Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style (3rd Edition)

Overwhelmed With Joy is hosting her 3rd Annual Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. Here are a few of my favorite tried and true holiday recipes.

This is a great stuffing recipe to cook out of the bird.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 12 cups toasted bread crumbs or dressing mix
  • 1/4 – 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 (8 ounces each) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
  • 1/2 – 1 cup dried cranberries and raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (omit if using seasoned dressing mix)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • dash of pepper

Saute onions and celery in butter.  Combine bread crumbs, onions, celery, mushrooms and dried cramberries.  Add parsley and seasoning.  Combine eggs and chicken stock; stir into stuffing mix.  Pour into slow cooker on high 1 hour and on low an additional 3 hours.

Category: Side Dish

This is requested a lot by my children during the winter.

Hot Cocoa

  • 6 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup half and half

In heavy 2-quart saucepan, whisk together cocoa, sugar, salt and water over low heat until smooth.  Simmer, whisking continuously, for 2 minutes, making sure whisk gets into the edges of the pan.  Add milk, increase heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally with whisk, until steam rises from surface and tiny bubbles form around edge, 12-15 minutes.  Do not boil.  Add vanilla and half and half.  For foamy cocoa, beat hot cocoa with hand mixer or transfer to blender and blend until foamy.  Divide between four mugs, top with whipped cream or marshmallows if desired and serve immediately.  If you want to increase or decrease this recipe for hot cocoa, the key ratio to remember is 1 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa and 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar per cup of liquid.  If you use whole milk, omit the half and half.

Category: Drinks

My mom always made this around the holidays and it is my favorite.

Divinity

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 eggs whites, room temperature

Cook until sugar spins a thread.  Pour half of the sugar into egg whites; beat until stiff.  Cook the rest of the sugar until it hardens in the water.  Mix all together.  Beat until creamy.  Working quickly, drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on wax paper.  Cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Category: Dessert

Head over to Overwhelmed With Joy to check out other Holiday recipes.

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November 7, 2008 | Filed Under Holidays & Celebrations, Recipes 

Comments

3 Responses to “Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style (3rd Edition)”

  1. Dianne on November 7th, 2008 9:43 am

    All very nice! I never heard of stuffing in a crockpot, but it makes perfect sense as it’s wise not to cook the stuffing in the turkey anymore.

  2. Jenny 8675309 on November 7th, 2008 11:45 am

    I’m intrigued by the Divinity recipe. Will have try it out….

  3. Michelle on November 7th, 2008 1:22 pm

    These sound like some yummy recipes! Thanks!

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