Sweet Holiday Recipes for Everyone to Enjoy

We don't know about you but we love the sweet desserts that come with the holidays! We've asked our employees to share their favorite holiday desserts and tips. Stay tuned for more recipes from Team Eastwood, and be sure to check out the ones we've already posted!

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Caramel-Apple Cream Cheese Crescent Ring

By Donna Varjabedian, Corporate Marketing Manager 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped peeled apples (about 4 large apples) SAVE $
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened (from 8-oz package)
• 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury™ Sweet Hawaiian refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 3 tablespoons caramel topping
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Instructions: 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook apples, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth and creamy.
4. Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On cookie sheet, arrange triangles in ring so short sides of triangles form 6-inch circle in center. Dough will overlap. Dough ring should look like the sun.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture on triangles. Spoon apple mixture evenly over cream cheese on the half of each triangle closest to center of ring.
6. Bring each dough triangle up over apple mixture, tucking dough under bottom of dough to secure it. Repeat around ring until entire filling is enclosed (some filling might show a little).
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and dough is thoroughly baked. Cool 5 minutes.
8. Drizzle with caramel topping and pecans.

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Pecan Pie 

By Amanda Mohl, New Home Internet Specialist

Ingredients:

CRUST

• 1 1/2 cups (192g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. shortening
• 5 tbsp. (71g) unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. to 5 ice cold water
• 2 tsp. white vinegar

FILLING

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 cup (340g) light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup (75g) melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 large eggs, beaten and at room temperature
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions: 

CRUST

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl whisk together your flour and salt.
3. Add in your shortening and butter and mix together using a pastry blender until crumbs appear.
4. Add in your water and vinegar and stir around and make into a ball.
5. Roll out dough into a large circle and place into a 9" deep dish pie plate, cutting away any excess crust, place in refrigerator.

FILLING

1. In a medium bowl mix together your granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and eggs and whisk until blended well.
2. Add your chopped pecans into bottom of your prepared pie crust.
3. Pour your filling mixture over the top.
4. Cover your pie with tin foil and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes if needed until center is set and not overly jiggly.
6. Place pie on the counter or in the refrigerator to cool for several hours before serving.

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Cranberry-Apple Bake 

By Nichole Anthony, Corporate Design Analyst

This is my family’s replacement for traditional cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving – it’s a great side dish for turkey, and also makes a yummy dessert when you top it with vanilla ice cream!  Hint:  if you have leftovers, eat it the next morning topped with vanilla yogurt for breakfast.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups apples, unpeeled and cubed (about 3-4 medium apples)
• 2 cups raw cranberries
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup self-rising flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups uncooked oatmeal
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix the apples, cranberries and sugar together and put into a greased casserole dish.  Mix all other ingredients together and put over top of casserole.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve warm!

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Atkins Inspired Dessert

By Fran Hendel, New Home Sales Associate 

This is a quick, low sugar, low carb dessert for everyone to enjoy! It's my own version of an Atkins dessert. 

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 packet Sugar-free Strawberry Jello (any flavor will do)
• Whip Cream

Directions: 

• Prepare Jello per instructions in a medium bowl, stirring until completely dissolved. Set aside.
• In a separate larger bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until blended. 
• In increments, add the prepared Jello, beating regularly until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.  
• Serve with or without whipped topping.

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Do you have a favorite holiday recipe you'd like to share? We'd love to hear about it!