5 Holiday Recipes From The LexLine Family
This holiday season, five of our staff members managed to convince their families to share one of their secret recipes. So, if you are feeling festive and looking for a new tasty treat to share with your friends and family, you have come to the right place.
MISS DEBBIE’S APPLE PULL APART BREAD
Contributed by Assistant News Editor Clay Lute
Description
Southern charm takes form in a delicious pastry creation, perfect for Christmas morning.
Ingredients
1 Can Pillsbury Biscuits (the kind you twist open)
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Apple
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
Milk
Steps
To start, cut biscuits into halves then half again (quarter size). Set aside.
Peel Apple and cut into small pieces.
Melt butter in saucepan, add sugar and cinnamon and apple. Mix well.
Add biscuits, fold until biscuits are coated in sugar mixture. Transfer to baking pan.
Bake at 350° for about 25 min until biscuits are golden on top and cooked in center.
Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar and add milk until it is a glaze consistency. Pour over baked bread.
Enjoy!
SANGEETA TALWAR’S FROSTY SNOW BALLS
Contributed by Staff Writer Kanika Talwar
Description
My mother and I used to make these powdered cookies all the time when I was younger on Christmas Eve to leave out for Santa.
Ingredients
1 cup softened butter
⅓ cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sifted powder sugar
1 cup of cocoa powder (optional)
Steps
Play “All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey on loop (not an optional step, necessary for maximum Christmas ~vibes~) .
Preheat oven to 325°.
Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar and beat until combined.
Beat in water and vanilla.
Beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer.
Stir in remaining flour and chopped pecans.
Shape dough in 1 inch balls, and place them 1 inch apart from each other on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
Roll and shake cookies in powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder.
Place on a plate for Santa, and sneak a few cookies at 1 AM!
NANI’S VEGETARIAN KOFTA CURRY
Contributed by Assistant Marketing Director Tessa Aldridge
Description
Vegetarian Kofta Curry is an Indian dish made with fried vegetarian dumplings mixed in a delicious onion-and-tomato-based gravy. There are many variations using a combination of different vegetables, but the one featured here is the one my Nani (grandma) makes.
Ingredients
1 large, long squash (Indian squash) or 2 medium-sized zucchinis
½ cup chickpea flour
¼ tsp Paprika
Oil for frying
Ingredients for the curry
1 large onion
3/4 cup tomato puree or 2 large tomatoes (blend in food processor)
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp oil
1 cup water
Steps for dumplings
Wash the zucchini or squash and cut off the ends; grate with a grater into a large bowl.
Add in ½ cup of chickpea flour and ¼ tsp paprika into the bowl and mix together; if it seems too watery, add up to another 1/2 cup chickpea flour, and keep mixing as you go.
Using your hands, form the mixture into small lemon sized balls.
Heat the oil for frying into a wok—the oil should not be too hot. Gently place the dumplings into the oil. Cook on one side and then turn gently to cook the other side until both are golden brown. Fry the kofta in small batches and keep the temperature of the oil the same (not too hot). Place the kofta onto a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
Steps for curry
Chop the onions in a food processor or blender until very fine.
Saute the onion in 1 tsp oil 5-10 until soft.
Add in the salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin and tomato puree and cook 10-15 min.
Add 1 cup water and heat over medium high heat until boiling.
Add in dumplings and cook until kofta is warmed through (approx 10 min).
You can add more water to make a thinner gravy if you are serving the kofta over rice, or you can leave it thicker if serving with roti (Indian bread).
Enjoy!
INES MONTALTI’S PECAN SWEET POTATO DELIGHT
Contributed by Fashion Editor Victoria Montalti
Description
This sweet and nutty confection is the perfect sweet treat for the holiday season.
Ingredients for filling
4 cups cooked sweet potato (approx. 2 large and peeled)
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 XL eggs (beaten)
1 1/3 sticks of butter (it’s fine, it’s the holidays!)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk (regular is best, but 2% works)
Ingredients for pecan topping
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups pecans
2/3 cup flour
1 1/3 sticks melted butter (again... holidays)
Steps for filling
Cook cubed/sliced sweet potatoes in boiling water for 15 to 30 minutes (until tender).
Mash sweet potatoes.
Combine/fold sweet potatoes with rest of ingredients (order does not matter).
Blend well by hand or with an electric mixer.
Put mixture into casserole dish and set aside.
Steps for pecan topping
Mix brown sugar and flour together.
Break pecans into small bite sized pieces.
Add pecan pieces to sugar and flour.
Pour butter over the dry mixture (mixture will be stiff but will smooth out during baking).
Pour mixture of casserole and spread over entire dish.
Bake uncovered at 375° F for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on oven).
Bake until firm and serve hot.
MAMA SAM’S BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST BAKE
Contributed by Editorial Director Erica Fouts
Description
A quick and easy, make-ahead brunch dish.
Ingredients
Butter
12-ounce, day-old baguette or Italian loaf
2 cups of blueberries
12 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
9 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup whole milk
Steps
The night before serving, butter a 9x13” casserole dish. Tear or cut up a 12-ounce baguette or Italian loaf into 1/2 inch pieces and add to buttered dish. Then sprinkle blueberries all over the bread.
Blend cream cheese and sugar in mixer until well combined.
To cheese and sugar mixture, add eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon and milk.
Beat all wet ingredients together well and then pour over the bread in the buttered dish. Cover with foil and chill overnight.
Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking, then bake at 350°F for 30 minutes with foil on and another 25 minutes with foil removed, or until a butter knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Special thanks to Miss Debbie, Sangeeta Talwar, Tessa’s Nani, Ines Montalti and Mama Sam for sharing their delicious recipes. Stay warm this holiday season, and Merry Christmas from The Lexington Line!