Email
PrintFavorite holiday recipes from TulsaPeople staff
From our kitchen to yours...
The holidays are nothing without family, so this December, instead of sharing my own recipes with you, I have made this column a TulsaPeople family affair. These are some of TulsaPeople’s staff family favorites, some of them passed down throughout generations, some of them new discoveries. This year, we want to share them with you. Happy eating and happy holidays!
Apple bread
Makes 1 loaf
This delicious, quick bread, tweaked from a several-year-old newspaper recipe, is served every Christmas morning at Jodie Johnson’s house. She is a receptionist for TulsaPeople. She serves it with her famous banana nut bread but won’t give out that recipe to anyone! This super-easy fruit-filled loaf can be served toasted with maple butter at breakfast, or warmed and topped with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. It tastes even better after a day or so, so feel free to make a loaf or two ahead of time — and freeze some for later!
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large apples, cored but not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, 1 cup sugar and eggs. Blend in milk and vanilla and then flour mixture. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour mixture into a large greased loaf pan.
2. Mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over batter. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Monkey bread
Serves 8 to 10
Monkey bread, also referred to as Hungarian coffee cake and bubblebread, is a sticky breakfast bread made by rolling balls of yeast dough in butter and then a cinnamon, sugar and pecan mixture — when baked, the “bubbles” pull apart easily. Amanda Bullock, TulsaPeople art director, says her aunt makes this recipe for breakfast every Christmas morning, along with a savory breakfast casserole. The pudding mix adds a caramelly kick to the gooey bread.
1 package butterscotch instant pudding mix
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 package of 2 dozen frozen dinner rolls, slightly thawed
1. Grease a bundt pan and set aside. Combine pudding mix, sugars, cinnamon and nuts in a medium bowl. Place melted butter in another bowl. Cut dinner rolls in half, coat with butter and roll in pudding mixture, placing in bundt pan. Sprinkle remaining pudding mix over the top of the coated rolls and drizzle with any remaining butter. (Dough can be refrigerated overnight at this point — let it sit out at room temperature the next morning until doubled in bulk.)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully unmold onto serving platter and serve.
Pineapple cheese balls
Makes 3 cheese balls
Lorene Hopkins, the mother of Steve Hopkins, an advertising representative for TulsaPeople, always makes these for holiday celebrations, and Steve looks forward to taking one home with him.
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese,
softened
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple,
well-drained
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped pecans
Combine cream cheese, pineapple, bell pepper and seasoned salt until well combined. Shape into 3 balls. Roll each ball in chopped pecans until well coated. Cover balls with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Asparagus casserole
Serves 8 to 10
Connie Lytle, a TulsaPeople advertising representative, has enjoyed this casserole every Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last 25 years — even though her kids think the asparagus stinks up the kitchen. This serves as a decadent and delicious side dish when paired with simple roast turkey or pork.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk
1 small jar processed cheese sauce, such as Cheez Whiz
2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisking constantly, add flour, salt and pepper. Whisk in milk until combined. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in cheese sauce and remove from heat.
2. Place asparagus in a shallow microwave pan with a thin layer of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Arrange half of the asparagus and egg slices in the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the asparagus. Repeat with remaining asparagus, egg slices and cheese sauce. Toss cracker crumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake until golden brown and heated through, about 30 minutes.
Cloverleaf rolls
Makes one dozen rolls
Andrea Canada, TulsaPeople advertising representative, says for special occasions, her family has rolls made from scratch or none at all — my kind of family! This recipe comes from her grandmother, who serves them at every holiday dinner.
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg
1 package active-dry yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter for brushing rolls
1. Scald milk in a small saucepan and then whisk in salt, sugar and shortening. When cool, whisk in egg. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in milk mixture. Stir in flour until combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, but still tacky. Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 1/2 hours.
2. Punch down dough and divide into 12 pieces. Divide each piece into 3 pieces. Roll pieces into balls and place three balls into a cup of a greased muffin pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, or refrigerate overnight. Brush with melted butter and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Note: For delicious Christmas morning cinnamon rolls: Roll dough into a large rectangle, brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and slice into rounds; place rounds in a greased baking dish and let rise. Bake as above.
Biscochitos
Makes about 5 dozen
Andrea Leitch, TulsaPeople editorial assistant, shares this recipe from her mom, who grew up in New Mexico and makes these anise seed-flecked cookies to enjoy throughout the holidays. Although history doesn’t reveal their origin, it is believed that biscochitos (bees-ko-CHEE-tohs) were originally introduced to Mexico by Spanish explorers in the 16th century, and will usually be found gracing tables after the lighting of the luminaries on Christmas Eve. They are so popular that they have been declared the official state cookie of New Mexico. The traditional shape is fleur-de-lis, but use your favorite holiday cookie cutter.
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups plus 1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed
2 large eggs, beaten
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brandy or bourbon
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and anise seed in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl and add to mixture alternately with brandy. Combine until a stiff dough forms.
2. Knead dough slightly and pat or roll to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and dust the top and bottom of each cookie with a small amount of the mixture. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. While warm, re-dust the top and bottom of each cookie with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
