As this issue of Watermark hits the streets, readers are celebrating Thanksgiving, the official start of the holiday season (regardless of those retail stores shoving Christmas decorations in our faces before Halloween).
This time of year means family, friends—and lots of food. But what should you do if you don’t travel home to see family or are a novice in the kitchen? Do you stick with the regular turkey and cranberry stuffing recipes from some random website or do you try to give the holidays your own twist?
In true LGBT fashion, we thought it would be fun to try a few new things for the holidays this year to make sure celebrations are festive, fun—and very filling. We asked several local chefs, cooks, celebrities and community leaders for their take on holiday entertaining and compiled a list of scrumptious offerings suitable for any discerning LGBT table.
Our search was so successful that we couldn’t fit every recipe within the pages of the print issue, so we have even more ideas posted here at WatermarkOnline.com. We’d also love to hear your ideas for holiday entertaining, so make sure you sign on and help spread the cheer.
They say the kitchen is the most love-filled room in the house and it’s no surprise that our contributors had stories to accompany their favorite recipes. So we gladly included those anecdotes to make the food (and drink) offerings even more memorable.
From pork chop entrees and peanut butter pie desserts to cocktails that are sure to get people buzzing (and buzzed), the next few pages of this issue should give you some great ideas to spread the holiday cheer via your kitchen.
Portuguese Linguica Sausage Stuffing
Pom Moongawklang’s family has been in the Orlando restaurant business for decades. Her own shop, Pom Pom’s Tea Shop & Sandwicheria, is a quaint and wildly popular location with tea aficionados, local art purveyors, and of course the LGBT community. She is a four-year recipient of Watermark WAVE Awards. Her stuffing recipe is both simple and surprising, with the addition of flavorful Portuguese sausage and dried cranberries. It serves 12-15.
Ingredients
2 cans (16 oz.) chicken stock
½ c. water
½ stick unsalted butter
1 ¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. Gaspars’s Regular Linguica Sausage (available at Publix) or chorizo
1 medium diced Vidalia onion
5 diced stalks of celery
2 boxes chicken stuffing
1 c. dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a 3-quart pot, bring chicken stock, water, butter, salt and pepper to rolling boil.
In a saucepan, sauté sausage (or chorizo), onion and celery until vegetables are cooked.
Remove chicken stock from heat; then lightly fork in stuffing and dried cranberries. Add sautéed Linguica sausage, onions and celery. Afterwards, place stuffing into a 9 x 13 pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Maple Mustard Pork Chops
Double M Band always shows its talent on the stage at several Tampa Bay establishments and events—including St. Pete Pride and the St. Petersburg AIDS Walk. But vocalist Mario has skills in the kitchen too and says his Maple Mustard Pork Chops are quick and easy enough to give him time to sing rather than slave behind a stove for hours.
Ingredients
2 bone in pork chops
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 dash of salt and pepper
Directions
Mix syrup, mustard, oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.
Preheat skillet to medium-high heat. Coat pork chops with mix and place chops in skillet. Cook about 3 to 4 mins. each side. Serve with baked sweet potato and a little (or big) glass of something fun.
Michael’s Breakfast Pizza
Double M Band’s keyboardist and vocalist Michael is a breakfast fan, but he also loves his pizza. He offered us this fun take on a breakfast feast.
Ingredients
Pillsbury pizza dough
Assortment of vegetables
Favorite breakfast meats
4 eggs
½ c. milk
Sprinkle of shredded cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 diced tomato
Directions
Roll out pizza dough on lightly oiled cookie sheet/pizza pan for crust. Bake in oven for 5 min. at 350 degrees while you are sautéing any veggies you want with meat, olive oil and just a dab of butter.
Cook your regular breakfast meats as you normally would and have chopped veggies ready to go. Whip the eggs with the shredded cheese and milk; add it to the sautéed veggies. Partially scramble in a skillet until half cooked, spread over partially cooked crust, and add shredded cheese and grated Parmesan for an extra touch with diced tomato on top. The topping is done when it’s golden brown on top.
Cream Cheese Flan
Habana Cafe is a widely acclaimed, truly authentic Cuban restaurant located in Gulfport, Fla. Here is what Josefa Gonzales-Hastings, owner of Habana Cafe and Cuban by heritage herself, says about this recipe:
“I came up with a cream cheese variation to our traditional flan recipe and entered it in the 2003 Southern Living cook-off. To my amazement, I was selected from over 35,000 entries as one of the 15 overall finalists, and one of the three finalists in the Signature Desserts category. I was shocked and thrilled to hear Al Rocker call my name on stage and announced that my Cream Cheese Flan was the $10,000 grand prize winner of the 2003 Signature Desserts category.”
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. sugar, divided
7 egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook 1 c. sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5 mins. or until sugar melts and turns a light golden brown. Quickly pour hot caramelized sugar into a 2-quart flan dish. Using oven mitts, tilt dish to evenly coat bottom and sides. Let stand 5 mins. Sugar will harden.
Whisk together egg yolks and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
Process egg whites, cream cheese and remaining 1/2 c. sugar in blender until smooth. Stir egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl; pour custard over caramelized sugar.
Place dish in a large shallow pan. Add hot water to pan to about 1/3 up sides of dish.
Bake for 1 hour and 45 mins. Remove dish from water bath; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
Run a knife around edge of flan to loosen; invert onto a serving plate.
Peanut Butter Pie
Bear baker Dale Gilliam graduated cum laude from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute, and has worked at Swamp House Grill, Atlanta Bread & Bakery and several Marriotts. He’s currently the supervisor at Daily Bread Café at Florida Hospital Deland. He’s also a former Mr. Bear Bust. Dale lives in Deland with his partner, Michael.
Dale says the recipes below are delicious and easy—perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
16 oz. Cool Whip
16 oz. Philadelphia brand cream cheese
1½ c. Jif crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 9” graham cracker pie shells
Directions
Lightly blend whipped cream, cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla together in mixer. Pour mixture into pie shells and refrigerate 4-6 hours or until pies set. Top with additional whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Pies can be made and frozen ahead of time.
Olive Cheese Ball
Gilliam also offered up this fun appetizer.
Ingredients
1 lb. Philadelphia cream cheese
4 oz. Black olives, chopped fine
1.5 oz. Olive juice
Directions
Wearing gloves, mix cream cheese and olive juice in a bowl. On parchment paper, mold the cheese mixture into a ball. Roll in the chopped olives. Place olive ball onto a bed of leafy lettuce for garnish. Hint: use nuts, honey and raisins, or raspberry filling in place of olives.
Grandmother Della Pfafflin’s Christmas Plum Pudding
Chris Barnes, chair of Sarasota Pride says the following recipe reminds her of her grandmother. She says the recipe is not suggested for Weight Watcher folks and is very rich—it does not settle well after a big turkey dinner, but otherwise it’s scrumptious!
Ingredients
4 c. raisins
4 c. currants
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. allspice
4 Tbsp. cinnamon
4 c. pork suet(see a butcher)
Directions
Mix all in a large bowl. Place all contents in a Cheesecloth bag. Boil for 2 hours and, unless you want the house full of grease, do this outside. Remove from bag and mold contents into a large square. Let cool and cut into slices.
Buttersauce Topping
2 boxes powdered sugar
4 sticks real butter
Soften butter and mix with powdered sugar and then put into the refrigerator to chill.
Serve Plum Pudding hot and top with slices of Buttersauce.
Baked French Toast
Lori Rosso is the owner of the Seabreeze Manor Bed and Breakfast Gulfport. She is also the president of the Chamber of Commerce.
“After being an innkeeper for two years, I feel I should write a book about this lovely little city and all the wacky and wonderful things that have happened at Sea Breeze Manor. When you visit Gulfport I hope you enjoy my little piece of paradise.” The recipe below is often served to guests at the Seabreeze.
Ingredients
1 loaf white bread
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
10 eggs
1 ½ c. half-and-half
1/3 c. maple syrup
½ c. melted butter
Directions
Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Spray 9 x13 inch baking dish with Pam. Place half the bread cubes in prepared baking dish. Scatter cream cheese pieces across bread. Sprinkle berries over cream cheese. Cover the berries with remaining bread cubes. Combine the eggs, half and half, syrup and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Chill, covered, over night. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered, for 40-50 minutes or until set.
Cardamom-Spiced Cookies with Saffron Glaze
Raphsodic Bakery is a 100% vegan and cruelty-free bakery in the heart of Colonialtown, Orlando. It specializes in allergen-conscious, nummy-licious delectable desserts baked fresh daily in house with love and happiness. Check out Raphsodic Bakery at Raphsodic.com.
Ingredients
1 c. non-dairy butter, softened
1/4 c. molasses
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 c. vegan granulated sugar
1 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cardamom, hulled and ground finely
1/2 c. non-dairy milk
1 pinch saffron threads
2 cups 10x vegan powered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a non-stick vegan pan spray.
In a mixing bowl combine the non-dairy butter, molasses, vanilla extract and sugars. Cream the ingredients together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a dough begins to form.
Scoop out the cookie dough uniformly onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 mins., or until golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes and allow to fully cool on a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, make the glaze. Combine the saffron threads and soymilk together in a small sauce pot and simmer for 10 mins. Allow to cool slightly before whisking in the powdered sugar. The consistency should be similar to a thin paste. After each cookie is cool take a flat knife (butter or palate) and spread your glaze evenly over the cookie, then allow it to harden.
Yield: 1 dozen cookies.
Spinach Meatloaf
Anyone who has ever been to one of the many soirées thrown by Jerry Craft and husband Mark McGee knows that Craft can cook. His Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, as well as a down-home Fourth of July, are legendary. Following his passion, schooling and experience at Disney, Craft has recently been hiring himself out as a personal chef through The Cooking Craft. Once people taste his food, we suspect Jerry will be seen in all the fashionable kitchens of central Florida. This recipe serves six.
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. ground beef (90/10 or higher)
2 eggs
¼ c. sour cream
¼ c. ricotta cheese
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ c. Parmesan cheese—grated
½ c. Italian salad dressing
1 ½ c. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 c. chopped fresh spinach
½ c. BBQ sauce, ketchup, or combination of both
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the ground beef, eggs, sour cream, ricotta cheese, dry onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, Italian bread crumbs and fresh spinach together.
Transfer to a 5 x 9 pan (standard bread pan), or – using a baking sheet covered with parchment paper – fashion a 5 x 9 inch log.
Cover the loaf with aluminum foil and bake for 45 mins.
Remove the foil and add ½ c. of BBQ sauce combo to the top of the loaf. Return to oven and bake for another 15 mins., or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Allow the loaf to sit for at least 5 mins. before slicing.
Spicy Pumpkin Cider
Stephen J. Miller has been Watermark’s film critic for more than three years. He is also a local playwright and organizational behavior consultant. Steve’s family owns and manages restaurants in Iowa and Indiana. Because of his Irish heritage, he always adds extra spike to his punches and ciders. This drink makes your house smell amazing and serves 15-20!
Ingredients
3 q. apple cider
3 c. apricot nectar
1 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree
1 c. lemon juice
½ c. white sugar
4 tbsp. butter
½ c. brown sugar
1. tbsp. vanilla extract
5 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground star anise
½ tsp. ground cardamom
3. c. white rum
1 ½ c. brandy
Directions
In a very large pot, blend the cider, nectar, pumpkin puree and juice to simmer. Add white sugar.
In a large pan on low heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and ½ tsp. vanilla extract. Stir with a silicon spatula until sauce thickens into a thin caramel and butter fat is integrated into the caramel. Add to cider on stove, making sure to stir so that caramel doesn’t sink to bottom and gets worked through the entire drink.
Add spices.
When cider reached a warm but drinkable temperature, strain through a cloth to remove any gritty spices. Return to pot to simmer. Add alcohol. Let guests serve themselves, and have extra brandy nearby if guests decide their cider can be stronger.
Coma Brownies
David Almeida is no stranger to Orlando stages, performing at Orlando Gay Chorus concerts, Mad Cow, Theatre Downtown, Orlando Shakespeare, the Rep, Helen Stairs, Baystreet, Fringe, Bob Carr and many other venues. He can also be seen at Disney and Universal, if you know where to look. We had to include his famous coma brownies, which have their own cult following.
Ingredients
Caramel layer
1 pkg. caramels (14 oz.)
1/3 c. evaporated milk
Brownie layer
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 ½ sticks margarine
1/3 c. evaporated milk
Also needed
1 bag chocolate chips (12 oz.)
½ bag peanut butter chips (5 oz.)
Optional: ½ c. chopped nuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Unwrap and melt caramels with 1/3 c. evaporated milk, using a double boiler or microwave and stirring intermittently until smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Mix together cake mix, margarine, 1 1/3 c. evaporated milk and nuts. Use electric mixer on medium for 2 mins. to blend well.
Take 1/2 of mixture and spread on bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 pan.
Bake for 6 mins.
Remove from oven, sprinkle chocolate chips and peanut butter chips evenly on top. Pour caramel evenly over chips. Take remaining brownie mix and break into pieces and put over caramel layer.
Bake an additional 15-18 mins.
Let cool overnight before cutting to make sure caramel sets. It’s okay to store in refrigerator. They also freeze very well, but they taste their gooey best at room temperature.
Grandma Weezie’s Apple Pie
Brian Humphries is one of Orlando’s most popular bartenders. This year he’s stepped up his game and taken on bar/club ownership with Mr. Sister’s. Humphries promises the exciting and fun new meeting place will be opening momentarily. His Grandma Weezie’s legendary pie is a refreshingly simple recipe for the holidays.
Ingredients
6-8 Granny Smith apples (peeled)
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tbsp. ginger
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 Pillsbury Easy Bake Pie Crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix all ingredients, except 2 tbsp. butter and, of course, the crust. Place butter in piecrust, and pour mixture on top.
Bake for 50 mins. Enjoy!
