Arts & Life

The best holiday dishes you’ve never had.

Spice up your Thanksgiving this year with a few of my family’s secret holiday recipes. Straight from the vault, these recipes are foolproof and will keep your mouth watering through January. You’re welcome.

Chunky Artichoke Salsa

Needed: 1 jar (6.5 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts

¼ c. pitted ripe olives, chopped

2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped

3 medium plum tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, snipped

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions: Drain and reserve marinade from artichokes into bowl. Using a chopper, chop artichokes, olives and red onion. Chop tomatoes with knife.   Place in bowl with reserved marinade. Add pressed garlic and snipped basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Mix gently. Chill and serve with tortilla chips. It is so good that I make a double batch!

Wild Rice Casserole

Cook:

1 cup Wild rice

3 cups chicken broth (or one can and enough water to make 3 cups)

Chop & Sauté:

8 pieces of bacon

1 onion

2 – 3 stalks of celery

1 pkg. Sliced mushrooms (Make it easy on yourself!)

Mix:

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

½ soup can of water

Directions: Cook the wild rice until most of the kernels have opened & all the liquid is absorbed (approx. 45 min. or so), chop & sauté the bacon, then in same pan cook the chopped veggies. This can all be done in advance, bagged and refrigerated until ready. When ready to cook, combine rice, bacon & veggies with soup mixture. Put into a greased casserole dish, cover, and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Can be frozen for storage.

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

Needed: Red Yams or sweet potatoes (Enough for your baking dish)

½ c. butter/margarine

1 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 c. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

 

TOPPING

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. butter/margarine

1 c. pecans, chopped

Directions: Peel, cut and boil yams/potatoes until tender. Mash/beat with butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla. Place in greased casserole dish (I use a 9-by-12 Pyrex).

Mix topping together and spread on top of potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until bubbly & browned.

Can make ahead. Just add the topping before putting into the oven.

Cosmic Potatoes

Needed: 5 lb. potatoes

6 oz. cream cheese (I use the light)

1 c. sour cream (I use light)

2 tsp. onion salt, 2 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper (for the seasoning I use the dry Ranch dressing) season with salt & pepper to taste

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 Tbsp. butter

Directions: Peel, boil and mash the potatoes. Add the remaining ingredients except the butter. Mix well (I use an electric hand mixer). Put into greased baking dish (I use a Pyrex oblong dish depending on the amount of potatoes). Dot with the butter. Cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until hot. Can be made ahead and even frozen.

Peppermint Bark Magic Brownies

Needed: Vegetable Oil Spray

8 TBS. (1 stick) of butter

1 20 oz. package brownie mix (I use Ghirardelli, from Costco)

1 C. sweetened flaked coconut

2 C. finely chopped peppermint bark (I use Costco’s)

1 heaping cup chopped pecans

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch pan with the vegetable oil spray. Line the bottom and the long sides of the pan with parchment pager, extending the ends 3-by-4-inch beyond the edges of the pan. (The spray helps the paper stick to the pan). Place the butter on the parchment paper and set the pan in the oven until the butter melts, 4-5 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven to a wire rack. Sprinkle brownie mix evenly over the melted butter.

Scatter coconut evenly over the brownie mix. Layer peppermint bark evenly over the coconut. Scatter pecans evenly on top. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over the pecans.

Bake until the brownies bubble and the edges are lightly browned, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan to loosed the brownies, then carefully lift the parchment paper and brownies onto a cutting board. Slice into squares, serve and store.

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