When we asked you to send us your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes, you graciously obliged. From entrees to dessert to drinks, you showed us there’s so much to enjoy beyond the traditional holiday staples. If you try any of these recipes, we definitely want to hear from you! Share your photos and don’t forget to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or Twitter @lakeunionherald. —Editor
This recipe takes me back to my childhood. My mom was the expert in preparing this delicacy and I was always in the kitchen trying to help. Our extended family always hoped we would arrive with this dessert at family gatherings. Now that I’m a professional chef, I have continued the tradition of preparing this dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and church events.Carlos Melendez
Coconut Custard or Coconut Pudding*
(I call it Tembleque, which means “wiggly” in Spanish.)
*Fresh, ripe coconuts are traditionally used to make the coconut milk used in the recipe for this dessert, but there aren’t many palm trees here in Wisconsin, so canned coconut milk does the job!
2 (3.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. water
2 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves
1 sm. piece of fresh ginger (1 or 2 oz.)
¾ c. corn starch
pinch of salt
ground cinnamon for garnish
Directions
- Combine water, cinnamon sticks, cloves and fresh ginger in a medium saucepan. Boil on medium heat for 5 mins., then let it cool.
- Strain all the spices and stir rest of ingredients in the saucepan.
- Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken.
- Continue cooking, stirring vigorously until mixture boils.
- Let boil for about 30 secs., stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat.
- Pour mixture into small baking dishes or one large mold.
- Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hrs. or overnight until set.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon before serving for garnish.
Many years ago, for our family holidays, we had turkey and dressing and all the trimmings with fall decor to add festivity. We always had something to be thankful for through the years. As time passed, the kids were married and grandkids appeared! The table got bigger but cottage cheese loaf and all the trimmings appeared. God had continued to bless and we were thankful. Now, it is my husband and myself again. We continue to be ever grateful for life, our family and the unconditional love and grace of God. One recipe that has remained throughout the years is “Sky in the Pie.”Fran McMullen
Sky in the Pie
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
Mix well and spread on unbaked shell.
Combine:
1/4 cup pumpkin from can
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt
Place pumpkin mixture very carefully on top of cream cheese mixture so it doesn’t make holes/dips in it.
Bake at 350 for 65‒70 minutes or until knife comes out clean from pumpkin section.
Submitted by Fran McMullen
Koko samoa is a traditional Samoan drink consumed during family get-togethers. Our family tradition during the holidays is baking goodies and delivering them to our local Polynesian community. One of the treats we make is koko samoa brownies. It’s a Samoan twist on an American dessert. This is our adaptation of koko samoa and our way of infusing island flavors into our baked goods. Koko samoa is not available in stores and is considered a rarity which is why we treasure our koko samoa supply sent from home. My children look forward to our baking tradition every year as we take the time to appreciate our Samoan heritage.Hannacho Lei-Sam
Koko Samoa
Boil 8 cups of water
Add half- to 1 cup koko
Sugar to taste
Stir until everything is melted
Koko Samoa Brownies
1 c. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. granulated sugar
½ c. (1 stick) butter
2 Tbsp. water
8 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate (broken into pieces)
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. ground or grated Koko Samoa
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
- Microwave sugar, butter and water in a large, microwave-safe bowl on high for 3 mins. or until mixture boils, stirring once.
- Add broken baking bars; stir until melted.
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition until well blended.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add flour mixture; stir well.
- Stir in ground Koko Samoa.
- Pour into greased mini-muffin pan (use a tablespoon to scoop).
- Bake for 16‒20 mins. or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out still slightly sticky.
- Cool in pan on wire rack.
- Dust with powdered sugar (optional)
My children look forward to our baking tradition every year as we take the time to appreciate our Samoan heritage.
Submitted by Hannacho Lei-Sam
Hyde family holidays were a blessed and joyful time. My parents, Helen and Wayne, always loved having their family home for the holidays. My mother always made lots of food that included her “turkey and stuffing,” mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, homemade pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce, plus much more. There was always family worship to thank God for all the blessings of family and food and the birth of our Savior. Holiday time included plenty of music at home and at church. We would often provide the special music for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Sabbath at the Jackson (Michigan) Church. This is the recipe my mother served at holiday meals. (She passed away last year at age 97.) It’s called Chik’n with Dressing but we always called it Turkey and Stuffing.Elwyn Hyde
Chik’n with Dressing
3 Tbsp. oil
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. chopped celery
1 (12 oz.) pkg. cubed stuffing
2 cans FriChik, sliced longways, drained. Preserve the gravy from the cans
1/2 tsp. sage
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
2 eggs, scrambled (optional)
Sauté onions and celery in oil. Add sautéed vegetables to the stuffing; add FriChik gravy, sage and eggs. Place stuffing mixture in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Arrange sliced FriChik amongst the stuffing mixture. Bake for 35 minutes in 350-degree preheated oven.
Submitted by Elwyn Hyde