Midwest Living Holiday Cookbook 2009
Rolled Spinach Pork Loin [1]
Roll a pork loin roast around layers of bacon, chopped spinach and Parmesan cheese to create this appealing holiday main dish, from Turkey Run Inn in Terre Haute, Indiana. When checking the temp of this roast, make sure the thermometer hits meat, not filling.
Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey [5]
We spread an herb blend under the skin of a whole turkey then slathered it with maple glaze halfway through roasting. Serve with our make-ahead Apple Cider Sauce.
Grilled Turkey Breast with Spiced Almond Butter [10]
When you are feeding only a few for the holidays, choose a turkey breast rather than a whole bird. Our nut butter adds a hint of citrus alongside the allspice and pepper. Roast the meat on the grill or in your oven.
Strongbow Turkey Pie [14]
Turkey dominates the menu at the Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, Indiana. Use turkey leftovers in their meaty turkey pie recipe. Light eaters might prefer to split a pie.
Strongbow Turkey Pie [15]
Harvest Salad with Walnut Oil Vinaigrette [18]
Cooked chicken turns this colorful salad into a quick main dish, or use some of your bumper crop of leftover turkey. Walnut oil adds a nutty flavor to vinaigrette in this salad from Clabber Girl Bake Shop in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Mix and Match Bread Dressing [22]
Whether you're looking to tweak your favorite dressing or create a new tradition, Mix and Match Bread Dressing meets the challenge. Start with the basic recipe, then try one of the blends shown at left or craft a custom version.
-- Top right: Whole wheat bread anchors a mix of sweet potato, celery, almonds, apricots and sage.
-- Left: Wild rice stands in for bread in this dressing studded with button mushrooms, celery, bacon, pecans, golden raisins and thyme.
-- Bottom right: Sourdough bread cubes blend with cooked bulk Italian sausage, celery, dried cranberries, pine nuts and rosemary.
More holiday side dishes: Minnesota wild rice and pecans fill Wild Rice, Barley and Dried Cherry Pilaf with crunchy texture as it pops with fruit flavor. A blend of chile peppers and spices give Aunt Maude's Southwestern Turkey Chili a smoky flavor and kick of hotness.
Mix and Match Bread Dressing [23]
Peppermint Brownie Pie [28]
This rich blend of two favorite holiday flavors -- chocolate and mint -- might start a new dessert tradition in your house. Can't find the mint-flavored pieces? Use regular chocolate chips and add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the batter.
Baby Citrus Cheesecakes [32]
This make-ahead dessert stores in the freezer for up to a month, ready to serve surprise guests. Vanilla or chocolate wafers form an easy base for the creamy filling. The center dips slightly after cooling, making an indentation to fill with whipped cream.
Hazelnut-Chocolate Chunk Cookies [36]
We loaded these crisp and chewy chocolate chip cookies with white and chocolate chips along with toasted hazelnuts. They taste great with a cup of Christmas Candy-Cane Hot Cocoa.
Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Crisp [41]
"This is a twist on a popular dish and is one of my personal favorites," says April Osburn from the Clabber Girl Bake Shop in Terre Haute, Indiana. Thinly slice the apples so they get done in the allotted baking time.
Coconut-Tangerine Snowball Cupcakes [45]
Add holiday color to the coconut topper by tossing coconut with liquid food coloring. For a striking gift presentation, alternate cupcakes with candy-filled paper bake cups.
Orange Popcorn Gorp [49]
The sweetness of dried fruit and chocolate meets salty pretzels and popcorn in our easy food gift. Pour the snack mix in a jar, and cover the lid with a circle of colorful scrapbooking paper. Grosgrain ribbon around the edge of the lid pairs with yarn and a tag to complete the package.
Orange Popcorn Gorp [50]
Cinnamon Surprise Buns [53]
These yeast rolls poof as they bake, hiding the filled center. Guests will love the spiced nut and brown sugar filling in these frosted treats.
Overnight Cherry Chocolate Coffee Cake [57]
This is our give-you-a-break coffee cake. Prepped in a half-hour, it waits in the fridge until you pop it in the oven the next morning. Serve warm, and the chocolate stays irresistibly melty.
Red Apple Crisp [61]
Spiced rum, red apple liqueur and cranberry juice add spicy fruit flavor to this crimson drink from Blue Plate Catering of Chicago.
Red Apple Crisp [62]
Rachel Sandwiches [65]
Len Skvor trades the traditional corned beef for thinly sliced turkey in this twist on a classic Reuben at his Cork 'n Fork Deli 'n Grill in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. To reduce the sodium, rinse sauerkraut with cold water before using.
Rachel Sandwiches [66]
Applejack Turkey Sandwich [69]
Grilled sweet peppers and onion add crunch to the sweet-smoky Applejack Turkey Sandwich from Gobbler's Restaurant in Gaylord, Michigan.
Another Midwest restaurant favorite: Twisted Seester. A customer inspired this turkey sandwich at The Artichoke Sandwich Bar in Wichita, Kansas. It's a twist on a pastrami sandwich they serve and was named for one of two sisters who was employed there.
Applejack Turkey Sandwich [70]
Twisted Seester [71]
Turkey Burgers with Poblano Pesto Aioli [74]
Instead of leftover turkey, start with ground turkey for this tall burger that offers big flavor from curry powder, garlic, red onion and jalapeno pepper. A cool and creamy aioli tops the grilled sandwich.
Turkey Burgers with Poblano Pesto Aioli [75]
Poblano Pesto Aioli [76]