Holidays are all about family traditions — traditions that often include religious ceremonies, seasonal music, gift giving, and annual gatherings of family and friends.
Of course, food is at the heart of most holiday gatherings. Like many of us, even professional chefs turn to family traditions when planning their own celebratory menus.
Local chefs recently told us about their culinary holiday traditions, ranging from American classics like turkey and ham to Italian crepe soup to Puerto Rican coquito and Venezuelan ham bread. They also shared some tips for amateur cooks, as well as a few favorite recipes.
Laura Sogor, Chef & Owner, Laura’s Home Cooking
As the owner of her own catering business, Laura Sogor spends most of her days in the kitchen — but she doesn’t take a break for the holidays. She does most of the cooking for her family’s Christmas celebrations, which include a Christmas Eve meal featuring lobster and filet mignon, a Christmas morning brunch, and, finally, a Christmas Day feast, which generally replicates her family’s Thanksgiving dinner from a few weeks earlier. It includes classics — turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato casserole — as well as more non-traditional sides, like “turkey beans” cooked slow and low with brown sugar and pork chops; coleslaw; creamed onions; corn pudding, and the family favorite, Snow Cap Pie, for dessert.
Advice for home cooks:
Prep ahead. “If you’re not used to cooking for a bigger crowd, prepping ahead is key,” Sogor says. For example, she peels and slices potatoes a day ahead of time and keeps them refrigerated in a pot of water overnight until it’s time to cook and mash them.
Matt Grimm, Executive Chef, Gigi’s Southern Table
Matt Grimm has fond memories of large family gatherings in his grandmother’s tiny home in Western Pennsylvania for every holiday. He says his aunts and other family members each had special versions of the same foods that they would take turns making for the celebrations. Eventually, they gathered all the different recipes together and created a family cookbook, which is a treasured keepsake for Grimm.
While he says his family’s Christmas dinner included the traditional turkey and ham staples, it also featured a couple of side dishes with unique twists: stuffing made with saltine crackers rather than bread cubes and a scalloped potato dish made with shredded hash browns. Christmas morning always included apricot cake.
Advice for home cooks:
Keep it simple. “People shouldn’t overwhelm themselves by trying to make 14 different things for one meal. Don’t go crazy; just do five or six things well. … Take it easy and try to keep that holiday mentality and happiness while you’re cooking.”
Angel Rodriguez, Chef & Owner, Rumba & Soul
Like the fare served by the food truck Angel Rodriguez owns with his wife, Nia, holiday meals with the Rodriguez family are a mixed bag of Puerto Rican dishes and African American soul food.
A typical Christmas dinner might include ham, turkey, and pernil (roasted pork shoulder), as well as collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and pasteles — a tamale-like dish featuring a dough made from plantains and root vegetables with a meat-based filling.
“We make sure we have traditional foods so we keep our traditions alive,” Rodriguez says. He has fond memories from childhood of helping his grandmother by peeling plantains for the pasteles.
The meal is topped off with cheesecake, arroz con dulce (coconut rice pudding), and coquito — the Puerto Rican version of eggnog, Rodriguez says.
Advice for home cooks:
Ask for help. Rodriguez says he’s always willing to answer questions about how to scale a meal for a bigger crowd or other dilemmas. Also, he says, “If you feel stressed about the meal: outsource. Never stress about the meal. As long as everybody’s enjoying their time together, that’s what matters.”
Paul Herceg, Executive Chef, Grace
Paul Herceg says his love of cooking came from helping his Italian mom in the kitchen. Ever since he was a child, he says he has helped her prepare for Christmas dinner by making over 100 crepes for a classic Italian dish, scrippelle ’mbusse, or “crepe soup.”
“Basically, you stack up crepes, pour some hot broth over them, and put some cheese on them. It’s something we always look forward to on Christmas,” he says.
This is one of many dishes that complement the classic turkey and ham that are part of the Herceg family Christmas dinner each year, he says.
Advice for home cooks:
Get the temperature right. “A good thermometer is really the key to having a good turkey,” Herceg says. He suggests pulling the turkey out of the oven when the thermometer reads 150-155 degrees and letting it rest for about half an hour, knowing that it will continue to cook even as it rests.
Alex Singh, Executive Chef, Allen Street Grill
Like Herceg, Alex Singh says his passion for the culinary arts started at home.
“My mother would always enlist my help in the kitchen from a young age, and that’s where I learned the basics of preparation and, ultimately, my love for food and the connection it brings,” he says.
He still loves to lend a hand in the kitchen during the holidays, he says, and one of his favorite meals includes Cornish game hen, roasted chestnut gravy, a mulled cranberry sauce, and a special brown butter stuffing.
“When it is in the oven and the house becomes flooded with warm and inviting aromatics of rosemary, apples, and thyme, nothing else compares,” he says.
Advice for home cooks:
Invest in a good Dutch oven. “One of my personal favorite weapons on the holiday battlefield is a Le Creuset Dutch oven. I find this to be such a universal multi-use tool that provides me the freedom to multi-task other projects while a delicious roast is braising in the oven,” he says, especially praising its heat retention capability.
Ady Martinez, Chef & Owner, Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine
“December at my house means the kitchen comes alive with the flavors and sounds of Venezuela. Every year, I make sure our holiday table is filled with the classics: hallaca, pan de jamón,andensalada de gallina (see recipes). These dishes are more than food — they’re tradition, memory, and connection, passed down through generations,” says Ady Martinez.
“Making hallacas, especially, is a true event. It’s not just a recipe — it’s a family ritual that takes the better part of a day or even an entire weekend. Everyone has a task: one person is making the guiso [meat stew filling], another is preparing the corn dough, and someone else is cleaning and cutting the banana leaves. We talk, laugh, tell stories, and sometimes argue over the ‘right’ way to fold or tie each hallaca. The result is a mountain of fragrant, banana-leaf-wrapped parcels, ready for the steamer — and a deep sense of togetherness.”
Advice for home cooks:
Insulate your dishes. While it’s often challenging to time things so all of the components of a holiday meal are the right temperature for serving, Martinez says one trick is to cover a tray of food with foil and then put a clean towel on top of the foil to help keep things insulated.
Brittney Pereda, Executive Chef, Flour & Stone, Pine Grove Hall
Brittney Pereda loves cooking for large crowds and is particularly fond of the standard Thanksgiving turkey dinner. However, she says Christmas while she was growing up was always about traditional Cuban food: rice and beans, tres leches cake, and, she says, “My grandmother was known for her flan; we would have that for dessert every year.”
Advice for home cooks:
Wet brine. For the most juicy, flavorful turkey, Pereda says, “Make a very seasoned water — salt, sugar, fresh herbs, garlic, bay leaves, oranges — make sure it’s chilled, and submerge the turkey in that water.”
Spice it up. “Don’t be afraid of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove for Christmas. They usually make everything better, even in savory food.”
Quintin Wicks, Chef & Owner, Revival Kitchen
“Cranberry relish was the first culinary creation I ever made,” Quintin Wicks says. “I used a recipe I learned in the Cub Scouts.”
He’s still making this traditional holiday side dish today, although he says he does usually prefer to let others do most of the cooking for holiday meals. Wicks also says he prefers roasted chicken over turkey.
Advice for home cooks:
Cool leftovers before storing. “Most people don’t cool their leftovers properly, and it scares me to death,” he says. Hot leftovers packed into plastic containers and stuck into a full refrigerator are breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria. Wicks suggests spreading food out on a tray to let it cool down before packing it up, or else putting containers into the refrigerator without a lid for several hours to allow heat to dissipate before sealing.
Amanda Wixom, Personal Chef/Owner, The Gourmet Girl
In lieu of another big dinner so soon after Thanksgiving, Amanda Wixom says her family celebrates Christmas with a brunch that normally includes quiche, baked goods, fruit salad, a green salad, bacon or ham, and a potato dish.
As The Gourmet Girl, Wixom specializes in charcuterie, so it’s not surprising that she says, “I always love bringing in the colors and flavors of the season for holiday charcuterie boards. A cranberry Stilton or a cranberry chevre is a lovely addition to other crowd favorite cheeses on your board, pear chutney alongside an aged cheddar, fresh pomegranate seeds, dried orange slices, fresh rosemary to garnish. … The possibilities are endless!”
Advice for home cooks:
Easy appetizers. Wixom recommends including low-maintenance items such as store-bought desserts or no-cook appetizers on the menu to keep stress to a minimum. “My easiest go-to appetizer is made with a jar of really good pepper jelly (I love a cranberry version around the holidays) over a softened log of goat cheese or a block of cream cheese, served with your favorite crackers or crostini — always a winner and truly comes together in seconds.”
No matter what your traditions are, keep in mind this sentiment from Martinez as you plan your next holiday meal: “Don’t stress over perfection. Holidays are about connection, not perfect plating or spotless kitchens. Invite others to help, accept the happy chaos, and enjoy the experience.” T&G
Karen Walker is a freelance writer in State College whose Christmas dinner traditionally includes ham, baked pineapple, scalloped potatoes au gratin, green bean casserole, and her mother’s famous éclair dessert.
ARROZ CON DULCE
From Angel Rodriguez, Rumba & Soul
Chef’s note: “This creamy coconut rice pudding is more than dessert — it’s a holiday ritual. Infused with ginger, cinnamon, and coconut milk, arroz con dulce appears on every Puerto Rican table from Thanksgiving through Three Kings’ Day.”
Ingredients
2 cups short-grain white rice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 cinnamon sticks
2 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup coconut cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Ground cinnamon for topping
Instructions
Rinse rice until water runs clear. Soak in 4 cups water with ginger and cinnamon sticks for 30 minutes.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove cinnamon sticks and ginger. Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, coconut cream, sugar, and salt. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, 25-30 minutes. Add raisins if using; cook 5 more minutes.
Pour into 8-10 serving bowls, cool to room temperature, and sprinkle with cinnamon. The pudding thickens as it cools. Make a day ahead for deeper flavor. Serve warm or chilled.
BROWN BUTTER STUFFING
From Alex Singh, Allen Street Grill
Ingredients
10 cups day-old bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (ciabatta, sourdough, or rustic country bread works well)
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups peeled, roasted chestnuts, roughly chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Madeira wine
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chef’s note: “My secret ingredients are a touch of nutmeg, marjoram, and Marsala wine for added depth and complexity!”
Instructions
Toast the bread for 8-10 minutes at 315 degrees until slightly crispy.
Sauté the chestnuts, onion, garlic, and celery in butter until translucent and aromatic. Add in aromatics like sage, thyme, and rosemary.
Deglaze with Madeira wine for a touch of sweetness.
Combine with toasted bread, broth, and egg and place in a 9×9 Pyrex dish greased with butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then enjoy!
COQUITO: LIQUID CHRISTMAS
From Angel Rodriguez, Rumba & Soul
Chef’s note: “Puerto Rico’s answer to eggnog, coquito is a rich, coconut-based holiday cocktail that flows freely at every celebration. Families guard their recipes closely, each claiming theirs is the best on the island.”
Ingredients
2 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut milk
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups white rum (or to taste)
Cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions
In blender, combine coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream of coconut. Blend until smooth.
Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; blend again. Add rum and blend until well combined. Pour into glass bottles and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Shake well before serving. Serve chilled over ice with cinnamon stick garnish. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
For a non-alcoholic version, omit rum and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla.
CRANBERRY PECAN GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES
From Amanda Wixom, The Gourmet Girl
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
11 ounces fresh chèvre (goat cheese), room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Chop pecans and dried cranberries and combine in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Whip all remaining ingredients with a mixer until smooth and well combined.
Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop and roll the mixture into uniform balls, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roll each ball in the cranberry/pecan mixture to coat.
Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.
Can be stored in an airtight container until served.
CRANBERRY RELISH
From Quintin Wicks, Revival Kitchen
Ingredients
12 ounces cranberries, washed
2 ounces fresh ginger root; peel with a spoon
1 orange, washed and seeded
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Run cranberries, ginger root, and orange (including peel) through meat grinder attachment on KitchenAid mixer or pulse in food processor.
Stir in sugar and salt.
Make 1 day ahead. Serve at room temperature.
CREPE SOUP (SCRIPPELLE ’MBUSSE)
Paul Herceg, Grace Restaurant
Ingredients
10 large eggs
2 cups water
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch each of salt, nutmeg, black pepper
Olive oil for greasing the pan
About 3-4 cups Locatelli or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
About 12-13 cups of homemade chicken or beef broth (light and clear)
Salt to taste
Instructions
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with water and pinches of salt, nutmeg, and black pepper. Gradually whisk in the flour until smooth and lump-free.
Heat a nonstick or crepe pan over medium heat. Lightly grease it.
Pour a small ladleful (about 2 ounces) of batter into the pan, swirling quickly to make a thin crepe. Cook for about 30 seconds per side — do not brown them.
Stack cooked scrippelle on a clean towel and cover to keep soft.
Simmer broth separately and keep it hot.
Lay each scrippella flat and sprinkle with 1-2 ounces grated cheese. Roll up gently (like a cigar).
Place 3 scrippelle in each shallow soup bowl. Ladle hot broth over them just before serving. Serve immediately with extra cheese on the side, if desired.
ENSALADA DE GALLINA (VENEZUELAN CHICKEN SALAD)
From Ady Martinez, Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine
Chef’s note: “This is a creamy, colorful salad of chicken, potatoes, carrots, and sometimes apples or peas. In my family, we keep it simple — no apples or peas — but some Venezuelan cooks like to add them for a sweet crunch or extra color.”
Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup heavy cream or sour cream
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
Cook chicken in salted water until tender. Let cool, then shred or dice.
Boil potatoes and carrots in salted water until just tender (not mushy). Drain and cool.
Combine chicken, potatoes, and carrots in a large bowl.
Mix mayonnaise, cream, and mustard in a small bowl. Fold into the salad until well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Chill before serving. Garnish with red pepper or parsley if desired.
FLAN
From Brittney Pereda, Flour & Stone/Pine Grove Hall
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Heat the sugar and water in a pot on the stove to make a hard caramel.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, milks, salt, and vanilla together in a bowl to create a batter.
When caramel becomes a very dark amber color, pour into a regular size bread loaf pan, making sure it covers the entire surface. Pour batter mixture on top of the caramel, then put the loaf pan into a bigger pan with water in it (water should reach halfway up the loaf pan). Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes.
Chef’s note: “Regular vanilla extract is fine, but I love to use Mexican vanilla. You can find it on Amazon. It has a different flavor; it’s delicious.”
HALLACA (VENEZUELAN CHRISTMAS PARCEL)
From Ady Martinez, Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine
Chef’s note: “Hallaca is a savory corn dough parcel filled with a rich stew of beef, pork, and chicken, studded with olives, raisins, and capers, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It’s the centerpiece of every Venezuelan Christmas.”
Ingredients
For the guiso (filling):
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
1 pound pork shoulder, cut into small cubes
1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut into small cubes
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons annatto (achiote) or paprika
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup capers
For the masa (dough):
5 cups pre-cooked cornmeal (Harina PAN or similar)
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups chicken broth (or water)
1/2 cup annatto oil (heat 1/2 cup oil with 2 teaspoons annatto seeds until deep red, then strain)
For assembling:
Banana leaves, cleaned and cut into rectangles (about 12×16 inches)
Cooking twine
Additional capers, olives, raisins, and red pepper strips for garnish
Instructions
Make the guiso:
Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions, garlic, and bell pepper; cook until soft.
Add meats and brown on all sides. Stir in tomatoes, cumin, annatto/paprika, Worcestershire, red wine, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until meats are tender and the stew is thick. Stir in olives, raisins, and capers. Let cool.
Prepare the masa:
In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, chicken broth, and annatto oil. Knead until you get a soft, pliable dough (add more broth if needed).
Prepare banana leaves:
Soften banana leaves by passing them quickly over an open flame or dipping them in hot water. Dry and set aside.
Assemble the hallacas:
Place a banana leaf shiny side up. Spread about 1/2 cup of dough into a thin rectangle.
Add 2–3 tablespoons of guiso in the center. Garnish with a few olives, capers, raisins, and red pepper strips.
Fold the leaf to enclose the filling (like a package) and tie securely with twine.
Cook:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add hallacas, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour.
Drain, cool slightly, and serve warm.
Chef’s note: “Some families add almonds or slices of cooked egg. You can adjust the filling or garnishes to taste. Making hallacas is traditionally a team effort — don’t be shy to ask for help!”
HAM GLAZE
From Paul Herceg, Grace Restaurant
Ingredients
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
Mix all ingredients until combined and use a pastry brush to evenly coat your ham through cooking to create a crust, then one last glaze before serving.
PAN DE JAMÓN (VENEZUELAN HOLIDAY HAM BREAD)
From Ady Martinez, Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine
Chef’s note: “This is a crowd-pleaser and can be made ahead, then warmed up right before serving.”
Ingredients
1 pound store-bought or homemade bread dough (enriched, like brioche or basic white bread dough)
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked ham
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (optional, for a creamy twist)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into a rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick).
Layer ham evenly over the dough, leaving a small border at the edges. Sprinkle raisins and olives evenly on top (dot with cream cheese if you want a richer bread).
Roll up the dough tightly from the long side, pinching the seam to seal and tucking the ends under. Place seam-side down on a lined baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.
PERNIL: THE HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE
From Angel Rodriguez, Rumba & Soul
Chef’s note: “No Puerto Rican celebration is complete without pernil. This slow-roasted pork shoulder, marinated in garlic and spices, becomes fall-apart tender with crackling crispy skin — the prized cuero that guests fight over. Patience is key. The long marinade and slow roast create incomparable flavor and tenderness.”
Ingredients
8-10 pounds pork shoulder (skin-on, bone-in)
1 head garlic (about 15 cloves), peeled
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
1 tablespoon sazón
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
Instructions
Score the pork skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting deep into the meat.
Using mortar and pestle or food processor, mash garlic, oregano, pepper, salt, adobo, and sazón into paste. Add olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice.
Rub marinade all over pork, working into cuts. Cover and refrigerate 12-48 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork skin-side up in roasting pan. Roast 4-5 hours, basting hourly, until internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees for the final 20-30 minutes to crisp the skin. Rest 20 minutes before carving.
SNOW CAP PIE
From Laura Sogor, Laura’s Home Cooking
Ingredients
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces sweet German chocolate, grated
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Beat egg whites and 2 teaspoons of vanilla to soft peaks. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar and baking powder. Beat to stiff peaks.
Reserve about 1 teaspoon grated chocolate for garnish. Fold remaining chocolate, pecans, and cracker crumbs into egg whites.
Bake in greased 9-inch pie plate at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool the pie.
In a bowl, beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until it forms soft peaks. Spread whipping cream on top of pie. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
