From kitchen traditions to fresh twists, we’re bringing together the tastes that make this time of year feel special. Whether you’re hosting, sharing, or simply savoring the season, these recipes are here to make your holiday table festive and flavorful. Dive in and enjoy a taste of the season, Grow Cedar Valley style!

Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups turkey, shredded
• 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup turkey gravy
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups stuffing
• Chicken broth, or melted butter to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the turkey and cranberry sauce, then spread it evenly on the bottom of an 8×8 glass baking dish. (or double and use a 9×13-inch pan).
2. Evenly press on leftover mashed potatoes and sprinkle corn over the top.
3. Mix together the milk and leftover gravy, then spread it evenly over the potatoes and corn.
4. Sprinkle on leftover stuffing and lightly drizzle chicken broth over the top (this will keep the stuffing from drying out).
5. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400-degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Notes

• Double the recipe for a 9×13 pan; add 5–10 minutes if starting cold.
• For extra moisture, add 2–4 Tbsp of broth to the stuffing before baking.
• Swap in green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, rice, or other leftover sides.

A holiday favorite from:

Caleb Brothers

Marketing Specialist

Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 32 oz frozen cubed potatoes
• 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup
• 32 oz chicken stock 
• 1 ranch packet
• 8 oz cream cheese diced to melt faster

Toppings

• 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 green onions chopped

Instructions

1. In a crockpot, add frozen potatoes, cream of chicken soup, chicken stock, and ranch packet.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
3. Add diced cream cheese into the slow cooker and cover for 10-30 minutes until cream cheese has melted.
4. Once the cream cheese is melted, top the soup with bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions.

Serve and enjoy!

A holiday favorite from:

Sandi Sommerfelt

Vice President of Operations

Savory Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 4-6 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Stir all ingredients together using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until combined.
2. Serve garnished with extra bacon and green onions if desired, or cover and refrigerate until use.

A holiday favorite from:

Stephanie Detweiler, PHR

Director of Talent & Workforce

Sweet Potato Black Bean & Quinoa Chili

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced sweet potato (about 1 large)
• 1 cup diced red onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup diced bell peppers (about 1 large)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1(15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28-ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3-4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1-1½ tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a crockpot, starting with 3 cups of vegetable broth, stir well to combine.
2. Set the crockpot to high and cook for 4 hours
3. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until ready to serve. If the chili becomes too thick, add another ½-1 cup of water to reach desired consistency.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
5. Serve hot with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips.

A holiday favorite from:

Katelyn Tungland

Director of Investor Relations

Cranberry Jalapeno Dip

Ingredients

• 12 oz Fresh Cranberries
• 1 Cup Sugar
• ½ Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 6 Green Onions (Chopped)
• 1-2 Seeded/Chopped Jalapenos
• ¼ Cup Lime Juice
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• ½ TSP. Salt

Instructions

1. Blend ingredients together.
2. Serve with cream cheese and crackers.

A holiday favorite from:

Adrienne Miller

Director of Business Services & Advocacy

Sausage in Red Gravy

Ingredients

• 6 T. unsalted butter
• 1 ½ lbs. smoked sausage. (I use polska kielbasa because it is available, however, the recipe calls for andouille sausage) cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 packed cups, in all, julienned onions
• 6 ½ cups, in all, beef broth
• 1 ½ tsp. ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup, in all, finely chopped green onions (tops only)
• About 3 cups hot rice

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy 8-quart pan or large Dutch oven over high heat until pan bottom is well coated with butter. Add the sausage in a single layer and cover pan; cook without stirring until sausage is well browned on the bottom, about 7 minutes. Turn sausage over and sprinkle 2 packed cups of the onions on top of it. Re-cover pan and cook without stirring until sausage and onions in contact with pan bottom are well browned, and until there is a buildup of dark brown sediment, about 7 minutes
2. Add ¾ cup of the stock and scrape the pan bottom clean. Add the pepper and salt, stirring and scraping pan bottom well and turning sausage again. Re-cover pan and cook about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping once. Add the celery, bell peppers, and garlic, stirring well. Re-cover pan and cook about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping once or twice.
3. Add the tomato sauce, stirring well. Continue cooking uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally. Add ½ packed cup more onions, stirring well. Cook until large puddles of fat have broken out of the mixture and the remaining tomato mixture is thick, about 8 minutes, allowing the sediment to build up on the pan bottom before stirring. (Stir only if the mixture is sticking excessively to the pan bottom)
4. Stir in the parsley and ½ cup of the green onions. Add 3 ¼ cups more stock, scraping pan bottom clean; cook until liquid has reduced to a thick, dark red gravy, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (more often toward the end of the cooking time). Stir in the remaining 2 ½ cups stock, ½ packed cup onions, and ½ cup green onions; bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer until gravy is noticeably thicker but still juicy, about 15 minutes more, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat and serve immediately, allowing about ¾ cup rice mounded in the center of each plate surrounded by about ¾ cup gravy and 3 to 4 pieces of sausage.

A holiday favorite from:

Katy Susong

President & CEO

Pretzel Dip

Ingredients

• 1 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• ¼ c. peppers (red, orange, or yellow)

Instructions

1. Cook egg, sugar and vinegar on med/low heat and stir until custardy.
2. Pour over cream cheese and beat with hand mixer.
3. Fold in peppers and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Serve with pretzels.

A holiday favorite from:

Kelsey Schroeder

Office Manager

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Honey

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I like to add a dash of cayenne for a little kick)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, blue cheese, or goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss sweet potato rounds with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
3. Arrange in a single layer and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and caramelized.
4. Remove from oven, drizzle with honey, and finish with cheese and fresh rosemary before serving.

A holiday favorite from:

Jamie Orr

Director of Marketing

Mango & Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• ⅔ cups dry quinoa
• 1 ⅓ cup water, or broth
• 14 oz  can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 medium mango peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Instructions

• To cook quinoa, rinse several times in cool water and then let soak for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Place in a small pot with 1 1/3 cup water or broth (I like vegetable or chicken broth for additional flavor) and bring to a simmer. Add quinoa. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa can be fluffed with a fork.  Cool to room temp, or make ahead and chill.
• Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.  You should have about 2 cups.
• Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.
• In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.

A holiday favorite from:

Kelsie Kunkle

Talent & Workforce Development Manager

Grandma’s Perked Punch

Ingredients

• (30 cup coffee maker)
• 1 ½ qt cranberry juice
• 2 qt apple juice
• ½ c brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 ½ tsp whole cloves

Instructions

1. Put brown sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves in the basket.
2. Pour cranberry juice and apple juice into the coffee maker
3. Perk

Singing “it’s time for the percolator” while making it is optional but recommended!

A holiday favorite from:

Erin Langenberg

Director of Events & Engagement

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 5 ½ cups peeled apples (use lemon juice and water on the cut apples)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons flour
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 1 pie crust

Cover the apples with the mixture, stir, and place in a pie crust.

Crumble for pie topping

• ¾ cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup of brown sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Stir together and place over apples.

Instructions

1. Bake the apple pie for 50 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the apples are soft.

A holiday favorite from:

Lisa Skubal, CEcD

Vice President of Economic Development