Holiday recipes | Undergraduate Library Blog - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

UGL’ers, Fall break is almost here, which means finals are almost here…which means Winter break is almost here! It’s that time of year where our families make an obscene amount of food that is sure to last them a whole month. Well, to add to your food choices, the UGL has asked their staff members to share their own favorite holiday recipes, complete with photos of their yummy treats.

Jen’s recipe is for some low-fat pumpkin muffins. All you need is 1 15 oz can of pumpkin and 1 box of cake mix, which can be any flavor, but of course, spice and carrot are great for the fall.

Then, mix the ingredients together and bake in papers or a greased muffin tin for 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees. To add some more flavor, be sure to add dark chocolate chips to the mix or sprinkle some brown sugar on top of the muffins when they ready.

Pumpkin Muffins. Photo courtesy of Amy Gizienski via Flickr Commons

Thomas’ favorite recipe are mince pies. It’s a Christmas classic that is sure to please all your guests at the party. You need 12oz of mincemeat, 7 oz of plain flour (sifted), 1.5 oz of golden caster sugar, 2¾oz ground almonds, 4.5 oz of unsalted butter (diced), 1 egg, and milk (to glaze). For a preparation method, go to the recipe here.

Mince Pies. Photo courtesy of Vratsagirl via Flickr Commons

Madeline had a great recipe for a Filipino Noodle Dish, called Pancit. The following ingredients will make 6 servings. All you need is 1 (12ox.) package of dried rice noodles (thin spaghetti noodles will also work). Follow the directions on the package to cook, 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 1 onion (finely diced), 3 cloves of garlic (minced), 2 cups of diced cooked chicken breast meat, 4 carrots (thinly sliced), 1/4 cup of soy sauce, and 2 lemons (cut into wedges for garnish).

After you collect the ingredients, place the rice noodles in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. When soft, drain, and set aside. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chicken, cabbage, carrots, and soy sauce. Cook until cabbage begins to soften. Toss in noodles, and cook until heated through, stirring constantly. Transfer the Pancit to a serving dish and garnish with quartered lemons. Enjoy!

Pancit. Photo courtesy of aJ Gazmen via Flickr Commons

Ready for the ultimate dessert? How about Espresso Oreo Balls? With just a couple of ingredients and no baking time, they can be yours. You will need the following ingredients: 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 pkg. original Oreos, 1/3 c. espresso ground coffee beans (very finely ground coffee beans), and 1 pkg. White Almond bark. The directions are very simple, crush the Oreos, mix them together with cream cheese and ground coffee until combined well. Melt the Almond bark (you may need to add coconut oil or Crisco to get it thin enough to coat). Form Oreo mixture into balls, coat with Almond bark, and let set for 1 hr on wax paper or saran wrap. Enjoy this delicious treat.

Espresso Oreo Balls. Photo courtesy of Mark via Flickr Commons

Quetzalli’s favorite treat (but, might as well be a meal) is her turkey stuffing (well, her mom’s recipe). All you need is 1 bag of 1-inch cubed sourdough bread, 2 Italian sausages, carrots that have been cut into 1 inch pieces, 6 stalks of celery that have been sliced into 1 inch pieces, 2 apples that have been cut into small pieces, pecans (amount is up to you), salt, 1 onion that has been cut and sliced into small cubes, 8 cups of chicken stock, margarine, and any condiments that you might want to add.

Place the Italian sausage in a pan and keep the stove on medium until the sausage is golden and cooked. With a tiny bit of margarine, add all the vegetables, but one at a time. When added with the sausage, make to sure to mix for a couple of minutes, and then add more. The, add the fruit and the nuts. At the very end, add the bread and the chicken stock. Add whatever seasonings you would like. You can eat it like that or add it to the turkey.

Turkey Stuffing. Photo courtesy of betty rocker via Flickr Commons

For other great ideas, be sure to checkout the holiday recipe cookbooks that the library has to offer. Be sure to also check out our Pinterest board for some new food treats for the holidays. What are your favorite holiday recipes? Share them with us in the comments below.