5 Delicious Recipes to Make as a Family for the Holidays

The holidays are here! It’s time to get together as a family and bond over delicious food. Take advantage of the time your child is on break from school by letting them get involved in the kitchen. There are plenty of ways they can help, from stirring ingredients to rolling out dough. Here are some delicious kid-friendly recipes you can prepare together. 

Homemade Pizza

Semi-homemade pizza is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and you can even give it a fun holiday twist! You can make a whole pizza or divide the dough into parts to make mini-pizzas. However you slice it, here’s how you make it: 

Ingredients:

• ​1 premade pizza dough

• 1 cup pizza sauce

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• Assorted toppings (suggestions: sliced pepperoni, cooked sausage, sliced black olives, sliced bell peppers, and chopped mushrooms)

• Holiday-themed cookie cutters (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to the temperature specified on the pizza dough packaging (usually around 425°F or 220°C).

2. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface until it reaches your desired thickness. If using holiday-themed cookie cutters, use them to cut out shapes from the dough. Alternatively, you can shape the dough into a traditional round pizza shape.

3. Transfer the pizza dough to a baking sheet or pizza stone that has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.

4. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.

5. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce, making sure to cover the entire surface.

6. Arrange your chosen toppings over the cheese.

7. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.

8. Once done, remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it into slices or serving it as whole.

Grinch Guacamole

Guacamole is green, and the Grinch is green, so why not make your guac into this popular Christmas antihero? Use a little bit of creativity to give everyone’s favorite healthy dip a holiday twist! Here’s how you make it: 

Ingredients:

• ​2 ripe avocados

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/ cup finely chopped red onion

• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions:

1. Cut open the avocados and remove the pits. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and mash it using a fork.

2. Add lime juice to the mashed avocados and stir well.

3. Mix in the chopped red onion, diced tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Mold the finished guacamole into the shape of the Grinch’s head on a plate.

6. Make the Grinch’s face using leftover ingredients. Remember to get the eyes, the signature grin and the nose. 

7. Serve the Grinch guacamole with tortilla chips for dipping.

Cheesy Veggie Christmas Trees

When it comes to decorating food for the holidays, sweets typically get all the glory. But why can’t you dress up your veggies the same way you dress up your cookies? Here’s a fun way to make add some holiday cheer to your fresh vegetables:

Ingredients:

• Broccoli florets

• Carrot sticks

• Celery sticks

• Cherry tomatoes

• Cheese slices

• Toothpicks

Instructions:

1. Steam or blanch the broccoli florets until slightly tender but still vibrant green. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. Cut the carrot sticks into small rounds to form tree trunks.

3. Cut the celery sticks into thin strips to act as branches.

4. Take a cherry tomato and cut off the top portion, then slice it in horizontally to create two round shapes.

5. Take a cheese slice and cut out a small star using a cookie cutter or sharp knife.

6. To assemble the trees, insert a toothpick into the top of a broccoli floret (stem side down), leaving some toothpick exposed. This will act as the base of the tree.

7. Take a celery strip and slide it onto the exposed toothpick, pushing it down to create a branch-like effect.

8. Repeat step 7 with two or three more celery strips, slightly overlapping them to form distinct layers of branches.

9. Take a tomato half and slide it onto the exposed toothpick above the celery branches, making sure the cut side is facing outwards, resembling ornaments on the tree.

10. Place a carrot round at the bottom of the toothpick, just below the broccoli floret, to create the trunk of the tree.

11. Finally, top the tree with a cheese star, pressing it gently onto the toothpick.

12. Repeat steps 6-11 with the remaining ingredients to create a festive assortment of cheesy veggie Christmas trees.

13. Serve as a delightful and healthy side dish for the holiday meal!

Pumpkin Pie

Nothing says the holidays like pumpkin pie. This traditional type of pie can easily be made at home, especially if you’re putting together premade ingredients. Here’s one of the easiest pumpkin pie recipes you’ll find: 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree

• 1 ¼ cups evaporated milk

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 1 unbaked pie crust

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

3. Add the eggs to the mixture and beat until everything is well combined.

4. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie crust, spreading it evenly.

5. Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

6. Reduce the oven temperature from 425°F to 350°F (220°C to 175°C) and continue baking for an additional 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

7. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely before serving.

8. Optional: Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

9. Enjoy your homemade pumpkin pie!

Christmas Tree Brownie

We had to wrap up this blog with one more Christmas-tree shaped recipe. It’s such a fun way to celebrate the holidays, and who doesn’t love brownies? Here’s how you can make a brownie the family can’t wait to gather around: 

Ingredients:

• Brownie mix (store-bought or homemade)

• Green food coloring

• Assorted colorful candies and sprinkles

• Chocolate frosting

Instructions:

1. Prepare the brownie mix according to the package instructions and pour it into a square baking pan.

2. Bake the brownies as directed and let them cool completely.

3. Once cooled, cut the brownies into triangle-shaped pieces, resembling Christmas trees.

4. Take a small bowl of chocolate frosting and add a few drops of green food coloring to achieve a vibrant green color.

5. Using a knife or small spatula, frost each brownie triangle with the green frosting, covering the entire surface.

6. Decorate the Christmas trees by adding colorful candies and sprinkles as ornaments. You can use M&M's, mini marshmallows, and edible glitter.

7. To make it more visually appealing, you can sprinkle some white powdered sugar on top to resemble snow.

Making food together is a great way to spend quality time together during the holidays. With over 57 years of academic excellence, St. Teresa Catholic School, a Titusville Catholic school, provides a quality education that challenges and empowers students to develop their full potential. Teachers foster qualities that are essential for lifelong learning and equip students for future success. To learn more about why St. Teresa is the perfect fit for you and your student, contact us today.