As we count down to Christmas, naturally the traditional holiday turkey will steal the show. But after the turkey is gone and you are filled up on leftover hot turkey sandwiches, you may be looking for some fun comfort food meal ideas.
If you have a package or two of Florida Raised grass-fed ground beef, you have a whole lot of possibilities in your refrigerator! We found these four great recipes that are a little different for a fun twist on holiday food as you are celebrating in the month of December.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Get out your crock pot and in a few quick steps, you can prepare the kind of appetizer that everyone will want to nosh on when they visit your house. Sweet and sour meatballs are also the perfect appetizer to take along to family pot-luck gatherings. Just pack some cocktail sticks and napkins, tote along the crock pot and you’ll be ready to go!
Some fun facts that many people don’t know about the original sweet and sour sauce recipe, is that it was first embraced in Cantonese cooking for a sweet and sour pork dish. A world-renowned Chef from Hong Kong named Leung King popularized the recipe that is most commonly used today in restaurants and grocery store bottled sauce products. He suggested using apple cider vinegar instead, for a more blended and consistent flavor (without the acidic bite).
Check out this savory Sweet and Sour Meatball recipe from Food.com. And if you want to jazz them up a little bit and add a tropical twist, consider adding in canned pineapple pieces to the crock pot after the meatballs are cooked. While they simmer, it adds a little Hawaiian flavor and garnish.
Elegant and Traditional Christmas Tourtiere Recipe
The Christmas Tourtiere is actually a French-Canadian traditional holiday recipe. Think of it as a really tender and juicy meat pie, made elegant and perfect for sharing with family and friends, with a side of mashed sweet or white potato (and extra butter!).
The recipe for Quebec Christmas Tourtiere actually dates back to 1600. The delicious meal also became popular by cultural osmosis in the upper Midwest and eastern regions of the United States.
When you pull the Tourtiere out of the oven, remember to let it sit for awhile. That allows the beef and other ingredients to solidify, so that the pie can be cut (without losing shape or filling on the plate). We found this delicious recipe via King Arthur Flour.
Holiday Beef Tamales
When family and friends gather for a party, is it really a party if there are not any delicious tamales to share? Don’t be intimidated by the corn husk and steps involved in making tamales; they are actually really simple and easy to make at home (at a fraction of the cost of store-bought versions).
Did you know that tamales have been served during the holiday season as a tradition, since pre-Columbian Latin American women invented them as a portable meal to feed the Aztec, Mayan and Incan armies? Today no holiday season is complete without tamales on the table for Latin families (and people who enjoy them for their amazing flavor!)
Start with a few packages of our Florida Raised grass-fed ground beef. Then follow these steps. Don’t forget to wash and then presoak the corn husks for about 45 minutes prior to baking.
Polynesian Barbeque Stuffed Biscuits
In Hawaii they are called manapua, which means ‘delicious pork thing’. If you have ever been to a dim sum restaurant, you have probably tried multiple variations of the stuffed biscuit or meat bun, included steamed baozi. There are also Tahitian variations that are sometimes eaten as a hardy protein rich breakfast food, dating back to the 1800s.
This recipe was sourced from Pillsbury, using their prepared dough (which is a great timesaver). What makes this recipe so interesting is that it incorporates water chestnuts, that are high in potassium vitamin B6, riboflavin and fiber. When you combine the water chestnuts with premium grass-fed ground beef, you are packing a lot of healthy vitamins, minerals and proteins into every bite!
Try the recipe suggested by Pillsbury if you have company coming over, and want to keep them snacking healthfully (and out of the kitchen).