holiday recipe ideas
We wanted to share some favorite holiday recipes because ... hello! 'Tis the season, right?? First up to share is Amy Roskelley of Super Healthy Kids who is sharing her favorite gingerbread muffins. Then Hilary Weeks (one of our favorite musicians) is sharing what she describes as the World's Best Cheeseball. And then ... each of us on the Becky Higgins team is also sharing a favorite holiday recipe! Okay, I'm just hungry now. Let's go! ; )
Gingerbread Muffins from Amy
INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ginger, ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 medium egg
3/4 cup milk, whole
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup molasses
INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the dry ingredients: flours, sugar, baking powder, and spices. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl: egg, milk, olive oil, and molasses. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix only enough to get everything wet. Fill a muffin pan with batter, about 1/2-3/4 full.
Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes. (Serves 12)
World’s Best Cheeseball from Hilary
This is hands down, the best recipe I own. My Aunt Gayle made this at all our family holiday gatherings and now I make it for all of mine. It isn’t Thanksgiving until the cheeseball is on the appetizer table. Don’t even attempt to celebrate Christmas without it. The cheeseball has even been the star of several football game spreads. Even if your team loses, the cheeseball will have been a winner.
Have I said enough good about it? Are you thinking about getting the ingredients and giving it a go? I am pretty darn sure you’re going to love it. Oh, I hope you do!
After tasting it, most people think I’m a hero. Trust me, make this for your next special occasion and you will be a hero too. (Don’t be surprised if someone breaks out singing, “Did you ever know that you’re my hero….”) It’s that good.
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (5-oz.) jar Kraft Old English Cheese
4 T. crumbled blue cheese
2-3 green onions, diced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pecans, chopped
Crackers of choice
In mixer, thoroughly combine cheeses, green onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into ball and place on a pretty plate. Cover in chopped pecans. Serve with your favorite snack crackers.
Deviled Eggs from Becky
INGREDIENTS
eggs
mayonnaise
salt & pepper
mustard (liquid, not dry)
pickle juice (from sweet pickles – not dill)
paprika
You’ll notice that there are no quantities or measurements listed. I learned how to make deviled eggs from my mom and she never measured anything for deviled eggs. She just added a “little bit of this and a little bit of that” until it was just right. I like to taste it as I go to see what needs to be added.
Hard boil the eggs and cool. Remove eggshells and cut the eggs in half, lengthwise. Put all egg yolks in a bowl and mash them. Add mayo, salt & pepper, mustard, and pickle juice to taste. You don’t want your egg batter to be too stiff or too runny. It should be a nice, creamy texture. Remember to start light on the mayonnaise because you can always add more, but you can’t go back once it’s in there. Put a dollop of the batter in each egg and refrigerate until ready to serve. TIP: place batter in a small Ziploc bag, cut the corner, and squeeze some batter into each egg from there. Just before serving, sprinkle a dash of paprika on each deviled egg.
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites from Molly
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. bacon (not thick sliced)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chili powder
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds and wrap around chicken cube; secure with a toothpick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in brown sugar mixture. Coat a rack on a cookie sheet with cooking spray, then place chicken on rack. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Salsa from Toni
INGREDIENTS
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
4 oz. diced green chilis
3 chopped green onions
2 chopped jalapeños, minus the seeds
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste.
Just mix and serve with tortilla chips!
Christmas Tree Brownies from Laurie
(Found at the One Little Project blog)
INGREDIENTS
1 box brownie mix
1 tub white vanilla icing
green food coloring
small round sprinkles
small star sprinkles
candy canes
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Line an 8"x8" baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions and bake as directed.
3. Allow brownies to completely cool, approximately 1.5 hours.
4. Remove the brownies from the pan and cut into triangles. (Cut in three rows, then cut in alternating diagonals, as in the photo shown above).
5. Unwrap the candy canes and use a sharp knife to gently cut/break the candy canes into 1.5" long pieces.
6. Press the sharper end of the candy cane into the bottom of the brownie triangles.
7. Spoon out approximately ½ of the tub of icing into a bowl.
8. Add green food colouring until you're happy with the color.
9. Spoon the green icing into a Ziploc bag.
10. Seal the bag and cut off a small corner of the bag with sharp scissors.
11. Starting at the top of the brownie triangles, gently squeeze out the icing in a curvy zigzag as you go down the tree.
12. Add your favorite sprinkles.
Green Chile Dip from Kari
INGREDIENTS
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can diced green chiles
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup bacon bits
Mix together and chill. Serve with potato or tortilla chips.
The Best Spinach Dip from Wendy
INGREDIENTS
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled, and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package Knorr vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)
Mix all ingredients (best to do this a bit ahead of time) and serve with cubed bread, vegetables, and crackers.
Did you know that we have a freebies section with a ton of recipes included? Yep, you should definitely check that out. ; )
