The Thanksgiving holiday is a time for reflection, gratitude, family, and friends. On this day, family and friends typically gather together to share a meal and give thanks. In preparation for the holiday, many pull out their favorite recipes that they plan to make for their celebrations.
Many times, younger generations are looking toward their elders to share their traditional recipes. When a recipe is shared, it's not just a list of ingredients and instructions - it's a story. In essence, that is what recipes are - stories of how something is created. Sharing a recipe can be like sharing a memory, one that transcends the table. When we make our favorite recipes, these memories come back to us and fill us with love and joy. That is why sharing recipes among family and friends bring us pride and happiness as we create new memories together.
As we all prepare for Thanksgiving and the following holiday season, we asked residents from across our communities to submit their favorite holiday recipes, and we are excited to share them with you! What a great way to live the LIFE and make new memories as the holidays approach.
We hope these tasty dishes will contribute some additional deliciousness to your holiday festivities!
Christmas Turkey Feast
King City Senior Village
2 hours prep and cooking time; Chill 2 hours; Serves 4-8
Ingredients:
12 dried dessert figs
2 tablespoons dry Marsala (Italian fortified wine)
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white part only), rinsed well, patted dry
2 tablespoons chopped lemon thyme leaves
20 thin slices of rindless pancetta from a long, flat piece
2.5-3.5 lb. skinless boned turkey breast
1/3 cup maple syrup Mustard fruits, to serve
Directions:
Soak figs in Marsala for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add leeks, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened. Halve lengthways, then cool.
Place a large sheet of wax paper on a work surface. Lay pancetta slightly overlapping on paper. Butterfly turkey through the center and open out like a book.
Place in a large plastic bag, then flatten the thickest parts slightly with a rolling pin.
Remove from bag, lay on pancetta, then season.
Place 2 leek halves end to end down the center of the turkey, followed by figs, then the remaining leeks.
Lift the paper and use it to help roll the turkey around the filling - it should be fully covered by the pancetta.
Discard the paper, then wrap the roll tightly in foil. Chill for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake turkey in a roasting pan for 1 hour.
Remove foil, brush with syrup, and roast for 25 minutes or until juices run clear when meat is pierced with a skewer.
Cover loosely with foil, rest for 15 minutes, then slice thickly. Serve with scattered mustard fruits.
Apple Crisp
Glenmont Abbey Village
15 minutes prep; 1 hour baking; Serves 12
Ingredients:
6 golden delicious apples
1/4 cup of sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups of oatmeal, dry
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 lb butter at room temperature
Directions:
Peel apples, slice them into thin wedges, and place in a 9x9 pan.
When the pan is almost full, sprinkle the sugar & cinnamon.
Add lemon juice to the apples.
For the crisp, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, and butter.
Sprinkle on apples and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
Polish Egg Bread
Hanover Place
3-4 hours to prep; 40 minutes cooking time; 4 loaves
Ingredients:
1-quart whole milk
½ stick of butter
2 Tbsp. salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2 packages of dry yeast
½ cup of warm water
6 whole eggs
1 beaten egg
5 pounds of bread flour
1 cup golden raisins (optional)
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
½ cup maraschino cherries quartered (optional)
Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
Directions:
Heat milk almost to boiling, then add butter, sugar, and salt. Cool to lukewarm.
Add yeast to ½ cup warm water, and wait for it to blossom.
Add any of the optional ingredients if you choose.
Add flour, and mix by hand.
Turn out onto board or counter and knead until smooth. This will take about 10 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks.
Place in a greased bowl.
Cover and place in a warm area for about 1-1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.
Empty onto the cutting board and divide into four loaves. Knead a little and place loaves in greased loaf pans. Let rise again.
If you would like, braid dough.
Brush the top of the dough with beaten eggs before baking.
Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes, then 350 for 30 minutes.
When the bread is fully cooked, mix confectioners' sugar with milk, and brush on the bread while it's still warm.
Perfect Pie Crust
Sunstone Village
1-2 hour baking time; 20 crusts
Ingredients:
1 can Crisco
10-12 cups of flour
8 eggs
1 cup of vinegar
2 cups of water
1 Tbsp. salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Roll the dough mixture into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet.
Place frozen dough in Ziploc bags and place it back in the freezer.
When you are ready to make a pie, take the pre-made dough out of the freezer, thaw it, and fill it with your desired filling!
