azcentral Food for Reel: Your holiday comfort food recipes (2024)

The Food & Dining team at azcentral.com has received the following recipe submissions for our holiday project, azcentralFood for Reel.

What's Food for Reel?

It’s our version of a holiday gift exchange!We take youreasy, holiday comfort-food recipes and feature them on ourPinterest page. Does your recipe already liveon Pinterest? We'll pin it.Not on Pinterest?No problem.We'll create a pin for you. You can submit more than one recipe, too.Throughout the holidays,we will pickour favorite recipesand turn them into fun cookingvideos like the one you see above. Submit your comfort-food recipes atfoodforreel.azcentral.com.

Check out recipes that have been submitted:

5 minute apricot appetizers

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company(Inspired by Mm Good)

Type:Appetizer

Servings:18-24

Active cooking time:5 minutes

Total cooking time:5minutes

Ingredients

• 12.2 ounces driedapricots
• 1/4 cup blue cheese
• 12.2 ounces roasted,salted pecan halves
• Honey

Preparation

1. Place apricots on a plate or serving platter
2. Spread 1/2 to 1 teaspoonblue cheese on each.
3. Place one pecan half on top and drizzle with honey.
4. Eat at room temperature (recommended).
5. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, recipe submitter recommends goat cheese or your favorite soft or spreadable cheese like brie.
6. Pecans can be switched for walnuts for an equally delicious appetizer.

Bacon-wrapped stuffed dates

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company(Inspired by Simple Girl at Home)

Type:Appetizer

Servings:18

Active cooking time:20 minutes

Total cooking time:55 minutes

Ingredients

• 9 slicesbacon, cut in half
• 12.2 ouncesmedium Medjool dates
• 2 ouncesgoat cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup roasted,salted pecan halves, chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Toothpicks

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut dates lengthwise to remove pits and set aside.
3. Place bacon on a sheet pan and bake for about 5 minutes, or until about half way done and remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
4. In a small bowl, mix goat cheese, honey and chopped pecans, then spoon 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of filling into each date.
5. Wrap one half-slice of bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick and place on the rack of a broiling pan.
6. Combine soy sauce and brown sugar and brush onto bacon wrapped dates.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the dates and brush again with soy sauce mixture.
8. Bake for another 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy.
9. Can be eaten warm or at room temperature.

Baked cheesy chicken kiev

Recipe by:Jack Schwarz

Type:Entree

Servings:6

Active cooking time:60 minutes

Total cooking time: 75minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 cup melted butter
• 3 large chicken breasts, halved (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 white wine or apple juice
• 1/4 chopped green onion or parsley garnish

Preparation

1. Preheatoven to 375 degrees.
2. Combinebread crumbs, cheese, garlic powder and thyme.
3. Thoroughly coatchicken inmelted butter.
4. Sprinklecrumb mixture over chicken.
5. Bake for 50 minutes.
6. Pour white wine or applejuice over chicken and bake another 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with green onions or parsley.

Caramel apple grapes

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company(Inspired by Belly Full)

Type:Appetizer

Servings:24

Active cooking time:20 minutes

Total cooking time:20 minutes

Ingredients

• Seedless green grapes
• 20 wrapped caramels (1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 12.2 ounces granulated diced, roasted peanuts
• Toothpicks

Preparation

1. Wash and dry grapes, then poke toothpicks into one end.
2. In a small saucepan, melt caramels into heavy cream over medium-low heat. Stir until just combined and keep warm.
3. Dip the grapes into the caramel and then roll into the peanuts.
4. Place on parchment paper while caramel sets, then transfer to a serving tray.
5. Just like caramel apples,topping combinations are endless. The recipe submitter chose to a simple combination of salty and sweet caramel and peanuts but feel free to make your own creations.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Recipe by:Lena Vance

Type:Dessert

Servings:10-12

Active cooking time:60 minutes

Total cooking time:40 minutes

Cake ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 cup raisins
• 1-1/2 cupschopped walnuts
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Cream cheese frosting ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream to adjust consistency of frosting, if necessary

Preparation

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Lightly grease two 9-inchround layer pans, or one 9-by-13-inchpan.
3. Beat together the oil, sugar, salt, eggs, and spices.
4. Mix the flour with the baking soda, and stir in.
5. Add the carrots, raisins, pineapple, coconut flakes and nuts, and mix until just blended.
6. Pour into the prepared pan(s).
7. Bake the cake(s) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Allow the cake(s) to cool completely before frosting. (If you're using round layer pans, remove the layers from the pans after about 15 minutes, and place them on a rack to cool.)

Frosting:

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
2. Add the salt and vanilla.
3. Beat in the sugar.
4. Add a teaspoon of milk or cream if the frosting is too stiff to spread; add additional sugar if it's too thin.
5. Garnish with extra walnut pieces.

Cheesy potato casserole

Recipe by:Charlotte Shaff

Type:Side dish

Servings:12

Active cooking time:5 minutes

Total cooking time:1 hour

Ingredients

• One 30 ounce bag of shredded hashbrowns (country or with onions/peppers)
• One cancream of chicken condensed soup
• One can cream of mushroom condensed soup
• 16 ounce container of sour cream
• 8 ouncesfinely shredded Cheddar cheese
• A few pats of butter
• Ground pepper
• A small bag of Cheddar and sour cream Ruffles potato chips

Preparation

1. Take the bag of hashbrowns out of the freezer at least one hour prior to preparing this dish.
2. Empty hashbrowns, both cans of soup andsour cream in a baking dish and mix well.
3. Take one handful of shredded cheese and mix it in.
4. Put a couple pats of butter on top of the mixture and then put the rest of the cheese on top.
5. Sprinkle ground pepper over concoction.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven at 350 degreesfor 1hour.
7. Take the aluminum foil off, crush the potato chips and sprinkle over the top of the casserole and put back in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until chips start to get a little brown.
8. Remove from oven and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Thibedeaux

Recipe by:Steve Freidkin

Type:Chicken Thibedeaux

Servings:4

Active cooking time:30 minutes

Total cooking time:40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2cup onion, julienned
• 1-1/2 teaspoons bacon drippings
• 2 slicesbacon,diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 cupcorn,frozen and cut
• 1cupcanned tomatoes, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper,ground fine
• 1/4 teaspoonthyme,whole
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1dash hot pepper sauce,(Louisiana recommended)
• 1/2cup tomato juice
• 1pound cut okra, deslimed
• 1/2cup chicken stock
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Preparation

1. Brown bacon in grease.
2. Add onion and cook till limp.
3. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, corn and seasonings and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
5. De-slime okra by frying in oil until slightly brown.
6. Add okra, tomato juice and stock and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Lightly season chicken with salt and black pepper and dust with flour.
8. Brown chicken on both sides in oil on medium high heat.
9. Add to okra mix and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
10. Serve over cooked white rice.

Corn pudding souffle

Recipe by: James Secula

Type:Side dish

Servings:6-8

Active cooking time:5 minutes

Total cooking time:45-60 minutes until set and golden brown

Ingredients

• 3 cans of corn, drained
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a 2-quart casserole sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until golden brown.

Crab wontons

Recipe by:Danielle Arcadi

Type:Appetizer

Servings:8

Active cooking time:10 minutes

Total cooking time:3-5 minutesfrying time

Ingredients

• 6 oz. imitation crabmeat diced
• 4 ounces(1/2 of an 8-ouncepackage) Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cupmatchstick carrots
• 1/4 cupdiced celery
• 1/4 cup light orreduced-fat mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package wonton wrappers
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Plum sauce for dipping
• bowl of water to seal wontons

Preparation

1. Mixfirst seven ingredients.
2. Put about one teaspoon filling in the center of wonton skin.
3. Use your finger and apply water on the edges of the wonton.
4. Fold wonton in half diagonally and seal edges with fingers.
5. Deep fry until golden brown.
6. Serve with plum sauce for dipping.
7. Add additional green onions for garnish.
8. Filling makes about 20 crab wontons.

Festive holiday salad

Recipe by:Casey Hamm

Type:Entree/salad

Servings:6

Active cooking time:20 minutes

Total cooking time: 35minutes

Ingredients

• 2 headsromaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 headkale, finely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, finely chopped and cooked
• 1 can of chickpeas, washed, drained, and cooked with garlic and paprika
• 3 medium beets, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/3 cuporganic olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoonDijon mustard
• Dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Preparation

1. Sautechickpeas in paprika and garlic for 5-10 minutesuntil crisp.
2. Sautesweet potato in paprika and garlic for 20 minutes, until crisp.
3. Chop and mix all ingredients together.
4. Mix dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl.
5. Top salad with dressing.

Fig & walnut bruschetta

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company (inspired by Garnish with Lemon)

Type:Appetizer

Servings: 24

Active cooking time: 30 minutes

Total cooking time: 45minutes

Ingredients

• 12.2 ounces figs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped orange segments
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 French baguette
• 6 ouncesgoat cheese
• 1/4 cup walnut halves and pieces, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and slice baguette into 1/4-inch slices.
2. When oven is ready, toast sliced bread for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3. Place figs, brown sugar, orange segments, orange zest, orange juice, rosemary and black pepper in a small saucepan, stir and bring to a boil.
4. Cover pan and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. In a small bowl, mix goat cheese, walnuts and honey and stir until combined. Spread about 1 tablespoon onto each piece of sliced bread and top with fig mixture.
6. Serve as is, or —if you’d likea warm canape — broil for 1-2 minutes.

Mini cheese balls

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company (inspired by Five Heart Home)

Type:Appetizer

Servings:24

Active cooking time:30 minutes

Total cooking time:2 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ouncescream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ouncesblue cheese
• 3/4 cup cranberries, dried andfinely chopped
• 3/4 cup roasted, salted pecan halves, chopped
• 3/4 cup pecan praline halves,chopped
• Pretzel sticks

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and blue cheese.
2. Roll into about 24 tablespoon-sizeballs,cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until firm.
3. Combine cranberries, roasted and salted pecan halves, and pecan praline halves until evenly mixed.
4. Roll chilled cheese balls into the nut and cranberry mixture and top with a pretzel stick just before serving.

Tips:

1. Dampen your hands before rolling the cheese mixture to keep it from sticking to your hands.
2. Do not insert the pretzel sticks until just before serving to keep them from getting soft.
3. Cheese balls come inmany varieties.Mix up the recipe by tryingyour favorite recipe.

Forking awesome ricotta gnocchi

Recipe by:Laura Albanese

Type:Appetizer

Servings:Around 7

Active cooking time:30 min.

Total cooking time:1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 cups ricotta cheese - preferably home made
• 1 extra large egg,beaten
• 1 cup Parmigiana Reggiano,shredded
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Fresh nutmeg,a few grates
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher saltto add to boiling water
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to coat and season gnocchi coming out of water

Preparation

1. In a large bowl combine ricotta, egg, Parmigiana Reggiano, flour, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. white pepper and mix well with a spoon.
2. Put on a pot of water to boil with a Tablespoon of kosher salt. Tie a kitchen string to one end of the pot for cutting the gnocchi. being careful to avoid you burner or flame.
3. Do one tester gnocchi. pinch off a small piece of dough and place it in the boiling water. In about a minute it should float. It should be light like a pillow but holds together. If you want it firmer you can add in more flour but the best gnocchi use as little flour as possible. I note that flour is ground slightly different. Usually the more expensive brands you use slightly less.
4. Get a disposable pastry bag and cut a half inch off the top and fold the ends of bag down so you can spoon in the dough. Spoon the dough about half way. Once the dough is spooned in then twist the end of the bag so the dough stays in and you can easily push it out.
5. Into the boiling water with your 1/2 way filled pastry bag apply pressure to the end of the bag and squirt out about 3/4 of an inch of dough and use the string to cut off the dough. Once your bag is empty your gnocchi will be floating soon. Using a slotted spoon, lift them out,placein a large clean bowl and sprinkle with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Repeat untildone with dough.
6. Serve with a thin coating of your favorite tomato sauce and add a little more shredded cheese.

Editor's note: Submitter recommends making your own ricotta cheese.

Forking easy and delicious lime water ice

Recipe by:Laura Albanese

Type:Dessert

Servings: 6

Active cooking time:10 minutes

Total cooking time:About a day (at least 17 hours)

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice from Persian limes and all the zest. Be careful not to grate the white in the rind; itis bitter. The zest will add flavor and sweetness.
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cup water

Preparation

1. In a medium-sizefry pan, addsugar and water and cook on medium heat,boiling until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and add the lime juice and zest.
3. Leave on the counter till it cools down and then place in a clean container in the freezer.
4. After 6-7 hours, fluff with a fork.
5. After another 2 hours, fluff again with a fork.
6. After another 9 hours, fluff again with a fork.
7. Freeze about half a day or overnight.
8. It's very refreshing, light and not too sweet.

Pecan praline sandwiches

Recipe by:Lehi Valley Trading Company (inspired by Z Tasty Life)

Type:Appetizer

Servings: 18

Active cooking time:10 minutes

Total cooking time:10 minutes

Ingredients

• 12.2 ounces pecan praline halves
• 4 ouncesblue cheese

Preparation

1. Separate pecan praline halves into like-size pairs.
2. Spread 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons blue cheese onto one pecan praline half and top with its like-sizepair.
3. Smooth edges for a more polished presentation.
4. If you’re not a blue cheese fan, any soft or spreadable cheese can be used.

Potato corn chowder soup

Recipe by:Aaron Pool

Type:Entree

Servings:1-2

Active cooking time:15-20minutes

Total cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ouncespoblano peppers
• 4 ouncesgarlic
• 4 ouncesjalapeño peppers
• 3 ouncesserrano peppers
• 16 ouncesdiced onion (yellow, white, or red -whichever you prefer)
• 12 ouncescelery
• 9.5 ouncesbell pepper
• 7 pounds potatoes
• 32 ounceswater
• 4 pounds mashed potato
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 ouncescilantro
• 8 cups corn

Preparation

1. Roast peppers in oven until blistered.
2. In a large pot, heat oil and saute onion, bell pepper, celery, and potatoes for 10 minutes, or until translucent.
3. Add roasted pepper.
4. Add water, mashed potato, salt, pepper, cilantro, and corn.
5. Boil until tender.
6. Use immersion blender, or countertop blender to smooth out consistency.

Pumpkin puffins with maple-cream cheese icing

Recipe by:Jane Ruby

Type:Dessert

Servings:6-12

Active cooking time:30minutes

Total cooking time:1 hour

Ingredients

Batter:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggswarmed to room temperature,beaten
• 1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree (or 2 cups fresh pureed pumpkin)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoonbaking soda
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• 1-1/2 teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoonnutmeg

Icing:

• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 4 ouncessoftened cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoonmaple flavoring
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), optional
• sea salt, optional​

Preparation

Puffins:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In medium bowl, cream sugar and butter.
3. Blend in eggs and pumpkin puree and set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, whisk or sift togetherflour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
5. Blend flour mixture into pumpkin mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Batter will be thick.
6. Place six mini-cake cups onto baking sheet.
7. Spoon batter into each cup until 2/3full.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let cool for 5 minutes before moving to rack.

Icing:

1. In a deep bowl,blend confectioners sugar, cream cheese and maple flavoring until smooth.
2. Spoon into sealable sandwich bag.
3. Seal bag and cut 1/4 inch opening at bottom corner.
4. Squeeze out icing onto cooled puffins.
5. Sprinkle nuts and salt onto icing.
6. Serve or store in air-tight container.

Spicy chipotle rice stuffed jalapeños with potato string crust

Recipe by:Laura Albanese

Type:Appetizer

Servings:4

Active cooking time:25minutes

Total cooking time:1 hour

Ingredients

• 6 large jalapeño peppers,ends trimmed up,cut in half lengthwiseand seeds scooped out
• 1 cup cooked rice(leftover from Chinese take out is great)
• 1 chipotle adobo pepper in 1 tablespoon sauce (chopped pepper is fine;use less if you can't take much heat)
• 1 garlic clove ground into paste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground annato
• 1 tablespoon scallions,sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons roasted corn,leftover from freezer
• 2 ouncesextra-sharp aged Cheddar cheese,shredded
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 potatoes (two very large red potatoes preferred)
• non-stick spray canola or vegetable
• fresh ground sea salt (for finishing)
• fresh ground black pepper (for finishing)
• two pinches of sprouts, micro red amaranth preferred (optional)

Preparation

1. In a small bowl combine rice, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, annato, scallions, corn, cheese and cilantro. Mix well andstuff into jalapeñopeppers.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray baking sheet with non-stick spray.
3. Use spiral cutter to cut potatoes into 10-inchspaghetti-like strands. Wrap strands aroundpeppers and place on baking sheet.
4. Spray tops of wrapped jalapeñopeppers with cooking spray and place in preheated oven and bake until lightly brown, about 20 minutes.
5. Season with fresh ground salt and pepper.
6. Add two pinches of sprouts if desired, for garnish.

Stir fry bowl from Village Cafe

Recipe by:Isaac Rios

Type:Entree

Servings:1-2

Active cooking time:15minutes

Total cooking time:25minutes

Ingredients

• 5 ounceschicken breast, steak or shrimp, grilled and cubed
• 6 ouncesbrown rice, cooked
• 5 ouncesstir-fry vegetables, chopped, sliced anddicedin various sizes and lengths (in-season vegetables arepreferable, but whatever is available is fine)
• 2 ouncesteriyaki or spicy Thai peanut sauce
• 1 ounce oil of choice (sesame or peanut oil works best for stir frying)
• 1 tablespoon sliced green scallion (optional)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook vegetables 2-3 minutes over medium high heat in asautepan withoil until vegetables start to sweat.
2. Addproteinand stir fry for another minute. Be careful not to overcook as vegetables will be too soft andprotein will be overdone.
3. Toss inyour sauce of choiceand serve over rice.
4. Garnish with scallion and sesame seeds.

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