Favorite Holiday Recipes from the Staff of the Post
We challenged the staff of The Saturday Evening Post to a no-holds-barred cook off of classic holiday dishes. Here are the top four recipes as chosen by our panel of all too willing editors turned tasters.
Lemon Rosemary Chicken
(Makes 8 3-ounce servings)
“Thanksgiving for a few? Give the gobbler a break with this simple and flavorful baked chicken recipe. It’s perfect when you’re only feeding part of the clan!” —Elise Lindstrom, Dietitian
Ingredients
- 1 3-pound chicken
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt (optional)
- Pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small lemon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop two sprigs of rosemary and toss in olive oil with pepper and optional salt. Brush oil mixture all over chicken, including inside.
2. Pierce lemon several times with fork then place inside chicken cavity with two whole sprigs of rosemary. Loosely tie bird closed with string.
3. Place chicken in pan, breast down. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400° and cook for 20 minutes more.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Per serving
Calories: 140
Total Fat: 8 g (Sat. Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbohydrate: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 17 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat
Minnesota Wild Rice Stuffing
(Makes 10 ½-cup servings)
“Because my family is from Minnesota, our Christmas always includes this Midwest take on a traditional side dish. Made with long-grain, wild rice, this stuffing will keep you warm even on the coldest winter day.” —Brittany Seaburg, Circulation Coordinator
Ingredients
- ⅟₂ cup chopped celery
- ⅟₃ cup chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 egg
- 1 ⅟₂ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅟₄ teaspoon salt (optional)
- 3 cups torn whole-wheat artisan bread
- 1 ⅟₂ cups cooked wild rice
Directions
In skillet, sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. In large bowl, combine egg, broth, parsley, pepper, and optional salt. Mix in celery/onion, torn bread, and rice. Spoon mixture into greased 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more or until set.
Per serving
Calories: 142
Total Fat: 5.6 g (Sat. Fat: 2.3 g)
Sodium: 278 mg
Carbohydrate: 30 g
Fiber: 3.7 g
Protein: 8.1 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate
Pancetta & Parm Brussels Sprouts
(Makes 6 ½-cup servings.)
“My siblings never thought they liked Brussels sprouts—until I introduced them to this recipe last Thanksgiving. Now they want sprouts for Christmas and New Year’s, too!” —Corey Michael Dalton, Associate Editor
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- ⅟₂ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅟₄ cup finely chopped pancetta (about 1 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Boil 2 quarts of water. Add kosher salt and halved Brussels sprouts to water. Boil sprouts for 4 or 5 minutes until bright green. Drain and set aside. In pan, cook pancetta over medium heat until it releases its juices, then add olive oil. Sauté garlic and pancetta in olive oil for several minutes. Add sprouts and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Serve sprouts with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Per serving
Calories: 65
Total Fat: 1.9 g (Sat. Fat: 0.7 g)
Sodium: 302 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.9 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 nonstarchy vegetable
Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce
(Makes 12 servings.)
“The sweet yet tart flavor of the lemon cake paired with the red raspberry drizzle makes this the perfect dessert for any holiday meal. Add a dollop of whipped cream to really push it over the edge.” —Jeff Slavens, Special Projects Coordinator
Ingredients
- 1 ⅟₂ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅟₂ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- ⅟₂ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅟₂ cup canola oil
- 12 ounces frozen raspberries
- ⅟₄ cup sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients. With rubber spatula, fold canola oil into batter until all incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and slice.
2. To make raspberry sauce, place raspberries and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Pour through sieve to remove seeds. Drizzle sauce over cake slices.
Per serving (cake)
Calories: 247
Total Fat: 10.6 g (Sat. Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 197 mg
Carbohydrate: 36 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 4.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate, 2 fat
Per serving (sauce)
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 0.2 g (Sat. Fat 0 g)
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 7.5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 0.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges: ⅟₂ carbohydrate
For more holiday recipes from the Post staff, go here.
The Recipe Exchange
For some it’s the tradition of holiday cookies; others say it’s the raspberry drizzle atop the freshly baked pound cake; and then there are those that are already looking forward to savory leftovers.
Here, staff members share their favorite holiday recipes with you, but we suspect you have a few to add to the collection. We invite you to send them along with your name and hometown to [email protected] so that we may post them to our Web site.
Staff Picks:
“Spiced” Cider
“On a wintery night, the cider with a cinnamon stick with the Tuaca is delicious.” — Jack Huber, Advertising Director
Spritz Cookies
“This recipe is from my Grandmother, Margaret Peche. I have fond memories of baking these cookies with her every December as a child. My favorite job was decorating them with red and green sugar—and of course eating as many as she would allow!
“Today, Grandma’s metal cookie press and hand-written recipe are treasures that bring back warm feelings of her every time I make spritz cookies with my family during the holidays. Enjoy!” — Julie Santiago, Circulation Manager
Sweet Potato Casserole
“My mom always makes this on Thanksgiving. This recipe reminds me of my childhood. I love the way the marshmallows get caramelized on the outside and gooey on the inside—reminds me of smores.” — Alyssa Yano, Managing Editor
Turkey Potpie
“This is a staple in our family around the holidays. It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, but it’s very easy to prepare. It’s also a comforting, warm treat on a chilly day and a great way to enjoy leftover turkey.” — Tamatha Crist, Controller
Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce
“I have so many excellent holiday recipes, but I’ll share this one with you.” — Jeff “Bake Me a Cake” Slavens, Personal Assistant
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Spiced Glaze
“This recipe was originally prepared by my aunt Andy Lyons who made it for me each year as I was growing up in Concord, New Hampshire. It became an annual Thanksgiving tradition that I always looked forward to. As I grew older, married, and moved away, I began preparing it for myself and then for my own children. I’ve adapted the recipe a little over the years adding a little more pumpkin for a moister texture and, as a chocoholic, adding both white and semisweet chocolate chips. I also like to microwave a slice for 15 seconds before serving so the chocolate is warm and melted.” — John LeBrun, Chief Marketing Officer
Irish Soda Bread
“Some people don’t like soda bread, but I do. This recipe is from my talented little baker, my daughter.” — Patrick Perry, Executive Editor
Cranberry-Orange Corn Muffins
“These muffins are my favorite during the holidays. I’ve been known to cheat and buy them at Whole Foods, but it’s nice to prepare a homemade batch for friends and family. And they’re perfect for breakfast, lunch, or the big holiday dinner.” — Heather Ray, Copy Editor
Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce
Lemon Pound Cake with Raspberry Sauce
(Makes 12 servings)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Preheat over to 325 F. Grease one bundt pan. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In separate bowl, beat butter with sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each egg. Mix in lemon and vanilla extracts. Slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture. Blend until smooth. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Raspberry Sauce
- 12 ounces of frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
Place raspberries and sugar in sauce pan and bring to boil. Pour into sieve to remove seeds. Refrigerate until use. Serve with a tablespoon of sauce drizzled on plate and a dollop of whipped cream.