Wishing you season's greetings from the team at Web Strategies!
Our office loves two things dearly: our love for animals and our love for food! That’s why when we decided how we wanted to share the holiday season with you, we decided to do it through our stomachs. Here are recipes from each of our team members that represent a bit of our experiences.
Keri Ritenour
Client Support Manager/Developer
This is the best sweet potato casserole I've ever tasted and has been a family favorite and a special request for all holidays and special meals. It is a perfect combination and more decadent than the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole that many of us grew up eating.
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 2 40 oz cans of yams (sweet potatoes)
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- Drain 1 can of yams completely. Drain 1/3 of the other can.
- Mash yams
- In a separate bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and melted butter.
- Add mixture to yams and stir well.
- Pour mixture into a 9×13 pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, pecan, and softened butter. This will be the topping
- Spread the topping on the yams.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Then broil for 3-5 minutes to make the topping crunchy.
Faye Guerra
Managing Director
Brunch is a Christmas tradition for my family, and this casserole is the dish that Im always expected to bring. Cheesy, hammy, and buttery - this is easier to assemble than it looks and leftovers (if there are any!) reheat like a dream.
Christmas Morning Casserole with Ham and Brie
- 12 c roughly torn croissants (about 12-16 rolls)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 c mixed mushrooms roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 Tbsp Fresh thyme (or 2tsp dried)
- 1 c Heavy cream
- 1 c Whole milk
- 3 Large eggs beaten
- ½ Tsp cayenne
- 3 oz Ham torn (prosciutto or deli whatever is preferred)
- 4 oz Creamy brie cubed
- ½ c Shredded Swiss or Fontina
- 2 Tbsp Everything Bagel spice (optional but delicious)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9×13 baking dish.
- Arrange torn croissants in a baking dish and lay the sliced butter over the croissants. Bake 5-8 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir and cook another 3-5 minutes until mushrooms caramelize. Add garlic and thyme – cook a minutes and then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl whisk cream, milk, eggs, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper. Add toasted croissants, mushrooms, ham and Brie. Gently combine. Pour into baking dish and top with cheese and then Everything spice.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 10-15 minutes.
Emily Butler
Developer/Project Manager
Nothing quite tastes like Christmas like my mom's hard toffee! Traditionally, it is made for our annual "It's A Wonderful Life" party, but it always makes several appearances around the holiday season. I like to sneak a couple of pieces from the tin whenever I visit.
Hard Toffee with Nuts
- 1 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 1 Tablespoon Light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 2-3oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/3 Cup Walnuts or Roasted Almonds (chopped)
- Melt together butter, sugar, water, light corn syrup, and vanilla in a saucepan.
- Use a candy thermometer and boil to 300 degrees, stirring constantly after 250 degrees.
- Pour onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cover with another cookie sheet so the chips melt.
- Spread melted chocolate with a spatula.
- Sprinkle with nuts.
- After hardening completely, break into pieces and store in a festive Christmas tin lined with parchment paper.