The holidays mean so much to so many different people. It's a time for traditions, both old and new. It's a time for love, family and reflection of all of the positive things in life. It is also a time for food. For most us, it wouldn't be a holiday if we weren't coming together with our loved ones for the preparation and/or consuming of an amazing meal.
In the spirit of this, I have two great Holiday Recipes that I am excited to share with you. To make them, I visited my local Price Chopper and picked up some of the freshest and high quality ingredients.
The first recipe is a Portuguese kale soup. I discovered this soup for the first time when I ordered it from a local restaurant. My wife and I liked it so much, we decided to try it on our own from scratch and had so much fun figuring it out. What I love about this recipe is it's simplicity as well as it's versatility. Virtually all of the ingredients are interchangeable and can be altered based on your preference. Either way, this recipe is sure to keep you and your family warm during those frightfully cold holiday nights.
Recipe #1: Portuguese Kale Soup
Makes 6-8 servings
Here's what you'll need:
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound kale (chopped, preferably fresh but frozen works fine)
Salt and pepper
1 (12-15-ounce) can of red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2-3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound kale (chopped, preferably fresh but frozen works fine)
Salt and pepper
1 (12-15-ounce) can of red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup of salsa
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound diced chorizo or kielbasa
1 pound diced chorizo or kielbasa
2 Knorr Chicken Flavored Bouillon
Cubes
1 quart of water
To create the broth: Boil water in
large pot and add two Knorr Bouillon Cubes
Heat oil in a pan over medium high
heat. Add potatoes, onions and garlic, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add kidney beans, salsa, tomatoes, chorizo (or kielbasa), and pour ingredients into the pot of broth and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.
Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add kidney beans, salsa, tomatoes, chorizo (or kielbasa), and pour ingredients into the pot of broth and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.
The second recipe is a family tradition that we like to call Holiday Pancake Skewers. This particular recipe is kid-friendly because it is easy, healthy, as well as really fun to make. My son and I enjoyed the process from start to finish, as we make messes and memories that will not be wiped away so easily.
Recipe #2: Mini Holiday Pancake Skewers
Makes approx 10 skewers
2 Cups of Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix
1 Egg
1 1/4 Cups of milk
3 Bananas (Or pancake friendly fruit of your choice)
1 pkg of Blueberries (Or pancake friendly fruit of your choice)
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
A few sprinkles of cinnamon
Red and Green food coloring
Approx 20-30 mini skewers (You can cut the pointy ends when working with smaller children)
1 Can of cooking spray
and most importantly...
1 mischievous assistant!
Instructions:
Using a medium mixing bowl you can easily follow the recipe for pancakes that can be found on the side of the Bisquick box.
First pour in 2 cups of Bisquick mix, then add 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 egg.
Add a few sprinkles, about a teaspoon, of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
Stir until smooth
Place half of batter into an additional bowl (This step will allow you to make two colors of pancakes)
Place 2-3 drops of red food coloring in one bowl, then stir; do the same with the second bowl, only this time, use the green food coloring
Dice one banana into small pieces
Distribute and gently stir 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 of the diced bananas each bowl.
Preheat your pan at about medium heat, then apply cooking spray
Pour tiny, silver dollar sized drops of your green and/or red batter into pan. Flip after about a couple of minutes, or until you see bubbles rise. Repeat this step until all batter is used.
While cooking, take two remaining bananas and slice into small circles placing aside for skewers.
When placing mini pancakes and fruit on the skewer you could use the following patten: Pancake, banana, blueberry, pancake, banana blueberry on each individual skewer or allow your little one to create their own fun pattern until all pancakes have been used
Serve with a side of maple syrup, jam or all by itself!
With all of this great food, whether it's with family or entertaining guests, I have a feeling that this holiday will be one of the most memorable yet!
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