2020 seems to be the year of baking and cooking, due to COVID and the lockdown, and we want to share some of our teams’ favorite holiday recipes and treats. Many of us haven’t been able to connect with family as we would have liked to, but sharing a meal together (near or far) is always a great way to bring us back together. Cheers to the holidays and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!
Sue’s Holiday Favorites:
Ingredients: Bottle of wine (any color) and a wine opener
Directions: Open and Pour
Serves: 1
No??? Not enough? Ok…. What is Christmas in Buffalo without an Italian family hovering over a hot crockpot of Buffalo Chicken Dip? Well, we may not have the normal 50 person gathering with family and friends this year but this one is always a family favorite that is always good for any party, large or small, holiday or not, or can be enjoyed while watching a Buffalo Bills football game! Recipe courtesy of Momma Falsone:
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup Franks Hot Sauce½ cup ranch dressing
½ cup blue cheese crumbles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour into 1 quart baking dishBake for 20 minutes until heated through.
Stir and serve with your favorite cracker, corn tortilla chips and/ or celery.
Ashley’s Go To Holiday Recipe:
Slow-Cooker Tangy Pineapple Shredded Beef. This is perfect for the whole family to share. Tangy and oh-so delicious!
Click here for the recipe >
Brian’s Holiday Potluck Dish:
Similar to Sue’s favorite but crock pot style and easy to take to any
holiday gathering. And it is yummy!
Click here for the details >
Lindsay’s Favorite Dessert:
“So I don’t cook. But I do bake/make desserts. And my favorite is Buckeyes.
How are buckeyes a holiday recipe you may ask? Well, we enjoy them during the holiday season when the Buckeyes beat that team up north, when they win the Big Ten Championship, when they go to the playoffs, and when we beat Alabama. (I don’t want to hear it, Clemson….)
Delicious and easy to make, buckeyes are a great way to celebrate your love for your family and your favorite team during this holiday season. :)”
Click here to learn how to make Buckeyes >
Soo-Lin’s Lilikoi Cheesecake:
Every family and friend gathering requires this delicious
lilikoi (passion fruit) cheesecake.
Click here for the recipe >
Katie’s Holiday Snack:
Best football/basketball watching snack and officially signals
holidays in our family. Anderson Family Famous TV Mix (Chex mix):
Sauce: 1 pound salted butter2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 1 tablespoon Accent1 tablespoon savory saltGarlic salt to taste
Mix: 1 box of each – Rice Chex, Wheat Chex (my fave), Corn Chex, Crispix (my fave), Cheerios (small box)
1 bag small pretzel sticks or twists
Optional – Cheezits, mixed nuts or peanuts
Instructions: Melt butter and sauce ingredients over low heat until combined. Combine mix ingredients in a roasting pan. Pour sauce over mix and stir, being careful not to crush cereal. Bake mix at 225 degrees for 6-8 hours until dry, stirring every 60-90 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
Karen’s Pistachio & Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes:
Karen is a friend of Sue’s and an incredible chef. She has catered the Structure & Function Team retreats and you will love her holiday recipe! Follow her on Instagram for more delicious treats @chefmumfoods
“When i think of Christmas i think of cookies. growing up, my mother was an amazing cook and baker, and her Christmas cookie selection covered the entire dining room table! there were so many to choose from, but this cookie, the Mexican Wedding Cake, was my favorite and it is my kids favorite. while the original recipes calls for walnuts, this recipe has green pistachios and red tart cherries for a more festive look. The recipe makes a ton of cookies, but you can freeze the portioned uncooked dough balls in the freezer and pop them in the oven whatever you have a craving!” – Karen
Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes
By Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 heavy large baking sheets. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups butter and 1 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cherries. Using spatula, stir in all flour (do not overmix dough).
Step 2: Shape dough by generous tablespoonfuls into football-shaped ovals. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bottoms just begin to color, about 16 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes before coating.
Step 3: Pour generous amount of powdered sugar into medium bowl. Working with 5 or 6 warm cookies at a time, add cookies to bowl of sugar; gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to sheet of waxed paper. Repeat to coat cookies with sugar again; cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
