It’s that time of year again! The holidays are among us. You may be planning to spend them with family, and sometimes that may include travel. The stores are bustling and the weather has gotten cooler. You might follow family traditions and look forward to those family gatherings. It’s a time of giving and time well spent with loved ones.
Food that we eat during the season brings us together. It may have you reminiscing about years past and your childhood. Familiar flavors can transport you back in time. This month we asked our ElderHealth’s Primary Care Members to share their family favorite holiday recipes with you.
We hope you enjoy these shared holiday recipes, also check out some of holiday recipes from the ElderHealth team!
Mom’s Peach Yogurt Cake – Shared by Esther Goldman
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ C Flour
- 2 C Sugar
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 C Softened Butter or Margarine
- 3 Eggs
- 1 8oz Container Peach Yogurt
Instructions:
Blend together all ingredients; beat/mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 10” bundt or tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60-65 minutes. Top should be nicely browned. Enjoy!
Jell-O Brand Gelatin Cranberry Mold – Shared by Rodney & Janice Maerker
Ingredients:
- 1 3oz Jell-O Gelatin, Any Red Flavor
- 1 C Boiling Water
- ¾ C Canned Pineapple Juice
- 1 14oz Can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- 1 C Diced Apples
- ⅓ C Coarsely Chopped Nuts
Instructions:
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add pineapple juice and cranberries. Chill until slightly thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into 4 C mold or individual molds. Chill until firm. Unmold. Enjoy!
Yield: 3 ½ C or 10 relish servings
Note: Recipe may be doubled; use only 1 C canned pineapple juice.
Unmolding Tip: Run a wet knife around the edge of the mold, dip to the rim in warm water. Cover the mold with a wet plate, invert, and shake it out.
Holiday Sweet Potatoes – Shared by David & Nicolette Luery
Ingredients:
- 5-6 Medium Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Stick of Butter
- ½ C Brown Sugar
- Splash of Orange Juice
- Pinch of Salt
- Any additional spices you may like
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Scrub the sweet potatoes to clean them. Pierce the potatoes several times with a knife. Place a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and place in the oven (the amount of time required to bake the potatoes will vary based on their size; however, it usually takes about 45-60 minutes; what you’re looking for is for a knife to easily slide through the potato — but you want some tension in the center).
Cool the potatoes (you can do all of these steps the night before and park them in the fridge). Once the potatoes are cooled or the next morning, peel the potatoes with a paring knife. Slice the potatoes in 1/2-inch slices.
In a large pan, combine equal parts butter and brown sugar (1 stick butter : 1/2 cup brown sugar), add a splash of orange juice, a pinch of salt, and any spices you may like (I remember Nick adding cinnamon and nutmeg). Cook over medium heat until the butter and the brown sugar melts; you want a syrupy glaze. If it is too thick, you can thin it with water.
Add the sliced potatoes and cook until the potatoes have finished cooking (generally 15-20 minutes). Enjoy!
We would also like to highlight a few charities and drives that will be held this holiday season for you to consider participating in or donating to.
Consider participating in or donating to local food drives and charities in Tucson, Arizona:
Brittany Wagner, Practice Manager
I’ve worked in behavioral health, hospice, and palliative medicine for over seven years. In that time I found my passion supporting older adults and their caregivers during that critical time in their lives. At ElderHealth, everything is client-centered and I enjoy having relationships with our patients and their families.
