One of the best parts about the holidays? Food. Really, really good food. It's the time of year when you pull out the special recipes that you don't usually enjoy during the rest of the year. The ones that fill your home with warmth, nostalgia, and a little extra holiday magic.
We love these family recipe traditions, so we asked a few of our partners to share theirs—and they did not disappoint. Pull out your apron and bring your appetite because one of these recipes might just become part of your own family holiday traditions!
A Stickney Holiday Tradition
The Stickney family not only works together at Stickney Real Estate, helping Minnesotans find their dream homes, but they also cook together. And when the holidays roll around, they pull out one of their favorite old family recipes: Minestrone Soup. This decadent, hearty, and delicious dish lands on the Stickney table each year, and they've generously shared the recipe so we can enjoy this tasty family tradition too.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1½ cups cooked white beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup small pasta shells
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Red pepper flake to taste
- Grated parmesan cheese optional for serving
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and several grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, green beans, broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the pasta and cook, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.
4. Season to taste and serve with parsley, red pepper flakes, and parmesan, if desired.
From the Ladies at Amore & Fede: Nana’s Beloved Italian Pizzelles
"Meet Mary Lou Fox, aka Foxie or Nana, Brittany’s grandma, and my mother-in-law," shares Debbie Slusar, owner of Amore & Fede. "Nana has been making one of our favorite cookies for over 60 years. This Preese family tradition goes back to her mother and her great-grandma making them."
"As a Christmas tradition, Nana makes Pizzelles, an authentic Italian cookie in red, white, and green. She said it is time-consuming, but the pizzelle baker makes beautiful Italian snowflake cookies. It is a fragile cookie, so be careful taking them off the baker.
"These cookies are great with coffee, on their own, or with ice cream. Nana says they are a good gift to give, and she makes over 200 at a time. You can come and sample one of our favorite cookies at Amore & Fede on Thursday, December 4th, from 10am-7pm during our Customer Appreciation Day. Nana will be serving them up along with other treats and hot beverages. Merry Christmas!"
Pizzelle Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons anise seed (mix or beat together)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3½ cups flour (mix together and then add to batter and blend dough)
Directions
1. Heat Pizzelle maker until hot.
2. Add one teaspoon of batter to each side of heated Pizzelle. Bake for a minute, and check for desired color. Bake longer if needed for desired color, but do not burn them.
3. Remove gently with a spatula. Place on a flat surface to cool.
4. Add food coloring to separate dough to make green or red ones.
Pizzelle Iron can be purchased on Amazon for about $30-$50!
From Sandy Mahoney at Highmark Builders: A Family-Favorite Showstopper
"There’s nothing better than time with family and friends – the best gift of all!" says Sandy Mahoney, Project Development at Highmark.
"I’m number 11 of 12 children, and we love to entertain and share recipes with each other. While Christmas is all about sweets and yummy treats (and I love to eat them), I also enjoy creating unique appetizers and entrees.
"Always a showstopper: Scallops Grand Marnier.
"I certainly don’t claim to be a culinary genius, but this meal is outstanding! It’s all about the sauce. It’s memorable and pairs so nicely with fish and other seafood. And by the way, lobster is a favorite with this sauce. Not a seafood lover? Give the sauce a try on chicken or veal."
Scallops Grand Marnier
Ingredients
- 1 pound scallops, halved, if large
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup minced shallots
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup Grand Marnier
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
1. Season scallops with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a large skillet, cook scallops in 1½ tablespoons butter over medium-high heat for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Cover the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, or until they are opaque and just firm, stirring occasionally.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to a large plate and keep warm. Add shallots to skillet, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Add broth and dry white wine, orange juice, and Grand Marnier, and bring to a boil. Boil mixture until it is reduced to 2/3 cup. Add cream, and simmer until lightly thickened.
6. Wisk in remaining butter, orange rind, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Pour any accumulated juices from the scallops (or alternate seafood, poultry) into the sauce.
8. To really impress, divide scallops among 4 coquille shells and spoon sauce over the scallops.
Serves 4