You made your list, you checked it twice, yet you’re still missing an essential holiday recipe greeting. Don’t panic. You’re smart. You’re innovative. You can improvise. Don’t worry, nothing is ruined and chances are you’re the only one who will know the difference.
Emergency Holiday Recipe Substitutions
Pink Ham Glaze
What is that pink stuff we slather on the ham anyway? It has a distinct flavor and look, but it’s not the only way to add flavor to your holiday ham. The glaze has cherries in it, but you can make your own ham glaze with or without cherries.
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon molasses
Juice from one can of sliced pineapples
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Slather all of the mixture on the ham. Decorate the top of the ham with the pineapple slices. Poke whole cloves through the pineapples to attach them. If you have cherries, you can add those, too. Make a half batch of the glaze to add to the ham during the last half hour of cooking for extra flavor. Never add salt to any ham glaze.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
If you’re serious about making delicious holiday food, you need to have these essential spices in your kitchen. Pumpkin pie made with these spices will taste far superior to those made with a generic pre-made pumpkin spice mix. For one 9-inch pie you need:
1 tspn. salt
2 tspn. Saigon Cinnamon – This is essential for a rich cinnamon taste without any hint of the bitterness found in other ground cinnamon.
1 tspn. Ground Ginger – This pungent and warming spice should have a permanent home in your spice rack.
¼ tspn. ground cloves
In a Pinch for BBQ Sauce
Your family may not know their favorite appetizer or game day wings start with premade BBQ sauce that you like to doctor up. If you are out of the bottled stuff, whip up your own. Experiment with the amount of spices to suit your tastebuds. You can always adjust the recipe and make more when you baste your famous wings.
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup of honey
½ cup black strap molasses
2 cloves of minced fresh garlic
¼ cup diced white onion
2 tspn. chili powder
1 tspn. onion powder
1 tspn. garlic powder
½ tspn cayenne pepper (optional)
Sour Cream for Cold Dips
I am never sure why we spend so much effort on appetizers when dessert is the best part of any holiday meal. Some people like their vegetables and dip, others like their pepperoni and cheese plates. If you ran out of sour cream use plain yogurt or even better, plain Greek yogurt. Either of these types of yogurts should be staples in your fridge.