e-Inside shares some favorite holiday recipes submitted by Kent State University employees. See instructions for sharing your holiday photos with e-Inside by Dec. 3.

Holiday Beverage Recipe (Apple Pie)
Recipe submitted by Heidi Weisel, administrative clerk, College of Nursing

Ingredients

• 750 bottle vodka, moonshine or everclear (careful not to drink everclear straight!!!)
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1 gallon apple juice
• 3 cups sugar: white, brown or mixed (can add more or less to taste)
• 10-14 cinnamon sticks (cheaper at craft store)
  

Directions

1. Bring apple cider, sugar and cinnamon sticks to low boil.
2. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Let cool.
5. Refrigerate until cold (this is very important or you will lose all alcohol content!).
6. Remove cinnamon sticks.
7. Mix even parts (or as desired) in glass bottles (empty wine bottles or canning jars work great!).
8. Store in refrigerator.
   

Weisel says, “Do not drink this and drive or text your mom!”

Paleo Granola (which you eventually use to top the Paleo pumpkin muffins below)
Recipe submitted by Jeff Glidden, photographer, University Communications and Marketing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sunflowers seeds (unsalted, raw)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted, raw)
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 2/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups almonds (unsalted, raw) ground in food processor until pretty broken up
• 1/2 cup honey
  

Directions
Mix it all together then spread out on well-greased cookie sheet, until approximately 1/2" high. Cook roughly 30 minutes at 325 degrees then turn oven off, use a spatula to mix the granola (while still on the cookie sheet), then return to oven for 10 minutes.

While the granola is hot, transfer to storage containers, for cooling (lid off). If you let it cool on the cookie sheet, you're HOSED - it will stick like glue.

Paleo Pumpkin Spiced Muffins
Recipe submitted by Jeff Glidden, photographer, University Communications and Marketing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pureed 100% pumpkin
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Slightly under-baked is better – less dry.

Once you have these in the muffin thingies...drop some of that Paleo granola on them, and let it bake into the muffins. Once cool - add cinnamon to the tops of the muffins.


Best-Ever Crockpot Ham
Recipe submitted by Diana Ryman, senior secretary, University Communications and Marketing

Ingredients

• 8 # spiral sliced fully-cooked ham
• 1 cup maple syrup
  
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 orange peel
• 10 whole cloves
• 3 cups apple juice or cider
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  

Directions
Tie ham to keep together. Press whole cloves into the ham to evenly distribute. Place ham in slow cooker. Pour apple juice/cider until only about 2 inches of ham is above the surface. Pack the brown sugar on top of the ham, pressing into the cloves. Pour maple syrup over ham. Add ground seasonings and vanilla. Add orange peel. Fill as full with apple juice/cider without going over fill line. Cover and set to low. Cook for 4-5 hours on low.

Ryman says, “I made this last year with a bone in ham that I asked the butcher to cut in two so it would fit in the crockpot. Best, most moist ham I've ever had!”

Low Fat Turkey Stuffing Loaf
Recipe submitted by Diana Ryman, senior secretary, University Communications and Marketing

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons margarine
  
• 2 small apples, pared and diced
• 1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
• 4 slices bread, cubed
• 1/2 cup each shredded carrot, diced onion, celery
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon each poultry seasoning and salt
• 13 oz. ground turkey
  

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In non-stick skillet, heat margarine until hot. Add apples and vegetables and sauté, stirring constantly until apples are soft. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with Pam, transfer turkey mixture to pan. Bake until set, 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand five minutes. Invert on serving plate. Or cook in microwave about 15 minutes. Makes four servings.

Beef and Beer Pie (A recipe from London)
Recipe submitted by Heidi Weisel, administrative clerk, College of Nursing

Directions

Heidi Weisel, administrative clerk with Kent State
University's College of Nursing, submitted this photo of a
beef and beer pie.

Purchase a very large roast or brisket, depending upon how many you want to feed, how much you want as leftovers and how large of a dish you have to bake it in.

This recipe is for a 6-pound roast, adjust accordingly.

Place roast in a crock pot with a dark heavy beer (I used a mocha stout and it was perfect!)
Add enough beer to cover the beef; about four bottles.

Cook on high until boiling and let boil for two hours or so.
Turn heat down and simmer for about four more hours.
You want the meat to be super tender and have time to absorb the flavors of the beer.
Watch that it does not dry up! If you need to add more beer, do it slowly so you don’t crack your crock.

About two hours before meat is done cooking, add the following ingredients:
Peel and halve 6-8 small to medium onions
Peel and add 6-10 cloves of garlic.

Wash and cube 4-6 medium to large potatoes and boil separately until almost done cooking.
I leave the skins on for more flavor and easier prep!

When the meat is done, place a large colander inside of a large bowl. Transfer the meat with a slotted spoon. Press the juice out of the meat, but not too much, just until it doesn’t run through the colander. Pour the juice from the bowl back into the crock pot and dump the meat into the large bowl. Combine together the meat/onion/garlic mix with the potatoes and 8-10 large fresh mushrooms, sliced.

Line a large baking dish with pie crust. Pour in mixture. Cover with top crust. Pinch closed. Brush on beaten egg for golden crispy crust.

Bake at 425 degrees for one hour, adjust for your oven. Wrap edges of crust with aluminum to keep from burning.

Use juice to make gravy. Pour juice from crock pot into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil.

Mix 2-3 heaping forks-full of corn starch into water in a coffee mug, to a thin but slow-liquid consistency.

Remove boiling juice from heat and immediately drizzle in the corn starch, while constantly stirring /whisking.

Place juice back on heat. Return to a boil for long enough to cause the starch to turn clear, or about 3-5 minutes.

Turn down heat to simmer, stir often.

Serve pie with gravy!
Sour cream adds a nice tang!

Good side dishes are sweet peas or carrots cooked in a bit of brown sugar and butter.

Alternately, you can leave out the potatoes and serve the pie with mashed potatoes.
Either way is fabulous!!

Weisel says, "Here is a recipe for pie crust, but I just buy the ready-made ones. (Hey, if I make-it-home from the store with them, I consider them home-made!)": www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_pie_crust/.

See additional recipes that were submitted last holiday season:

Recipes for the Holidays--Part I and Recipes for the Holidays – Part II