It’s the time of year when most of us eschew calorie counting and restraint in favour of enjoying some delicious, hearty holiday treats and meals.
The morning news team at Global Edmonton is no exception, and this week Erin Chalmers, Kent Morrison, Mike Sobel and Daintre Christensen will each be cooking up some of their favourite dishes.
READ MORE: Global News staff share favourite recipes ahead of the holiday season
From Christmas morning breakfast to party snacks, the recipes and videos will be posted below each day.
Erin Chalmers’ Christmas Morning Wife Saver
First up is Erin’s Wife Saver, which she says sounds a little archaic but tastes amazing.
“Bread, cheese, eggs and butter — you can’t go wrong with that combination,” she said. The recipe is courtesy of Best of Bridge.
Ingredients
- 16 slices white bread, crusts removed
- 16 slices Canadian back bacon or ham
- 16 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 1-2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups milk
- dash Tabasco
- 1/2 cup butter
- Special K or crushed Corn Flakes
Instructions
Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish.
Cover bread with slices of back bacon. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich.
In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight.
In the morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes.
Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350°F. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
READ MORE: Holiday highlights with Global Edmonton’s morning news team
Mike Sobel’s giant gingerbread cookie
It’s a giant cookie. Need we say more?
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup molasses
- 2/3 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare an eight-inch cast iron skillet by rubbing with butter and sprinkling with flour.
In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.
In separate bowl combine: softened butter, brown sugar, molasses and hot water.
Mix until butter is almost melted.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the wet ingredients.
Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients until batter is free of lumps.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool and cut into 12 equal slices.
Serve with fresh whipped cream and berries. Or try it topped with some homemade vanilla ice cream. You can also mix chocolate chips into the batter.
READ MORE: Cook that prime cut of meat to perfection with these holiday dinner tips
Daintre Christensen’s delicious dip and dates
Daintre whipped up two holiday appetizers: an artichoke, spinach and white bean dip and bacon-wrapped dates.
She said the recipes are great because “they’re super simple to prepare and you can make them ahead of time so that you’re not missing out on spending time with guests.”
Artichoke, spinach and white bean dip
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can organic white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can baby artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (If you can’t find baby artichoke hearts, use quartered artichoke hearts and chop them.)
- 1 (9-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry Cooking spray
- About a 1/2 cup (2 ounces) mix of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place Romano cheese, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, black pepper, red pepper, minced garlic and white beans in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon into a medium bowl.
Stir in the artichokes and spinach.
Spoon the mixture into a 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with a mix of cheddar and mozza on top.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until bubbly and brown.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with manchego cheese
Ingredients
- 16 Medjool dates, pitted
- 8 slices of bacon cooked lightly
- 100 grams manchego cheese, cut into 16 cubes
- 32 toothpicks
Instructions
Slice the dates lengthwise and take out the pit.
Stuff each date with a piece of manchego cheese.
Slice the bacon in half so you have 16 pieces.
Take a bacon half and wrap it around the date, securing with two toothpicks.
Bake at 400°F on the centre rack until the bacon is crisp (roughly five to 10 minutes).
Let cool for five minutes and enjoy.
READ MORE: 12 of the biggest cooking mistakes that can ruin your meal
Kent Morrison’s (grandma’s) sweet and sour sausages
If a recipe is a family classic, it’s worth making twice! Kent’s grandma used to bring her special sweet and sour sausages over on Christmas morning for brunch after gift opening.
The recipe calls for a can of peaches and a lot of ketchup.
“She’s gone now, but every year the sausages still appear at brunch,” Kent said. He has also made the dish on the weekend show as well!
Kent’s mom opts for fresh onion in lieu of flakes, and adds a dash of curry powder.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs/1 kg small pork sausages
- 14 oz/398 ml canned sliced peaches
- 3/4 cup/175 ml granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon/ 5 ml curry powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon/15 ml onion flakes or fresh, diced onion
- 1 cup/250 ml garlic chili sauce
- 1/2 cup/125 ml ketchup
Instructions
Brown sausages — not necessarily cook through — in a frying pan. Cut into bite-sized pieces (or use cocktail sausages.)
Place in a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish and add remaining ingredients. Stir together.
Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Stir, and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes until sausages and well done.
Serves eight.
Below: Morrison family recipe index cards
Comments