Woolery Favorites – Christmas Recipes

We love the holiday season, aside from it finally being cold enough to wear all our woolies, it’s so great to spend time with family and friends. And while we visit with our loved ones we tend to be eating, or making delicious things to eat. Our Woolery team members wanted to share some of their favorite holiday dishes with you this year.

First up we have Natalie with her favorite Monkey Bread recipe. Natalie notes that the original recipe called for raisins but, “No raisins are in my recipe because that is poison.” Fair enough Natalie, we’ll keep them out.

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Natalie’s Christmas Morning Monkey Bread 

Ingredients:

• Granulated sugar – 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
• 2 cans large size biscuit dough
• Brown sugar – 1 cup firmly packed
• Butter – 3/4 cup melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 cup large fluted tube pan.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a large plastic food storage bag.
3. Separate dough into 16 biscuits, cut each into quarters. Shake in sugar bag to coat. Arrange in the pan.
4. In a small bowl mix brown sugar and butter. Pour over the biscuit pieces.
5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn upside down on to serving plate, pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

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Next up we have Nancy, who loves to make candy this time of year. Nancy is sharing her Buckeyes recipe with us, which are a local favorite. She insists that hers are the best around, and it’s all in the chocolate. Let’s find out her secret!

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Nancy’s Best Buckeyes

Ingredients:

• Butter – 1/4 pound
• Peanut butter – 1 1/2 cups
• Powdered sugar – 1/2 pound
• Vanilla – 1 teaspoon
• Semi-sweet or bitter chocolate – 8 oz

Nancy would like to note that because there are so few ingredients, it is really important to make sure that they are the very best quality. Nancy suggests natural peanut butter (just roasted peanuts and salt), very good butter (no margarine), and the best vanilla. It’s also important to pick the finest chocolate you can find according to your taste, (Nancy likes to use 70% dark).

Instructions:

1. Mix the butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. Chill after mixing, then shape into balls about 3/4″ in diameter. Chill again while you melt the chocolate.
2. In a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt the chocolate.
3. Impale the centers of the peanut butter balls on a toothpick and dip into the chocolate, leaving a penny sized circle uncovered at the top.
4. Transfer these to a parchment covered sheet and when you are done dipping smooth over the tooth pick holes.
5. Chill until firm and store in an air-tight container in a single layer.

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Finally we have a family recipe from our owners, Wave and Perri. This recipe has been served at every McFarland Family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner since 1977. It belonged to Perri’s mother, Carolyn Gaertner Patberg.

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McFarland Family Christmas Cranberry Salad

Ingredients:

• Raspberry jello mix – 2 packs
• Hot water – 1 cup
• Cold water – 1 cup
• Whole berried cranberries – 1 can
• Sour cream – 8oz can

Instructions:

1. Dissolve both jello mixes in hot water. Add cold water. Add cranberries.
2. Place in refrigerator and when the jello is just beginning to solidify, add sour cream.
3. Place entire mixture into jello mold pan or serving dish of your choice. Refridgerate until firm.

Happy Holiday wishes from our family to yours!

Wave, Perri, and the entire Woolery team

 

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Woolery Favorites – Thanksgiving Recipes

We love this time of year, the leaves are changing and we are all anticipating eating some delicious food for Thanksgiving. Some of us here at Team Woolery are impressive chefs so we’re sharing some of our favorite side dishes to go with your turkey!

Our first recipe comes from our resident weaving expert, Nancy! Story time; NPR’s Susan Stamberg used to call her mother-in-law, on air, every year to get this recipe for Thanksgiving and her mother-in-law would read it to her. The first time Nancy heard it she was on a construction job site (she was an electrician in those years) and she grabbed a handy chunk of 2×4 to write it down. Later she copied it down on an index card so it would file more easily; this was before computers. Still later, Susan’s mother-in-law confessed that she had actually gotten the recipe from Craig Claiborne, so it has a long pedigree!

This really is a delicious relish and it compliments the turkey beautifully. Nancy notes that it does have a kick, so be sure to warn your diners of that. Nancy’s brother nearly choked after taking a large bite of it and, eyes watering, he gasped out, “But it looked so pink and innocent!”

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Nancy’s (and Susan Stamberg’s and Craig Claiborne’s) Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

• Fresh cranberries – 2 cups
• Small onion – 1 onion
• Sour cream – 3/4 cup
• Sugar – 1/2 cup
• Horseradish – 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. Put the cranberries and onion through a food grinder or use the food processor; chop finely.
2. Combine the mixture with the sour cream, sugar, and horseradish; mix thoroughly.
3. Refrigerate until serving time.
4. Stir again before serving.

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Our next offering is a very festive and delicious soup from our Business Manager, Mistene! Pro tip: this will go great with one of our recipes from last month, Perri’s Favorite Sweet Potato Cornbread.

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Mistene’s Fall Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• Bacon, chopped – 1lb
• Celery, diced – 2 stalks
• Onion, chopped – 1 onion
• Garlic, minced – 3 cloves
• Red potato, cubed (peel if desired) – 8 potatoes
• Chicken stock – 4-5 cups (enough to cover the potatoes)
• Butter – 3 tablespoons
• Flour – 1/4 cup
• Heavy cream – 1 cup
• Dried tarragon – 1 teaspoon
• Chopped fresh cilantro – 3 teaspoons
• Salt and pepper – to taste
• Optional cheese and green onions – for garnish

1. In a dutch oven cook bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon and save 1/4 cup bacon grease.
2. Cook celery and onion in bacon drippings until onion is translucent.
3. Stir in garlic. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add cubed potatoes, toss to coat. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add just enough stock to cover potatoes, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.
6. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat.
7. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
8. Whisk in cream, tarragon, and cilantro.
9. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
10. Stir cream mixture into potatoes. Puree 1/2 the soup and return to pan.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon, cheese or green onions.

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Natalie, our Purchasing Manager, has an adorable story to go with her recipe. Natalie’s niece sent Natalie a random text that read, “Aunt Natalie, I would love to bring your Sweet Potato Soufflé to my friend’s Thanksgiving, it’s my favorite! Would you be willing to make it for me?” Natalie was very flattered that her niece wanted her to bring the dish that she obviously loves so much, and she was excited she thought of her when they don’t see each other often.

Just before Natalie was going to fall for this sweetness, it hit her; her niece is 21 years old AND went to culinary school! After Natalie’s big head came back to reality, she turned the tables. The new offer was Natalie would buy all the ingredients and cook it at her house but her niece had to come cook with her! Natalie says “It was so nice to have her there and do something with just the two of us. We never had that before. It was a memory we made together and hopefully she enjoys sharing this story as much as a I do!”

And for even more sentimental value, this recipe is from Natalie’s own aunt who she misses dearly and the dish brings her memory back each time Natalie makes it!

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Aunt Natalie’s Sweet Potato Soufflé 

Soufflé Ingredients:

• Sweet potato – 3 cups
• Sugar – 1 cup
• Butter – 1 stick
• Eggs – 2
• Milk – 1/3 cup
• Vanilla – 1 teaspoon

Topping Ingredients:

• Brown sugar – 1 cup
• Butter – 1 stick
• Flour – 1/3 cup
• Optional pecans

1. Cook potatoes and mash them.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.
3. Pour into baking dish.
4. Mix all topping ingredients together and pour on top.
5. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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We hope you enjoy your holiday! Let us know if you use any of our recipes, we’d love to see your creations. Also a reminder that our store will be closed on Thanksgiving day so our staff can enjoy the day with their friends and family.

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Woolery Favorites – Tailgating Recipes

 

We aren’t just fiber fans here at The Woolery, we’re sports fans too! We love tailgating to support our favorite teams. And you can’t really tailgate without having some delicious snacks! This week we’re sharing three of our favorite recipes for tailgating/game watching parties with you.

Woolery Owners, Wave and Perri, both love the Auburn University Tigers. They can often be seen sporting orange and blue on Fridays and shouting, “War Eagle – Hey!” Perri wanted to share her favorite cornbread to serve with the BBQ they cook up at all all their tailgating festivities.

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Perri’s Favorite Sweet Potato Cornbread

Ingredients:

• Self-rising white cornmeal mix – 2 cups
• Sugar – 3 TBSP
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – 1/4 tsp
• Large Eggs – 5
• Cooked Mashed Sweet Potatoes – 2 cups
• Sour Cream – 8oz
• Melted Butter – 1/2 cup

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stir together cornmeal mix, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Whisk together eggs, sweet potatoes, sour cream, and butter; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring until just moistened. Spoon batter into a lightly greased 9″ square pan.
2. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

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Our next sports fan is Anna, who is one of our wonderful Customer Service Representatives, she loves the Green Bay Packers, so appropriately she has chosen to share her Beer Cheese Soup! This is enough to feed 12-15 people, so for tailgating at Lambeau Field, it needs to be doubled.  Or possibly tripled. Guaranteed to warm you up on a blustery day at the Frozen Tundra!  Alternately, it can be frozen very readily and keeps like a dream.  Freeze in ice cube trays and pop 3-4 in a mug or bowl and microwave for a quick and tasty lunch!

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Anna’s Green Bay Packer Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• Onions, minced – 5
• Carrots, minced – 5
• Celery, minced – 3 stalks
• Butter – 1 1/4 lbs
• All-purpose flour – 3 cups
• Dark beer – 5 bottles
• Chicken stock – 1 gallon
• Heavy cream – 2 quarts
• Dry mustard – 2 tbsp
• Worcestershire sauce – 1/3 cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Smoked gouda cheese, grated – 2 cups
• Aged white cheddar cheese, grated – 2 cups
• Popcorn or croutons for garnish, if desired

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over low heat, cook the onions, carrots, and celery in the butter until the veggies are translucent, stirring frequently so that little to no browning occurs.
2. Add the flour. Stir until combined, then cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
3. Add the beer, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. Stir in the dry mustard and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Slowly whisk in the grated cheese until thick and creamy.
6. Immediately before serving, garnish with croutons or fresh popcorn.*

*Note: Popcorn is the traditional topping and it adds nice texture and flavor to the soup. Croutons are great if you have bad luck with microwave popcorn or just want more crunch. Feel free too add additional or alternate garnish (maybe Italian parsley or fresh chopped chives?).

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We asked our next recipe contributor, Taevia, who is also a fantastic Customer Service Representative, if there was any team she would like to shoutout and she said, “I’m a native New Englander so the Patriots, of course.” A tailgate wouldn’t be complete without lots of tasty dip for chips, so here is Taevia’s contribution!

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Taevia’s Easy Yogurt Cheese Dip

Ingredients/Materials:

• Greek Yogurt – 32oz
• Your favorite dip spice mixture or other spice mix – 2 to 4 TBSP
• Mesh sieve
• Cheese cloth

Instructions:

1. Place your mesh sieve over a bowl.
2. Put a doubled square of cheese cloth in the sieve to cover the entire surface of the sieve with enough hanging over the edges to cover the yogurt once it is in the sieve.
3. Spoon yogurt into cheese cloth lined sieve then cover with the excess cloth or with plastic wrap.
4. Keeping the sieve in the bowl, put the yogurt into the fridge to drain for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Lift the yogurt cheese out of the sieve with the cheese cloth then transfer to a new bowl.
6. Add your favorite dip spice mixture or there spice mix. Herbs and chives, French Onion Dip, or my favorite , Mural of Flavor from Penzeys all work well when mixed with the yogurt cheese base.
7. After mixing put the dip back into the fridge so the flavors can meld for about 2 hours
8. Enjoy with your favorite dipping items.

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Thanks to all of our Woolery Team Members who shared such tasty recipes with us! We hope you got plenty of ideas for your next sporting event’s menu.

We’re going to be sharing Woolery Favorites with you every month. If you have suggestions for a topic you would like to hear some of our favorites for, please let us know in the comments! Next month we should have some mouth-watering Fall recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner.

 

And we have an exciting bit of news to share with you this week! You can now buy your own Woolery shirt! The Woolery long sleeve t-shirt is printed on Glidan Ultra Cotton T-shirts. All proceeds from shirt sales will support The True Vineyard Ministries Handspun Hope Rwanda Project. So you can get some fun Woolery swag and help out an awesome project!

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