The 1 Dish You Gotta Make for the Holidays?

Vegetable Tian by Barefoot Contessa yum

Just google it w/her name.

basically baked (zucc, potatoe & tomato slices w/gruyere (sp?) cheese

- and-

her cranberry conserve. Yum!

We're a HUGE cooking/baking family... my dad makes bread from scratch that takes 3 days kind of cooking/baking... but it's not the holidays w/out two things:

Cranberry Jelly in a Can (has to have the ripples... if they quit making it for any reason I'd make my own and can it! HAVE to have it)

&

Devilled Eggs. With BestFoods (aka Hellmans for those of you back east)

I mean we smoke, brine, bake, snip, stuff and do a gazillion and one things by hand... but it is NOT the holidays without canned cranberries and deviled eggs!

I make a great pecan pie. Its simple and easy and delicious!

You need a single crust for the pie. Either make your own crust if you like yours, or do what I do and buy a Pillsbury Already Crust. Just roll it out into the pie pan.
In a bowl mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup pecan pieces
Pour into pie crust and place in oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50* minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
*Lay a piece of foil on top to prevent over browning for the first 25 minutes.

Sweet potato casserole from scratch.

Peel 2-3 large sweet potatoes (enough for 3 cups mashed) & cut into pieces for boiling. Boil until fork tender & mash with a hand mixer until smooth. Combine 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/3 cup milk in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a casserole baking dish and sprinkle with casserole topping (recipe below). Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Topping:
Combine 1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 Tbsp melted butter, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or other preferred nut). Mix well.

Green bean casserole!!

And Mississippi mud pie for dessert. Yum!

My mom makes her Cranberry relish with fresh cranberries, fresh orange slices, sugar and pecans.. It is amazing, all blended together.

She also makes the stuffing /Dressing.(corn bread and bread, with onion, celery , bell pepper and chicken broth and eggs to keep it moist.

My Aunt makes the Broccoli Rice casserole, but she uses the spicy Velveta.

I roast the Turkey, Brined with Onion Celery and bell pepper inside.

Another Aunt bakes an Italian Cream Cake..

Our daughter makes the pecan pie.. An old family secret (The recipe on the back of the Dark Karo Syrup bottle follow it exactly and it is always perfect. ).

Its a toss up,,,,,,,,,id get a good talking to if i didn't make broccoli rice casserole or deviled eggs........and if i botch it i hear it also, lol

Cinnamon rolls by Paula Deen! They are so delicious, it's like heaven!
Here's the link to the recipe

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cinnamon-ro...
Enjoy!

My husband's aunt makes the most delicious sweet potato pie. She makes it casserole size. I have the recipe but hers is always better.
My daughter makes a 3 layer pumpkin jello cheesecake pie, with candied pecans. mmmmmmmmmmmm

Sweet potatoes with caramel sauce made from scratch. People who hate sweet potatoes usually love this recipe. I use boiled or baked sweet potatoes, not canned!! I make it ahead and freeze. Then I thaw, make an easy caramel sauce, and bake.

If anyone would like to try them, pm me and I will add it. I will have to go find it. :)

Edited
Here is the recipe
I make this every year, but only at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is from one of my mom's old Southern Living cookbooks but I think we cut down on some of the sugar, believe it or not.

Caramel Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes
2 sticks of butter, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup half and half, divided
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla

Boil potatoes whole with skins until done. (Or, pierce and bake in the 375 degree oven for 45 min. Or until done.) Allow to cool, peel, and place in large bowl. Mash with one stick of butter. Add 1/2 cup half and half, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Spread in a 9x13 dish and use a spoon to make several low places all over the top for the sauce.
You can cover and freeze. Or make it a day ahead and keep in the fridge. Just thaw before making sauce.

Sauce:
Melt 1 stick butter in a skillet. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook on medium high, stirring constantly until it changes to a caramel color. (Don't overcook) Immediately remove from heat and carefully add 1/2 cup half and half. It will spatter at first. Return to heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and it is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over the sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 uncovered for 20-30 minutes. It should be bubbly on the edges. Serve warm. You can sprinkle chopped pecans on top, too. We don't but I think the original recipe had them.

homemade chunky apple sauce (it's more like a bit more tart pie filling)

apple pie with crumb topping

pumpkin cookies with raisins, nuts and butterscotch chips

It's a TIE-- it's not a REAL holiday without Green Bean Casserole, scalloped corn and either turkey or ham.

I have been making my husband a Jack Daniels pecan pie for the past 6 years. Funny thing I hate pecan pie and have never tried it! Yuck!

Cranberry reliish--one bag cranberries-one orange with peel (cut up) one cup sugar--food processe it and done.
Lasegna (sp) my family loves it and perfers it over traditional turkey dinner.

I love to make a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, my grandma's stuffing, whipped potatoes, squash or yams, cranberry relish and pumkin pie and what ever else strikes my fancy that day.

I always have to make baked macaroni and cheese. The recipe I use varies from year to year but it always comes out simply to die for. This year I'm making a smoked Gruyere, feta, mozzarella and Maytag blue cheese version. It'll be topped with toasted breadcrumbs and pine nuts. I can't give out the exact recipe seeing as I wing it always and never write my recipes down.

My husband will throw a fit if there are no mashed potatoes with gravy!