For some reason, holiday meals always taste better than others. Perhaps, that’s because people make things that they don’t typically serve. Also, pies, cakes, cookies, and candies make a home smell amazing. Not only that, but they also taste yummy. If you want to whip up new dishes this year, here are three great recipes.
Bizcochitos
For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (extra for dusting)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (not oil)
- 2/3 plus 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds (crushed)
After preheating the oven to 350 degrees, line two coolie or baking sheets with parchment paper. Following that, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium-size bowl. Although you can use a hand mixer, an electric one works best. That’s because it’s easier. Beat the shortening until it’s fluffy. At that point, you’ll lower the speed. In addition, blend in 2/3 cup of sugar and the egg.
To that, add the anise seeds. Next, add the flour mixture a little at a time. When finished, cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. You can use the same medium bowl to mix the rest of the sugar (1/2 cup) and the cinnamon. Next, you’ll roll out the refrigerated dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut it into cookies and sprinkle the tops with sugar and cinnamon. After that, bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Pork Posole
In addition to enjoying this Mexican dish throughout the year, it’s an excellent choice for the holidays. Here are the things you’ll need:
- 1 pound pork loin (chopped)
- 2 cups each of chicken broth and water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- One 14.5-ounce can of tomatoes (diced)
- 2 serrano peppers (minced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 teaspoons each of ground cumin and coriander
- 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup cornmeal (white or yellow)
- Two 15-ounce cans of hominy (drained)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- Salt and pepper
Season the pork loin with salt and pepper. Then, heat the oil in a large pot. To that, you’ll add the pork. Cook it between 10 and 15 minutes or until brown. Also, be sure to stir the meat often. After moving the cooked pork to a plate, lower the burner temperature. In the same pot, cook the onion in two tablespoons of water. For this, you want the water to evaporate and the onion to become tender and brown.
To the onion, add two cups of water and the chicken broth. Follow that with the tomatoes, peppers, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Then, whisk in the cornmeal. At this point, you want to put the heat on simmer. Add the meat and hominy, and if wanted, season with additional salt and pepper.
Cook the Pork Posole over low to medium heat for roughly 30 minutes. Right before serving, add the lime juice and cilantro. You can store Pork Posole in the refrigerator for a few days. However, for the best flavor, serve it to your guests immediately after making it.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup
Even if you’ve served Brussels sprouts before, here’s a way to enhance this vegetable. You will need:
- 1 teaspoon salt (kosher works the best)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon (chopped)
- 1/2 cup cranberries (unsweetened and dried)
- 2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/8 teaspoon plus a few pinches of cayenne pepper (ground)
Not only is this recipe delicious, but also nutritious and easy to make. First, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, preferably in a large cast-iron skillet. After it becomes crispy, take it out of the skillet. Place the bacon on paper towels to drain. Remember, you don’t want to discard the grease. Instead, add the Brussels sprouts to it.
Initially, you want to stir the Brussels sprouts to coat them with the grease. However, as you continue to cook them for about six minutes, don’t stir. As soon as they begin to caramelize, add the salt and cayenne pepper. Once tender, you can add the apple juice, cranberries, and maple syrup. Cook and stir for three minutes. Finally, stir in the bacon.
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