Recipes
Almond Nut Crescent Cookies
Fluffy Strata
Traditional Christmas Turkey
Buttery Carrots
Garlic Green Beans
Layered Mashed Potatoes
Sri Lankan Cashew Curry
Almond Nut Crescent Cookies
By Kelly Nuttall
Administrative Assistant, Crossroads Cares
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup butter (softened/room temp)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ground almonds (you can also use pecans)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Cream the butter, gradually adding in icing sugar. Cream until light.
Step 2: Beat in the vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour, then add nuts.
Step 3: Mix only until blended. Roll dough into balls, then shape into small crescent-shapes.
Step 4: Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake in 300° F oven for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly browned. (Keep an eye on them)
Step 6: Let it cool, then roll in icing sugar.
Fluffy Strata
By Ann Mainse
Co-Host of A Better Us
INGREDIENTS
- 12 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
- 1 cup chopped ham OR 1 tube ground sausage, fried & drained
- 1 cup chopped scallions
- 3/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12-ounce loaf French bread (or bread of your choice)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Set out a large mixing bowl and grease a 9”x13” baking dish. Chop all necessary ingredients.
Step 2: In the mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Whisk well to break up all the yolks. Then stir in the cheeses, ham or sausage, scallions, mushrooms and roasted red pepper.
Step 3: Tear the bread loaf into 1-2 inch chunks and place them in the baking dish.
Step 4: Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread. Use a spatula to fold the bread over, gently, to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and chill until ready to bake, at least one hour (we keep it in the fridge overnight and bake Christmas morning).
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350° and bake, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden-brown and puffy in the center. Insert a sharp knife into the center to check that the eggs are set. If not, bake another 5-10 minutes. Then cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm!
We serve with bacon and toast.
Traditional Christmas Turkey
By Chef Melani Bastians
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
- 1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces
- 1 medium carrot, cut into ½-inch slices
- 2 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a roaster with sheets of
aluminum foil long enough to wrap around turkey.
STEP 2: Stir together parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in a small bowl.
STEP 3: Rub herb mixture into the turkey cavity, along with chopped onion and sliced carrot and celery. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, then tuck the wings under the body. Place turkey on the foil in the roasting pan.
STEP 4: Pour chicken broth over turkey, making sure to get some liquid in the cavity. Bring aluminum foil up and over the top of turkey and seal; try to keep the foil from touching the turkey.
STEP 5: Roast turkey in the preheated oven until juices run clear, 2½ to 3 hours. Uncover turkey and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 to 60 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh, near the bone, should read 180° F (82° C).
STEP 6: Remove turkey from the oven, cover with two sheets of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area before slicing, 10 to 15 minutes.
Buttery Carrots
By Chef Melani Bastians
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound baby carrots
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Cook carrots in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Strain carrots, leaving just enough of the cooking water to cover the bottom of the pan; set carrots aside.
Step 2: Stir in brown sugar and butter; simmer and stir until butter melts. Return carrots to the pot and toss to coat. Cover and let sit for a few minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
Garlic Green Beans
By Chef Melani Bastians
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning, or more to taste
- Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Place green beans into a large skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans just start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and return to the skillet.
Step 2: Add butter and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add garlic. Cook until tender and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 4: Season with lemon-pepper seasoning and salt before serving.
Layered Mashed Potatoes
By Chef Melani Bastians
INGREDIENTS
- 3-1/4 lb. baking potatoes (about 10), peeled, chopped and cooked
- 1 large sweet potato (1/2 lb.), peeled, chopped and cooked
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 tub (8 oz.) Cream Cheese Spread
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Heat oven to 375° F.
Step 2: Place potatoes in separate bowls. Add half each of the cream cheese spread, sour cream and pepper to potatoes in each bowl. Mash until creamy.
Step 3: Stir half the Parmesan into white potatoes, then stir half the cheddar into sweet potatoes. Layer half of each the potatoes in 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat layers.
Step 4: Bake 15 min. Top with remaining cheeses and chives. Bake for 5 min., or until melted.
Sri Lankan Cashew Curry
By Chef Melani Bastians
INGREDIENTS
- 300 g raw cashews
- 1 tsp salt for the brine
- ½ medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2½ tsp Sri Lankan curry powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 ½ cups good quality coconut milk
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Place the 300g raw cashews in a bowl and cover with room temperature water. Add 1 tsp salt and mix to dissolve. Cover and leave the cashews to soak overnight (up to 24 hours).
Step 2: When you’re ready to cook the cashews, drain them and set aside.
Step 3: Heat about a tbsp or two of oil (you can use coconut oil or a neutral tasting oil) in a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat.
Step 4: Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent.
Step 5: Add the garlic, curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes until it becomes fragrant.
Step 6: Add the soaked and drained cashews, turmeric, curry powder, and a generous pinch of salt and the coconut milk. Mix to combine.
Step 7: Cover and let it simmer for 45-50 minutes. Check from time to time to make sure there’s enough liquid in the saucepan - add water if needed. Add salt to taste.
Step 8: When the cashews are cooked, add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are heated and cooked through and the gravy is simmering - about 10 more minutes.
Step 9: Serve warm with Basmati Rice and all your other Sri Lankan dishes.