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MCOR's Favorite Holiday Recipes

Favorite Holiday Recipes
• by Maricopa Corporate College
Maricopa Corporate College (MCOR) staff love the holidays for one reason… THE FOOD!

Okay, maybe there is more to the holidays than stuffing our faces with great food, but we are excited to share with you some of our favorite holiday recipes. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

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Au Gratin Potatoes

Recipe from Taste of Home.

au gratin potatoes

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 5 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 6 medium)
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • additional pepper, optional

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Add potatoes and onion.
  2. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. If desired, top with additional pepper.

Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Recipe from Betty Crocker.

peanut butter blossom cookies

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Additional granulated sugar
  • About 36 milk chocolates, unwrapped

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder until dough forms.
  2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.
  3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 milk chocolate candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Recipe from Baker By Nature.

pecan pie cheesecake

 

Ingredients:

For the Pecan Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 1/2 cup pecans, pulsed into crumbs
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Cheesecake:

  • (3) 8-ounces bricks cream cheese, very soft
  • 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon bourbon (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Pecan Pie Topping:

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecans, whole or chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Directions:

For the Pecan Graham Cracker Crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). 
  2. Wrap the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan with heavy duty tinfoil. I recommend doing several diligent layers here to ensure no water creeps through when you place the pan in the water bath. Lightly spray the pan with non-stick spray, then set aside.
  3. Place pecans in the body of a blender or food processor, and pulse until the nuts have been completely pulsed to fine crumbs.
  4. In a large bowl combine the pecan crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add in the melted butter and, using a rubber spatula, stir well to combine.
  5. Pour crust into prepared pan. Firmly pat the mixture into the prepared pan, working it from the center and up the sides. 
  6. Bake for 10 minutes. Place crust on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.
  7. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees (F). 

For the Cheesecake:

  1. In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth.
  2. Add in both sugars, ground cinnamon, and vanilla and beat on medium speed, just until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
  3. Reduce to low speed and add in the eggs and yolks and beat until just combined.
  4. Turn the mixer off and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the bourbon. Then fold in the flour, mixing just until combined.
  5. Pour filling on top of the partially baked crust. Using a rubber spatula, smooth the top.
  6. Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan with 2 inches of hot water. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.
  7. Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 30 minutes, inside the oven, with the door shut. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly. 
  8. Remove cake from oven and gently run a knife very around the edge of the cake. Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack and cool completely, then loosely cover the pan with saran wrap and chill for at least 8 hours.
  9. Cheesecake will keep, covered in the fridge, for 5 days. Cheesecake may be frozen for 2 months. Thaw overnight before slicing. 

For the Pecan Pie Topping:

  1. In a large skillet over low heat, melt the butter. Add in the brown sugar and cook, stirring with a whisk, until the sugar has melted and mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add in the cinnamon, heavy cream, and salt and whisk to combine. Add in the pecans and, using a rubber spatula, fold them into the liquid mixture until they're completely coated. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon.
  3. Cool for 10 minutes, then scrape the mixture on top of the cheesecake. Slice and Serve.

Pico De Gallo Salsa

Recipe from MCOR staff.

pico de gallo salsa

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • ½ medium white onion
  • 1-2 Serrano peppers (or jalapeños for a less spicy adventure)
  • Cilantro
  • Green onions
  • 1-2 medium key limes
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Finely chop tomatoes, onion, serranos or jalapenos, cilantro, and green onions and place in a bowl, add lime juice, salt to taste, mix, and it is ready to eat! Eat with chips or put on anything! Easy Peasy!

Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies

Recipe from Food.com.

mexican wedding cookies

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ¼ cups sifted flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts or ¾ cup pecans
  • powdered sugar (for rolling baked cookies in)

Directions:

  1. Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.
  2. Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.
  3. Chill dough if it seems too soft.
  4. Form dough into 1 1/4" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.
  5. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.
  6. Cookies may (optionally) be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature.
  7. NOTE: Forming dough into 1" balls will increase yield to 48 cookies.

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