Christmas Recipes

Christmas Recipes

The Winter Holidays are the celebration of our cultures and a New Year. Ultimately the major holidays we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Years . This is a great opportunity to come together with our loved ones and share a delicious meal as we bond. Many people have the custom of sharing a big meal with their families and these are some great recipes to incorporate into your cooking this holiday season.

 

  • Appetizer

Holiday Pomegranate Guacamole on Roasted Sweet Potato Toasts

  • Ingredients:

 

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into ¼” thick rounds
  • 2 avocados, mashed
  • ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons diced red onions
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • ½ lime, zested and juiced
  • salt to taste

 

  • Instructions:
  • Preheat the oven to 450F degrees 
  • After you cut the sweet potato, place the cut round onto a parchment paper sheet that is coated with cooking spray
  • Sprinkle the rounds with pepper and salt and put into the oven for about 20 minutes until golden
  • As the sweet potato rounds bake, mash the avocado in the bowl and add the lemon juice and preferred seasoning
  • When getting ready to serve, put the rounds on a serving plate and top them with the avocado mixture as well as festive pomegranate seeds. 

 

 

    Main Course: 

Modern Latke Waffles

Latkes are a Jewish holiday staple in the Jewish community especially during the Hanukkah holiday. Although the latke recipe is usually traditional, these modern latke waffles put a different spin to the original recipe and is still very simple to make. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes

1 whole large onion

4 large eggs

1 tsp salt, or more to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

Nonstick cooking oil spray

 

Instructions:

  • Cut potatoes into large chunks then shred them on  a grater or food processor
  • Place the shredded potato into a bowl and cover them with cold water and soak for a few minutes
  • As the potatoes are soaking grate or food process the onion as well
  • After the soak, drain the potatoes in a colander. Place potatoes on a clean cloth with the grated onion  on top.
  • Twist the cloth tightly wrapping the ingredients to remove excess liquid from the shreds then remove the cloth and put the ingredients into a bowl.
  • Preheat the waffle iron and while it is heating beat the eggs in a bowl adding salt & pepper, then mix the eggs into the potato mixture
  • Spray the non-stick spray onto the waffle maker and place a scoop of the mixture into the waffle maker (tip: keep them in a little longer if you want them to be crispier)
  • Finally serve with any topping, sour cream is a traditional topping but many eat this with applesauce, jams, or with a poached egg.

 

 

Dessert:

Cranberry Brie Pastry Tarts

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar, use more or less to your taste (I use 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry
  • 2 (8 oz) wheels of Brie, each cut into 12 slices (leave the rind on)
  • 1/3 cup fig preserves
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Powdered sugar
  • fresh thyme, for serving

 

 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F
  • Line a baking Get sheet with parchment paper.
    combine the butter, cranberries, brown sugar, and cinnamon in one bowl. 
  • Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6 rectangles. S
  • spread each rectangle with about 1 teaspoon fig preserves, leaving about a 1/4 inch border. 
  • Top with 2 slices of brie and then put the cranberries over the brie, pressing them into the brie.
    Fold the edges of the pastry inward to enclose the brie. Brush the edges of pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  •  Transfer to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the brie melted. Top with fresh thyme.