll into a ball - it doesn’t have to be perfectly rolled! Make sure the Nutella is not seeping out of the dough. Add more dough if necessary. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten with your hand VERY gently. (Really only the tops need to be flattened a bit!) Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheets at least 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Remove cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Drinks
Cheers y'all!
Classic Margarita
By Vineet Chhabra I like making it because it’s easy, fresh, and relaxing to sip on after a busy day!
Ingredients
Directions
Salt the glass. Place generous amount of kosher
light tequila
salt in plate. Rub lime wedge on rim of glass
(not dark!)
and dip in kosher salt.
Cointreau
In a shaker, combine ice with one shot of
one lime
tequila, 3/4 shot of Cointreau, one tablespoon
kosher salt
of agave nectar, and juice from half a lime.
agave nectar
For sweeter margarita, add more Cointreau
ice
and/or agave nectar
sparkling water
Shake vigorously for 60 seconds. Fill salt-rimmed glass with ice and pour over contents from shaker top with one ounce of sparkling water. Stir lightly. Drink and make two more.
Fruity Berry Margarita
By Daniela Dimitrov "The Fruity Berry Margarita helped us survive the first months of COVID when all bars & restaurants were closed. Sitting on the balcony and enjoying it while soaking up some sun rays, aka vitamin D – the happy vitamin made quarantining survivable!"
Ingredients
Directions
A bottle of Ready
Cut the fruits
to Serve
Place them in a tall cocktail or red
Strawberry
wine glass
Margarita Mix
Put some ice in the glass and pour
Strawberries
some Ready to Serve Strawberry
Blueberries
Margarita Cheers to COVID going away ASAP!
Cranberry Lime Sparking Cocktail
By Eduardo Acevedo "I like this cocktail because it can take a sweet or sour shape. Visually, the cocktail has the green, red and gold shades that are so popular during the holiday season. If you are going to serve it as an aperitif, I suggest making the sour version with sugar-free juice, Cava or Champagne. If you are going to serve it as an after-dinner cocktail I suggest making the sweet version with cranberry and Prosecco. Increase the acidity of the drink by adding up to an extra lime juice. Not all limes have the same acidity! The slices of lime should be thin and not too wide. Use a very sharp knife to cut them."
Ingredients
Directions
1/2 cup cranberry
Divide the cranberry juice (1/8 cup) and the
juice
lime juice (1/2 tbsp) between 4 champagne
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice 2 cups sparkling wine Frozen cranberries Limes, thinly sliced
flutes. Fill the rest of the flute with the sparkling wine you have chosen (about 1/2 cup each). Float 2 or 3 cranberries and the thin lime slice to garnish. Serve. To turn this cocktail into a highball, use 1.5 cups of sparkling wine & add 1/2 cup of vodka. Follow the same prep, serve over ice in a cocktail tumbler.
Coquito: Coconut Eggnog
By Carlos Dalmeida "Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican dessert drink common during the holidays; a version of eggnog without eggs and mainly centered around coconut as its main ingredient. A touch of this drink will warm your soul and bit more than that will make you believe in Santa Claus again."
Ingredients
Directions
2 cans (12 oz. each)
In bowl of blender, add evaporated
Evaporated Milk
milk, cream of coconut, coconut milk,
1 can (15 oz) Cream of
sweetened condensed milk, rum (if
Coconut
using), vanilla extract and ground
1can (13.5 oz) Coconut Milk 1â „2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
cinnamon. Blend on high until mixture is well combined, 1-2 minutes. Pour coconut mixture into glass
1â „2 cup white rum (optional)
bottles; cover. Transfer to refrigerator.
1 vanilla extract tsp.
Chill until cold.
½ tsp. ground cinnamon,
To serve, stir or shake bottle well to
plus more for garnish, if
combine. Pour coquito into small
desired
serving glasses. Garnish with ground
Cinnamon sticks (optional)
cinnamon and cinnamon sticks, if desired.