Holiday meals evoke different memories for different people, but nearly every memory has something to do with the meal itself. Whether you prefer turkey to ham or are all about the tofurkey, these two side dishes and one dessert will help set the table with delicious eats. With their mouths full, your family can’t get a word in edgewise. Here are three delicious family favorite recipes that are wonderful for your holiday meal.
I am sharing my very own Mom’s Stuffin’ Muffins recipe. A muffin tin is a great way to bake side-dish stuffing in reasonable-sized portions so it bakes quicker than if it were in the bird as actual stuffing. Add some sweetness to the main course with Bill’s Sweet Potato Bake. Finish the meal with a delicious slice of Cherry Pie.
Each of these would be lovely to bring to a pot luck holiday feast! I recommend omitting the nuts from Bill’s Sweet Potato Bake (and resist the urge to add marshmallows) to make the dish allergy-friendly. To make Mom’s Stuffin’ Muffins vegetarian, simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and be certain to wash your hands regularly when preparing to avoid cross-contamination.
Mom’s Stuffin’ Muffins
Butter or Pam cooking spray for muffin pan
2 lbs. (90g) Croutons or stale bread
1 Large sweet onion, chopped
10 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Eggs, raw
½ cup Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
48 ounces chicken broth (vegetable broth may be substituted)
1. Mix all ingredients except butter.
2. Form balls (like baseballs) lightly. Do not pack mixture densely or tightly.
3. Place in buttered muffin pans and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
4. Serve with gravy and pretend it was hard work to make them.
Bill’s Sweet Potato Bake
6 to 8 fresh sweet potatoes
2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1/2 cup salted butter
1 pound fresh pecans
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Puncture each potato with a fork several times before placing all on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack. Bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Let the potatoes rest and cool slightly before peeling them. Change the oven temperature to 300 degrees to preheat for the final baking.
3. One-by-one, place the peeled sweet potatoes in a food processor. Mix using the pulse feature until all the potatoes have been added. Stop mixing while the potatoes are still chunky.
4. Pour the maple syrup into the food processor and add the unsalted butter. Mix until smooth then add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla sugar. Mix using the pulse feature for another minute before transferring the potato blend to a shallow baking dish. Using a spatula, smooth the top of the mixture. Set aside while preparing the top layer.
5. Warm a skillet over low heat to melt the salted butter. Stir in the pecans and sauté (while stirring regularly) until the nuts are coated with the butter. This should take about 5 minutes. Once the pecans are butter coated, transfer them to a plate layered with paper towels to allow the excess butter to drain off.
6. Arrange the pecans on top of potato mixture. This can be done simply or in a decorative pattern. It will taste delicious either way. Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.
7. Bake the dish for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.
Very Cherry Pie
2 refrigerated pre-made pie crusts (in the biscuit or cookie dough section of your grocery market)
2 1/2 cups fresh tart cherries (washed, pitted, and patted dry) or 2 cans pitted tart pie cherries (drained in a colander)
1 1/2 cups fresh Bing cherries (washed, pitted, and patted dry) or 1 can pitted Bing cherries (drained in a colander)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Let the pie crust pastry circles warm to room temperature, then place one in a 9-inch round glass or ceramic pie dish. Prepare the bottom crust according to the instructions on the package, which should require it to be baked for 10 minutes, the cooled for 10 minutes before adding the pie filling. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
3. Mix the granulated sugar, lime juice, and flour in a bowl. This can be done with a hand mixer for quicker results, or with a fork. Once the ingredients are well blended, add the cherries and toss them with the sugar mixture. Be gentle as to not crush the cherries. Let the filling rest for 10 minutes, while the crust cools.
4. Pour the cherry filling into the slightly cooled pie crust. Dot the filling with butter. Add the second pie crust pastry circle to the top so its edges meet up with the edges of the bottom crust. Pinch the edges to seal the pie filling inside. Flute the rim in whatever decorative way you prefer (my pie is pictured here). Cut small slits in the top crust or do so with a decorative touch. Then sprinkle the top of the pie with the vanilla sugar.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Check often during the final 15 minutes to make sure you remove it just when the top starts to take on a pale brown shade and the crust edges are tan. Through the slits or openings, you should be able to see the cherry filling bubble slightly.
6. Let the pie cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream. The pie is equally good after being refrigerated and reheated briefly in the microwave. Since there are no preservatives being added to the ingredients, it is best to consume the pie within 3 or 4 days of baking, if kept covered and refrigerated. Somehow, I doubt that will be a challenge.
Stuffin' Muffins on our Thanksgiving table
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