10 Hatchbuck Family Food Recipes to Get You In The Holiday Spirit

When the holiday season rolls around, I get so, so excited. The joy of getting together with family and friends to share in each other’s presence, laugh (loudly), catch up, and of course, eat wonderful and delicious food is something that makes this time of year extremely special. 

Good food and tradition often go hand-in-hand. Nothing compares to grandma’s pasta or mom’s gingerbread house. And who could forget the staples, like your aunt’s turkey and your dad’s eggnog? Whatever that traditional holiday dish, drink, or meal is for you, we hope this year it’s just as good as you remembered it and that it finds you and yours healthy and happy. 

A few of us at Hatchbuck wanted to share some of our favorite family holiday recipes, from pies and cookies to cocktails and entrées. Feel free to try any of these with your family and friends this year to create new traditions and memories.

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Hatchbucker: Jessica Lunk

“I love this recipe because you can use whatever meat or veggies you have to make something super yummy and filling!”

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cooked chicken breast (or substitute your favorite protein)
• Olive Oil
• Chopped or Frozen Veggies. I like Onion, Celery, Carrots, Peas.
• 1 can of condensed cream soup. I like the cream of celery.
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix.

Instructions:

1. Make the cornbread mix and follow the cornbread mix instructions to preheat the oven
2. Saute veggies in olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet
3. Add cooked chicken
4. Add cream of soup
5. Pour cornbread mix on top
6. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake according to the cornbread mix instructions

Holiday Mashed Potatoes

Hatchbucker: Tricia O’Donnell Coombs 

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds (12 medium) peeled, cooked potatoes 
• One package (8 ounces) cream cheese 
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup butter 
• Two eggs slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 tsp salt 
• Dash of pepper

Instructions: 

1. Mash potatoes in a large mixing bowl with lumps removed.  
2. Add cheese and butter in small pieces. Mix well. Add in sour cream while mixing. 
3. Add milk to eggs and beat slightly. Add to bowl with salt and pepper and beat until blended. 
4. Place in a greased casserole dish and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Poppy Seed Bread

Hatchbucker: Erin Posey

“My mom cooks about 200 loaves every Christmas and delivers them all over the place. Every doctor, dentist, church worker, my dad’s employees, my coworkers, the mailman, etc. get one. People look so forward to this every year!”

Ingredients:

Bread:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• One ¼ tsp baking powder
• Three eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 1/8 cups oil
• 1 ½ tsp poppy seeds
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 ½ tsp of each: vanilla, butter flavor, almond extract

Glaze:

• ¾ cup of sugar
• ¼ cups orange juice
• ½ tsp each: vanilla, butter, almond
• Heat glaze over low heat until sugar is solved. Do not boil. Poke a few small holes in bread and pour over while the bread is hot. 

Instructions: 

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder
2. Add the eggs, milk, oil, poppy seeds, sugar, vanilla, butter flavor, and almond extract
3. Bake in a loaf pan, full half full – 45 min at 350
4. Mix the glaze ingredients in a saucepan
5. Heat glaze over low heat until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. 
6. Poke a few small holes in the bread and pour over while the bread is hot. 

Layered Salad

Hatchbucker: Erin Posey

“One of those gross but really yummy holiday traditions.”

Ingredients:

• Head of lettuce
• 1 head of cauliflower 
• 1 bag of frozen peas
• Green onion
• Mayo (not Miracle Whip)
• Package of Italian seasoning
• Bacon bits (Bacos work best)
• Grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Chop the lettuce, cauliflower, and green onions
2. In a large bowl, layer the following, in even layers and this order: 
   1. Lettuce, cauliflower, frozen peas, and green onions.
   2. Add a thick layer of the mayo, the package of Italian seasoning, bacon bits, and grated parmesan cheese.
3. Let it sit overnight, then stir together completely right before serving.

Cheesecake Pie

Hatchbucker: Erin Posey

“ This is an old family recipe from my husband’s great-grandma.”

Ingredients:

Pie filling:

• 2 – 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup of sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Juice of ½ lemon – no seeds
• Pie crust

Topping:

• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Juice of ½ lemon – no seeds

Instructions:

1. Add all the pie filling ingredients into a bowl and mix. 
2. Put the pie crust in a pie baking pan, then add the filling.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow it to cool for 20 min.
4. Mix together the topping ingredients. Pour on top and bake for another 10 min.
5. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving, preferably overnight.

Granny’s Southern Pecan Pie

Hatchbucker: Lindsey Stroud

“This is my grandmother’s recipe, she lives in Louisiana.”

Ingredients:

Pie Filling:

• 3 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Karo Syrup (light corn syrup)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of Chopped Pecans
• Pinch of Salt

Pie Crust:

*Makes two 2 nine 9 inch crusts.

• 2 Cups of All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
• 3/4 Cup of Crisco
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 tsp Sugar
• 9-10 tbsp Ice Cold Water

Instructions: 

1. Blend all the pie filling ingredients together in a large bowl, except for the pecans.
2. Once the ingredients are well-blended, stir in pecans and then pour into a 9-inch pie pan.
3. Bake at 350 for about 50-55 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
4. For the crust, mix all the pie crust ingredients thoroughly and dived into 2 balls. 
5. Roll on a floured surface until desired thickness.
6. Place rolled dough into pie pan and shape. Prick dough with a form around the sides and bottom.

Monster Cookies

Hatchbucker: Katie Culp

“They are so ridiculous and take my mom an entire day to make!”

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 2 pounds brown sugar
• 4 cups white sugar
• ¼ cup vanilla
• 1 pound margarine
• 3 pounds peanut butter
• 1 pound each of M&Ms, pecans, and chocolate chips
• 18 cups oatmeal
• 8 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

1. Cream margarine and sugars.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla, and remaining ingredients
3. Mix with your hands
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Yiayia’s Dolmathes 

Hatchbucker: Allie Wolff

“Dolmathes are my favorite thing ever, and the lemon sauce that my yiayia puts on them is mind-blowing.”

Ingredients:

Dolmathes:

• Sliced onion
• ½ stick butter 
• 1-8 oz. jar grape leaves 
• 1 lb. hamburger meat
• ⅓ lb. pork sausage
• 1 medium dry, diced yellow onion
• 2 tsp dill or 3 tsp dried and crumbled mint leaves
• ½ cup of uncooked rice
• Salt and pepper

Lemon Sauce:

• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ lemon

Instructions:

Dolmathes:

1. Add grape leaves to a pot of boiling water.
2. Let boil for about 2 minutes, then drain.
3. In a large pot, place ⅓ cup water, sliced onions, salt, and pepper and simmer until liquid is gone.
4. Add ½ stick of butter and saute onion until golden.
5. Add 2 cups of water and simmer for five minutes. 
6. Add more salt as needed and turn off the heat.
7. Mix together the hamburger, pork sausage, diced yellow onion, salt, pepper, dill or crumbled mint leaves, uncooked rice, and ⅓ cup of water. 
8. Spread the drained leaves out on a cutting board, vine side up and smooth side down.
9. Add a tbsp of the meat mixture to each leaf. 
10. Wrap each leaf very tightly (sides first, then roll into a fat cigar size).
11. Place the dolmas in a pot on liquid and cover.
12. Let cook for 40 minutes. 

Lemon Sauce:

1. Separate the three eggs and beat the egg whites till stiff.
2. Add yolks and the juice of 1 ½ lemon.
3. Add some liquid from pot until the bowl is warm. 
4. Pour lemon sauce into the large pot over dolmas.

Sweetheart Cookies

Hatchbucker: Natalie Slyman

“Every year my mom and I make a big batch of various kinds of cookies for the holidays. These are my favorite ones.”

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sweet butter
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 egg yolk
• Jam or preserves of your choice (I love raspberry)
• Powdered sugar

Instructions: 

1. Mix all ingredients together in order listed, kneading in the flour.
2. Chill dough several hours.
3. Form tiny balls and place them in greased tins.
4. Make a thumbprint in the center and fill with jam 
5. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are very light brown, approximately 12 – 15 minutes. 
6. Let completely cool, then top with powdered sugar. 

Dad’s Bloody Mary

Hatchbucker: Natalie Slyman

“My dad loves Bloody Mary’s, so every Christmas morning, he makes one for me, and it’s delicious.”

Ingredients:

• Tito’s Vodka
• Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix
• Tobasco sauce
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Garnishes:

• Salt for rim of glass
• Lemon
• Lime
• Cheese stuffed green olives
• Celery
• Bacon
• Peppers
• Pickle spears

Instructions:

1. Mix together the vodka, bloody mary mix, Tobasco sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a cocktail mixer. Shake well. 
2. Pour over ice.
3. Select garnishes of your choice.
4. Enjoy! 

Happy holidays from all of us at Hatchbuck!