BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The holidays are a time for family, friends, and of course food!
Take a seat at the Second Cup table and indulge in our favorite holiday dishes and drinks, featuring recipes from WKBW talent, staff, and fans.
Katie Morse gets things rolling with a holiday inspired appetizer- a candy cane caprese!
She describes this platter as the perfect option if you need to get out the door quickly, or if you're not much of a cook.
“Everyone will love how cute it is, and it's always a hit,” she said.
Katie's Candy Cane Caprese
Serves: 8 people
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2-3- tomatoes
- 2-3- balls of fresh mozzarella
- 3 leaves- fresh basil
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Slice two/three tomatoes (depending on how large they are) and fresh mozzarella.
- Layer in the shape of a candy cane - one tomato, one cheese slice etc.
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Top with salt and pepper (optional)
- Decorate with basil (optional)
Tips:
- The display works best if you use a dish that is one color versus a dish with a design, that way the candy cane really stands out
- You can put three basil leaves together in a mistletoe shape
After many requests from Second Cup fans, a.k.a. ‘Cuppies’, Ed Drantch is sharing his Christmas cookie martini recipe.
He said one word to describe the cocktail is “YUM!”
These holiday drinks are simple and perfect for the 21+ crowd.
Ed’s Easy Christmas Cookie Martinis
Serves: 1 person
Total Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 shot - vanilla vodka
- 1 shot- Irish crème
- 1 shot- Amaretto
- 1 shot- milk/cream
- Vanilla icing
- Sprinkles
- Ice
Instructions:
- Take the cup you're using to serve and rim the glasses with icing
- Use a shaker to sprinkle festive sprinkles around the glass
- Pour each shot into the same shaker, over ice
- Shake it up
- Pour into glass with icing and sprinkles
Tips:
- These drinks are alcoholic and only to be served to people ages 21 and older
Producer Katie Lane, ‘K2’, offers her family’s take on the old-fashioned casserole.
She said this comfort food is quick and convenient. It is a side dish that adventurous and picky eaters alike can enjoy.
“Our broccoli-cheddar casserole is one of the first things I put on my plate at Reavey family holiday dinners,” she said.
Reavey Family Broccoli-Cheddar Casserole
Serves: 10-15 people
Cook Time: 30 minutes at 350°F
Ingredients:
- 3- 10 oz packages of frozen broccoli
- 1- 12 oz of Velveeta block cheese, cut into ½ inch smaller cubes
- 36- Ritz crackers (lightly crushed in plastic Ziploc bag)
- ½ stick- butter; approx. 4 tablespoons
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350°F
- Grease/butter and flour bottom of casserole dish
- Cook broccoli per bag and drain
- Mix the Velveeta and ½ of the cracker crumbs in with the broccoli
- Spoon mixture into a casserole dish
- Melt butter slowly in the microwave and mix with the remaining half of the crackers
- Shake and spread butter/cracker mix over top of the casserole
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F
Tips:
- When mixing, the Velveeta can be clumpy; the rest will melt when baking
- You can make extra cracker topping as you desire
AM Buffalo’s Mercedes Wilson is kicking things up a notch with her seafood boil.
Boils happen year-round in the Wilson household and are often paired with great conversations and movie nights.
“It's become a staple in my family because everyone gets to pick their ingredients, so no two bags are alike,” she said.
The Wilson Seafood Boil
Serves: 2 people
Cook Time: 45 minutes at 350°F
Ingredients:
- 2- corn stalks
- 2- andouille sausage
- 4- eggs
- 6- small potatoes
- 2- clusters of crab legs
- 2 cups- frozen cooked large shrimp
- 1- lemon
- ½ stick- unsalted butter (sliced)
- 2 cups- minced garlic
- Old Bay seasoning
- 1- oven “turkey roasting” bag
Instructions:
- Boil 2 stalks of corn part way done (halfway) and set aside
- Sauté 2 andouille sausage until brown on outside (keep grease)
- Boil 4 eggs and set aside
- Boil small potatoes halfway and set aside to a turkey roasting bag
- Add 2 clusters of crab legs, cleaned and halved lobster tails
- Add 2 cups of frozen cooked large shrimp
- Cut lemon in quarter inch slices and put in the bag
- Add all corn, sausage, eggs and potatoes to the bag
- Put a half stick of unsalted butter (sliced) in a bag and 2 cups of minced garlic
- Season with old bay seasoning to your liking
- Shake the bag until well mixed and put in the oven for 45 mins at 350°F
Tips:
- Remember to poke a small hole at the top of the bag for air release
This next recipe comes from Good Morning Buffalo Editor Erin Phillip’s kitchen.
Erin’s mom said the recipe is courtesy of her ex! Erin said she is just happy one good thing came out of their relationship this holiday season.
Erin’s Crockpot Sausage Dip
Serves: 4 people
Cook Time: 30 minutes in crockpot on high
Ingredients:
- 1 pack- Cooked Jimmy Dean sausage
- 1 can- Original Rotel diced tomatoes
- 2- cream cheese packages
Instructions:
- Cook the sausage per package
- Add sausage, tomatoes and cream cheese packages to crockpot
- Cook on high for 30 minutes
- Stir then serve
7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley has something for your sweet tooth- her family’s famous pineapple cheesecake recipe!
Her husband’s grandmother gave her this recipe more than 35 years ago at her bridal tea party where everyone was asked to bring their special recipe for the bride.
She said she always makes the cheesecake in honor of ‘Grandma Choops’.
Grandma Choop’s Pineapple Cheesecake
Serves: 12 people
Cook Time: Crust- 350 °F for 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 & 3/4 to 2 cups- flour
- 2 sticks- butter
- 1 tablespoon- sugar
- 2- 8 oz packages of cream cheese
- 1 cup- sugar
- 1/4 cup- lemon juice
- 1 can- crushed pineapple (well-drained)
- Fresh whipping cream
Instructions:
- First make the crust:
- Combine 1 & 3/4 to 2 cups of flour, 2 sticks of butter, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Work this together and press into a 9x13 baking pan
- Bake at 350°F until golden brown, approx. 10 minutes
- Set aside to cool
- Then, make the cream cheese filling:
- Beat 2- 8 oz packages of cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice together into a cream
- Spread over the cooled crust
- Spread can of crushed pineapple (but make sure it is well drained) over the top of the cream cheese filling
- Spread fresh whipped cream on top
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up, then serve
Loyal ‘Cuppies’ may remember hearing about this delicious dish ahead of our Thanksgiving episode.
Cheryl sent 7 News her cherry cheesecake dip recipe!
She said the dessert dip was always an office party favorite and super easy to make.
Cheryl’s Cherry Cheesecake Dip
Serves: A nice gathering
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz- cream cheese
- 7 oz- Jar fluff marshmallow cream
- 8 oz- thawed whipped topping
- 48 oz- canned cherry pie filling
Instructions:
- Place the cream cheese in a bowl
- Beat until smooth and creamy
- Add the marshmallow cream and beat to combine
- Add the whipped topping and beat until combined
- Spread the mixture into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate
- Pour the cherry pie filling over the cheesecake mixture and refrigerate
Tips:
- Serve with graham crackers or cinnamon tortilla chips
- Can prepare a day in advance
Cuppie Kim is bringing us back to the basics with a Christmas classic- cut out cookies!
She said this recipe tastes just like the cookies her mom made years ago and provide fun for the whole family.
Kim’s Cut Out Cookies
Serves: About 10 people
Cook Time: 7-10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup- butter
- 1 cup- sugar
- 2 tablespoons- heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon- baking powder
- ½ teaspoon- baking soda
- 1 teaspoon- vanilla
- 3 cups- flour
Instructions:
- Mix all of your ingredients together in a mixing bowl
- Bake at 325°F for 7- to 10- minutes until golden brown in bottom
- Let cool
- Frost with heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar
Tips:
- Heavy cream is the secret
- If you’re storing cookies in plastic containers, use wax paper in between layers, it will keep them fresh longer
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