Dyanna Calvario

(Golden Gate Xpress-Dyanna Calvario)

This holiday season SF State students and personnels provided us with some of their personal favorite recipes and dishes for the holidays. 

SF State Student, Amaya Edwards provided us with her family recipe: Green Bean Casserole. Although the dish  is a Campbell’s traditional recipe, her grandma has put a twist on the traditional dish  by adding bacon and fried onions to give an extra crunch. Edwards’ grandmother, Deanne Carl, has been making this recipe for as long as she can remember.

“It’s just something I’ve always liked, when I hear that recipe I think of her,” Edwards said.

Edwards holiday plans typically consist of going out to a restaurant for holiday dinners but due to COVID-19 cooking at home has been elected as the smart choice. 

“We’re figuring this out kind of late but we still need to figure out what we’re going to make. I don’t think we’re doing the turkey this year,” Edwards said. 

Below are the instructions for this holiday recipe:

Green Bean Casserole

Originally by: Campbell’s but modified by Amaya Edwards family

Prep time: 10mins

Total time: 40mins

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 dash black pepper

4 cups cooked cut green beans

1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions

Optional: Bacon Bits and extra crunchy fried onions

Directions:

1. Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.
3. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
4. Add bacon bits and more fried onions to give an extra crunch on top of the casserole.

Mauriene Hilario, a Health Promotion & Wellness student leader and a CalFresh Health Education Assistant, provided Golden Gate Xpress with the holiday recipe of Easy-Peasy Mashed Potatoes. Danielle Lundstrom, MPH, RDN Nutrition Health Educator, explains that the department chose Hilario’s recipe because it’s “relatively simple, doesn’t call for too many ingredients or take too much time.” Hilario makes this regularly for thanksgiving.

 “I would imagine, she’s gonna make it but otherwise I think you know it’s a very beginner cook family recipe. So, one that a lot of students may be able to make this year,” Lundstrom said. 

Below are the instructions for this holiday recipe:

Easy-Peasy Mashed Potatoes

Submitted by: Mauriene Hilario

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: about 20 minutes

Total time: about 30 minutes

Servings: family-sized, 6+

Ingredients:

2 lbs Russet potatoes

2-3 Tbsp butter

1 cup milk, 2% or whole (or plain, unsweetened milk alternative such as soy milk or almond milk)

(Optional) A large dollop of sour cream

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp chives, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)

Directions:

1. Scrub potatoes under running water, pat dry, then peel. Chop potatoes into approximately 1-inch cubes.
2. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to fully submerge. Bring to a boil, then cook until they are soft and easily pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes then return to a pot. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth.
4. Add butter and milk to a small pot and warm until butter is melted. Pour mixture into potatoes. Add a large dollop of sour cream, if desired. Add salt and pepper. Stir everything together until combined.
5. Fold in chives, then transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!
6. Allow leftover potatoes cool and store in the refrigerator within 2 hours or cooking. Enjoy within 4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze leftover potatoes in a large freezer bag for up to 12 months.

Jayla Hines, a 4th year SF State Kinesiology major, shared her Filipino recipe: Chicken Adobo. Hines “mamas” (her grandmother) is the founder of this particular recipe. 

“We cook this because we enjoy having Filipino food along with the traditional turkey and ham,” Hines said. 

Her family holiday plans this year are with immediate family only and taking safety and health precautions. 

“It’s just going to be the only immediate family, going to my mamas house this year and we are all still wearing face masks and giving my mama a face shield to wear and no one is allowed to walk around. We will be sitting in the same spot so we are not passing each other all the time throughout the gathering,” Hines said.

Below are the instructions for this holiday recipe:

Chicken Adobo

Submitted by: Jayla Hines

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: about 25 minutes

Total time: about 40 minutes

Servings: family-sized, 6+

Ingredients:

2 tbsp cooking oil

12 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs chicken thighs

¾ cup of soy sauce

⅔ cup of white vinegar

4 Bay leaves 

Salt- to your desire

Black Pepper- to your desire

Directions:

• Saute the garlic in the oil until it’s golden. 

1. Add chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, salt and bay leaves
2. Cook for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
3. Remove bay leaves from the sauce.
4. Top Chicken and Sauce over rice.

Samantha Pelayo, an SF chef and Instagram food blogger, shared her holiday stuffing that she’s been making for years. 

“I just used basic stuffing ingredients and made it my own with the brioche, the herb combo and the paprika and cranberries,” Pelayo said. 

She described that this recipe is her favorite as it is“ spicy, sweet and salty and think this stuffing is a delicious addition to any feast. I’ve been eating it for the past three days straight.” Pelayo’s plans this year are staying at home with her boyfriend.

“Ham and all the fixings with some delicious wine and a movie! We take Covid very seriously,” Pelayo said. 

Below are the instructions for this holiday recipe:

Samantha Pelayo’s Stuffing

Serving: 4 people 

Prep: 45 min 

Cook time: 50 min 

INGREDIENTS: 

12 Ounces brioche, cubed and toasted 

½ cup unsalted butter 

2 cups diced yellow onion 

2 cups diced celery 

4 garlic cloves, minced 

Pink himalayan salt + black pepper 

1 tbsp paprika 

2 tbsp dried cranberries (optional) 

3 tbsp sage, dried 

3 tbsp thyme, dried 

3 tbsp basil, dried 

1 ½ cups chicken stock 

1 Egg 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Cut the bread into cubes, spread evenly on a sheet tray/baking tray and toast for 20 minutes, rotating halfway. You want the cubes to be golden brown and have a crouton consistency. Once dry, pull from the oven and cool.
3. Smear butter inside a 9×9 baking dish, coating the sides as well. 
4. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl and set aside. 
5. Melt the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. 
6. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Once fragrant, add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Stir to combine. 
7. Once the ingredients are soft, add the herbs, cranberries and paprika. Stir to combine.
8. Add 1 cup of stock. 
9. Pour the onion/celery mixture over the breadcrumbs and toss well to coat. 
10. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and remaining ½ cup of stock
11. Add to the bread mixture. Stir to coat evenly. 
12. Dump the mixture into the buttered pan and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 25 minutes. Rotate and bake for another 25 minutes. 
13. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and cool. 
14. *I serve this with green beans, cranberrysaus, whipped garlic mashed potatoes, hawaiian rolls & ham.