Our team's favorite holiday recipes

Part of what makes a house a home are traditions, especially those formed in the kitchen. Some of our team members share their favorite holiday recipes, including ones with a new twist and others passed down from generations. We hope you enjoy this season celebrating with family and friends!

Quinoa, Wild Rice Salad with Pomegranate

"We now make this salad for every Thanksgiving meal. It's healthy and hearty, and tastes really good, too! Everyone in our family loves it. We put the kids to work on harvesting the pomegranate seeds, and they enjoy contributing to the making of the salad."

- Dan Miller, Realtor

Salad ingredients
1 cup spring mix (half and half with baby spinach)
4 tbsp. chopped spring mix
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup toasted pecans and almonds pieces
2 cups cooked quinoa (cooked in broth or salted water)
1 cup cooked black wild rice (cooked in salted water)

Apple Cider Vinaigrette
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. apple cider
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. honey
Pepper and salt to taste

Directions
Take a small glass bottle with lid and shake all ingredients for dressing until well-blended. Toss the spring mix with a little bit of salad dressing and arrange on the salad bowl. Mix the quinoa, wild rice, chopped spring mix and pomegranate with the salad dressing and place on the spring mix layer. Add the toasted pecans and almonds before serving and enjoy.

Recipe credit: FlavzCorner

Grandma's Biscuits

"We always look forward to grandma's biscuits. She would shape them into two loaves and when they'd rise section them off to bake. They are so yummy!"

- Chris Venden, Realtor

Ingredients
4 cups lukewarm water
4 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. lard
1 packet of active dry yeast (or yeast cake)
Flour

Directions
Add yeast cake. Add flour until it is stiff enough that it does not stick to fingers. Let rise twice and mix into loaves. Let rise again and bake at 350-degrees for 1 hour.

Peanut Butter Balls

"My whole youth I was convinced my mother was the only one who made these. She is well-known in our small little town for these, as commonplace and easy as they are. Despite having the recipe I have never actually made these for myself...my mom delivers them to me every year and we demolish them well before Christmas!"

- Kara Thomas, Realtor

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 lb. dipping chocolate or confectioner's coating

Directions
Stir together powdered sugar, peanut butter and butter until well mixed. Shape peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls, placing them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper. Let balls stand for 20 minutes until dry. Melt the dipping chocolate or confectioner's coating. Drop balls one at a time in melted chocolate. Using a fork, remove from the chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip off. Place back on the waxed paper. Let stand until dry. Store tightly in a cool dry place.

Recipe credit: Genius Kitchen