Spirited Essence Works

Can’t help but cook up all my favorites during the Christmas Season. I am sure everyone has their favorite dishes for the season. I wanted to share my favs to spread the joy of the holidays. If you have a particular recipe you love, feel free to comment and share! Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas!

Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Total time: 25 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Prep time: 15 mins
Yield: 36 cookies

2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of milk
3 1/4 cups of oatmeal
6 tbsp of baking cocoa
1/4 cup of peanut butter

In a saucepan, melt butter and mix in sugar and milk on low heat. In a mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, baking cocoa, and peanut butter. Mix in sugar, butter, and milk mixture. On a sheet of wax paper, drop cookies. Let dry. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Total time: 1hr 10 mins
Cook time: 55 mins
Prep time: 15 mins

3 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Sugar
2/3 cup Corn Syrup
1/3 cup Honey)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ cups Pecans
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 Pie crust

Heat oven to 350°.

Prepare Pie Crust in lightly buttered Deep Dish Pie Plate. Put chocolate chips in pie plate. Mix eggs, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Vegetable Oil, & Vanilla. Once liquids are combined, add Pecans. Pour Mixture into Pie Crust.Place Aluminum Foil around top edges of Pie Crust. Cook for 50 – 55 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Total time: 1hr 15 mins
Cook time: 1hr
Prep time: 15 mins

4 Large Sweet Potatoes
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Sugar
3 tbsp of creamer
2 tbsp Cinnamon
1 bag of Marshmellows

Preheat oven to 450.

Cook sweet potatoes in the oven for 45 mins. Take out of oven and let cool for 5 mins. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon. Peel the skin off of the sweet potatoes and add to the bowl. Add milk. Mash potatoes and mix until well combine. Put mixture in a casserole dish. Top with Marshmellows. Cook for 15 mins or until marshmellows are slightly browned.

Green Bean Casserole

Total time: 1hr 10 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Prep time: 25 mins

For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 tsp salt

For beans and sauce:
2 tbsp salt
1 pound fresh green beans
2 tbsp butter
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

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