Holiday’s are filled with family fun and food. This holiday season is bringing you the recipes of some of Stan State students favorite holiday traditions and memories with their families during this time of year!

Sarah George (senior, Communications) shares her story of an fun and memorable tradition growing up.
 “When I was a kid my sister and I would leave carrots out for Santa’s Reindeer next to the cookies. One year my parents left boot prints in the fireplace to make it look like Santa actually came down the chimney,” said George.

George’s family always has prime rib at the dinner table for Christmas.  
 Ingrediants:

• 1 prime rib roast
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme 

Directions:

1. Place the roast in a roasting pan with the fatty side up. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast, and let the roast sit out until it is at room temperature, no longer than 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
3. Bake the roast for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue roasting for an additional 60 to 75 minutes. The internal temperature of the roast should be at 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) for medium rare.
4. Allow the roast to rest for 10 or 15 minutes before carving so the meat can retain its juices.

Tristan Rodenborn (junior, Business) discussed an Italian recipe.  

“My family makes cioppino every New Year’s day. It’s an Italian tomato based soup with a bunch of different fish,” said Rodenborn.

Rodenborn’s favorite memories is when his family watches It’s a Wonderful Life on christmas eve. He reminisced that it was is favorite thing about the holidays and that he couldn’t sleep on christmas eve when he was a kid.  

Ingrediants:

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 2/3 cup finely chopped shallots, from about 3 shallots

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, etc.

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 2 (8 oz) bottles clam juice

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 7 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

• 1-1/2 pounds firm-fleshed fish fillets, such as halibut, cod, salmon, snapper, etc., cut into 2-inch pieces

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1-1/2 pounds (about 18) littleneck clams, scrubbed

• 1-1/2 pounds extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

• Fresh chopped Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Do not brown.

3. Add the wine and increase the heat to high. Boil until the wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes, clam juice, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme sprigs, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, while the stew is simmering, toss the fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

6. When the stew is done simmering, remove and discard the thyme sprigs and stir in the butter. Add the clams and bring the stew back to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, until the clams have mostly opened. Gently stir in the shrimp and bring the stew back to a simmer; cover and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through and the clams are completely opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Add the chopped thyme, then taste the stew and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Amber Shortlidge (junior, Liberal Studies) discussed a  Portuguese recipe. 

“Every year my family makes malasadas, they are a deep-fried Portuguese donut and they are a very popular dish in Hawaii,” says Shortlidge.  

“I just always remember my mom and my grandma in the kitchen making food, and they especially made malasadas around Easter and Christmas,” she added. 
 Ingredients:

• 6 Cups Flour
• 5 Beaten Eggs
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 pkg. yeast
• 1 potato (cooked and mashed)
• 1 cup sug
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. 1. Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar in 1/3 warm water.
2.  Let yeast mixture stand while mixing flour, rest of sugar, and salt together with the milk, the rest of the water, and the potato.
3. Add butter, beaten eggs, and yeast mixture.
4. 4.Mix all ingredients together, also add vanilla extract, cover and let rise for about two hours.
5. *You can also make the batter the night before and let rise overnight.
6. Drop by tablespoons into deep fryer (400 degrees) and fry until lightly browned on all sides.
7. Roll in sugar while still warm.
8. ENJOY!

Danielle Martinez’s (junior, Criminal Justice,) family tradition is to make tamales every year.  Along with the tamales she enjoys family time since she is at school for the majority of the year.

“Since I am away at college for the majority of the year, going home every holiday break is something special for my family and I. My Mom and I love going up to the snow, making homemade cookies, and staying in to watch movies on the Hallmark Channel,”  Martinez said.  
 Ingrediants:

• 1 1/4 pounds pork loin
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 dried California chile pods
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup lard
• 1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
2. Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
3. Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
4. Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
5. Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.