The holidays are a time full of memories and traditions. So many of them revolve around getting together with family and friends and sharing a meal - or a feast! Around our table in the studio, we are always sharing recipe ideas and exchanging suggestions for special dishes to share. This year, we took a minute to capture a few favorite recipes from each family and are excited to share a little bit about what makes then special in the hopes they could become something your family enjoys as well. Bon appetite!
breakfasts
CHRISTMAS MORNING MONKEY BREAD
This is pull apart bread - a recipe Heather’s family only makes on special occasions. Not because it is difficult, but because it is a bit messy and requires them to remember to do the pre-work the night before. No one forgets to make these rolls on Christmas Eve......
Ingredients
1 box of NON-Instant Vanilla or Butterscotch Pudding (we like butterscotch)
1.5 cup of brown sugar
4 Tablespoons of melted butter
16-20 frozen rolls (we like Rhodes frozen rolls)
1 Bundt pan placed on a baking pan with parchment paper
Instructions
Put brown sugar and dry pudding in the bottom of the bundt pan. Place rolls on top. Melt butter and pour over top the rolls/sugar/pudding. Place bundt pan on a baking pan with parchment paper. The rolls "grow" overnight (according to the kids). Place bundt pan and baking pan in a cold oven. We recommend placing the pans on the middle rack. If there is a top oven rack we would remove it from the cold oven. We have had rolls grow into the top rack overnight. In the morning, turn oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
CINNAMON ROLL FRENCH TOAST EGG BAKE
This simple, yet delicious breakfast is also easy to prepare the night before. In Kim’s family, her kids are in charge of preparing this breakfast and always look forward to how great the house will smell in the morning. View the original recipe HERE.
Ingredients
8 Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1/2 cup brown sugar (1/4 cup tastes just as good!)
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
32 oz. Container of egg whites
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 TBSP light pancake syrup
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Tear Hawaiian rolls into bite sizes pieces and layer the bottom of the pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and spread evenly over the rolls. In a separate bowl beat 3 eggs, milk and salt. Add egg whites and mix together. Top rolls with egg mixture. Finally, top with syrup and bake for 30 - 45 minutes (times may vary oven to oven - check it at 30 min). Once cooked and a toothpick comes out clean, cut into 6 equal squares and enjoy!
At the time of serving you could add your favorite cinnamon roll frosting, french toast toppings, additional syrup, serve with sausage, or simply eat it as it is.
appetizers & salads
POMEGRANATE JEWELED CHEESEBALL
This recipe is a fun spin on a cheese ball and a favorite from Rachel’s family. View the original recipe HERE.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
6 ounces freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup pomegranate arils
crackers for serving
Photo Credit: HOW SWEET EATS
Instructions
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it’s sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy – flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty!
After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can rolls the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I’d wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it’s sticky enough.
MAKE-AHEAD HOLIDAY SALAD
Rachel shared this recipe with Karen several years ago and now it's a staple for their holiday dinners.
Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large bunch red kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and shredded in a food processor (about 6 cups)
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 cups butter and herb croutons or honey goat cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Rub hazelnuts between your fingers to loosen skins; discard skins (some will stick - that’s OK). Transfer hazelnuts to a cutting board and roughly chop; set aside.
Whisk vinegar, honey, salt, mustard, and pepper in a medium blow. Slowly whisk in oil.
Toss kale and Brussel sprouts with 1/4 cup dressing in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage dressing into kale mixture until leaves are slightly softened and shiny, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add pomegranate seeds and remaining dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, add croutons (or goat cheese) and hazelnuts and toss to combine.
DILL DIP IN A BREAD BOWL
This is a crowd pleaser in Kim’s family. It is easy to prep the night before and always draws a crowd. She can’t remember a holiday that doesn’t include gathering around an island with dill dip as part of the spread. The trick is to remember to order the bread in advance!
Ingredients
2 round loafs of rye bread, no seeds, not sliced (You can order this from any bakery in a grocery store. At Jewel, they can usually have it for you within a day or two. Kim usually just orders it while at the store the week before the holiday. Fresh bread makes this special!)
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp dill weed
2 tsp seasoned salt
2 TBSP parsley flakes
2 TBSP onion flakes
Instructions
Combine and stir all ingredients (except the bread) the night before and refrigerate overnight. This gives the flavors time to meld. Then, cut a circle bowl in to one loaf of bread. The piece that was cut out can be cut up and placed around the bread bowl. The 2nd loaf it to be cut for dipping. You can also cut up fresh vegetables for dipping - carrots, cucumber, red peppers and mushrooms are great options.
main dishes
CELEBRATION STEW
For many generations in Bryn’s family they have been serving Celebration Stew on Christmas Eve. For her family, juggling Christmas pageants, choir practices, and varied church schedules- Celebration Stew allows for flexibility to eat early, late, together, or quickly because you are on the go.
Ingredients
2lbs stew meat
6 carrots- cut into 2” pieces
1 cup celery- cut into 1” pieces
1 cup onions - quartered
1 15oz can of tomato sauce
5t brown sugar
3T tapioca
2 beef bouillon cubes
Salt & pepper (to taste)
Fines herbs
Alcorn and Wulf girls at the Christmas pageant in 2014
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a dutch oven or crockpot. Mix together and bake at 275 for six hours in oven OR cook for 8 hours in crockpot on high. Serve over rice.
Egg Rolls
A tradition of homemade egg rolls and egg drop soup started years and years ago with Heather’s parents. They didn't travel often for Christmas, with 4 kids, but frequently invited friends over to share in our tradition of rolling and making egg rolls and egg drop soup. Included in the making of the egg rolls was the warm-up/learning of rolling the egg rolls and then a healthy competition of who rolled the best egg roll. The judge and the judge's criteria changed from year to year and the controversy of who won and why was usually a Christmas Eve dinner conversation. The meal is a lot of work but well worth the effort!
NOTE - The recipe below is for a small batch of egg rolls. Heather’s parents usually made 6x the recipe.
Ingredients
Egg Roll Wrappers
1 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
3 green onions, chopped
1.5 cups bean sprouts (we always buy canned)
1/4 Cup diced bamboo shoots (we always buy canned)
4 eggs
Sweet and Sour sauce (we like La Choy brand)
Mustard
Instructions
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Mix with the chopped green onions, bean sprouts and diced bamboo shoots, cornstarch, salt, sugar and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Let stand at least 10 minutes (they usually did all the chopping on Christmas Eve morning and make the egg rolls Christmas Eve night).
When you are ready to assemble the egg rolls:
Scramble eggs into different bowls. Lay out a single egg roll wrapper, take about a tablespoon of the chicken mixture and place the spoonful close to one corner of the wrapper and wrap. Place a dab of the scrambled egg at the end of the egg roll to hold the wrap in place. Place wrapped egg roll on a parchment lined baking sheet and wait to cook in the air fryer. Remaining egg roll chicken mixture is mixed into the homemade Egg Drop Soup cooking on the stove.
Serve egg rolls warm and with sauce and a healthy dose of competition smack talk :)
Drinks
Pomegranate Gimlet
For a holiday get-together, Karen likes to serve this pretty festive cocktail. It works with either vodka or gin. And it's from her cooking guru, Ina Garten. View the original recipe here.
Ingredients
1½ cups gin, such as Tanqueray
1 cup pomegranate juice, such as Pom Wonderful
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (6 to 8 limes)
½ cup simple syrup
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
6 lime slices, for garnish
Photo Credit: Barefoot Contessa
Instructions
At least one hour before serving, place six martini glasses in the freezer.
Combine the gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a large pitcher. Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice and add the drink mixture until the shaker is three quarters full. Shake for a full 15 seconds (it’s longer than you think!). Pour the mixture into the frozen martini glasses and garnish with a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds and a slice of lime. Repeat with the remaining drink mixture and serve ice cold.
snacks
Puppy Chow
Another recipe saved for the holidays or a special occasion in Heather’s house that the kids help make and shake:) This recipe takes out the butter from the Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddy recipe on the back of the Chex cereal boxes. They have found we don't need the extra butter - all the other ingredients make it delicious!
Ingredients
A big bowl or large lidded tupperware container
1 box of Chex - Corn Chex or Rice Chex
1 Cup Peanut Butter (we prefer JIF)
1 package of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 Cups Powdered Sugar - don't be shy you can use more
Instructions
In a microwave safe bowl melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and vanilla. Pour the box of Chex into a large bowl, with room to stir or right into your large lidded container. Stir Chex and melted mixture together. Once stirred add powdered sugar, put the lid on the container (make sure it is TIGHT), and shake until all the Chex pieces are covered. This is where you may need to add more powdered sugar.
TIP: Large baggies work well if you don't have a lidded container that will fit a box of Chex.
Christmas Crunch (White Chocolate Popcorn)
This is an annual favorite in Kim’s family. What started as an easier alternative to baking cookies with 3 kids under 4 has turned into something her kids request every year. It is especially fun to make before sitting down for a holiday movie. Plus, it is easy to make in large quantities and fun to share with friends. One year, Kim’s daughter and husband even rode bike around the neighborhood delivering a little holiday cheer to friend and neighbors. View the original recipe here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (104g) popcorn kernels (Or, you can use Skinny Pop and it is just as good!)
1 (12 oz) bag White Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 cups (75g) Pretzels (we like the little grids)
1 (10 oz) bag** green and red Milk Chocolate or Mint M&Ms
Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
Pop popcorn in a popcorn popper into a large bowl (or, grab the Skinny Pop) according to manufactures directions. Remove any unpopped popcorn kernels. Toss in broken pretzel pieces and M&Ms**.
Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Drizzle half of melted chips over popcorn mixture, then stir, tossing gently a few times with a rubber spatula.
Then drizzle remaining half of melted chips over popcorn, and gently stir mixture until evenly coated (don't over stir though or your sprinkles wont stick if the white chips begin to set and harden).
Pour mixture into a single layer onto wax paper. Sprinkle entire mixture evenly with sprinkles (as many as you'd like) before chocolate chips set. Allow to cool and harden, then gently break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
desserts
Yule Log Cake
Rachel’s family has a yule log tradition started by a dear friend and now continued on by her family. This classic recipe includes a chocolate cake, mascarpone whipped cream and a chocolate ganache - so rich and so delicious. View the original recipe here.
This picture is circa 2015 and just shows how little kids can help with making the cake.
Photo Credit: Life, Love and Sugar
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (38g) Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, divided
3/4 cup (155g) granulated sugar
5 tbsp (72g) sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
3/4 cups (86g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
8 oz (226g) mascarpone cheese, softened but still chilled*
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE
8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Sugared cranberries, optional*
Sugared rosemary, optional*
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 17×12 inch jelly roll sheet pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper sticks up at least an inch above the sides of the pan on all sides. You’ll use the parchment paper later to lift the cake out of the pan and roll it up.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until well combined. Add the sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and gently whisk together until well combined, then set aside.
Add the egg whites to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen up the batter. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold together until well combined.
Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when toughed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and immediately lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it on the counter. While the cake is hot, use the parchment paper the cake was baked in and start at the shorter end of the cake to slowly roll the cake up. Set the cake aside to cool completely.
When the cake has cooled and is ready to be filled, make the filling. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly.
Unroll the cake roll very carefully, looking out for areas where it may be sticking to release it. You can use an offset spatula or something similar and run it along the parchment paper as you unroll the cake to help release it as it unrolls. Spread the filling evenly onto the unrolled cake, then roll it back up without the parchment paper. Wrap it up in plastic wrap with the seam side down and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.
When you’re read to decorate the cake, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chocolate to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in the microwave just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to about room temperature (or cooler, you don’t want it too warm/thin), then transfer to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until lightened in color and thick enough to spread.
To decorate the cake, use a large serrated knife to gently cut off a piece of the log about 3 inches in length. Make the cut with a slight diagonal. Use some of the chocolate ganache to attache the small log to the side of the larger log. Spread the remaining chocolate ganache all over the cake, then use a fork to create bark-like lines all over it. Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary (instructions in notes), if desired.
Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Plus, these MERINGUE MUSHROOMS make the cutest decoration for the Yule logs.
Swedish Cream
For Christmas Eve dinner in Karen’s home, they have a dessert called Swedish Cream. The cream is white and topped with red raspberry sauce, which makes for a very festive plate. Karen is pretty sure her parents got this recipe from a friend when we lived in England in the 60's and they enjoyed it all throughout her childhood as well.
Cream Ingredients
2/3 c. Half and half
1 c. Sugar
1 Envelope Unsweetened Gelatin
1 Pint Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
Cream Instructions
In a small pan, whisk sugar and gelatin together
Place pan on stove and turn heat on low, slowly stir in cream
Heat on low until thick, stirring regularly
Remove from heat and add vanilla and sour cream
Blend slowly until creamy and pour into an 8x8 pan
Chill until set
Raspberry Sauce Ingredients
2 cartons Fresh Raspberries
2-3 tbsp Sugar (to taste for sweetness)
1 tbsp cornstarch
Raspberry Sauce Instructions
Place raspberries in small saucepan
Add sugar and heat on low
When juices emerge, pour berries over a strainer and set aside
Add juice back to pan and add cornstarch. Stir until blended and slightly thickened
Add berries back to pan and stir together
Chill until serving
To serve:
Cut squares of cream and top with raspberry sauce
Nancy’s Chocolate Sauce
Bryn’s Aunt Nancy blesses many throughout the holiday season with her famous chocolate sauce. As a hostess gift or holiday gift, it is perfect over peppermint ice cream. This is a true family favorite in the Wulf’s home at Christmastime
Melt 1/4 cup butter
Add 2oz (squares) or baking chocolate (unsweetened)
*Heat on medium until smooth
Add…
1/2 cup half and half
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
*Bring to a boil for 2 1/2- 3 min