Six Must Make Treats for your Holiday Spread–Texas Edition

Looking for that perfect Texas style holiday recipe that is sure to impress even the pickiest preferences? Consider dinner done with our Texas style main courses, side dishes and desserts straight from the IronEdge crew’s recipe box.

From those familiar flavors to recipes with a unique twist, there’s a dish that will satisfy every person around your table, whether gathering in person or virtually. Begin the evening meal with Texas smoked brisket and salmon steaks paired with creamy mac n cheese, then top it all off with cake, cookies and eggnog. We know those chocolate chip cookies won’t last long!

As you plan your holiday dinner and enjoy a season filled with abundant giving, consider bringing some extra holiday cheer to community members experiencing food insecurity. Both the Houston Food Bank and San Antonio Food Bank are taking donations where every $1 donated provides 3-7 meals.

The season of giving is here. Let’s share the holiday cheer with friends, family and our community neighbors.

Happy holidays for IronEdge!

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Smoked Texas Coffee Brisket
Created by: Andrew Moore

Notes: The better the cut, the better the brisket. Don’t skimp on the meat. Do not cook to time—always cook to temperature. The meat will not take on any more smoke after hitting 160, so moving to a controlled stove is an easy way to ensure quality. Resting is critical to the cook, do not skip this step. Ensure you cut the brisket against the grain, there are two distinct sections of the brisket that cut in different directions.  Be familiar with how this works.

Ingredients:
12 -16 lb beef brisket (trimmed)
Yellow mustard
Pink butcher paper
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup coarse ground coffee
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse ground pepper

Directions:
1. Clean and dry brisket after trimming.

2. 6-12 hours prior to cooking: Rub brisket with yellow mustard.

3. Combine all ingredients for rub in a large food safe container or plastic bag, mix thoroughly.

4. Apply the rub with your hands all over the brisket, on all sides, rubbing gently to ensure the rub adheres to the meat.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

6. Preheat smoker to 220 degrees.

7. Unwrap brisket from plastic wrap and apply an additional rub as desired.

8. Put a water pan in the smoker to allow moisture in the smoker.

9. Place brisket fat side up in the smoker.

10. Cook at 220 degrees until internal temperature is 160 degrees.

11. Remove from smoker and wrap in pink butcher paper.

12. Return to smoker or oven at 220 degrees and cook until internal temperature is 205 degrees.

13. Remove from heat and set in baking pan, wrap in a towel and set in a cooler with the lid closed for at least 30 min to an hour.

14. When you are ready to eat, cut the brisket against the grain.

15. Serve with your favorite, warm BBQ sauce.

 

Businessly Intelligent Salmon
Created by: Daniel Villarreal Jr.

Notes: Halfway to teriyaki. Delicious served on a bed of steamed jasmine rice and my Garlic Lime Broccoli.

Ingredients:
Alaskan salmon, up to 4
Mirin
Soy sauce
Garlic salt
Ichimi or Nanami Togarashi pepper
Brown sugar
1 lime
Sesame oil

Directions:
1. Mix 2 parts soy sauce, 2 parts sesame oil with 1 part mirin in a large bowl or container and place salmon steaks to marinate inside (skin up). Try to get the marinade to a height right above the halfway point on the salmon. Season salmon with garlic salt, generous pinches of brown sugar and Togarashi pepper and marinate at least 30 Minutes.

2. Before searing salmon pre-heat an oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Warm a pan over medium-high heat, aka the point between medium and high heat on your stove. Pour up to 1-2 tbsp of sesame oil in the pan to coat the surface.

4. Remove the salmon from the marinade and season the top once again with more togarashi, lime zest, and brown sugar.

5. Sear the top of the salmon (skin side up) for 60-90 seconds. You want to aim for the salmon to look cooked at least 2 milimeters from the top. Before removing the salmon feel free very very lightly sear the sides to pick up some flavor.

6. Remove the salmon from the pan and place face up, skin down on the foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a generous pinch of brown sugar along the top of the salmon and lightly zest a lime on top as well. For an extra citrus kick put a squeeze of lime juice on the salmon as well.

7. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. I’ve always found my sweet spot at 14 minutes.

8. Ensure salmon is fully cooked with a meat thermometer, top off with another squeeze of lime and enjoy.

5 Cheese Mac n Cheese
Created by: Cassondra Richard

Notes: Feel free to use the cheese you like best!

Ingredients:
1 lb dried farfalle pasta
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4  cups whole milk
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 cups half and half
2 cups grated medium sharp cheddar cheese – divided (measured after grating)
1 cup grated gruyere cheese – divided (measured after grating)
1 cup bleu cheese
1 cup smoked gouda
1 cup pepper jack
1/2 shallot
Red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9×13″).  Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente.  Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.

3. While water is coming up to a boil, grate cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles.  Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.

4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat.

5. Add shallot

6. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine.  Mixture will look like very wet sand.  Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.

7. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth.

8. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.

9. Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency.  It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.

10. Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine.

11. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.

12. In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully.  Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.

13. Top with 1 1/2 cups of grated cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

14. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

15. *You can set oven to BROIL for a few minutes if you like your cheese browned. Keep your eye on it though!

 

Nana’s Poppy Seed Cake
Created by: Dan Mallard

Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix
8 oz sour cream
½ cup sugar
¼ cup poppy seeds
4 eggs
½ cup water
¾ cup dill
1 box instant vanilla pudding
Optional: ¼ box powdered sugar
Optional: Orange or lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix all together and pour in greased and floured bundt pan (I use Baker’s Joy to do pan).

3. Cook 1 hour – cool.

4. Optional: Mix ¼ box powdered sugar w a little orange or lemon juice to pour on top of the cake to make frosting.

 

Cowgirl Cookies
Created by: Haylee Feil

Notes: A little bit of a H-E-B copycat sprinkled with girl power. Sometimes I put extra nuts or sprinkles on top. Other times, I add mini marshmallows (the dried, hot chocolate kind) for a s’mores version. It’s flexible!

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon regular table salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease with non-stick vegetable oil spray.

2. Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the butter mixture in the bowl.

3. Mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

4. Decide what size cookies you want to make. A muffin scoop (1/4 cup) will make 20 large, palm-sized cookies. A tablespoon cookie scoop (4 teaspoons) will make 50 medium (2 3/4″ to 3″) cookies; and a teaspoon cookie scoop (2 teaspoons) will make 100 small (2 1/2″) cookies.

5. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2″ to 2″ between cookies.

6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown, with slightly darker edges.

7. Remove the cookies from the oven, and as soon as they’re set enough to handle, transfer them to racks to cool.

Peppermint Eggnog
Created by: Patrick Maese

A minty take on the holiday classic. This keto peppermint eggnog adds a hint of freshness to make your nog just a little merrier.

Ingredients:
4 cups preferred nut milk
1/2 cup powdered erythritol
5 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring
1 tbsp Rum optional
Red food coloring optional

Directions:
1. Heat 2 cups of nut milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm.

2. Separate egg yolks from whites (discard whites) then slowly whisk powdered sweetener to egg yolks until fully incorporated.

3. Temper egg yolks by slowly whisking 1 cup of warmed milk to the yolks. Add yolk mixture back to saucepan.

4. Cook over low heat and continue whisking until temperature reaches 165F.

5. Remove from heat. Add heavy cream, remainder of nut milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and peppermint extract. Add optional rum and red food coloring if desired.

6. Place saucepan in an ice bath to quickly cool the mixture.

7. Strain mixture through sieve for a smooth liquid.

8. Cool and store in refrigerator.

Notes: Just a note on the presentation. I dipped the rims of the glasses in some melted sugar-free white chocolate and then into some crushed sugar-free peppermint candies. Added some whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg on the top.