Holiday Recipes & Treats 2022

Written By Dan Meyers

The holiday season is in full swing, and no doubt you’re thinking about what to bake, cook, or otherwise create in your kitchen to punctuate the spirit! Whether just for you, your friends, and/or your family, check out the sweet and savory recipes below that feature key ingredients from several of our valuable partners. Without a doubt, these key ingredients are what elevate these recipes to the next level. Enjoy!

Peppermint Snowballs (Bob’s Red Mill)

Peppermint Snowballs from Bob’s Red Mill. Oh so good! Image and Recipe Courtesy: Bob’s Red Mill

Featuring some excellent ingredients from Bob’s Red Mill, this recipe for Peppermint Snowballs will brighten any holiday gathering large or small.. Taken straight from the Bob’s Red Mill website , which has a ton of amazing recipes, the use of Bob’s Red Mill flour makes this sweet treat more than worthy of a spot on your holiday table. Enjoy!

Peppermint Snowballs from Bob’s Red Mill. Image: Bob’s Red Mill

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Pecans (50 g)

  • 5 mini Candy Canes (25 g)

  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar (115 g)

  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt

  • 1 cup unsalted Butter, room temperature(227 g)

  • 2 cups Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour (284 g)

White Chocolate Glaze

  • 4 oz White Chocolate

  • ½ cup Heavy Cream

  • 8 mini Candy Canes (40 g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and toast pecans for 7–10 minutes, until they just start to turn brown. Let cool to room temperature. Turn off oven.

  2. Place candy canes in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin until finely crushed, with just a few large pieces. Cut butter into 8 pieces.

  3. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process powdered sugar, pecans and salt until the pecans are powdered. Add butter and process until the dough is smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add flour and candy cane pieces and process until it starts to clump together.

  4. Scrape dough into a bowl. With a 1 ¼ inch scoop, measure out the dough and use your hands to shape the dough into balls. Each ball should weigh about 16 g.

  5. Place balls on a parchment-lined board or baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. At this point, you can also freeze them if you want to bake them later: freeze them overnight on the sheet, then place in a freezer bag and store them for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen.

  6. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  7. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for about 17 minutes, until they just barely begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature before glazing.

White Chocolate Glaze Instructions

  1. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 30 seconds. Whisk together until smooth.

  2. Place candy canes in a plastic bag and tap with a rolling pin to create a combination of large and small pieces.

  3. Dip the top of each cookie into the white chocolate glaze. Immediately sprinkle with candy cane pieces.

  4. Let the chocolate completely set (it will be firm to the touch). Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (C&H Sugar)

It’s sugar, of course, that’s at the center of most things sweet. So when you’re out to make great cookies, well, use a top-shelf brand. C&H fits this bill and finds its place in this great chocolate cookie recipe from C&H Sugar. Oh so good.

  • 2 cup

  • s All-purpose flour

  • ½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon Salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon Baking soda

  • ¾ cup C&H® Light Brown Sugar

  • ½ cup C&H® Granulated Sugar

  • 3 large Eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

  • 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter

  • 2 ounces Semisweet chocolate

  • ½ cup C&H® Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. 

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 

  4. Combine the butter and chocolate over a double boiler until the butter and chocolate are melted and well combined. Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar-egg mixture. Mix until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix with a spatula until combined. 

  5. Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Using an ice cream scoop, drop dough portions into the powdered sugar and gently roll. Cover the dough portions completely with powder sugar. Place six cookies per prepared pan.

  6. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes for soft chewy in the inside cookies or 18-20 minutes for a firmer cookie. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool down on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. 

Extra Tip

Adjust the recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies by replacing the vanilla extract for 1 ½ teaspoons of pure peppermint extract. Follow the instructions of the recipe. Immediately after baking, sprinkle crushed peppermint canes on top of the cookies.

Parmesan Scones (Granite Mill Farms)

Image courtesy: Granite Mills Farms

Serving as a great appetizer or side dish these parmesan scones add greatly to any holiday gathering. Heck, any gathering at all! We have Granite Mill Farms to thank for this great recipe.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Sift together the pastry flour, sugar, and baking powder. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the grated parmesan. Mix in the milk until combined.

  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead just a few times, don’t overwork the dough, to form a large disk of dough about 1/4” thick. Place the disk onto the parchment paper and cut into even sized triangles. Spread the triangles apart on the parchment paper.

  4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes or until edges are golden.

  5. Serve warm.

  6. Fill prepared muffin cups ¾ full. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

  7. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Rye Brownies (Ethos Stone Mills)

Image courtesy: Ethos Stone Mills

These are classic and rich chocolate brownies with a tender chewiness from the rye flour that comes from Ethos Stone Mills. We eat these plain or garnish with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a decadent dessert. Makes one 8x8" square pan (deep dish), or 9x16" pan.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups Ethos Stone Mills rye flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 6 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter

  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • Sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Oil an 8x8" square baking tray and dust with flour to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can line your baking tray with parchment.

  2. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla until entirely combined.

  4. Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking the warmed chocolate and butter into the bowl, taking care not to cook your eggs.

  5. Whisk rye flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl, and add to the wet ingredients. Fold the batter gently until just combined.

  6. Pour batter into you prepared baking tray and bake in the center of the oven until firm, 20-25 minutes.

  7. Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing and removing from the pan. Garnish as desired or eat plain!

Oven-baked Macaroni and Cheese (Don Sazon)

This screenshot from Don Sazon’s YouTube video featuring Oven Baked Mac and Cheese shows why it’s all worth it. Follow the video to the Mac and cheese promised land! Image Courtesy: Don Sazon

Without a doubt macaroni and cheese is a favorite at just about any meal, and this is especially true for kids. So when you’re planning your big meal for the entire family check out this great video recipe from top food brand Don Sazon. Don Sazon’s great recipe videos are both informative and entertaining, and at the end…you’re going to have some GREAT Mac and cheese!

See Don Sazon’s macaroni and cheese recipe video here

Umami-rich Sweet and Sour Chicken (Ajinomoto)

This image tells it all…yum. Image Courtesy: Ajinomoto

Regardless of the season it’s always a good time for sweet and sour chicken. And when you combine in the amazing flavors on offer from Ajunimoto, well, elevation is the word. Check out Ajinomoto’s great recipe below and add some great flavor to your holiday potluck meal!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450g) chicken breast

  • 1 green capsicum

  • 1 red capsicum

  • 1 yellow capsicum

  • 2 onions

  • 2 tbsps AJI-NO-MOTO® (MSG)

  • 4 tbsps AJI-SHIO® Flavoured Black Pepper

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 ounce (30g) ginger

  • 2 tbsps brown sugar

  • 3 tbsps soy sauce

  • 5 tbsps sweet chili sauce

  • 3 tbsps tomato ketchup

  • 2 tbsps white vinegar

  • 5 ounces (150g) corn flour

  • 5 ounces (150g) flour

  • 1/2 cup oil

Directions

  1. Cut Chicken to bite sized pieces and roughly chop Capsicum and Onion.

  2. Marinate Chicken Pieces with Soy Sauce and Garlic.

  3. Season with AJI-NO-MOTO® and  AJI-SHIO® Flavoured Black Pepper.

  4. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 10 minutes.

  5. Add Corn Flour and Flour into the Chicken Mixture.

  6. Fry Chicken Pieces till golden brown.

  7. Fry Garlic and Ginger with Oil.

  8. Add Tomato Ketchup, Sweet Chili Sauce, White Vinegar and Soy Sauce.

  9. Season with AJI-NO-MOTO® and add Water.

  10. Mix Corn Flour with Water and add to the sauce.

  11. Add Capsicums, Onion & bring to a simmer.

  12. Add in Chicken Pieces, Brown Sugar and Stir evenly.

Need Some Appetizers and Desserts Ready-to-go, No Cooking Needed? Old Trapper and Cosmic Bliss to the Rescue

Just one of several savory meat products from Old Trapper…really one of the best bites of jerky you’ll ever have. Image Courtesy: Old Trapper

Just a few of the amazing flavors from Cosmic Bliss. Image Courtesy: Cosmic Bliss

Sometimes you’re on the move and don’t have time to cook. We get it. So when you’re pressed and need to come up with a tasty snack, or something to add to the collection of desserts, well, check out these options from Old Trapper and Cosmic Bliss. You won’t be sorry.

Tasty Jerky and Other Cured Meats (Old Trapper)

Excellent ice cream in so many amazing flavors (Cosmic Bliss)

 
Dan Meyers
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