Tasty Table ~ Friends’ Holiday Recipes

By Jenny Stauffer

Happy Holidays! This year for the December Tasty Table edition, I thought it might be fun to ask some fellow Triad friends to share their favorite holiday recipes. I have some amazing fellow friends who love to bake, to cook, and that have some really special family recipes that have been handed down that they all were eager to share with you!

I can’t wait to try all of these recipes myself! I now have some fresh, new recipes myself that I can bring to the Holiday table, to friends, and to my family this season. Have a safe and tasty Holiday season! Cheers!

Crab Crostini

Submitted by Donna Dixon
It’s easy to prepare and can be mixed put in the frig and taken out right before guest arrive and it takes only a couple minutes to heat! One of my favorites!

Ingredients:
8oz lump fin crabmeat
1/2 cup red peppers finely chopped
2tsp mayo
2tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1tsp chives
1tsp lime juice
1tsp Dijon mustard
2tsp Monterey Jack cheese grated
4-5 drops of hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1 package of French rounds

Preparation:
~Preheat oven to 500
~Line cookie sheet with foil
~Combine crabmeat,peppers,mayo,parsley,chives,lime juice,mustard,cheese, hot sauce and seasoning. spread one tablespoon of mixture on each round, place on cookie sheet.
~Broil until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Chippie Dippie

Submitted by Jennifer Adams

Ingredients:
(1) 8 oz pkg cream cheese (whipped or in tub works best)
1small bunch green onions, greens only, sliced
1 can chile with beans
1 pkg (2 cups) shredded cheese or mexican cheese

Preparation:
~Layer cream cheese, then chile, then shredded cheese – sprinkle with green onions – bake until cheese melts, 15-20 mins. Best served with Frito-Lays or other sturdy corn chip.
~(For a lighter version feel free to use fat free or low fat ingredients, note if you use low fat shredded cheese on top it will not melt as well as the fuller fat versions.)

Orange Cranberry Bread

Submitted by Melanie York
Here is one of my favorite things to make during the holidays. It’s easy and delicious. Great hostess gift and a favorite at our house for breakfast. The key is having a really good naval orange. One large orange is usually enough for fresh juice. You can freeze fresh cranberries in the bag they come in and just use them as you need them. They will keep in the freezer for three months. You don’t need to thaw the cranberries for the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 egg
2 T hot water
½ cup orange juice
Grated peel from one whole orange
2 T melted butter or margarine
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the egg. Add orange juice, peel, butter, hot water. Add this to flour mixture, stirring until just moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into a greased 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake 325 for 60 minutes ( Melanie says 50 minutes or less for her oven) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Pomegrante Pancetta Salad

Submitted by Caren Grice
This is one of my favorite holiday recipes – I make it every year and it screams Christmas! While it may seem labor intensive, it really isn’t and worth every step. There are even a few short cuts below. Enjoy!

Salad Ingredients:
1 cup Tawny Port
5 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, diced
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 pears, thinly sliced
1/2 pomegranate, seeded
5 ounces mixed greens
5 ounces arugula
8 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 cup candied pecans (recipe below)

Preparation:
Bring the port to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by half. Saute the pancetta in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Add shallots and garlic, and cook two minutes. Add the oil, then the vinegar and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the port. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice the pears. Seed the pomegranates. Toss the mixed greens and arugula with the goat cheese, pears, pomegranate seeds and candied pecans. Toss with the warm dressing and serve.

Candied Pecans Ingredients: 
Parchment paper or silicone baking sheet
1 cup pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Generous pinch of cayenne Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine pecans and all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Spread the nut mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the nuts are deep golden and the sugar mixture is bubbling, stirring occasionally to break up the clumps, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on parchment paper and coarsely chop.

A few notes:
~ Candied pecans: you could certainly use store bought as there are so many good options these days.
~Pomegranates: you can buy the seeds already separated – another good option.
~ I have traveled with this salad and it was still delicious. Prepare salad dressing at home and tote everything in separate containers. Reheat dressing, assemble and toss. Delish!

Pickled Turkey Breast

Submitted by Daphne Petros
This is my mother-in-law’s recipe!

Turkey Breast
1/4 cup of Oil ( canola,vegetable)
1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of pepper
1 cup of apple cider or vinegar
2 tablespoons of parsley

Preparation:
~Mix all ingredients together and pour over turkey in the bag and close the bag and bake in the crock pot.
~(Put a Turkey Breast in a Reynolds oven bag and put the whole thing in crock pot for 8 hours.)

Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

Submitted by Erin Jelinek

Ingredients:
1 loaf of frozen bread dough (thawed)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Preparation:
~Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface to 12″x8″ rectangle
~Brush with 1/4 cup melted butter
~Combine the cinnamon with 1/4 cup brown sugar
~Sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough
~Roll up lengthwise
~Cut roll into 1″ slices (you will get 9-12)

Meanwhile, heat the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring often. Pour sauce into a square pan (an 8×8 or 9×9 works fine). Place rolls over mixture. Cover and let rise until double (30-45 minutes).*

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Cool 2-3 minutes and then invert on serving plate.

*You can make the rolls the night before, cover and let rise, then place in the refrigerator overnight. Then in the morning take them out of the refrigerator and let them return to room temperature before baking.

Don’t forget to register for our latest giveaway prize, compliments of Hip Chics Boutique!

*Photo from Christmasiscoming.co.uk