Stephanie’s Top 3 Savory Holiday Recipes

It wouldn’t be the holidays without delicious food prepared right at home! Here are Stephanie’s top three savory holiday recipes for you and your kiddos to make together this season.

Butternut Squash Crostini

Ingredients

• Top half of 1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch diced pieces 
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4-5 slices pancetta
• ¾ cup good quality ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• freshly grated pepper
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped
• 1 loaf French bread, cut into ½ inch slices (you need about 12-14 pieces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss peeled and diced butternut squash with brown sugar, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt until they are evenly coated (check out our Children’s Vegetable Tool Set for help with dicing). Roast, tossing occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the squash has started to caramelize and is tender. While squash is baking, cook 4-5 pieces of pancetta in a medium skillet. When pancetta has cooled, crumble and set aside. Next, begin the ricotta mixture. In a medium sized bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Stir to combine. When squash has come out of the oven and is cooling turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Brush bread slices with olive oil and bake until golden brown. Once the bread has cooled, spread the ricotta mixture on top of each piece of bread, then top with a few pieces of squash, sprinkle with pancetta, and garnish with fresh thyme leaves. 

Sausage & Cream Cheese Wontons

Ingredients

• 1 8-oz block cream cheese, softened
• ½ pound breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
• ⅓ cup chopped green onions (dark green part only)
• 1½ Tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 package wonton wrappers

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, add cream cheese, sausage, green onions, and Sriracha sauce. Our Cut Glove can help for chopping green onions, as it resists cuts from even the sharpest blades for your sprouting chef. Using a hand mixer, blend all the ingredients together until combined. Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Place 24 wonton wrappers in the mini muffin tins. Scoop about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each wonton wrapper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the wontons are golden brown and crispy. Enjoy!

*Cook’s note for holiday recipes: If your kiddos are sensitive to spicy foods, reduce the Sriracha.

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 2 garlic cloves very finely minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly grated pepper

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients. Gently combine ingredients with your hands so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed but take care that you don’t over-mix. Roll the turkey mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

*Cook’s note for holiday recipes: Whenever I make meatballs or meatloaf, I make one “patty” and cook it on the stovetop in olive oil. This allows me to test my seasonings and I can adjust accordingly before making a large batch.

We also recommend your sprouting chef keep their own favorite holiday recipes in a fun recipe journal (hint: a great holiday gift!). Enjoy and have a happy holiday season filled with delicious holiday recipes!