by Riley Sandoval ‘22

The holiday season is a great time to come together with some tasty food and baked goods. Here are some of Sherwood teachers’ favorite holiday recipes! 

Culinary teacher Lisa Gilbert’s favorite holiday recipe is for golden pecan tassies. For Gilbert, the holidays were filled with baking holiday cookies, including these tassies that her mom would only make around Christmas time. “The creamy crust, the sweet pecans that have been toasted in mama’s oven and that sweet filling that is just like a pecan pie” are all reasons the cookie is her favorite. 

Golden Pecan Tassies

Cut in:

6 ounces cream cheese

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup margarine

Chill for 20-30 minutes. Divide int

o 48 small balls. Place in miniature (1 ¾ x ¾ inch) muffin tins. Press into the shape of tin with your fingers.

Mix:

1 ½-2 cups chopped pecans

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Spoon into unbaked shells. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

 

Science teacher Gina Martin’s favorite holiday recipe is cranberry sauce. “I love it and my son and I make it ALL of the time and eat it with every meal (maybe not breakfast!). My husband and teenage daughter don’t like it as much so it’s a special food I share with my teenage son,” said Martin. 

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

boil

add a bag of cranberries 

simmer for 10 minutes

cool (or not) and EAT IT ALL!!!

 

Social Studies teacher Rebecca Taylor’s favorite holiday recipe is a wild mushroom tart in a puff pastry. Her sister-in-law first made the vegetarian dish when Taylor returned from the Peace Corps in 2002. This dish is now a tradition in Taylor’s family that even her kids and nieces look forward to each holiday season.

Wild Mushroom Tart in Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 medium tomato, seeded and very finely chopped

12 ounces cultivated mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly slices (about 4 ½ cups)

4 ounces wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, cépes, or porcini), stems discarded, wiped clean, and thinly sliced (If you cannot get wild mushrooms, substitute with 4 ounces of cultivated mushrooms)

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

A few dashes of cayenne pepper

⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 large eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 sheet (about ½ pound) frozen store-bought puff pastry

Directions:

-Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and saute for five minutes. Add the tomato and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the mushrooms, thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and most of the juices have evaporated (about seven minutes). Stir in the wine and cook for five more minutes, or until it is mostly evaporated.

-Scrape the mushroom mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Beat one of the eggs, and stir in, then mix in the cream, parsley, salt, and pepper. (Up until this point the recipe can be made up to 24 hours in advance, and chilled in the refrigerator. Make sure to let the mixture come back to room temperature before going to the next step).

-To prepare the puff pastry, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat ov

en to 400℉. Gently unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into an 11×14 inch rectangle. Cut a one-inch wide strip from each side of the rectangle to make four strips. Place the rectangle on an ungreased baking sheet. Beat the remaining egg with one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash evenly over the rectangle. Place the strips along the edges of the rectangle to form walls, trimming as necessary. Brush the strips with some egg wash. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork.

-Bake the crust for seven minutes. Remove from the oven and gently prick the bottom of the crust again to deflate it. Let cool and reduce the oven temperature to 350℉.

-Spoon the mushroom mixture into the tart shell. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set. Let cool for five minutes before cutting.

 

Spanish teacher Tanya Aguilar’s favorite holiday recipe is for Puerto Rican Pasteles. Aguilar remembers going shopping with her mom for the ingredients, and all of her siblings coming together to help make the pasteles. “There was some complaining from us kids, but mostly it was teamwork, family bonding and a celebration of our Puerto Rican heritage. I continue this tradition with my own family today,” said Aguilar. 

Puerto Rican Pasteles

 

Pasteles de Guineo

Ingredients:

– 8-10 green bananas

– 2 green plantains 

– 1 small butternut squash

– 1 potato 

– 4 tablespoons sofrito

– 2 packets of sazon

– 1/2 cup Annatto Oil 

– 4 tablespoons adobo

– 2 pounds of corned beef, shredded chicken, ground beef, or pork

– 4 ounces of tomato sauce

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– olives 

Preparation:

-Cut the ends off and peel the green bananas. Grate the bananas to make a puree. Season the puree with two tablespoons of sofrito, one packet of sazon, two tablespoons of adobo and annatto oil.

-To make the filling, heat olive oil. Add two tablespoons of sofrito and tomato sauce. Add meat, season with two tablespoons adobo, one packet of sazon and olives simmer for about one hour.

-Clean and heat banana leaves so they get soft and foldable. (Place them on top of the stove for a couple of seconds)

-Place a piece of parchment paper on the table then place a piece of banana leaf on top. 

*if parchment paper is too difficult for you Place plantain leave on aluminum paper square

-Spread a small amount of the liquid from the meat on top of the banana leaf. Then add a small amount of puree and spread thin. Add meat without liquid in the middle.

-Fold in half and seal the top, fold in half again and fold the edges. Tie with cooking string.

-Boil the pasteles with the wrapper for 30-45 min.

-Remove from the wrapper and banana leaf to serve.

Pasteles de Yuca

Ingredients:

– 5-6 yucas

– 1/2 cup Annatto Oil

– 2 tbsp Abodo

– 1 tbsp Garlic Powder

– 2 lb of corned beef, shredded chicken, ground beef, or pork

– 1 tsp oregano

– 2 tsp of adobo

– 1 packet of Sazon

– 2 tbsp of sofrito

– 3 cloves of garlic (minced)

– Sprigs of cilantro

– 1/2 cup Chicken broth

– 1 dozen of bananas leaves in small pieces

Preparation:

-To make the filling, heat olive oil. Add two tablespoons of sofrito and tomato sauce. Add pork, season with two tablespoons adobo, one packet of sazon and olives simmer for about one hour. 

-Cut the ends off the yuca and peel carefully.

-Grate the yuca into a puree (You can use a food processor to make puree but I prefer the texture when grated by hand) 

-Once all is grated, strain the puree to remove the excess liquid. (If it has too much liquid your empanadas will not have great texture after cooking)

-In a bowl, season the puree with Adobo, Annatto Oil, Garlic powder and about 1/4 cup of the liquid from the meat. 

-Clean and heat banana leaves so they get soft and foldable. (Place them on top of the stove for a couple of seconds)

-Place a piece of parchment paper on the table then place a piece of banana leaf on top. 

-Spread a small amount of the liquid from the meat on top of the banana leaf. Then add a small amount of puree and spread thin. Add meat without liquid in the middle.

-Fold in half and seal the top, fold in half again and fold the edges. Tie with cooking string. 

-Boil the pasteles with the wrapper for 30-45 min.

-Remove from the wrapper and banana leaf to serve.

 

English teacher Ashley Graham-Bell’s favorite holiday dish is a Caramelized Sweet Potato, Garlic, and Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese. Graham-Bell’s best friend made her the dish the first time she came over for dinner 20 years ago. “I guess I love making it during the holidays because it is a posh version of comfort food, but more importantly, I think of my friend every time I make it,” said Graham-Bell.

Caramelized Sweet Potato, Garlic, and Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

10 clove garlic

1 large orange sweet potato

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces cavatappi pasta

4 tablespoon Tillamook unsalted butter

4 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

3 cups half-and-half

2 cups Tillamook Italian Blend Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella, Parmesan & Smoked Provolone)

3/4 cup Asiago cheese

1 and 1/2 tablespoon Fresh rosemary leaves

2 clove garlic

1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs from rustic Italian bread

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a two-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

-Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add garlic and cook for two minutes; remove cloves and place in ice water. When cloves have cooled, use a garlic press to press blanched cloves; set aside.

-Bring water back to a boil and add sweet potato slices and cook for five minutes or until tender; drain. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add sweet potatoes and cook, flipping occasionally, until they develop a caramelized crust (about five minutes). Dice sweet potatoes. Set aside.

-Meanwhile, bring another large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

-In a large pot over low heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Increase heat to medium, add in salt and pepper, and, with a wire whisk, gradually add half-and-half. Bring to a boil while continuously stirring. Reduce heat, and then simmer for one minute. Stir 1 3/4 cup Tillamook Italian Blend Shredded Cheese and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese until melted and smooth. Add blanched pressed garlic, diced sweet potatoes, rosemary, minced garlic, and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. Pour into a greased casserole dish.

-To make topping, combine remaining tablespoon olive oil, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Tillamook Italian Blend Shredded Cheese, and 1/4 cup Asiago cheese in a small mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Sprinkle on top of pasta.

-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and topping golden brown. Serve.

 

Math teacher Deborah Hiltner’s favorite holiday recipe is for frosted sugar cookies. She enjoys making them every year. 

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup butter (one stick)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 and ¾ cups of flour (or slightly more)

Directions:

Cream butter in a large bowl; add sugar, then the egg, and beat well. Dissolve soda in buttermilk and add to batter. Add remaining ingredients. Dough will begin to stiff before the last of the flour is added, so this may be worked into dough on board. Roll out dough and cut out with cookie cutters. Bake in a 325 degree oven for seven to ten minutes. When cool frost with icing. 

Ornamental frosting:

Cream two tablespoons of butter. Blend in two cups of confectioners’ sugar, mixing well. Add two to four tablespoons of cream, a little at a time, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Blend until the frosting is a good consistency to force through a decorating tube. Divide into small bowls; tint different colors by adding food coloring a drop at a time. Can be spread with a knife rather than using a tube.

You can also frost with a glaze made by mixing one cup of confectioners’ sugar, and two tablespoons of water.