Holiday Recipes 2020

Holiday Recipes 2020

HOLIDAY RECIPES

A t r i u m H o s p i t a l i t y

D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 0

AVOCADO SALAD Cindy Laluk | Regional Director Revenue Management

Ingredients • 3 Ripe (but not mushy) Avocados • 7 Roma Tomatoes • ½ Red Onion • 1 block Cracker Barrel sharp cheddar cheese (no substitutes) • 1 lb. Cooked Bacon - crispy • Mayonnaise

1. Dice and combine tomatoes, onion and cheese. To preserve the color of the avocado and the texture of the bacon, wait until just before serving to dice and add to salad. 2. Add just enough mayonnaise to bind the salad together.

GRANDMA VIVIE’S LATKES

Michael Feldman | Vice President of Revenue Management and Distribution

INGREDIENTS •

1 1/4 cups grated potatoes. (2 or 3 large)

• • • • • • •

1 small onion grated

1 egg

2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or matzoh meal

1 tsp baking powder

Dash pepper

1. Combine all ingredients and drop by large spoonfuls into hot vegetable oil. 2. When browned, flip over and cook second side. 3. Remove from pan onto paper towels. 4. Serve with apple sauce and/or sour cream.

CRANBERRY RELISH

Kimberly Furlong | SVP, Revenue Strategies

INGREDIENTS •

16 oz Fresh Cranberries 1.5 cups white sugar 1 box large cherry Jell-O

• • •

1.5 cups boiling water

• 2 oranges, peeled, seeds removed & chopped • 1 cup walnuts, chopped • 1 cup celery, chopped • 2 apples, cored & grated • 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

1. Make Jell-O with 1.5 cups boiling water. 2. Place the cranberries in a food processor with some of the Jell-O and pulse until coarsely chopped.

3. Transfer cranberries to a mixing bowl. 4. Combine all remaining ingredients. 5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

DUCHESS POTATOES

Rhoda Rull | Event Services Manager

INGREDIENTS • 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes • Salt • 1/4 cup heavy cream • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1/4teaspoon nutmeg • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • 3 Egg yolks

1. Boil the potatoes. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt to the water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 20-25 minutes) 2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and put the potatoes back in the pot, set over low heat to release steam for a minute or so. 3. Mash with butter, spice and cream, then with salt and egg yolks, then add nutmeg and black pepper. Continue to mash until the mixture is smooth. Once everything is incorporated, add salt to taste. 4. Pipe onto a baking sheet using a piping bag with a large star point, and brush with melted butter.

5. Bake in 425©F oven until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

SCALLOPED CORN

Richard McSweeney | AGM, Embassy Suites Charleston

INGREDIENTS • 8 16oz cans of whole kernel corn, drained • 8 small onions, chopped • 4 green or red peppers, chopped (both) • 16 Tbsp. Butter • 16 Tbsp. Flour • 4 tsp. Salt • 4 tsp. Paprika (I use smoked) • 4 tsp dry mustard • 4 tsp. Coarse ground pepper • 12 c. Milk, whole • 8 eggs, lightly beaten • 12 c. Town House crackers, crushed • 12 Tbsp. Butter, melted • 8 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded • Old Bay Seasoning

1. Sauté onions and peppers in butter until tender, remove from heat. 2. Stir in flour, salt, paprika, mustard and pepper. Cook over low heat, slowly adding milk. 3. Heat until slightly boiling, stirring constantly. Heat for 1 minute.

4. Stir in cheese and egg.

5. Pour into 8 qt casserole, ungreased.

6. Mix cracker crumbs with remaining melted butter and sprinkle over corn.

7. Cook for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

8. Sprinkle Old Bay on top before serving

Serves about 20 people.

HOT VIRGINIA DIP

Toni L. Clements | Director Of Accounting Services, Embassy Suites Hampton

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup pecans, chopped • 2 tsp butter • 16 oz cream cheese, softened • 4 T milk • 5 oz dried beef, minced • 1 tsp garlic salt • 1 cup sour cream • 4 tsp onion, minced

1. Sauté pecans in butter. Reserve. 2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Place in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish sprayed with Pam, top with pecans. Chill until serving time. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. ( Keep an eye on Pecans to prevent burning) 4. Serve hot with crackers, Triscuits, celery sticks or small bread sticks.

EGGNOG TEA BREAD

Lori Slaughter | Enterprise Sales & Marketing Manager

INGREDIENTS •

1 – 16 oz Pound Cake Mix ¾ cup – Refrigerated Eggnog ½ tsp – Ground Nutmeg

• • • • • •

2 – Large Eggs

Glaze:

1 cup – Sifted Powdered Sugar 2 Tbsp – Refrigerated Eggnog

1. Combine ingredients into mixing bowl, beat at medium speed with electric mixer, for 3 minutes. 2. Pour Batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. 3. When bread is done, mix together glaze ingredients and pour over top.

MIKE’S MOM’S HAYSTACK COOKIES

Mike Mitchell | Enterprise, Business Travel, Sales Manager

INGREDIENTS •

11oz bag of butterscotch chips 12oz bag of white chocolate chips 16oz bag of Chow Mein Noodles

• • •

1 cup of Peanut Butter

1. Add the white chocolate and butterscotch chips together to a microwave in a large bowl. Melt in 30 second increments (this should take 90 total seconds) stirring in between each 30 seconds. 2. Stir in the chow mein noodles and the peanut butter. 3. Using a 2 tablespoon scoop measure scoop 30 spoonfulls of cookies onto a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheets. 4. Let sit until fully hardened, about 1 hour at room temperature or 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

WEST ‘BY GOLLY” VIRGINIA MUD CAKE Greg McGehee | Regional Director of Finance

Cake • 1 ½ cup flour • 4 eggs • 2 cups sugar

Topping • 2 sticks butter (melted while waiting on cake to cool) • ½ cup Hershey’s cocoa • 1/3 cup Carnation evaporated milk

• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa • 1 cup liquid vegetable oil • 1 cup chopped walnuts • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 lb confectionary sugar • 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Mix by hand well in bowl until all combined and then add to top of cooled cake.

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix by hand all ingredients and then add the 1 cup of walnuts and vanilla extract and mix again. Pour mixture into 13x9 pan. Bake 35 minutes @ 300 degrees. 2. Take out of oven and add one bag ½ bag of mini marshmallows. Distribute evenly and return to oven for 10 minutes or until marshmallows are melted or brown. 3. Take out of oven and cool for at least one hour.

WVA MOUNTAIN MOMMA MUD SLIDE PIE Greg McGehee | Regional Director of Finance

Ingredients • 1 stick butter • 1 cup flour • 1 cup chopped pecans • 1 package 8oz cream cheese (soft)

• 1 cup confectionary sugar • 1 medium size Cool Whip

• 1 4oz box chocolate instant pudding • 1 4oz box vanilla instant pudding • 2 cups cold whole milk • 1 Hersey chocolate bar grated

1. In medium mixing bowl, combine butter, flour and pecans. Mix well and press into bottom of a 13x9x2 pan. Bake 20 minutes @ 350 degrees. Let cool. 2. In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese (soft), confectionary sugar and fold in 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread over cooled baked crust. 3. Combine chocolate and vanilla pudding with cold whole milk in bowl and mix until thick and creamy. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining Cool Whip and grate chocolate bar over top and chill for about 5 hours or overnight.

AUNT MARG’S 7UP SALAD

Greg McGehee | Regional Director of Finance

Base Mix 2 packages lemon gelatin (Jell-O) with 2 cups boiling water.

Add • 2 cups 7-up • 1 large can crushed pineapple drained (save the juice for the topping). • 3 large bananas sliced (not overly ripe)

Pour mixture into 9x13 glass casserole dish and let chill until firm (overnight for me)

Topping: • Cook in sauce pot until thick, the saved pineapple juice (should be 1 cup, if not add water) ½ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons flour (thickening agent) 1 egg slightly beaten and 2 teaspoons butter. Let cool.

• Fold in 1 small container of Cool Whip and 1 can of coconut into the cooled mixture in saucepan. Spread over Jell-O base and sprinkle with crushed pecans.

EGG NOG FRENCH TOAST

Mike Mitchell | Enterprise, Business Travel, Sales Manager

INGREDIENTS •

6 slices of your favorite bread

• • • • •

1.5 cups of EggNog

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of olive oil

½ cup of powdered sugar

1. Slightly toast bread 2. Place Olive oil in shallow skillet on medium heat 3. Combine Eggs, EggNog and Cinnamon in a shallow bowl and whisk or mix with fork 4. Submerge each piece of toasted bread for 15-20 seconds, flip and repeat 5. Cook toast on heated skillet until golden brown on each side 6. Remove from heat and allow to drain on paper towels 7. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy

CHERRIES IN THE SNOW

Diana Anderson | Enterprise Sales & Marketing Manager

INGREDIENTS •

ONE package of white cake mix

• TWO packages of cream cheese (8 oz) – softened • FOUR cups confectioners’ sugar • (1) pint whipping cream • ONE can of cherry pie filling

1. Prepare cake mix as directed. 2. Pour into rectangle cake pan. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. 4. Cool. 5. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy; fold in whipping cream. 6. Spread over the cake. Top with pie filling. 7. Chill for 4 hours or overnight. Yield 24-30 servings.

SANTA’S FAVORITE COOKIE

Mike Mitchell | Enterprise, Business Travel, Sales Manager

INGREDIENTS • 1 Egg •

1 Cup of Peanut Butter

•

½ Cup of Sugar

1. Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees 2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until mixture is smooth and firm 3. Use tablespoon to spoon out mixture and roll into small balls 4. Place cookie balls on a pre-greased on non-stick cookie sheet 5. Take a fork and press the small balls into flat cookies 6. Cook for 17-20 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown 7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes

CHOCO-FLAN CAKE

Christy Long, PHR, | Director of Human Resources, Task Force

1. Move Oven Rack to Lowest Position 2. Pre-heat Oven to 350 3. Fill a Roaster Pan ½ with water and place in oven 4. Separate 8 Egg Yolks into large bowl 5. Mix Condensed Milk & Evaporated Milk into Egg Yolks 6. Prepare Cake Mix according to box directions 7. Spray Bundt Pan with non-stick cooking spray 8. Heat Sugar in saucepan over medium/low heat constantly until it turns into caramel 9. Pour Caramel into Bundt pan and swirl to cover bottom of pan 10. Pour Egg/Milk Mixture over Caramel Sauce 11. Add Cake Mix (pour this in slowly) 12. Place the Bundt pan into the Roasting pan in oven 13. Bake for 50 minutes or until done 14. Let Cake cool and then flip onto serving dish

INGREDIENTS • 8 Eggs •

1 Box of Devil’s Food Cake Mix

• • •

1 Cup Sugar

1 Can (14oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Can (12oz) Evaporated Milk

REINDEER CHOW Cortney Losh | Enterprise Sales & Marketing Manager

Equipment • Wax or parchment paper • Large plastic bag • Spatula • • Ingredients • 9 cups of Chex Cereal (any variety will do) • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips • ½ cup creamy peanut butter • ¼ cup butter • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar • 1 cup seasonal M&Ms

1. Pour cereal into a large mixing bowl. Next, prep a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper, set aside. 2. Place chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 1 minute and stir. If it’s not completely melted, put it back in for up to 30 seconds more. Once it’s melted, add vanilla and mix. Pour it over your Chex Cereal and mix with a spatula until well coated. 3. Take a large plastic Ziploc bag and place powered sugar inside, then add chocolatey cereal. Close and begin to shake it up so that all the squares are evenly covered with sugar. Place the Reindeer Chow in the baking sheet and let it cool. Once you’re ready to serve, add holiday M&Ms or other seasonal candy. Chow down!

SOUTHERN BANANA PUDDING

Misty Wise | Corporate Director of E-Commerce

FOR THE PUDDING • 1 cup granulated sugar • ½ cup all-purpose flour • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt • 3 ½ cups whole milk, divided • 8 egg yolks • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract FOR THE ASSEMBLY • 11 ounce box vanilla wafers • 6 medium bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Make the Pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in ½ cup of the milk and the egg yolks. In a large saucepan, place the remaining 3 cups milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add the butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the remaining ingredients. 3. Assemble the Dish: Arrange vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish (you can reserve some to garnish, if you wish), and top with the banana slices. Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve over the bananas and spread into an even layer. 4. Make the Meringue: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue over the pudding, spreading it right up to the edges of the pan. 5. Bake until the meringue is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with vanilla wafers, if desired. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

FOR THE MERINGUE • 8 egg whites

• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar

SALTINE CRACKER TOFFEE

Curt Wagner | Renaissance Oklahoma City

INGREDIENTS • 40 saltine crackers • 1 cup of dark brown sugar • 1 cup of butter • A pinch of salt • 1 teaspoon of vanilla

1. Heat Oven to 425 degrees.

2. Prepare a sheet pan covering it with aluminum foil; cover foil completely with butter and place saltine crackers in a single layer to fully cover the pan, then set aside. 3. In a small saucepan melt brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stir occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a slow boil getting bubbly around the edges let the mixture simmer / boil undisturbed for 3 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from heat, add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and stir. 4. Immediately pour brown sugar butter mixture over the crackers to fully cover the crackers. (spread using a nonstick spatula.

• Chocolate chips • Crushed pretzels

(could also use crushed pecans instead of pretzels)

5. Bake in 425 degrees oven for 5 minutes.

6. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the entire surface. Wait a minute for chocolate chips to begin melting and then spread chocolate over the entire surface of the candy.

7. Sprinkle crushed pretzels over the entire tray of candy lightly pressing crumbs into chocolate layer if necessary.

8. Let the pan cool on the countertop for 45 minutes, then cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours. Then place sheet pan on the counter and remove candy from the pan by grasping the aluminum foil. Flip candy over and peel foil off the candy. 9. Crack candy into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

PUMPKIN ROLL

Meagan Hoover | Restaurant Supervisor, Embassy Suites Charleston

INGREDIENTS • ¾ cup flour • ½ tsp baking powder • ½ tsp baking soda • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or (1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves) • ¼ tsp salt • 3 large egg • 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Line a 15X10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar for one minute until thick. Add in vanilla and pumpkin and whisk until just combined.

5. Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until combined.

• 1 cup granulated sugar • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree • powdered sugar • one cup chopped walnuts

6. Spread evenly in the pan and top with chopped walnuts.

7. Bake for 15 minutes until cake is spongy and springy.

8. Use the parchment paper to flip the roll onto a dry dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll short end to short end until cooled to room temperature. 9. Once cool, unroll the cake and remove parchment paper, spread cream cheese filling evening with a ¾ inch margin and reroll.

Cream Cheese Filling: • 1 8 oz room temperature brick of cream cheese • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar • 6 tbsp. butter-softened • 1 tsp vanilla extract

10. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and chill over night.

Cream Cheese Filling: Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

WOODFORD RESERVE BOURBON BALLS

Josh Rubio | General Manager, Embassy Suites Charleston

NOTES •

INGREDIENTS • 3 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers I used an entire 11-ounce box

You definitely want to use a high-quality Kentucky bourbon that you would actually sip on, because the taste of the bourbon comes through in these cookies (and yes, even non-bourbon drinkers like me LOVE them)! We typically go with either Woodford Reserve or Buffalo Trace How long can Bourbon Balls be stored? Here's the great thing! They last for a LONG time! Unlike other Christmas cookies that get dry, hard, or stale after just a few days on the counter, you can easily prepare a batch of Bourbon Balls at least 1-2 weeks in advance and they will stay fresh in the refrigerator. The Bourbon Balls will keep in your freezer for at least 1 month. How to store Bourbon Balls: • Make sure that you keep the bourbon balls chilled in an airtight container. If you have deep containers, you can store the bourbon balls in layers, separating them with wax paper or parchment. • They're fine to leave out on a holiday cookie tray for a party, but they tend to get soft if they're left out for too long. I prefer to keep the bourbon balls in my refrigerator, only taking them out when I'm ready to serve them. • To freeze the bourbon balls, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then again in foil.

• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk • ⅓ cup bourbon • Powdered sugar, for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine wafer crumbs and nuts in a large bowl. Add condensed milk and bourbon. Blend well. Chill for about 1 hour. 2. Pour about 1 cup of powdered sugar into a shallow dish. 3. Dip the palms of your hands into the powdered sugar and shape the “dough” by teaspoonfuls into round balls. Roll in powdered sugar 4. Store bourbon balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

CHEF JOHN’S CHRISTMAS BARK

John Griffin | Chef, Embassy Suites Concord

INGREDIENTS • 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped • 12 oz. white chocolate, chopped • 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract • 8 candy canes, crushed

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Fill the bottom of a large pot with 3” water and bring to simmer over medium heat.

3. Reduce heat to low, then place a large heatproof bowl on top.

4. Add semi-sweet chocolate and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted.

5. Stir in extract. Pour into prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.

6. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

7. Over the same pot of barely simmering water, place another large heatproof bowl.

8. Add white chocolate and stir until melted.

9. Pour over set semi-sweet chocolate then top immediately with candy canes.

10. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

MULED WINE Renee Lubinski | Corporate Director of Digital Marketing

INGREDIENTS • 1 (750-ml.) bottle red wine • 1 orange, sliced into rounds, plus more for garnish • 6 whole cloves • 3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

• 3 star anise • 1/4 c. honey • 1/2 c. brandy

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer not a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently over low heat for 10 minutes.

2. Serve warm and garnish with more citrus slices and cinnamon sticks.

CHRISTMAS KENTUCKY BUCK Jade Mosgrove | Director of Sales & Events | Holiday Inn Bowling Green

INGREDIENTS • 2 ounces Woodford bourbon • 1 ounce lemon juice • 1 ounce ginger syrup • 2 ounces cranberry juice • 2 ounces club soda • fresh cranberries (for garnish)

HOT NOG Kathy Rutledge | Principal Brand Correspondent

INGREDIENTS • One Part Egg Nog • Two Parts Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey

1. Stir well and enjoy!