Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2012-January 2013 i Taste of Home

Mrs. Holiday This cheery, chatty woman from phoenixville, pennsylvania, just clinched the title of Mrs. Holiday in our Facebook contest, won $50,000 and became part of our Taste of Home family as our new holiday ambassador. Her winning video captured the holiday spirit of loving, giving and just plain fun. Get ready for her delightful tips and ideas for Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July and beyond! To get you in the Christmas spirit… 1. Try an appetizers party with stations around the house— a slider station, a dip station, a coffee and cocoa bar. (Find fun marshmallow swizzle sticks on page 93, too.) 2. Pretty platters, a festive tablecloth and silvery stars add sparkle to an appetizer buffet. Makes an ordinary spread extraordinary! 3. Use a brand-new fishbowl to…

TOTALLY TATER BAR Start with: Mashed potatoes, Tater Tots, waffle fries, sweet potato wedges and potato skins Serve with: Dressed-up sour creams, mayos and flavored butters; homemade ketchup; crispy bacon; chopped green onions and tomatoes; crumbled and shredded cheeses or cheese sauce; sun-dried tomato and basil pestos; gravy; and salsa. TINY BITES TAPAS BAR Start with: Crostini, crackers, flatbreads Serve with: Sliced meats, such as Italian ham or thinly sliced beef or pork tenderloin; mini meatballs, shrimp and chorizo; marinated mixed olives and artichokes; sweet pickles; roasted red peppers and blanched asparagus; fancy cheeses; and homemade sauces, such as aioli or spicy tomato. SWEET & SAVORY CREPE BAR Start with: Room-temperature premade crepes Serve with: Sweet fillings such as Nutella, nuts, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, lemon curd, whipped cream, peanut…

A: The word “favorite” does not exist in my food vocabulary because I love, love, love so many dishes that I can’t choose just one. But let’s start with this one: Mrs. Minardo’s Sausage Loaf. Mrs. Minardo was the home ec teacher at the school my six siblings and I attended in Flint, Michigan. By the time I took her class, Mrs. Minardo and her husband were part of our extended family. For Christmas brunch, she always brought her sausage loaf. It was served with Mom’s homemade overnight cinnamon rolls, a massive bowl of fruit salad and usually scrambled eggs. And lots of Christmas cookies. Sausage Loaf Combine 1 cup seasoned stuffing cubes, one 5-oz. can evaporated milk, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish, 1 Tbsp. ketchup and…

The day before • Bake Garlic Bread Spirals. Cool; place in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature. • Cut broccoli bunches into florets for Super-Simple Garlic Broccoli; refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag. • Make Savory Glazed Pearl Onions; refrigerate in an airtight container. • Bake and assemble Peppermint Cake Rolls. Cover and freeze. Christmas Day • In the morning, for the Sparkling Cranberry Kiss, combine cranberry juice and orange juice in a pitcher; cover and refrigerate. • An hour and a half before dinner, start Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast. Season roast with garlic mixture; bake as directed. • While the meat is in the oven, peel, cube and mash Swiss Cheese Potatoes following recipe directions. • While roast is resting, prepare Super-Simple Garlic Broccoli and broil Swiss…

Fancy Roasted Nuts My kitchen is a busy place over the holidays, but I enjoy taking the time to make these nuts. They’re the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. —VALERIE BELLEY ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI PREP: 5 MIN. • BAKE: 35 MIN. MAKES: 4 CUPS 1/4 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/4 tsp. salt 4 cups mixed nuts 1. In a large bowl, mix the first six ingredients. Add nuts; toss to coat. Spread onto a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. 2. Bake at 300° for 35-40 minutes or until nuts are lightly toasted and appear dry, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container. “The last time I made…

IT REQUIRES FOUR LONG TABLES PLACED END TO END to seat my entire extended family during the holidays. There are about four dozen of us, our plates heaped with food and the room bustling with chatter and laughter. It’s loud and chaotic and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world—not even when pets start nabbing food off the table. Food has always been important in our family, one of the bonds that tie us together. I’m the oldest of five and had hardworking parents. By the time I was 10, my father had taught me to cook meals for the whole family. Now that I have my own family— husband Sean and 4-year-old daughter Colette—I’m trying to master cooking meals for a smaller group. I’ve become very good…

Rosemary Butternut Squash Lasagna I came up with this recipe when our garden had an overabundance of butternut squash. This is now our favorite way to use it. —CHRISTINE WOOD TIPTON, IOWA PREP: 30 MIN. • BAKE: 50 MIN. + STANDING MAKES: 8 SERVINGS 9 uncooked whole grain lasagna noodles 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs.), peeled and cut crosswise into ¼-in. slices 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. salt, divided 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 4 cups fat-free milk 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary 1 ⅓ cups shredded Parmesan cheese 1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. 2. In a large bowl, combine the squash, oil and ½ tsp. salt; toss to coat. Transfer to a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated…

Pork Tenderloin with Zesty Italian Sauce Cut one 1-lb. pork tenderloin into 8 slices; sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. In a large skillet, brown both sides of pork in 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Remove from pan. Add ½ cup white wine to pan, stirring to loosen browned bits. Boil until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in ½ cup zesty Italian salad dressing. Cook until slightly thickened. Return pork to pan; cover and simmer 3-5 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145°. Stir in 1 Tbsp. butter. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings. —JOE VINCE PORT HURON, MICHIGAN Cara’s Crunchy Chicken Strips Combine ½ cup biscuit/baking mix, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper in a shallow bowl. Place 1 cup crushed Caesar…

CELEBRATING the PEOPLE around the Taste of Home table Holiday Snow Globe Cake I change up the decorations on this cake depending on the holiday— or birthday. My daughter loves this Christmas version. —MARIE LOUISE LUDWIG PHOENIXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA PREP: 65 MIN. • BAKE: 20 MIN. + COOLING YIELD: 12 SERVINGS 4 eggs, separated ⅔ cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar, divided 2 Tbsp. dark rum 2 cups cake flour 3 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ⅔ cup coconut milk FROSTING/FILLING 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar ¾ tsp. vanilla extract ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam 2 cups flaked coconut DECORATIONS Frosted Christmas Tree (at right) Porcelain snowman ornament 8-in. glass bubble bowl (about 6-in. opening) 1. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with…

Hot Cider Punch My hot fruit punch has been a family fave since 1993—hard to believe that we’ve loved it for 20 years! Adding clove-studded orange wedges makes it look especially festive. —ANITA BELL HERMITAGE, TENNESSEE PREP: 5 MIN. • COOK: 30 MIN. MAKES: 12 SERVINGS 3½ cups apple cider or juice 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 cinnamon stick (3 in.) ½ tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. whole cloves 1 medium orange, cut into wedges 3 cups orange juice 3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice 1. In a large saucepan, combine the cider, sugar, cinnamon stick and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, insert cloves into orange wedges; add to cider mixture. Stir in orange and pineapple juices; heat through. Discard cinnamon stick. Serve…

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE— well, we don’t need to tell you which holiday is approaching. Signs of it are everywhere you go, especially at stores selling the vintage Christmas sweets that are longstanding holiday traditions. There’s Hammond’s Candies, which has buoyed spirits since the Great Depression with its riveting ribbon candy in fetching colors and flavors of peppermint, cinnamon, clove, cherry, licorice and even cotton candy. That familiar crossstitched yellow lid from Whitman’s Sampler still means a fanciful assortment of filled chocolates, just as it has since 1912. See’s rectangular Chocolate Lollypops remain a seductive, altogether addictive melding of butter, heavy cream and smooth chocolate. And the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory turns out some of the most indulgent toffee—in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, espresso and peppermint—both sides…

HERE WE COME A-CAROLING Whether you’re belting out Jingle Bells or a Hanukkah dreidel ditty, you’re doing your lungs a big favor—plus, love and joy will come to you, says Graham Welch, chair of music education at the University of London. Research shows that singing is an aerobic activity that exercises major muscle groups, even when you’re sitting down. Caroling also “enables people to have a stronger sense of community, which reinforces the Christmas messages about family and caring for others,” says Welch. What’s more, singing eases stress by reducing the stress hormone cortisol—which just might come in handy when you’re dealing with all of those relatives, he says. AN EVERGREEN TOPIC Take a whiff of fresh pine if you’re feeling stressed. It can instantly transport you to Christmas past.…

“We live in northeast Iowa, so our meals are planned according to what’s in the garden or available fresh. I love to cook—just hate to clean up the mess! it’s always fun to get together with friends and family for a meal, or even just appetizers and fellowship.” —JO GROTH Pork Chops with Cornbread Stuffing In our family we love stuffing instead of potatoes. Add a vegetable and you have a fantastic meal. —JO GROTH PLAINFIELD, IOWA PREP: 20 MIN. • BAKE: 20 MIN. • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS 1 can (14½ oz.) chicken broth 1 can (7 oz.) Mexicorn, drained 1 celery rib, chopped ¼ cup chopped onion 1 egg, lightly beaten ¼ tsp. dried sage leaves, crushed 4 cups corn bread stuffing mix 6 bone-in pork loin chops (6…

Winter Wonderland Cereal Treats Melt ¼ cup butter in a large saucepan. Stir in a 10-oz. pkg. large marshmallows and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice until marshmallows are melted. Stir in 6 cups Rice Krispies. Use to make trees or snowmen. For trees, press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cut into triangles. For snowmen, cool slightly. Shape into different sized balls using greased hands; stack to make snowmen. Decorate as desired. Makes about 10 trees or 6 snowmen.…

What she cooks: Deb Perelman steps up comfort food in her tiny New York City kitchen. Why she rocks: Her food— peach pie, lasagna bolognese, fried egg sandwich with bacon and blue cheese—is accessible and down to earth. And her photography? Droolinducing. Find it in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, $35. With 5 million visitors a month, how do you keep up with all the comments? “I spend an hour each morning reading them, and it’s made me a better cook. Now when I’m cooking, I have all these little voices in the kitchen with me. I’ll be using white flour in something and someone in my head will ask, Can you substitute wheat flour? I’m always tuned in to what my readers are going to ask.” Have any food resolutions…

You’ll go nuts over these ginger-spiced cookies, made with love and coated with sweet confectioners’ sugar to look like snow. —JENNY HUMPHRIES OCEAN VIEW, HAWAII PREP: 25 MIN. • BAKE: 15 MIN./BATCH • MAKES: ABOUT 5 DOZEN 1 cup butter, softened ¾ cup plus 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, divided 2 tsp. grated lemon peel 2 tsp. lemon extract 2¼ cups cake flour 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger 1. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cup confectioners’ sugar until blended. Beat in lemon peel and lemon extract. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Stir in macadamia nuts and ginger. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. 2. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake…

Dreamy Dinner Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Cranberry Quinoa Acorn Squash & Pear Soup Lemony Green Beans Apple & Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Grandma’s Rosemary Dinner Rolls Smoky Cauliflower Cinnamon-Pecan Apple Dumplings “This is a terrific celebration dish. I even made it for 25 people on our 25th wedding anniversary.” —JOYCE MOYNIHAN LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Cranberry Quinoa I travel every year to Peru on a medical mission trip and was introduced to quinoa there. For years i made a similar chicken dish with rice, so i tried it with quinoa. We love it. —JOYCE MOYNIHAN LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA PREP: 45 MIN. • BAKE: 30 MIN. MAKES: 6 SERVINGS 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 1 fresh thyme sprig 1 Tbsp. olive oil 8 green onions, chopped 1…

Pecan Apple Pancakes Weekend breakfasts are a big deal here in Texas, and these sweet spiced pancakes make any morning meal special. So put on your apron and invite the neighbors over. —SHARON RICHARDSON DALLAS, TEXAS PREP: 15 MIN. • COOK: 10 MIN./BATCH MAKES: 18 PANCAKES 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground mace ½ tsp. ground cloves 2 eggs 1¾ cups buttermilk 3 tbsp. canola oil 1¾ cups shredded peeled apples ½ cup chopped pecans 1. In a large bowl, mix the first nine ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in apples…

Mushroom Palmiers I found this recipe while working at a small-town museum in West texas. It was the appetizer for a fundraiser a long, long time ago, and it’s still a huge hit at parties. Frozen puff pastry helps make it easy and impressive. The palmiers freeze well too. —JUDY LOCK PANHANDLE, TEXAS PREP: 20 MIN. + COOLING BAKE: 15 MIN./BATCH • MAKES: 4 DOZEN 2 tbsp. butter ¾ lb. fresh mushrooms, finely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme or ¼ tsp. dried thyme ¾ tsp. lemon juice ¾ tsp. hot pepper sauce ¼ tsp. salt 1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg 2 tsp. water 1. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook and…

We asked how you cook for guests with special diets—and you told us how you love to make everyone feel at home. “I have several relatives on special diets: gluten-free, lactose-free and nut-free. Instead of trying a completely new-to-me recipe, I love coming up with ‘free’ versions of my favorites.” —JEN RO SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT “My sister is a vegetarian, so I do this often! I plan the menu around her needs so she doesn’t feel singled out. It’s fun for me, as I get to try different dishes I might not ordinarily cook.” —JENNIE WILSON PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA “I consider it a whole new avenue of recipes to explore. Plus, it can’t hurt to eat within their diet myself!” —LISA KATES SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS “Some of the best things I’ve…

What’s a normal day for you? We have a huge yard where we grow vegetables. I have four freezers full! My husband, Donat, and I have planted over 1,000 trees. We’re on 14 acres, so that’s about 4 acres covered. Who was your inspiration in cooking, and when did you start? I come from a big family—eight children—and I was the oldest. My mom would ask me to make the meals, so I took over. My brothers and sisters would get excited when I made cakes and sugar cookies. Now I’m into vegetables, meats and salads, and, of course, the occasional dessert. What do you love about your winning Cranberry-Orange Trifle recipe? It always looks ready for a party. And you can change it up by adding a tablespoon of…

Every day should feel like Christmas, says Marie Louise Ludwig, our newly crowned Mrs. Holiday. In fact, she and her family—husband Andy and kids Stephanie, Ryan and Nicholas—keep a Christmas tree up all year long to evoke those warm, fuzzy feelings that come on with the glowing lights each night. “I like to keep the spirit of Christmas going all year round,” she says. Her Holiday Snow Globe Cake, inspired by a coconut cake her grandmother made, holds special meaning. As a child, she helped her grandma make the cake, using homemade jam for the filling. “Every day was a celebration for her. This cake is special. When I was 10, she made it for my birthday.” “Imagine what the world would be like if people shared the love and…

We asked what dish has to be on your Christmas table. You know—that traditional dish that brings comfort and joy. “Sugarplum pudding.” —DEBRA HARRELSON COLUMBUS, GEORGIA “We are Pennsylvania Dutch, so it’s not Christmas without ‘filling.’ it’s mashed potatoes. It’s fresh bread and lots of ingredients you find in stuffing.” —CHERYL LYMAN HORSHAM, PENNSYLVANIA “Our oldest son makes Dr Pepper ham every year.” —DENISE MCCANDLESS DOPLER CENTRALIA, MISSOURI “Mashed sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows on top. My grandmother made them every year. They mean Christmas and family.” —KARYN MICHELLE FOLEY MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA “Crab fondue.” —AMY LINDSEY SPOKANE, WASHINGTON “The layered rainbow Salad from Taste of Home!” —DEBRA YNGSDAL SAUK CITY, WISCONSIN “Raviolis are a must for Christmas at our house.” —FRANCINE PAPI WASHEL MAPLE SHADE, NEW JERSEY “My…

More than 1.8 billion candy canes will be made this season. And billions of other types of candies, too. Start your sweet shopping here. The Swiss Colony It’s famous for those puffs of pecanflecked heaven also known as divinity. swisscolony.com Aunt Sally’s Original Creole Pralines Pralines are all over new orleans, but there’s only one aunt sally. auntsallys.com The humphrey Co. Snow-white and sweetly crunchy popcorn balls made the old-fashioned way, in copper kettles. humphreycompany.com F.B. Washburn Candy Ever-popular ribbon candy still comes nestled in tins, as it did years ago. fbwashburncandy.com Phillips Candy house Try the maple treat known in boston as penuche. phillipschocolate.com Commodore Chocolatier The line stretches around the block for this newburgh, new York, confectioner’s old-school candy-cane-making demos.…

January 1 ushers in the diet season. A key to success is to focus on fatreleasing foods such as dairy products, almonds, raspberries and honey, says Liz vaccariello, author of The Digest Diet. ($24.99 wherever books are sold or at digestdiet.com). Here’s a recipe from the book to kick-start your day—and your diet. FAST FIX Honey-Nut Yogurt Parfait START TO FINISH: 10 MIN. MAKES: 4 SERVINGS 2⅔ cups 0% greek yogurt 8 tbsp. chopped toasted almonds 2 cups raspberries 8 tsp. honey Put ⅓ cup of the yogurt into each of four 8-oz. glasses or bowls. Add 1 Tbsp. of the almonds and ¼ cup of the raspberries, then drizzle with 1 tsp. of the honey. Repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients. Nutrition Facts: 1 parfait equals 232 calories, 7…

“My lucky apron—which I wore to bake these Almond Cookies— is 25 years old.” —SUSAN BURGER SCHOFIELD, WISCONSIN “Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies are cookie classics!” — PATTI HELBIG WATCHUNG, NEW JERSEY “We think of special people when we bake Santa Claus Cutouts.” —JENNIFER STRATTON ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA “My son and niece love Honey Crunch Cookies.” —STEF WADE HAUTEAPPLEPIE.COM “The frosting on Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Treats looks like snow.” —JESSICA KOJDER DALLAS, TEXAS “Every year we use the recipe for Holiday Sandwich Cookies and bake our hearts out!” —JENA CARLIN WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN next up Say cheese! What Thanksgiving dessert or holiday food gift are you making this year? Is there a chocolate recipe that you absolutely adore? What can’t you wait to throw on the grill when spring is here? It’s close-up time! Find your favorite recipe from tasteofome.com and take a quick snapshot of you…

Switchable Serveware One dish, oh so many holidays. Nora Fleming’s sectional serveware keeps you serving in season throughout the year with the help of interchangeable mini charms for every occasion. norafleming.com. $12.50-$60 Sweet Baking Cups Enjoy high tea in cake form. Fred & Friends Teacupcakes molds add enough class to your cupcakes to share with all the princesses at your kids’ tea parties. perpetualkid.com. $18 Baking Joy The new edition of the Taste of Home Baking cookbook features 780+ recipes, just in time for the sharing and caring season. shoptasteofome.com/bake. $19.99 Bacon Galore Um, yeah! Zingerman’s Bacon Club blesses your kitchen with a variety—either three or six months’ worth—of crispy goodness. zingermans.com. $99-$189 Hand Warmers Your hot chocolate mug looks as cozy as it feels when fashionably attired in a…

1 “My mom makes huevos rancheros every Christmas morning. It’s one of our favorite holiday traditions and is a great reason for all of us to gather as a family now that we kids are grown up.” —ALLISON CEJKA KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 2 “Christmas morning breakfast means oyster stew, fried oysters, bacon, country ham, scrambled and fried eggs, and biscuits with homemade milk gravy. Yum yum!” —CAROLYN WADE LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 3 “I’m all about make-ahead breakfast casseroles on Christmas morning. Who wants to be in the kitchen cooking when there are gifts to open?” —TEDRA SOUKUP MENTOR, OHIO 4 “For Christmas, my mom used to make egg toast and orange pull-apart bread. Now that I celebrate Hanukkah, we have latkes and sufganiyot—jelly-filled doughnuts—on Sunday during the eight-day celebration.” —SHOSHANNAH DEMPSEY…

Feast Made Easy Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast Savory Glazed Pearl Onions Swiss Cheese Potatoes Super-Simple Garlic Broccoli Garlic Bread Spirals Sparkling Cranberry Kiss Peppermint Cake Rolls Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast I love the simplicity of the recipe. Olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Just add the tenderloin and pop it in the oven. In an hour or so you’ve got an impressive main dish to feed a crowd. This leaves you with more time to visit with family and less time fussing in the kitchen. —MARY KANDELL HURON, OHIO PREP: 10 MIN. • BAKE: 50 MIN. + STANDING MAKES: 12 SERVINGS 1 beef tenderloin roast (5 lbs.) 2 Tbsp. olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp. sea salt 1½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper 1. Place roast on…

The day before • Prepare and bake Grandma’s Rosemary Dinner Rolls; cool. store in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature. • Make Acorn Squash & Pear Soup; place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. • For Smoky Cauliflower, break cauliflower into florets. Store them in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. • Trim 1½ pounds green beans for Lemony Green Beans. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. Christmas Day • Prepare and bake the apple dumplings for Cinnamon-Pecan Apple Dumplings. Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. • Prepare Cranberry Quinoa. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. • Prepare and bake Apple & Pecan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. • Bring Cranberry Quinoa…

SUNDAY DINNER FOR A CROWD BEEF BOLOGNESE WITH LINGUINE … SAVORY BISCUIT-BREADSTICKS … APPLE WALNUT SALAD … SLOW COOKER CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE Beef Bolognese with Linguine After much research, tasting and tweaking, I finally came up with this recipe, based on a dish from an Italian restaurant where I worked. It’s perfect for feeding a house full of holiday guests the Sunday before or after Christmas. —CHRISTINE WENDLAND BROWNS MILLS, NEW JERSEY PREP: 30 MIN. • COOK: 31/2 HOURS • MAKES: 18 SERVINGS (1 CUP EACH) 3 lbs. lean ground beef (90% lean) ⅓ cup olive oil 3 medium onions, chopped 3 large carrots, chopped 6 celery ribs, chopped 1 can (12 oz.) tomato paste, divided 9 garlic cloves, sliced 3 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes 5 tsp. kosher salt 3…

EASY SOLUTIONS from readers & our Cooking School Oh-So-Good Creamy Mashed Potatoes Simmer 8 peeled and quartered large Yukon Gold potatoes in salted water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. In a large saucepan, heat 2½ cups 2% milk, ½ cup butter, 3 tsp. garlic salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Drain potatoes. Mash with milk mixture and ¼ cup sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 18 servings. —BRITTANY JACKSON SEYMOUR, WISCONSIN Holiday help is here! 1. Go for the Gold What’s the key to fluffy mashed potatoes? Dry potatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked and drained, put them back in the pot, cover, and let them dry for 1 to 2 minutes. The drier the potato, the fluffier the mash. We like Yukon Golds for their buttery flavor and low…

FAST FIX Blue Cheese-Crusted Sirloin Steaks My wife adores this steak—and me when I fix it for her. She thinks it’s the ideal dish for Friday night after a long workweek. —MICHAEL ROUSE MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA START TO FINISH: 30 MIN. MAKES: 4 SERVINGS 2 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 medium onion, chopped 1 beef top sirloin steak (1 in. thick and 1½ lbs.) ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese 2 Tbsp. soft bread crumbs 1. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Transfer to a small bowl. 2. Cut steak into four equal portions; season with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, heat remaining butter over medium heat. Brown steaks, about 5…

LIKE SIMPLE SIMON, WE WANT TO TASTE YOUR WARES. Of all the sweets in the world, the pie stands alone in its universal appeal. The smell of baking apples, the bubbling of cherries, the vision of milehigh meringue make us hungry for pies and tarts. Does your recipe feature seasonal ingredients like apple or pumpkin? Do you have a secret family ingredient, or a recipe that’s a family tradition? To enter, simply send us your best pie or tart recipe with 12 ingredients or fewer, and tell us the story behind your pie or why you love it. You could win $500. SHOW US YOUR PIES OR TARTS IN THESE CATEGORIES: Fruit pies They can be round, square, mini or hand-held pies. Single fruits or combinations are fabulous. We like…

PUFFY FRIED DOUGHNUTS—CALLED SUFGANIYOT—ARE A HANUKKAH TRADITION IN OUR FAMILY. Of course, we certainly eat our share of great latkes (potato pancakes). But sufganiyot became a “must” after we moved to Israel when I was a boy. When we lived there, each neighborhood held a block party, complete with sufganiyot kiosks. My mom, Golda Edwards, always keeps her house— now in Beaverton, Oregon—filled with wonderful smells of baking. She knocks out loaf after loaf of fresh-baked bread, including sourdough rounds, whole-wheat challahs for Sabbath and black currant and cinnamon bread for my daughter, Yael. For Hanukkah, Mom’s best cooking advice is “Let the men do it.” So I’m in charge of the kitchen, with help from Yael, while Mom keeps a vigilant eye on the action. Our Festival of Lights…

DIY Hot Cocoa Mix Because we live in Idaho and have long, cold winters, hot chocolate is a staple for our family. With this make-ahead mix, a warm cup can be ready in the time it takes to pull off the mittens. —TRACY DALIN GOODING, IDAHO PREP: 10 MIN. • MAKES: 21 SERVINGS (7 CUPS HOT COCOA MIX) 2¾ cups nonfat dry milk powder 2 cups powdered nondairy creamer 1 cup confectioners’ sugar ¾ cup baking cocoa 1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix 1 cup miniature marshmallows, optional ½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, optional EACH SERVING ¾ cup hot 2% milk 1. In a large airtight container, mix the first five ingredients. If desired, stir in marshmallows and chocolate chips. Store mix in a cool dry place…

SANTA IS REALLY GOOD TO MY SONS. When my older son complained that the family didn’t have a Wii— though the kids just received a new PlayStation 3—I was surprised. I told him: “You know, there are kids out there who Santa can’t find because they don’t have a home.” He didn’t believe me. So I decided to prove it. That Sunday I cooked dinner for the women and children at the nearby Muskegon (Michigan) Rescue Mission and took sons Isaac and Abram and husband Kevin along to help serve. And suddenly my sons understood that some kids truly had no home of their own. Soon after, I started cooking lunch at the shelter every Thursday. One day I lugged in a bag of apples I’d bought from a local…

A: It’s true. A few studies, including one published in the journal Pediatrics last June, show that giving your child a little honey before bedtime relieves nighttime coughs associated with the common cold. Why does it work? Truth is, we really don’t know. Caution: Honey is off-limits to babies under 1 year of age, because they’re susceptible to a toxin that honey may carry. But for toddlers and older children, a teaspoon of honey and some TLC just might work.…