I may not be the world’s greatest cook, and I can’t bake to save my life. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy trying new recipes with my family. Especially because I often feel like we’re in a meal “rut” and I need to jazz things up a bit.
I dream of entertaining. I cannot wait for the day we’re blessed to have a house and space to invite over family and friends. I have so many great recipes I want to try out with others too. I have a nice collection of holiday recipes that I am anxious to try.
Here are few holiday recipes on my “Must Try” list that I thought my readers would enjoy too. These are shared with permission from Taste of Home. I love that magazine! I subscribe to it. I also have a couple of their books.
All of these recipes would be ideal for any holiday gathering you are planning. I’m sure you can enjoy them just as much year round too.
All of the following recipes are excerpted from Taste of Home: Best Loved Recipes: 1485 Favorites from the World’s #1 Food & Entertaining Magazine
Surprise Package Cookies
By Taste of Home
Yield: 3-½ dozen
Prep: 25 min.
Bake: 10 min./batch
Each of these buttery cookies has a chocolate mint candy inside,” says Lorraine Meyer of Bend, Oregon. “They’re my very favorite cookie and are always part of our Christmas cookie trays.
— Lorraine Meyer, Bend, Oregon
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
65 mint Andes candies
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. With floured hands, shape a tablespoonful of dough around 42 candies, forming rectangular cookies. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
3. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave or saucepan, melt the remaining candies; drizzle over cookies.
Homemade Eggnog
By Taste of Home
Yield: 3-1/2 quarts
Prep: 50 min. + chilling
After just one taste, folks will know this holiday treat is homemade, not a store-bought variety.
— Pat Waymire, Yellow Springs, Ohio, Field Editor
Ingredients
12 eggs
1-½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 quarts whole milk, divided
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Additional nutmeg, optional
1. In a heavy 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt. Gradually add 1 qt. of milk. Cook and stir over low heat until a thermometer reads 160°-170°, about 30-35 minutes.
2. Pour into a large heatproof bowl; stir in the vanilla, nutmeg and remaining milk. Place bowl in an ice-water bath, stirring frequently until mixture is cool. If mixture separates, process in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3. When ready to serve, beat cream in a large bowl on high until soft peaks form; whisk gently into cooled milk mixture. Pour into a chilled 5-qt. punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.
Note: Eggnog may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Whisk before serving.
Chocolate Yule Log
By Taste of Home
Yield: 12 servings
Prep: 65 min. + chilling
Bake: 15 min. + cooling
This eye-catching dessert is guaranteed to delight holiday dinner guests. Chocolate lovers will lick their lips over the yummy cocoa cake, mocha filling and frosting. For a festive touch, I garnish the log with marzipan holly leaves and berries.
— Jenny Hughson, Mitchell, Nebraska, Former Field Editor
Ingredients
5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup baking cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
MOCHA CREAM FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1-½ teaspoons instant coffee granules
MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.
3. Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until the cake springs back (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
5. In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within ½ in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.
6. In a large bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark.
Beef Rib Roast
By Taste of Home
Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 2 hours + standing
My mom topped beef roast with bacon and onion. Whenever I prepare it, I can’t help but reminisce about the wonderful life she gave me and my brothers.
— Betty Abel Jellencich, Utica, New York
Ingredients
1 bone-in beef rib roast (4 to 5 pounds)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, sliced
6 to 8 bacon strips
1. Place the roast, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Rub with the garlic, salt and pepper; top with onion and bacon.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-3 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°).
3. Transfer to warm serving platter. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Wassail Punch
By Taste of Home
Yield: about 3-½ quarts
Prep/total time: 25 min.
Cloves and cinnamon dress up a blend of fruit juices for special occasions. The spicy warm drink is sure to help you forget about any nip in the air.
— Dorothy Anderson, Ottawa, Kansas
Ingredients
2 quarts apple cider
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup sugar
½ cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks (3 to 4 inches)
Orange slices and cranberries, optional
1. In a Dutch oven, bring the first seven ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.
2. Discard the cinnamon and cloves. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries if desired. Serve warm.
About Taste of Home
Taste of Home is America’s connection to the personal recipes of people who cook at home as a way to bring family and friends together, particularly at the holidays. Each year, thousands of people from across the United States and Canada submit more than 40,000 recipes, of which 3,000 are published. Every recipe that is published is carefully evaluated and selected by the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, which ensures that it can be prepared with affordable, everyday ingredients. Taste of Home content is available in print; online at Tasteofhome.com; in books; via digital download on iPad, mobile apps and Kindle; and Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Obtain a subscription www.TasteofHome.com or on your favorite digital download device.
For more information please visit http://www.bestlovedrecipes.com, and follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this, with permission, for the enjoyment of my site readers.
** Top and bottom photos from the Taste of Home Facebook page.
