No holiday is complete without signature dishes. Whether it’s an uncle’s pie or a family friend’s casserole, everyone has something in mind when they think of their favorite seasonal treat. ‘Tis the season for sharing, so we have compiled a list of some of our school’s top recipes. The Sentry is proud to present to you: The 2023 Yorktown Holiday Cookbook.

Freshman English Teacher Anne Stewart’s Cranberry-Apple Pie:

For the filling, start by combining ¾ cups of brown sugar, ¼ cups of sugar, ⅓ cups of flour and one teaspoon of cinnamon to a bowl and set aside. Then, chop up three to four apples into cranberry sized pieces, until you have four cups of apples.

Add the four cups of apples and two cups of cranberries to the dry mixture. Transfer everything to a gallon ziploc bag and shake around to further mix the ingredients. Make the pie crust of your choice, then place the filling into the crust. Top with a few slices of butter and add the top layer of crust. Seal and bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes to an hour. Mrs. Stewart’s tip?

“Roll the crust up on the inside of the dish so that it doesn’t get too crispy around the outside,” Stewart said.

12th Grader Jedidiah Amadi’s Nigerian Jollof Rice:

“My mom and I have been making this rice for a long time,” Jedidiah Amadi said.

Dedicated to eyeballing measurements, Jedidiah gives no specific quantities. Take your desired amount of tomatoes, onions and dried red pepper, and pop that into a blender until it becomes a smooth consistency.

Take chicken stock and cooking oil and pour into a pot. When the liquid is boiling, add the tomato mixture. While that cooks, wash and make your rice. Then put your rice into the mixture and stir it all together.

For a more in-depth recipe, visit this link: https://cheflolaskitchen.com/jollof-rice/. (It’s Jedidiah approved!)

APUSH Teacher Kevin Bridwell’s Roasted Turkey:

“The turkey is already dead so it doesn’t matter,” Bridwell said.

To properly spatchcock a turkey, you’ll need a turkey, salt, pepper, and olive oil. First, dry off the turkey with some paper towels. This is key for crispy turkey skin. After, use kitchen scissors to cut along one side of the backbone. Put some muscle into this because you will be cutting through cartilage and bones. Cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it.

Then, flatten the bird, cut side down, and press down until you hear the wishbone crack and the turkey lies flat. Transfer the turkey to a baking sheet with a wire rack. Generously season with salt and pepper, and then let the turkey refrigerate for at least 8 hours. After it is chilled, bring the turkey to room temperature by letting it rest.

Dry off the bird again and brush it with olive oil. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, pour water into the baking sheet, and pop the bird into the oven. Roast until golden brown, about one hour. Now you have delicious, crispy turkey!

Pat the Patriot’s Baklava:

Make a walnut mixture by thoroughly combining four cups of chopped walnuts, ½ cups of sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl.

Brush a medium-size baking pan with two sticks of melted Parkay Margarine. Lay seven baklava phyllo leaves in the pan, buttering between each layer. Evenly pour ½ of the walnut mixture into the pan. Drizzle Parkay margarine on the walnuts.

Lay five layers of phyllo leaves into the pan, buttering between each layer. Pour the remaining walnut mixture over the phyllo and sprinkle with margarine.

Lay seven layers of phyllo leaves over the top of the walnut mixture over the top of the walnut mixture, buttering between each layer.

Score the baklava into the square pieces (about 1.5 inches x 1.5 inches) that you will be cutting later. (This will help the phyllo from breaking after it is cooked).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

While the baklava is cooking, prepare the syrup by combining three cups of water, three and ½ cups of sugar, and one and ½ cups of honey in a pot and bring them to a boil. Once boiling, take off heat and let the syrup cool down.

Before pouring the syrup over the baklava, cut completely into squares using the scores you made before cooking as guidelines. Slowly pour the syrup over the baklava, making sure to get some into the cuts you have made. Don’t cover the baklava completely with syrup, just enough to soak halfway through each piece.

“Happy holidays and see you next football season!” Pat the Patriot said.

History Teacher Mr. Obetts’ Nutmeg Cookie Logs:

“Here’s a recipe that’s been around my whole life. It was passed through my family, and it’s my favorite cookie,” Obetts said.

Sift three cups of flour and one teaspoon of nutmeg into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat one cup of butter with ¾ cups of sugar. Add one egg and two teaspoons of almond flavoring into the butter and sugar. Then, pour in the flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Shape the dough into long rolls, ½ inch in diameter. Cut the rolls into three equal sections. Move the rolls to an ungreased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, make some frosting! Cream three tablespoons of butter, ½ teaspoons of vanilla and one tablespoon of almond flavoring. Blend in ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat well. Then, add two cups of powdered sugar, 2-3 teaspoons at a time. Beat until smooth.

Take the cookies out of the oven and wait about ten minutes to cool. Then, top with icing and enjoy!

9th Grader Shaila Kauta’s Kroštule:

“This recipe is from Croatia,” Kauta said.

Mix two eggs, one teaspoon of vanilla and ⅔ cups of sugar until creamy. Add one teaspoon of rum, two tablespoons of oil and six and ½ tablespoons of sour cream. Combine.

In a different bowl, mix three and ½ cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder (called “prašak za pecivo” in croatia!) and a pinch of salt. Slowly add that mixture to the egg and sugar mix, constantly stirring to get a sticky dough. Knead for a couple of minutes on a clean table for the dough to become smooth and soft.

Shape the dough into a ball, and leave in a bowl and cover it with a towel for one hour.

Roll out the dough to about two millimeters thin and then cut it with a knife in 4×8 cm pieces. Then, make a slice in the middle of each section. Take one side of the dough and pull it through the split in the middle to make something that looks like a knot.

Let rest for 15 minutes covered with a towel.

Heat the oil until it is ready to use for frying. Fry the dough for roughly a minute on each side, or until you have a golden brown color. Make sure to flip both sides while frying.

Take them out of oil and place them on a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil. Sprinkle the kroštule with powdered sugar. It is best enjoyed with a cup of Croatian coffee!

Have a happy holiday with these delicious foods!