Resident Holiday Recipes

Cheers to cheer! Last month, we asked our residents to share a few festive recipes with their neighbors for the holiday season ahead. Feast your eyes on these four recipes and perhaps you’ll start a new tradition of your own this year.

Jennie’s Go-To Ginger Cookies

“Let’s be honest,; it’s not the holidays until you have a ginger cookie and some Eggnog,.” says Jennie. We whole heartedly agree! This recipe is easy and delicious.

• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar or sweetener of your choice – we like brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• ¾ cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 2 cups sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Stir 1/2 of the flour mixture into butter mixture; add remaining flour mixture and stir until dough is just-combined. Pour 3/4 sugar and grated ginger into a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 2-inch balls and roll each ball in sugar to coat. Place sugar-coated dough balls 2 1/2-inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are light brown and puffed up, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nicole’s Notorious Maple Nogg

“There’s only one thing I bring to holiday events,” states Nicole, “and I’ve never had a single complaint!” Check out this new spin on Eggnog, which calls for maple syrup Instead of sugar.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 ⅓ cups milk of your choice – whole, non-dairy, you decide!
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• Optional (but recommended!): Bourbon or Rum

Blend all ingredients together with a hand blender or electric beater until frothy, serve chilled with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top! Yum!

Erin’s Classic Creamed Corn

This tasty, creamed corn recipe is something Erin M. “just can’t live without!”

• 1 lb frozen corn.
• ½ cup whipped cream
• ½ cup milk
• 6 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• small dash of cayenne
• ¾ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring the corn, whipped cream, milk, sugar, and salt to a low boil, cook for 5 minutes. Take off heat and add melted butter and flour and dash of cayenne. Optional: Grate parmesan on top of the dish in a small baking pan and broil until softened.

Buttery Holiday Soup

Butternut Squash Soup is a popular choice for the holidays, and for good reason! GreenTree residents Joe and Natasha both sent in their favorite soup recipes – try one of them out!

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 onion diced
• 1 butternut squash peeled and diced into cubes
• 32 ounces vegetable or chicken broth
• 1-2 teaspoon of salt

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add cut up butternut squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until squash is softened. Carefully pour entire contents of pot into blender. Add salt. Carefully blend until smooth. Top with fresh herbs. Enjoy!