your "specialty" during the holidays...

135

Replies

  • mistressfaye
    mistressfaye Posts: 232 Member
    I am the designated cornbread dressing maker....I took that the first thanksgiving I attended with my hubby's family and all the women said they were never making it again, it was now permanently my job lol
  • Between my mom and I, we have homemade pecan pie, 7-layer jello salad, sausage balls (she makes those as I don't like them) and microwave fudge!

    microwave fudge? do tell how this works! I want to make fudge so badly!
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    what is it? do you have a recipe that you can share so that we can all benefit from your expertise?

    mine: green bean casserole (from the French's french fried onion can) and cheesecakes.

    CLARIFICATION:

    what i mean is--what do YOU MAKE for the holidays that everyone loves?

    Mine is also green bean casserole!! I always make it for potluck gatherings or family dinners. My grandmother always puts in her request for it early on! Lol
  • mukamom
    mukamom Posts: 207 Member
    Almond poppy seed bundt cake....I give it as gifts and I get requests for the recipe all the time.. NO way!

    Eggnog pumpkin pie

    Caramel pecan pie

    Do you see a trend here?? lol


    sound yummy....would you share recipes for all or at least top 2 ??????

    The pumpkin pie is easy, just substitute eggnog for the condensed milk (I go by the recipe on the back of the can of pumpkin)

    For the caramel pecan pie, melt 36 caramels (unwrapped) with a couple of TBS of butter and a splash of water on LOW heat. It takes awhile and you have to sit there and stir it a lot. Use this instead of corn syrup in the pie.

    The bundt cake remains my secret :bigsmile:
  • osualex
    osualex Posts: 409 Member
    Strawberry trifle. Here's what it looks like, the recipe in the link is NOT the recipe I use (mine is way way better) http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Strawberry-Trifle

    I use strawberries, cubes of pound cake, homemade whipped cream, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar.

    Blend the whipped cream, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, and layer with the berries and cake. I've been making it since I was 16!
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
    Caramel Crispix
    Oreo truffle balls
    Chocolate dipped PB ritz
    Sugar Cookies, cut outs, frosted
    Caramel/rice krispie marshmallows

    Just to name a few :)
  • pocketmole
    pocketmole Posts: 614 Member
    i made some pretty wicked brown butter chocolate chip cookies

    cookies3.jpg

    i also make this other batch with big chocolate discs in place of the chips so you end up with this layered thing happening within the cookie (bad pic but the only one i have)

    6392622019_f9cb040193.jpg

    my millionaire bars

    cookies5.jpg

    my new treats for this year are going to be my brown butter dulce de leche cookies

    dulcecookie4_md.jpg

    and my tim tam oat bars

    bar1_md.jpg

    i also make a mean baked macaroni and cheese that is always requested. i use the martha stewart recipe with some slight modification and it's a huge hit every time.

    another bad pic but all i have

    255246_10151024968753244_1853081436_n.jpg
  • jenbit
    jenbit Posts: 4,252 Member
    I make the best home made honey ham ever. I make my own glazed and baby that ham along. I also make a killer apple pie and mini cheesecake tarts
  • kstocker05
    kstocker05 Posts: 11 Member
    i made some pretty wicked brown butter chocolate chip cookies

    cookies3.jpg

    i also make this other batch with big chocolate discs in place of the chips so you end up with this layered thing happening within the cookie (bad pic but the only one i have)

    6392622019_f9cb040193.jpg

    my millionaire bars

    cookies5.jpg

    my new treats for this year are going to be my brown butter dulce de leche cookies

    dulcecookie4_md.jpg

    and my tim tam oat bars

    bar1_md.jpg

    i also make a mean baked macaroni and cheese that is always requested. i use the martha stewart recipe with some slight modification and it's a huge hit every time.

    another bad pic but all i have

    255246_10151024968753244_1853081436_n.jpg

    Wow!!! I need the recipie to your millionaire bars, those look amazing!
  • kstocker05
    kstocker05 Posts: 11 Member
    My family always has the same request for me......my deviled eggs, beer bread and cottage cheese pie (turns out more like custard)
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    I always make the entire dinner from scratch every year - what everyone loves the most is the turkey and the individual pumpkin pies.
  • lik_11
    lik_11 Posts: 433 Member
    twice baked potato casserole. nom nom
  • I make a killer praline sweet potato casserole using fresh sweet potatoes and a great squash casserole for Thanksgiving dinner. Dessert's are chocolate cheesecake and fresh apple pie along with chocolate oatmeal cookies and no bake peanut butter fudge. I spend a LOT of time in the kitchen between November and December!!
  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
    Christmas Eve I usually make sausage and peppers - using turkey sausage, and red & green peppers of course! (Washed down with Ravenswood Zinfandel :drinker: )

    Otherwise I don't have any real "holiday specialties", but I am often asked to make my sweet n savory sausage rolls for things like baby shower brunches etc... I have renamed them "My tribute to morbid obesity"... breakfast sausages wrapped in crescent rolls and drowned in a syrup made with butter and brown sugar and chopped nuts.... I no longer make them for any meal eaten in my home, only for group events where they will be shared amongst many to save myself from myself....

    Thanksgiving has been a difficult holiday for many years - 1st marriage, father in law passed away on Thanksgiving Day; 2nd marriage, mother in law passed away on Thanksgiving Day... Now I am single and usually spend the holiday with my BFF's in-laws and I have no cooking responsibilities!
  • Almond poppy seed bundt cake....I give it as gifts and I get requests for the recipe all the time.. NO way!

    Eggnog pumpkin pie

    Caramel pecan pie

    Do you see a trend here?? lol


    sound yummy....would you share recipes for all or at least top 2 ??????

    The pumpkin pie is easy, just substitute eggnog for the condensed milk (I go by the recipe on the back of the can of pumpkin)

    For the caramel pecan pie, melt 36 caramels (unwrapped) with a couple of TBS of butter and a splash of water on LOW heat. It takes awhile and you have to sit there and stir it a lot. Use this instead of corn syrup in the pie.

    The bundt cake remains my secret :bigsmile:

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
  • Egg Nog Bundt cake with rum frosting..mmm..
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I make an amazing traditional Thanksgiving dinner mostly from scratch -- the whole works always turns out amazing!

    I also bake a whole bunch of Christmas cookies and treats: gingerbread men, frosted cut-out sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, gingerbread popcorn, regular and peanut butter fudge, and usually a few other things. I give cookie trays as gifts and bring them in for the people in my department to enjoy.

    Christmas Eve dinner is always crab legs with twice-baked potatoes.

    New Years is always a homemade New York cheesecake and prime rib.
  • AuddAlise
    AuddAlise Posts: 723 Member
    I make GF Anise cookies that go quickly. I also make a chocolate pie that never makes it through the day.
  • Chocolate Chip or White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies. Every family member, friend, coworker, acquaintance...all of them ask me to bake them some cookies. I don't really do anything special with them. It's just the recipe on the back of the Hershey Chocolate Chips bag with a double dose of vanilla. (Not vanilla extract, pay a little extra to get real vanilla. It makes a world of difference.) But everyone swears they just can't get them to come out like mine. I think they're just being lazy. :tongue: Can't blame 'em. It is a pretty time-consuming project and I really don't mind. I kinda like baking during the holidays.
  • mukamom
    mukamom Posts: 207 Member
    Egg Nog Bundt cake with rum frosting..mmm..

    You have got to post this recipe! PUUULLLEEEZE????
  • AJ_MotherRunner
    AJ_MotherRunner Posts: 175 Member
    cornbread casserole, every holiday - every year, forever. Yummy!
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I cook a big holiday feast, and I usually do everything from scratch as a tradition since I'm the oldest woman in my generation that knows how to cook. It usually takes me 3 days to cook it all.

    This year, the menu is:

    Home-smoked ham in lieu of turkey
    homemade gravy made from ham drippings
    mashed potatoes (red potatoes with skin made with whole milk, unsalted fresh butter, and salt)
    spoonbread (family recipe of baked grits with the consistency of a loaf)
    green beans with roasted almonds
    pinto beans cooked in ham hock and lard
    3 loaves homemade bread (french, whole wheat, and cornbread)
    sweet potato casserole
    cranberry sauce
    blackberry sauce
    deviled eggs
    pecan pie
    pumpkin pie
    my grandmother's strawberry cake

    We usually have between 10 and 20 people eating holiday dinner with us.
  • rabbit1951
    rabbit1951 Posts: 31 Member
    Twice-baked SWEET potatoes. Several different versions.
  • On the years we've hosted Thanksgiving, I've made homemade sugar-free cranberry sauce. It takes awhile to cook the berries til they pop and get the right mix of splenda (with a touch of orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg) into it, but it's been pretty popular.
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
    i make a kick-*kitten* gingerbread

    i've had to ration my offers to bake it because it takes so long to decorate to my liking, but everyone raves when i make them.

    ginger flashers for a rude food party
    8120537316_0b0a045d25_n.jpg[/url]

    ginger ninjas for the coolest chick i know
    8120521709_e161b76206.jpg[/url]

    ginger Aussies for a departing kiwi
    8120537484_67a5328a0f_n.jpg[/url]
  • these all look so good!
  • HurricaneElaine
    HurricaneElaine Posts: 984 Member
    Thanksgiving, Mum roasts a PERFECT turkey - I get the leftovers and make a KILLER turkey chowder that's amazingly low in fat and calories. Everyone wants to take some home with them! :wink:

    Christmas, Mum makes her famous French onion soup. I always fail in making hollandaise sauce for the asparagus. It came out perfect the FIRST time I made it, so it became my responsibility - and it never came out right again! :laugh:

    My BEST specialty is a Weight Watchers recipe for fruited bread pudding that will knock your socks off! I pour a full 'nip' of spiced rum into the light half-and-half which gives it an AWESOME flavor!
  • fldiver97
    fldiver97 Posts: 341 Member
    Almond poppy seed bundt cake....I give it as gifts and I get requests for the recipe all the time.. NO way!

    Eggnog pumpkin pie

    Caramel pecan pie

    Do you see a trend here?? lol


    sound yummy....would you share recipes for all or at least top 2 ??????

    The pumpkin pie is easy, just substitute eggnog for the condensed milk (I go by the recipe on the back of the can of pumpkin)

    For the caramel pecan pie, melt 36 caramels (unwrapped) with a couple of TBS of butter and a splash of water on LOW heat. It takes awhile and you have to sit there and stir it a lot. Use this instead of corn syrup in the pie.

    The bundt cake remains my secret :bigsmile:

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!


    Same here.......thanks for sharing!!!!
  • cwanek726
    cwanek726 Posts: 98 Member
    Chocolate fudge, the real candy kind, just like my grandma used to make.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    I'm the family cook, so I make everything!

    The favorites are:

    Layered pumpkin spice cake with homemade pecan brittle
    Wild mushroom dressing (with homemade bread)
    And tomatoes that are slow roasted in oil and herbs for spreading on bread. These are DEVOURED every year.