Festive Christmas Recipes

Ingredients: 

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)

2 1/2 cups powdered milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Hot water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.
2. Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry. This also works great with warm milk.

2 eggs

1/2 cup dark molasses

1 lemon, juiced

1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 orange, zested

The dry ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground dry ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.
6. Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between the cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish

2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup half-and-half 

Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 large eggs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/3 cups crumbled cooked breakfast sausage

1 1/3 cups packed baby spinach 

2 large plain bagels, split and cut into 1-inch pieces 

1 1/3 cups shredded provolone 

8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 

2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning

Directions: This casserole can be baked right away or assembled the night before, refrigerated and baked the following morning. Let the chilled casserole sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. Whisk together the milk, half-and-half, cayenne, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the sausage, spinach, bagels and 3/4 cup of the provolone, then pour into the prepared baking dish. Dot the top with the cream cheese and sprinkle all over with the everything bagel seasoning and remaining provolone.
3. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the casserole is puffed, golden brown at the edges and set in the center, about 45 minutes more. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. 

Ingredients:

One 3-rib standing rib roast (7 to 8 pounds)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Mustard Horseradish Sauce Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. Two hours before roasting, remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
3. Place the oven rack on the second lowest position.
4. Place the roast in a pan large enough to hold it comfortably, bone-side down, and spread the top thickly with the salt and pepper. Roast the meat for 45 minutes. Without removing the meat from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and roast for another 30 minutes. Finally, increase the temperature to 450 degrees F and roast for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat is 125 degrees F. (Be sure the thermometer is exactly in the center of the roast.) The total cooking time will be between 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
5. Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve with the sauce.

Mustard Horseradish Sauce:

1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, horseradish, sour cream, and salt in a small bowl.

 Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon

1 pint whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

3 ounces bourbon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 egg whites

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.