That time of year is just around the corner. Needing food suggestions? Below are recipes for dishes brought to our most recent WorkIT event, Friendsgiving. If you need some holiday food suggestions here are some recipes provided by members, for members. Let us know how you like them!

Rebecca’s Au Gratin Potatoes
Cheesy thin sliced potatoes cooked to golden brown perfection.

Ingredients:
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced, not peeled
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
16 oz package of grated sharp cheddar
4 oz shredded Parmesan

Preheat. Set oven to 375.

Prepare potatoes. Thinly slice potatoes and spread half in a baking dish.

Add liquid. Add broth to milk in a large measuring cup with a spout to pour liquid. 

Cook onions and garlic. Cook both ingredients on medium heat for 5 minutes in a lightly oiled pan.

Make a roux. Melt the butter in a separate pan and cook over medium heat. Then stir in flour with a whisk gradually till blended. Turn heat to medium-high and add in milk/broth slowly while whisking to make a roux. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thick, then add in half the cheddar cheese. Stir until fully melted/blended over low heat. Add onions and garlic, then mix till well blended.

Spread. Evenly distribute some of the cheddar cheese on the layer of potatoes and sprinkle some Parmesan as well. Save some for the remaining layers.

Pour. Use half the sauce to cover the first layer of potatoes and spread evenly. Add the second layer of potatoes and the remaining cheese. Pour the rest of the sauce over the casserole.

Bake. Place in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. If the top gets brown too soon and the potatoes are not tender, cover with foil till done.

Wade’s Sweet Potatoes
A Sweet Potato Casserole topped with a soft marshmallow topping!

Ingredients:
5 large sweet potatoes
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1+ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows

Peel. Removed potato skins.

Boil. Cook until soft.

Transfer and mix. Place the potatoes into a mixing bowl. Then add brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, eggs, and melted butter. Mix until well blended. Transfer to a large greased baking dish.

Bake. 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. 

Add Marshmallows. Remove from the oven and sprinkle mini marshmallows on top. Return to oven for 10 minutes.

Let cool. Leave to cool for 20 minutes.
 

Rachel’s Buttery Garlic Potatoes
Potatoes, Butter, and Garlic combined to create a savory and filling dish.

Ingredients:
5 pounds of potatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup of sour cream
Salt and Pepper

Peel. the potatoes and garlic cloves. Cut into 1-inch pieces

Boil. both ingredients with the water 2 inches above the potatoes and garlic. 

Drain. and return to the pot.

Add. 1 stick of butter, 1/3 cup of sour cream, and splashes of milk as needed and mash. Season with salt and pepper.

Rachel’s Dinner Rolls
1-Hour Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls made by hand or with a stand mixer. 

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon active dry yeast*
3 1/2 to 4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
extra melted butter, for brushing on top

Prep your oven and baking dish. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Grease a baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.

Heat the liquids. In a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Stir together the water and melted butter, then add in the milk and honey and stir until combined. It will be warm but not hot to the touch. 

Add yeast. Pour the liquid mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast evenly on top, give it a quick stir with a fork to combine, and let the yeast activate for 5 minutes until it is foamy.

Add dry ingredients. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour (not all of the flour) and the salt.

Mix. Use the dough hook (if using a mixer) to mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until combined.  If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add 1/4 cup more flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch.  (Only use up to 4 cups of flour in total.)  Continue mixing on low speed for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth.  Then form the dough into a ball with your hands and transfer it to a greased bowl.

Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or paper towel, and let it rise briefly for 15 minutes.

Form the rolls.  Gently punch the dough down and divide it into 15 equal-sized pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place the dough balls in the greased baking dish.  Cover the dish again with a damp towel or paper towel and let the dough balls rise for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Bake. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and cooked through.

Brush with more butter. Transfer the baking dish to a wire cooling rack and brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter.

Serve warm. Then serve warm and enjoy!

Lisa’s Grilled Apple Tossed Salad
A refreshing salad with a number of fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup white or regular balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
2 large apples, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dressing. Whisk together the first 8 ingredients. This includes all liquids and seasonings. In a bowl, toss apples with 1/4 cup of dressing. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Cook apples. Place apple slices on a grill rack over medium heat; set aside the remainder of the marinade left in the bowl. Grill apples, covered, until tender and lightly browned. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with marinade.

Serve. Toss the greens with the remaining dressing. Top with grilled apples, walnuts, and cheese.

Beth's Easy Roasted Potatoes
These yummy cubed potatoes always turn out great!

Ingredients:
Several large potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Italian seasoning
Steak seasoning

Preheat. Set oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare potatoes. Peel and cut potatoes into small cubes. Toss cubed potatoes in olive oil and seasonings.

Bake. Place potatoes in a baking dish and bake until done

Stay safe, and happy holidays!

We hope you enjoy our food suggestions. Just our way of showing thanks from WorkIT to you, a valued newsletter subscriber.