From freshly baked pastries to festive decorations to cozying up with your favorite blanket, there’s a reason why it’s called “the most wonderful time of the year.” Every thing about this season can bring joy and cheer, but those feelings can especially be true when spending the holidays with those you love most.
Here at KAMU, we know every festive family gathering is sure to be accompanied by a yummy snack, scrumptious entree or delectable dessert. That’s why our staff put together some of their favorite recipes for you to cook up this holiday season. Whether it’s a generational favorite or original homegrown concoction, we hope you enjoy these meaningful dishes as much as we do.
If you happen to whip up one (or several!) of these recipes, please direct message us on social media with a picture of your dish. We’d love to feature it!
Dips and Snacks
A great way to start a holiday get-together is with some festive appetizers. Check out this variety of treats to nibble on until the main course arrives.
Mimo’s Fresh Cranberry Relish Dip
“My grandmother, or my Mimo as we call her, makes this every holiday season. She always has a huge bowl of it ready for us before we even walk in the door! It goes so well with tortilla chips.” – Hannah Morris, TV and Digital Content Assistant
Ingredients
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch cilantro
¾ cup of sugar
1 tbsp of fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Olive oil
1 fresh jalapeno
Instructions:
Put everything in the food processor and chop. Serve with chips or crackers.
Sausage Snacks
“This is a go-to holiday snack that my mom makes every year. It’s perfect for a small breakfast or a quick snack before the turkey is ready!” – Hannah Morris, TV and Digital Content Assistant
Ingredients
1 lb pork sausage, room temperature
2 cups Bisquick
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine sausage and Bisquick in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined.*
- Add in shredded cheese. Continue mixing with hands until well combined.
- Roll mixture into about 30 golf-ball sized balls. Place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven until golden brown and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.
*Special note: if the mixture is too crumbly and not sticking together, add a splash of water.
Baked Brie
“My friend’s mom would make this whenever we had dinner parties at their house. It was always one of my favorite things, so I knew I needed to learn how to make the recipe.” – Marifer Moctezuma, TV and Digital Content Assistant
Ingredients:
8 oz. wheel of brie cheese
Salt
Cinnamon
Honey or agave
Handful of blueberries
Handful of chopped walnuts
Instructions:
- Score the top of the brie wheel. Place brie in an oven safe dish (or small cast iron skillet).
- Sprinkle on salt and cinnamon, using as much as you’d like.
- Top with honey or agave as desired.
- Sprinkle on the blueberries and walnuts.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melty and blueberries are bursting. Let cool for 5 minutes then serve!
Entrees and Sides
Serve up something unique at your next gathering with these entree and side ideas. But be sure to save room for dessert!
Chicken (or Turkey) and Dumpling Soup
Ingredients:
For Soup:
7 cups chicken broth
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp ground thyme
4-5 stalks of celery, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cups of seasoned, pre-cooked meat (either chicken or turkey)
Salt
Pepper
For Dumplings (easily double these quantities for extra dumplings!):
1 cup of Bisquick
⅓ cup milk
Instructions:
- Place cooked meat into a soup pot.
- Add the broth, bringing it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Toss in bay leaves, thyme, celery, carrots and onion. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add sliced meat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together Bisquick and milk in a bowl.
- Drop spoonfuls of dumplings on top of the soup. Cook for 10 minutes without a lid, then an additional 10 minutes with a lid.
- Turn off heat and gently mix in dumplings. Enjoy!
Green Spaghetti
My mom used to make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was the only time of year we would have it, so that made it extra special.” – Marifer Moctezuma, TV and Digital Content Assistant
Ingredients
4 poblano peppers
1 jalapeno
4 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves
1/4 of an onion
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup mexican crema
8oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 cup chicken broth
1c cilantro
Salt
Pepper
Spaghetti
Queso fresco
Instructions
- Roast, peel, and dice all peppers.
- Chop onion and garlic.
- Melt 2 tbsp of butter and sautee onions and garlic for a few minutes.
- Add mixture to a blender. Add in heavy cream, crema, broth, peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro salt and pepper. Blend until creamy.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
- Add blended sauce plus remainder of butter to saucepan to simmer, adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add in pasta to the sauce, serve and top with queso fresco and cilantro.
Mommy’s Mashed Potatoes
“We eat these mashed potatoes at every holiday get-together and before the first Dallas Cowboys game of the season. My grandma started making them and now my mom is carrying on the tradition.” – Alex Bowden, Marketing Coordinator
Ingredients:
1 bag 5lb gold potatoes
1-2 sticks of Kerrygold salted butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
- Peel, cut and boil potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes and place in large mixing bowl.
- Add 1/2 stick butter (in slices) to the potatoes.
- Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the above with a hand mixer until desire texture, adding butter, heavy cream, salt and pepper as desired.
*Special Note: Best served right after mixing
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick rounds
¼ cup dark brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
⅛ cup maple syrup
1/2 tbsp water
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground ginger
Pinch of nutmeg
Bag of marshmallows
Optional: 1 tsp bourbon
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, butter, maple syrup and water, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg (plus bourbon if using).
- Add sweet potato slices to the mixture and toss to coat.
- Pour mixture into a square casserole dish. Be sure to spread the sweet potatoes into an even layer.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes until tender and sauce thickens into a glaze, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Once ready, remove from the oven and top with marshmallows. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve.
Aunt Wanda’s Best Baked Mac & Cheese
“My mom, everyone else’s Aunt Wanda, makes this mac and cheese recipe for every family get together. People threaten to stay home if she doesn’t make it!” – Zaria White, Production Coordinator
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 lb of macaroni
1 cup Velveeta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup asiago cheese, grated
4 to 6 eggs beaten (your choice)
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions:
- Combine heavy cream and milk to make your cream mixture.
- Boil macaroni to al dente and drain well.
- Place pasta in a big bowl and add Velveeta, butter and ½ of your cream mixture.
- Mix until nice and creamy.
- Now add beaten eggs and all cheeses. Be sure to leave enough cheese to cover your dish at the end.
- Add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and the rest of the cream mixture. Mix well.
- Pour mac & cheese mixture into a buttered baking dish.
- Bake at 325° for 45 minutes.
- Add the remaining cheese on top and put back in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
Desserts
Did you listen? Well either way, no meal is complete without a dessert. And you definitely won’t be able to stop at just one bite!
Mom-Ma’s Chocolate Sheet Cake
“Geneva “Mom-Ma” Bounds had several cake recipes in her arsenal: A Coca-Cola cake. A Hershey’s bar cake. And a pound cake that’s crazy good. But the king of them all was her Chocolate Sheet Cake. That cake — baked and served in an ancient cake tin — signaled that something extra-special was being celebrated and that we’d better have some Blue Bell ready to go with it. Mom-Ma is no longer with us, but her recipe and cake tin stand ready for our family’s most important events.” – Jay Socol, Associate Executive Director
Ingredients:
For cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 stick butter
½ cup shortening
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
For icing:
1 stick margarine
4 tbsp cocoa
6 tbsp milk
1 box of powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, sift together sugar and flour. Set aside.
- In a sauce pan, melt butter and shortening. Add cocoa and water, bringing to a rapid boil.
- Pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir well.
- In the same sauce pan, combine baking soda and buttermilk. Add that, plus eggs and vanilla, to the other mixture.
- Pour into sheet pan and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Test center for doneness.
- Start the icing about five minutes before cake is done. Use the dirty saucepan.
- Melt 1 margarine and add cocoa and milk. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and chopped pecans.
- Stir until smooth and let cool.
- Let the entire sheet cake cool before icing.
- Serve with your favorite ice cream and thank Geneva Bounds, the late baking legend, for this amazing family recipe.
Cherry Delight
“I love making my Cherry Delight dessert for family and friends, especially around the holidays. Over the years, it’s become a cherished family tradition — a sweet treat that brings everyone together. It’s so easy to make and so delicious that it’s always a favorite!” – Jill Borowiec, Marketing Manager
Ingredients:
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple (undrained)
2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter ( 1 stick), melted
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add Fruit: Pour the entire can of crushed pineapple (with juice) into the baking dish and spread it evenly. Then, add the cherry pie filling on top of the pineapple layer and spread it evenly.
- Add Cake Mix: Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cherry and pineapple layers.
- Add Butter: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix. Try to cover as much of the dry cake mix as possible.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Let cool slightly, then serve warm. Great on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
White Texas Sheet Cake
“My mom’s family used to get together every Thanksgiving and this cake was the highlight of those meals for me. Tasty and moist with a subtle almond flavor, it’s a cake I’ll never turn down.” – Christian Hamilton, Production and Content Coordinator
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Frosting:
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup milk
4 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp almond or vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- In large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in all other cake ingredients until smooth.
- Pour into a greased 10×15 inch baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine butter and milk for frosting in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and almond extract.
- Spread frosting over cake.
- Enjoy!
Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting
“This icing is just one of my wife, Shelby’s, many efforts at making great homemade, non-dairy desserts for me,” Matt Dittman, Radio Program Director
Ingredients:
2 cups plant butter, softened
7 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
½ cup almond milk
Instructions
Sift confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter for a few minutes until creamy.
Add all dry ingredients into butter.
In a separate bowl, mix milk, vanilla and salt until salt is dissolved. Add into the mixer and mix until creamy, smooth texture is achieved.
KAMU wishes you a wonderful and safe holiday season. Stay tuned for more festive programming and content throughout the season.
