Staff Picks Holiday Recipes

Appetizers 

Salami Cheese Pie

– Submitted by Elaine
Great for brunch or as an appetizer if cut into thin slices.

What you need:

• One box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (includes 2 crusts)
• ½ pound thin sliced Genoa salami
• 1 lb. Muenster cheese sliced
• 3 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Put bottom crust in pie pan, then layer the cheese and salami, starting and ending with cheese.  Pour the beaten eggs over the top. Cover with top crust and bake for one hour at 350 degrees F, or 45 minutes at 375 degrees F.
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Peppermint Puppy Chow

– Submitted by Sarah

What you need:

• 16oz vanilla candy coating or white chocolate
• 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
• 12 cups Chex cereal (corn and/or rice variety)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 6 regular sized Peppermint Candy Canes, crushed

Directions:

Place vanilla candy coating (or white chocolate) and peppermint crunch baking chips in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, mixing between each interval. Stir until smooth.

Place cereal in a very large bowl. Pour melted chocolate over cereal. Add about 3/4 of the crushed candy canes. Mix until all the cereal is covered in chocolate. Add powdered sugar and stir until fully coated. Sprinkle with remaining peppermint candy canes.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. Enjoy!
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Hot Crab Dip

– Submitted by Elaine

What you need:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces sour cream
• Small onion, chopped
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Can of crabmeat

Directions:

Soften and mix cream cheese and sour cream.  Add Worcestershire sauce and onion.  Clean orange specks out of crab and mix.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 15- 20 minutes.  Serve with crackers.
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Spicy Beef Dip

– Submitted by Janet

What you need:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ¾ tsp. oregano
• ½ cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• Nacho cheese Doritos

Directions:

Brown beef, onion, and garlic lightly.  Spoon off fat.  Add tomato sauce, ketchup, oregano, and sugar.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Spoon off any more fat.  Add cheese and stir.  Serve warm with Dorito chips.
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Main Dishes

– Breakfast/Brunch
Cape May Three Cheese Eggs

– Submitted by Margaret

What you need:

• 7 Eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 pound shredded Monterey jack cheese (or cheddar or a mixture of both)
• 4 ounces cubed cream cheese
• 1 pound small curd cottage cheese
• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Beat eggs, milk and sugar.  Mix in flour and baking powder.  Add cheeses and melted butter.  Then pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake 45 – 50 minutes at 350 degrees F until firm.

I got this recipe from the John F. Craig House Bed & Breakfast (now closed) in Cape May.
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– Dinner
Penne a la Carbonara (serves 4)

– Submitted by Sandra

What you need:

• 1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes (substitute bacon, if you cannot find pancetta)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan (You can use pre-grated Parmesan)
• 1 pound dried penne
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (Dried herbs and garlic powder work fine as well. Be liberal)

Directions:

Heat a large sauté pan, until hot. Add pancetta and sauté until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta’s natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It’s important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.
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Autumn Roasted Chicken and Sausage with Balsamic Drizzle (serves 4 to 6)

– Submitted by Janet

What you need:

• 4 to 6 bone-in chicken pieces of your choice
• 1 pound Italian sweet sausages
• 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 finely chopped
• 7 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 finely chopped
• 12 baby potatoes, such as baby Yukon gold
• 3 to 4 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
• 8 shallots, halved through root and peeled or 4 small red onions, quartered through root end
• Balsamic vinegar, to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large, shallow roasting pan, dress chicken and sausages with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with chopped rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.  Toss the potatoes and shallots with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper and add to the roasting pan. Bundle the rosemary and thyme sprigs and toss them in the pan as well. Roast 45-50 minutes until the meat juices run clear and the chicken skin and sausage casings are crispy.

To serve, arrange meat, sausage, potatoes, and shallots on dinner plates and garnish with pan juices and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Seasoning

– Submitted by Lloyd

What you need:

• ½ tsp pimento pepper seed, ground
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbs all-purpose seasoning
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 Tbs water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, ready to marinate chicken.  Can also be used for pork chops, ribs, etc.  Once you have rubbed seasoning on meat, place in sealed container and refrigerate all day or overnight to absorb flavor.

Cook chicken pieces however you wish, until the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
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The Feast of the Seven Fishes

– Submitted by Donna (a.k.a. Ms. Fish)

First course:

#1 – Shrimp Cocktail

• Buy shrimp already cleaned and cooked
• Add Frank’s Red Hot to ketchup for sauce (or as my grandmother would say why make it if you can buy it!)

Second Course:

#2 – Pasta with Anchovies

• 2 cloves of garlic
• ⅛ cup of olive oil
• 1 lb angel hair pasta, cooked al dente

Heat together, before garlic browns add 1 cup of water and 1 can of anchovies.  Continue to heat until fish melts.  Pour over pasta.  Serve with lots of Pecorino Romano grated cheese.

The Main Event:

#3 – Fried Filet of Fish

• Any type of fish you like, fried any way you like!

#4 – Crab Cakes

• Buy your favorite ones at your local fish market.

So far easy peasy, right?  Who says cooking for the holidays has to be complicated?

#5 – Wine Steamed Mussels

Add white wine to water (about ⅔ water to ⅓ wine) in pot. Place mussels in basket steamer and place over pot, cover and boil slowly until mussels open.

#6 – Salmon with Pepper Jelly

• 2 lb. piece of Salmon
• 1 jar of Pepper Jelly

Bake salmon covered with jelly (about ½ of jar, more so if desired) on tray at 350 degrees F until done.

Ok now let’s get down and ethnic

#7 – Stuffed Calamari

• 8 whole small to medium squid  (cleaned and de-inked preferably by fish market personnel)
• 2  cloves minced garlic
• grated cheese
• salt & pepper
• parsley
• 1 egg
• 4 to 5 cups fresh bread crumbs (day old bread you have crumbled yourself)

Mix bread crumbs with garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley.  Beat the egg and mix in bread crumbs.  Stuff mixture into each squid.  Cook in (even Grandma would agree to this) Homemade Marinara Sauce until tender.

Add one more fish dish for Good Luck

#8 – Baccala Salad

• one piece dry salted Cod, purchased 4 days before dinner
• 2 or 3 red & green vinegar peppers, cut up
• Pitted black olives
• Olive oil

Soak fish in water; changing water each day for 3 days.  On day four boil fish; then flake apart, leaving bite sized pieces and cool.  Place cod in bowl and add the peppers and olives.  Gently mix and drizzle with olive oil.  Serve on a flat platter.

Buon Appetito and Enjoy a Peaceful Eve.
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Side Dishes 

Broccoli Casserole (serves 6 to 8)

– Submitted by Janet

What you need:

• 2 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1 medium onion chopped
• ½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs, or bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients EXCEPT crumbs.  Pour into a square, well-buttered, baking dish.  Sprinkle top with crumbs and dot with butter.  Bake 30 minutes.
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce

– Submitted by Polly

What you need:

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Boil cranberries in water with sugar until thickened, adding extra water if needed. Then remove from stove, cool, place into serving bowl and chill until time to serve.
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Dessert 

Apple Crisp (serves 12)

– Submitted by Deborah

What you need:

• 8 apples- peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup of butter
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup rolled oats

Directions:

Place apples in a 9×13 casserole dish.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and cinnamon.  Mix together remaining ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle mixture onto the apples.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-35 minutes. Serve warm.
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Cranberry Nantucket Pie

– Submitted by Elaine

What you need:

• 1 bag cranberries
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup walnuts

Topping-

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup melted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbs almond or vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Put berries into greased 10” pie plate and sprinkle with sugar and walnuts.  Melt butter, add sugar & eggs and mix well.  Add flour and almond (or vanilla) extract, mix, and pour over berries.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
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Cranberry Pistachio White Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt (serves 8)

– Submitted by Jean

What you need:

• 8 ounces premium white chocolate, finely chopped
• ⅓  cup dried cranberries, chopped and divided
• ⅓ cup roasted and salted pistachio, chopped and divided
• ¼ teaspoon flaked sea salt

Directions:

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at 20% power for 15 seconds; remove bowl from microwave and stir.  Repeat process until most of the chocolate has melted and is smooth.  Let stand, stirring occasionally, until all of the chocolate melts and is smooth.  Set aside 1 tablespoon each cranberries and pistachios.

Stir remaining cranberries and remaining pistachios into chocolate.  Spread mixture onto parchment paper in an even (¼ inch-thick) layer.  Top evenly with reserved cranberries and pistachios, and sprinkle evenly with salt, pressing gently to adhere.  Refrigerate 1 hour or until set.  Break into bite-size pieces.
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Easy Granola for the Protein-Challenged

– Submitted by Karen

What you need:

• 2 cups oats
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
• ¼ salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ⅓ cup shredded coconut
• ⅓ cup flax seeds
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. flavorless oil
• 1 Tb. water
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 275 degrees F.  Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt, walnuts, coconut, and flax seeds in a bowl.  Bring syrup, oil, water, and cinnamon to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir to combine.  Pour mixture onto a large pan.  Squeeze handfuls of the cereal to form small clumps.  Bake for 30 minutes.
Eat as is or sprinkle over yogurt or ice cream for dessert!
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Pumpkin Cake

– Submitted by Margaret (by way of my friend and fellow ministry wife, Carolyn Dean)

What you need:

• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 2 t. cinnamon
• ¼ t. ground nutmeg
• ⅛ t. ground cloves
• ⅛ t. ginger
• 2 t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• 2 c. pumpkin (or squash)
• 1 c. corn oil (I used canola)
• 3 eggs

Directions:

Combine sugar and oil with mixer.  Add eggs. Beat well.  In a separate bowl, sift together 2 c. flour with spices and other dry ingredients.  Alternately add flour mixture and the pumpkin to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour.  Bake at 350 degrees F about 20 – 25 minutes in a 9 x 13 pan.

This is a very versatile recipe…it works well with gluten-free flour (I have used a couple of different ones).  You can put it in a sheet pan or in loaf pans.  It makes great pumpkin bread.  You can also ice the cake once it is cooled (See recipe below).

Icing Recipe:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1 t. vanilla

Mix with electric mixer.
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Miss Polly’s Vegan Apple Cake

– Submitted by Polly

What you need:

• ½ cup Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbs egg replacer (follow directions on pkg.)
• 1 ¼ c. All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup Unsweetened Coconut milk
• 2 sliced apples (I leave the peel on)

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Let butter get to room temperature. Mix all ingredients adding only enough of the coconut milk to make batter. Pour into greased 2″ deep pie or brownie pan. Push apples all around into top of batter and bake about 35 minutes.
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Drinks

Cranberry Punch

– Submitted by Margaret

What you need:

For Ice Ring:  Enough cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail to fill your ice ring container in addition to the amount needed for the punch.   Pour juice into ice ring and freeze several days before your plan to serve the punch.  When ready to use, let sit out for about 15 minutes before putting it in punch bowl.

For the Punch:

• 4 cups Cranberry Juice Cocktail (or regular cranberry juice with 1½ cups sugar)
• 4 cups pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 2 quarts ginger ale  (I prefer to use Raspberry or Cranberry Ginger Ale if you can find it)

Directions:

Combine 1^st three ingredients in punch bowl.  Stir to mix.  Then add ginger ale.  You may not need to add all of the ginger ale at once.  Add it until you like the taste.  Finally, add the ice ring gently so as not to splash punch everywhere.

Variations on the ice ring:  I have used holiday Jiggler molds to make shaped cubes (trees, stars, etc.)  These can be done ahead of time too.  Freeze, then take out of molds.  Store in freezer bags taking care to leave space in between the cubes.

NOTE:  Chill the juices and ginger ale before making the punch.  Then you can make it right before serving.

Be prepared to make more punch.  This is very refreshing and people will keep coming back for more.
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Governor’s Mansion Tea Punch

– Submitted by Sarah
An alternative to the usual holiday punch.

What you need:

• 3 family-size tea bags
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 1 (33.8-oz.) bottle peach nectar
• ½ (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• ½ cup Simple Sugar Syrup
• 1 (1-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled
• 1 (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled

Directions:

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add tea bags and mint leaves. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep 10 minutes.  Discard tea bags and mint. Pour into a 1-gal. container; add peach nectar, lemonade concentrate, and Simple Sugar Syrup. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Pour chilled tea mixture into a punch bowl or pitcher. Stir in ginger ale and club soda just before serving. Garnish, if desired.
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