RECIPES | threewomeninthekitchen

deborahreinhardt
- Nov 29, 2022
- 3 min read

8 Tree-Trimming Party Recipes

Decking the halls is less work when family and friends help. These soups, appetizers, and cookies will keep your holiday helpers happy.

trimmed Christmas tree on gold background

Many of us are preparing our homes for the winter holidays, and while the end results are gorgeous, let’s face facts—it can be a lot of work. I remember members of my family pitching in to deck our halls, creating a wonderful experience I still carry with me from year to year. Dad’s job was lugging all the boxes out of the attic after Mom and Grandma cleaned the house from top to bottom. Christmas records played on the stereo while we unpacked the tree, ornaments, and other familiar decorations.

I wonder if many households today see holiday prep as more of a necessary nuisance rather than a memory-making moment? With packed schedules and endless demands on their time, trimming a Christmas tree or putting out decorations for Hanukkah or Kwanza is just one more big item on the to-do list.

This year, why not make decking your halls an event? With a few simple recipes, some holiday music, and maybe an activity (like watching a classic movie, playing a board game, or doing a puzzle) everybody can enjoy amid the beautiful decorations, you can create lasting memories for your family and friends; you might even start a new tradition!

Warming bowls: Sweet Potato and Jalapeno Chowder

There’s nothing like wrapping your hands around a warm mug of soup in December. Nourishing and comforting, soups, chowders, or stews are an easy meal when paired with bread, butter, and maybe a salad or some fresh fruit. And the pot of yumminess can be bubbling on the stove as you put up the decorations.

The great thing about Sweet Potato and Jalapeno Chowder (courtesy ncsweetpotatoes.com) is you could use any leftover roasted sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving in this recipe. And for vegetarian or vegan family members, this recipe is something they can enjoy with you. Serve with warmed flour tortillas or chips and salsa. Download the recipe below! Here are other recipes for your Warming Bowls party menu.

Apps in a snap: Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini

Plates of great appetizers paired with a holiday cocktail or a bottle of bubbly is a party just waiting to happen! Prepare Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini in advance and have this colorful platter waiting when the family gathers. The pomegranate seeds are a perfect garnish to this holiday bite.

Want more appetizers to fill out your menu?

Cocktail wieners are wrapped in flaky dough with my Pull-Apart Piggies. St. Louis Beer and Provel Cheese Dip is best friends with warm pretzel bites. And who doesn’t love a dip in a bread bowl? Spinach and Ham Dip is a nice switch from the familiar dill dip often served with round rye bread.

Holiday cookie tray: Coconut Snowball Cookies

For a cozy night at home, holiday cookies with a hot chocolate bar are perfect to enjoy while decorating. Coconut Snowball Cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft inside, and the flaked coconut garnish is a winter wonderland in a bite.

More cookies to round out your platter

Everyone loves variety, and Snickerdoodles will please any cookie monster. Beautifully uncomplicated, these would be perfect complements to the Coconut Snowball Cookies; they also freeze well if there are any left after your halls are decked. Gooey Butter Cookies are ready in no time thanks to the brilliant box cake mix short cut.

Preparing your home for the holidays can be a joyful part of the season. I hope these menu ideas will inspire you to savor the simple pleasures: family, friends, food and festive fun.

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

deborahreinhardt
- Nov 22, 2022
- 3 min read

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears

A sliced pear and balsamic reduction bring balance to roasted Brussel sprouts to create a delicious autumn vegetable side dish.

roasted Brussels sprouts, sliced pears, balsamic syrup drizzle

Brussels sprouts with pear slices and balsamic drizzle

Few vegetables have psychologically scarred as many people as Brussels sprouts. The bad childhood experiences of being forced to eat these little buggers understandably has turned many of you against this vegetable. However, Newseek last year named Brussels sprouts as one of the Top 12 most popular Thanksgiving side dishes. What gives?

First, I have nothing but respect for the past generation of cooks, of which my mother and granny were a part, but they didn’t prepare Brussels sprouts correctly. We either got steamed or creamed (ugh) sprouts. Second, according to a Mental Floss article, sprouts until the 1990s were terribly bitter due to the method by which they were harvested and the high amounts of glucosinolates called sinigrin and progoitrin. Glucosinolates are a natural but bitter compound found in cabbage, mustard, and horseradish. Farmers searched for heirloom seeds with less amounts of sinigrin and progoitrin thereby finding ways to grow Brussels sprouts that are less bitter.

Brussels sprouts, no longer the hated vegetable, now are embraced by many home cooks and restaurant chefs. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears is inspired by a Taste of Home recipe. However, the original called for roasting the fruit with the sprouts, but that didn’t make sense to me. Roasting a pear for 25 minutes or more will turn it to mush, so I tossed raw sliced pears into the finished sprouts along with balsamic syrup. I left out the walnuts and rosemary but added a little spice to the sprouts and was pleased with the end results. It’s a well-balanced side dish for the holidays or a Sunday dinner. Let’s get cooking.

To make Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears, which yields six servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

1½ Brussels sprouts, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Arizona Dreaming salt-free seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 large pear, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
½ cup balsamic vinegar

My friend, Leslie (an outstanding home cook), recently gave me a small jar of the Arizona Dreaming seasoning. I recommend this Penzeys mix for any kitchen as it's perfect for vegetables, fish, chicken, even pork. But if you don't have any, you can try blending 1/8 teaspoon each of the following: paprika, onion powder, and pepper.

Directions for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the Brussels sprouts and trim the bottom stem, removing any discolored outside leaves. Slice the sprouts in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (makes for easy clean up).

Drizzle sprouts with oil and sprinkle the Arizona Dreaming seasoning and salt. Toss until coated and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Flip and sprouts and roast another 10 minutes.

While sprouts finish roasting, heat (medium-high) balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes until vinegar is reduced by a third and lightly coats the back of spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.

Wash pear. Cut in quarters lengthwise around the core. Slice each quarter in ½-inch pieces.

Remove sprouts from oven. Toss pears with sprouts and drizzle mixture with balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

I like the simplicity of this recipe because the flavor of the Brussels sprouts come through. The original recipe’s ingredients of walnuts and rosemary, I think, only mask the vegetable’s taste, and with the improved line of Brussels sprouts we now have, there’s no need for this. The pear adds a lovely sweetness and the balsamic reduction finishes the dish with a tangy and slightly sweet end. I hope you'll try it!

About the blog

deborahreinhardt
- Nov 18, 2022
- 3 min read

Easy Spoon Bread Casserole

Featuring sweet cornbread mix plus creamed and whole-kernel corn, Spoon Bread Casserole is an economical and simple dish to bring to your Thanksgiving gathering.

spoon bread casserole made with corn muffin mix, whole kernel and creamed corn baked in a round casserole dish

Easy Spoon Bread Casserole

If you received a late invitation to Thanksgiving dinner and are now scrambling to come up with a dish to bring, breathe easy my friend because this super simple and ridiculously delicious Spoon Bread Casserole is a winner. It’s a classic Southern recipe for several reasons: it presents beautifully (like a souffle); hits all the comfort food buttons; is affordable; and is simple to make. You may have all the ingredients in your pantry, thus saving you a hectic last-minute trip to the grocery store and avoiding that madness.

Sometimes called corn pudding, a recipe for Spoon Bread Casserole first appeared in Mary Randolph’s 1824 cookbook, The Virginia Housewife, which is considered to be the first Southern cookbook by many culinary historians. Some historians say she used recipes from James Hemings, who was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson and was the chef at Monticello.

My family for Thanksgiving often had another Southern favorite, fried corn, at Thanksgiving, but I’m loving this Spoon Bread Casserole recipe.Sweet "JIFFY" cornbread mix, creamed corn and milk create a silky, super moist cornbread. When you spoon up a serving still warm from the dish (hence the name spoon bread), it’s almost like wrapping yourself in a warm afghan that Grandma crocheted for you. It’s hard to believe that such a delicious and well-loved casserole will cost you under $5 to make. That’s right; less than five Washingtons. Let’s get cooking.

2 eggs, 1 stick butter, 1 cup milk, 2 cans corn, 1 box JIFFY cornbread mix

You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry to make Spoon Bread Casserole.

To make Spoon Bread Casserole, which yields six to eight servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

1 package “JIFFY” Corn Muffin Mix
½ cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 (8¾-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8¾-ounce) can cream style corn
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 1½-quart casserole dish.

In a large mixing bowl, pour melted butter, milk, hot sauce, pepper, and both cans of corn into dish. Stir to incorporate.

In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs. Stir into large bowl, add muffin mix and blend thoroughly using a spatula, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes before serving.

spoon bread being served from a ramekin dish

Spoon Bread can also be baked in individual ramekins.

I baked my spoon bread in a round casserole to create a beautifully brown dome. However, after sitting on my counter for a couple of hours, the center sunk, so I advise that you serve this right away. If you're taking it to a dinner, prep it at home and ask if you can bake the casserole at the host's home. This spoon bread also can be baked in individual ramekins, which makes a nice table presentation.

Buttermilk or even sour cream could be substituted for milk. The pepper and hot sauce aren’t overwhelming at all but lend just enough spice at the end. This really is a fool-proof casserole that everyone is going to gobble up.

Here's another casserole similar to a spoon bread

Although my family usually made this dish for Easter, my mom’s Carrot Caper is a little like spoon bread (only with carrots) in that the casserole bakes like a souffle and has a hint of sweetness from the carrots.