Holiday Recipe Roundup

The holidays are full of traditions, and for many of, that certainly includes food! When I married my husband, I also married into holiday food traditions that we’re carrying on to our children. I’m sharing a couple of those here! I love the idea of creating memories through time spent together preparing and sharing foods, and how those dishes always bring a sense of comfort and well-being. Here are some of our family’s tried-and-true holiday and special occasion recipes. No links here, folks, these are pulled from the pages of our “recipe binder.”

My late father-in-law’s chocolate pots de creme recipe will rival any you’ve had - I promise. He often made these for holidays, special occasions, and, when we were lucky, “just because.” Serve in pretty little china “pots” for special presentation.

image via Brown-eyed-Baker

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Easy Pots de Creme au Chocolate

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 package (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (My FIL swore by Hershey’s semi-sweet chips)

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• pinch of salt

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp dark rum or brandy

• 3/4 c whole milk

• Whipped heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chocolate, sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and rum in a blender.

2. Heat milk just to scalding (don’t boil)

3. Pour milk over blended ingredients, cover, and blend for one minute.

4. Pour mixture immediately into chocolate pots or ramekins

5. Chill at least one hour, top with heavy whipped cream

*Recipe adapted from the Houston Junior League Cookbook, 1968

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One of the family traditions we look forward to is Cheese Fondue on Christmas Eve. There’s been years when I actually became tipsy from someone being a little heavy-handed with the spirits added! We wait a year for its ooey-gooey goodness and gadgetry!

image via Earth, Food & Fire

Cheese Fondue Recipe

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Gruyere cheese (Grated)

• 1 1/2 T flour

• 1 clove fresh garlic

• 1 c dry white wine

• 3 T Kirsch, Brandy or Rum

• Salt, Pepper & Nutmeg to taste

Directions

1. Dredge cheese with flour

2. Rub fondue pot with peeled garlic clove

3. Pour wine into pot, and set over low fire

4. When wine is bubbling, stir with fork or whisk, and add cheese handful by handful,
   making sure each handful is melted before adding more

5. Add liquor

6. Never let mixture boil. If cheese becomes too thick, add more wine, but only when cheese is bubbling.

7. Serve with crusty, course bread

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During the holidays, one may or may not be inclined to partake of the old “hair of the dog” to assist in the recovery of the previous night’s partakings. If you’re a fan of Bloody Mary’s, you may like this “greener” version! Serve sans alcohol for a healthy, hydrating juice.

via Epicurious

Jealous Marys

Ingredients

• 2 large, seedless cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 1/2 c chopped celery

• 1/3 c fresh lemon juice

• 1 T drained, bottled horseradish

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/8 tsp green Tabasco sauce

• 3/4 c vodka (6 fl oz)

Directions

1. Puree all ingredients in a blender until very smooth, about one minute.

2. Force through a fine-mesh sieve set into a bowl, discarding solids (should yield about 3 3/4 cups liquid)

3. Serve drinks over ice in small glasses

4. Garnish with small pale inner celery ribs with leaves

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Would love to know if you try any of these and how you like them! Drop your favorite holiday recipes in the comments below.

Have a very merry holiday season, friends!