The Insite staff has compiled a list of our favorite family recipes to get you in the holiday spirit. Whether you are looking for a dish to take to your Friendsgiving or a dessert for your family — we hope to make the list of your family's favorite dish!
Peanut Butter Fudge
By Gennie Parker, mother of Sarah Beaver (Distribution and Events Coordinator)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup of milk
- 3/4 cup of peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Recipe:
Boil light brown sugar and milk together to a soft ball stage; remove from heat.
Add peanut butter and vanilla, stir.
Pour into a buttered dish, let cool and cut into squares.
PawPaw's Beef Soup
By Earl Mittelstedt, grandfather of Elease Hill (Advertising Sales & Promotions)
Fill large pot half-full with water and add:
- 1 lb of stew meat
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 8-oz can of stewed tomatoes
- 1 8-oz can of tomato sauce
- Garlic to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a pot, cook on medium heat until boiling then simmer on low heat for two hours.
After its been simmering for one-and-a-half hours add:
- 1 tsp of Lowry seasoning
- 2 cups chopped okra
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 1 cup of carrots, chopped
- 4 potatoes, cut up
You can also add green beans or other veggies.
Keep simmering. At the two hour mark, add one large bag of egg noodles, cook until soft. Serve with crackers or corn bread.
Soft Molasses Cookies
By Erna Mae Requardt, grandmother of Kelli Weber (Ad Design)
Ingredients:
- 4 cup of all purpose flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 egg, unbeaten
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses (Grandma Molasses brand)
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cream together shortening and sugar in another bowl. Beat in egg. Combine with dry ingredients. Add milk and molasses and beat well (about 75 strokes). Add pecans.
Drop by the teaspoon onto a cookie sheet, or roll out and cut into diamond shapes (like Grandma used to) or use cookie cutters.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350º.
Grandma’s Pumpkin Rolls
By Shirley Vogel, grandmother of Aubrey Vogel (Interim Editor-in-Chief)
Cake Mix Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¾ cup of flour
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 2/3 cup of pumpkin (I use Libby’s can pumpkin)
- 3 eggs
Preheat the oven to 375° Mix together with mixer and pour on to a jelly roll baking sheet. Spread evenly on pan. Carefully drop on the counter a couple of times to get out air bubbles. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool for about five minutes in pan. Take a spatula and release from pan. Place wax paper over the top of the pan and dump the pumpkin roll onto the paper. Tightly roll the cake into a roll. Chill for at least two hours.
Filling Ingredients
- 1 8-oz package of cream cheese (softened)
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Mix together with a mixer for five minutes or until smooth. Unroll pumpkin roll, spread cream cheese filling and reroll. Chill an hour then cut and ENJOY!!
Tiny Tarts of Awesomeness
By Evaline Thornburg, grandmother of Tonya Chitwood (Integ Design)
Pastry Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Directions
Add ingredients to shopping list because even if you think you have any of the above... when you go to get it, it will either be old or gone or a completely different item than what you thought it was. *sigh*
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and dust with flour, two mini tart pans.
Make the pastry: Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add flour and mix to form a smooth dough.
Divide dough into 48 balls; place one ball in each greased cup of tart pans. Use your fingers or a tart tamper to press out into a tart shell. Or just wing it and see how many you end up with. You can roll the dough out, too, cutting circles out with a cup, cookie cutter, or any household item you can find with an edge. If the dough sticks, try dipping the "cutter" in either warm water or flour.
Make the filling: Break eggs into a large bowl. Add brown sugar, pecans, melted butter, vanilla, and salt; mix until well combined. Spoon filling into prepared tart shells, filling each 3/4 full. I like to use a small melon baller or baby ice cream scooper... consistency is not one of my strong suits.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer tarts to a wire rack to cool completely.
Christmas Punch
By Jerldine James
Ingredients
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup ginger ale
Directions
Mix together and serve cold.
