The holidays are quickly approaching! Here are a few yummy recipes that your fellow Platinum Teachers are looking forward to making over the holidays.
Southern Cornbread Dressing – Krystal Carter (Network) 
Ingredients
Southern Cornbread Dressing
1 recipe honey cornbread or any 9″ square cornbread that’s homemade or store-bought
5 slices stale white bread cut into cubes
10 tablespoons butter divided use
1 large onion finely chopped
1 cup celery finely chopped
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
5 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray
optional: sage leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the honey cornbread according to post instructions.
- Cool the cornbread and crumble. Place the cornbread in a large bowl with the bread cubes and toss to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 6-8 minutes or until softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Place the vegetables in the bowl with the cornbread mixture.
- Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and pour it into a large bowl. Add the chicken broth, eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and sage and whisk to combine.
- Pour the butter mixture into the bowl with the cornbread mixture and stir to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until dressing is browned and cooked through.
- Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with sage leaves if desired. Serve.
Stuffed Peppers with Turkey and Vegetables – Antonio Wilson (ES)
Ingredients
4 green bell peppers, tops removed, seeded
1 pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
White Onion, Large
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Italian seasoning to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Wrap the green bell peppers in aluminum foil, and place in a baking dish. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from heat.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey until evenly brown. Set aside. Heat oil in the skillet, and cook onion, mushrooms, zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and spinach until tender. Return turkey to the skillet. Mix in the tomatoes and tomato paste, and season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stuff the green peppers with the skillet mixture.
- Return peppers to the oven, and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
Bourbon and Coke Glazed Ham – Tykia Key (Network)
Ingredients
1 (6 to 8-pound) fully cooked bone-in ham
3 (12-ounce) cans Coca-Cola
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15-20 whole cloves
Instructions
- Place ham, cola, and onion in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
- To make the glaze, stir together honey, dark brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Once the ham is done simmering, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and discard cooking liquid.
- Transfer ham to a roasting pan and make a criss-cross pattern in ham with a sharp knife, going about 1/4-inch deep. Stick a clove in the center of each diamond shape.
- Brush the glaze over ham and bake for 20 minutes.
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls – Anonymous
Ingredients
3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature (save the egg white for an egg wash)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, and cooled slightly
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
For the filling
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
For the icing
8 oz (one standard block) full fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Lightly oil a medium bowl and set aside. We will use this to proof the dough.
- In the bowl with a mixer, stir together the warm milk and the yeast. Let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. If your yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and begin again, as the yeast has not activated.
- Pour in the sugar, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter and mix on medium speed until well combined. Turn the speed to low and add the flour until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and let the dough knead until it forms a slightly sticky dough ball, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer dough ball to the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Transfer risen dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into an approximate 14×9 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter for the filling over dough, leaving a 1/4 inch perimeter.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough pressing with your hand to help it stick a bit. Sprinkle the fresh cut strawberries evenly across the cinnamon mixture.
- Beginning with a short side, tightly roll the dough up and place it seam-side-down to seal. Cut into 9 sections with a serrated knife.
- Place cinnamon rolls in the prepared baking pan and cover with plastic wrap (At this point, you can refrigerate overnight, if desired. When you are ready to bake, remove from the fridge and start from here). Let rise again for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap, brush the tops with the reserved egg white, and bake cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. If you want to test with a kitchen thermometer, the interior of the dough should reach around 185 degrees. Allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before frosting.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Mac and Cheese – Anonymous 
Ingredients
(The recipe is completely eyeballed, amounts depend on how much you’re making)
Macaroni noodles
Heavy whipping cream
Cheddar Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Colby Cheese
Your choice seasoning
Instructions
- Cook macaroni noodles al dente (partially soft) Drain and set aside.
- In another sauce pot mix in heavy whipping cream and the 3 types of cheese you like. I usually use Cheddar, Mozzarella and a Colby jack mixture. (save some of each cheese for topping. ) Cook on low heat until all cheese is melted. As the cheese is melting you want to stir the entire time.
- You may season the cheese sauce how you see fit.
- Next move al dente noodles to a baking pan and add in the cheese sauce.
- Make sure both noodles and the cheese sauce are well mixed together and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake in the over at 350 until the corners of the pan start to brown. 20-30mins.
Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – Antonio Wilson (ES)
Ingredients 
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
Vegetable oil
Eggs
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13×9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
- Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries
- Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.
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