Favorite Holiday Recipes

Hot Dr. Pepper

1. Place a saucepan with Dr. Pepper on the stovetop.
2. Heat until it steams.
3. Pour the soda over a thin slice of lemon and enjoy!

Easy!

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Acini de Pepe Fruit Salad

20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained and juice reserved

10 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved

1 cup reserved pineapple juice

½ cup sugar 

¼ tsp salt

½ cup acini de pepe noodles

15 oz can mandarin oranges , drained

Whipped Cream

Instructions

1. Drain the pineapple cans and reserve the juice. Reserve the pineapple in the fridge for later.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat combine the pineapple juice, sugar, salt and and whisk until smooth. Cook until mixtures comes to a low boil and thickens slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Cook acini de pepe noodles according to package instructions. Drain and cool.
4. Combine the acini de pepe and the thickened sauce in a tupperware. Refrigerate overnight (or at least for several hours).
5. In the morning, add the pineapple, mandarin oranges and whipped cream in a mixing bowl. Add the acini de pepe mixture.

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Sweet Dairy Noodle Kugel

1 12 oz package wide egg noodles

4 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

8 oz full fat sour cream

10 oz canned, crushed pineapple (drained)

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep, square baking dish (8×8 or 9×9). If your baking dish not a square, the kugel will be too thin and you won’t be able to scoop the kugel into balls.
2. Cook noodles according to directions (around 8-10 minutes). Drain and use right away.
3. Place butter in a large bowl. Add hot noodles right on top and allow the butter to melt.
4. In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla together. Pour mixture on top of noodles and mix. Add sour cream, crushed pineapple and salt and mix again.
5. Pour noodle mixture into greased baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until just golden on top.

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Raspberry Almond Holiday Linzer Cookies

⅔ cup almonds

½ cup packed light brown sugar 

2½ cups white whole wheat flour, plus more for the work surface

½ teaspoon baking powder 

½ teaspoon kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar 

1 12-ounce jar raspberry jam (or other jam flavor of choice)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and ¼ cup of the brown sugar until the almonds are finely ground.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar on medium/high speed until fluffy (approximately 2 to 3 minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the almond mixture, then the flour mixture, mixing until just combined (do not overmix).
4. Divide the dough in half, shape into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a ⅛ inch thickness. Using the round cutter of a linzer cookie cutter set, cut ½ the dough into rounds and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Using the round cutter with smaller holiday shape insert of a linzer cookie cutter set, cut out the other ½ of the dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll and cut the scraps as necessary.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on the round cookies without shapes and top with the cutout shape cookies (similar to making a sandwich). Sprinkle the confectioners’ sugar on the completed cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Italian Fried Dough

Frittelle (Elephant Ears)

Choose one option:

• Make your own dough
• Buy canned rolls or pizza dough
• Buy frozen dough and let it rise

Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frypan on your stove, over medium heat, so that it snaps and crackles when you allow a waterdrop to fall into the pan.
2. Cut off a piece of dough, and roll it out on a well floured surface or stretch it out with your hands as large as you can without the dough seperating.
3. Place the dough that you have stretched or rolled into the pan.
4. It will begin to rise, and bubbles will appear.
5. Once it is golden brown underneath, turn it over.
6. When golden brown on the second side, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining dough.
7. Once you are done with all of the dough, feel free to add a topping of your choice, such as, powdered sugar, sugar or cinnamon sugar.

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Kugelis

6 medium potatoes

1 teaspoon grated onion (optional)

2 or 3 large eggs

3 tablespoon melted bacon fat

1 teaspoon salt

Few grains pepper 

Instructions

1. Peel raw potatoes, grate coarsely. Stir in grated onion.
2. Beat eggs until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. Fold eggs into grated potato mixture, add fat and seasonings.
4. Pour into greased 1 or 1.5 quart casserole.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees
6. and bake one additional hour until browned.

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Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar or ¼ cup honey

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
3. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
5. Roll balls in additional granulated sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Using the tines of a fork, flatten balls by making crisscross marks on top.
7. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Makes about 36 cookies.