Please enjoy our favorite recipes, submitted and hand-picked by our very own SPLC staff. The joy of sharing food and festivities has the power to unite us all, especially in uncertain and perilous times. We hope you will find peace and community while celebrating this season, and maybe even discover a new staple dish for your family's spread. 

 

 

Sweet Potato Pie
 Prep Time: 1.5 hrs | Cook Time: 50 mins | Yield: 12-inch pie
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups boiled sweet potatoes, peeled, mashed
3 eggs, separated (room temperature)
4 tbsp. butter, softened (room temperature)
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar (may use less, depending on desired sweetness)
Pinch salt
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Few drops vanilla
Prepared pie crust
Directions:

- Peel and cube sweet potatoes – then boil until cooked, about 15 minutes.
- Put sweet potatoes through sieve. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl then whisk in egg yolks, salt, and flavorings.
- Slowly add milk and mix until well blended.
- Fold in mashed sweet potatoes.
- Beat egg whites until peaks are soft and rounded, and fold into the butter sugar mixture.
- Pour into pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 25-30 minutes (45-50 minutes total baking time).

 

 

Spicy Cheddar Cornbread Pudding
 Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour | Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 

4 ears fresh corn shucked (or 16 oz frozen corn, defrosted and drained)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 extra large eggs
2 cloves garlic grated or minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 15 oz cans creamed corn
2 cups grated Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar
1 cup grated Cabot Pepper Jack
6 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions:

- Heat the oven to 400ºF and set a rack in the middle. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish or ovenproof ceramic baker.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the corn and cook until the kernels are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then cut the kernels off using a sharp knife. 
- Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, garlic, oil, sour cream and butter to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture, along with the creamed corn, fresh corn kernels, all but 1/2 cup of the Seriously Sharp Cheddar, all of the Pepper Jack, and the scallions. Gently stir the batter together until there are no lumps or streaks of flour, but be careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheddar.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is still slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.

 

 

Mami’s Flan de Queso
 Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: At least 1 hr | Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 

4 eggs
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
1 12 oz can condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar (up to one cup, to taste)
A dash of cinnamon (optional)
Directions:

- Choose a large glass baking pan for the water bath and a smaller glass baking pan that fits inside the first pan for your flan.
- Melt the sugar, water, and vanilla. Let this simmer until it becomes a caramel color, sticky liquid without any lumps. Try to ignore the pot altogether for 10-15 minutes. It's best not to stir.
- Carefully pour this caramel mixture into the smaller pan. Use a silicone spoon to spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan and halfway up the sides.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all flan ingredients in blender and blend together.
- Place the larger baking dish in the oven carefully. Then, place the smaller baking dish with the caramel inside the larger dish.
- Pour the flan mixture into the smaller glass baking dish in the oven.
- For the water bath, pour water into the larger baking dish until it reaches 3/4 the height of the dish.
- Bake for at least 1 hour. Check that the flan is no longer liquid before taking it out of the oven. It will still jiggle.
- Take it out of the oven and chill until cooled completely, at least 6 hours. The sides of the flan will disconnect from the dish. Flip the flan onto a nice platter or dish for serving.

 

 

Braised Collard Greens
 Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 2 hrs | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 

1 bunch collard greens (about 1 lb.), washed and chopped in 1 in. sections*
1 small sweet onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or water
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
Kosher salt, black pepper

Optional: discard stems, add 3 strips bacon - finely chopped.
Directions:

- Thoroughly wash collard greens to remove all traces of dirt. Then chop into 1 in. sections.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet with high sides. Sautee chopped garlic and onions until translucent. *Option to cook chopped bacon first, then adding onion and garlic.
- Add greens and wilt until slightly tender.
- Add liquid of choice, stir in Cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste*, and bring the liquid to a simmer, simmer with the lid on for approximately 30 minutes. *If using water, more salt, pepper, garlic and Cayenne may be necessary.
- Stir in cider vinegar and sugar, reduce head to med-low and cook with lid on for 1 hour or until greens are tender.

 

 

Ravi’s Vangyache Bharit (Baingan Bharta)
 Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins | Yield: 3-4 servings
Ingredients: 

1 large eggplant
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 thai chili, chopped (optional)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. roasted peanuts, crushed
Directions:

- Wash and pat dry the eggplant, then poke holes throughout using a fork. Rub roughly 1 teaspoon vegetable oil over the skin.
- Set the broiler to high and roast the eggplant on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway. The eggplant is done when the outside is charred, the liquids at the bottom of the pan turn a deep brown, and a knife slides easily into the flesh. Set aside to cool.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop and jump around the pan, add the onion. Add a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the chili (if using) and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato, lower the heat a little bit, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cilantro leaves, sugar, and roasted peanuts. Take off heat and set aside in a bowl.
- When the eggplant has cooled enough, slit it open. Spoon the insides into another bowl and mash them. Add the tomato and onion mixture to the eggplant and stir to combine. Add salt to taste.

 

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