12 Days of Holiday Cheer!
At FreshDirect, we’re celebrating the season with foods that spread joy. From festive recipes that are perfect for your holiday table to special discounts, we’ve got new treats for you throughout the month beginning December 2, 2022.
During the 12 Days of Holiday Cheer, you have the opportunity to get a free ingredient from the current featured recipe, or on select days, to get a special discount. Check out the recipes below and follow the “Shop the recipe” links to get the latest code.
The 12 Days of Holiday Cheer
12/02: Peanut butter miso blossoms
12/05: Citrus raddichio salad
12/07: Beef bourguignon
12/10: Kugel
12/12: Baked clams
12/14: Mini latkes
12/17: Take something off
12/21: Seven fishes cioppino
12/24: Get 25% off
12/26: Moroccan lamb tagine
12/28: Beef empanada stars
12/30: Easiest apple pie
12/02: Peanut butter miso blossoms
These popular American cookies get a sweet-and-salty twist thanks to miso for an easy holiday cookie.
What you’ll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup miso paste
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup turbinado sugar, or granulated sugar, for coating
25 chocolate kisses
What to do:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter, mayonnaise, and sugars 2–3 min., until fluffy.
To the large bowl, add the egg and vanilla, mixing well to combine. Add miso paste and peanut butter, mixing until thoroughly combined. In batches, slowly add dry ingredients on low speed until combined. Refrigerate dough 1 hour, until fully chilled.
Preheat oven to 350°F. To medium bowl, add the turbinado or granulated sugar. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat in sugar. Place on two ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies 8–10 min., until edges are light brown. Meanwhile, unwrap the kisses. When cookies come out of the oven, immediately press 1 chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
12/05: Citrus raddichio salad
Celebrate citrus season with this bright and beautiful salad – perfect for (small) hosting and impressing friends.
What you’ll need:
Extra virgin olive oil
White wine vinegar or another light, fruity vinegar
Salt and pepper
Radicchio leaves
Baby kale and/or arugula
Peeled and sliced oranges, grapefruit, or a mix
Fennel
Sunflower seeds
What to do:
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to comibine.
12/07: Beef bourguignon
This French stew is perhaps the classiest way to do comfort food. It’s perfect for making on a day spent hibernating indoors and avoiding the chilly weather.
What you’ll need:
3 lb beef chuck cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons oil, divided
8 oz bacon, cut into pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
1 bottle dry red wine
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
8 oz pearl onions, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Chopped parsley, to garnish
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Pat dry beef chuck cubes. Season all over with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a heavy pot over medium low, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add bacon. Cook until crispy. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon. Increase heat to medium and cook beef in a single layer in rendered fat until well-browned all over, turning occasionally. Remove from pot once done. Add onion, carrots, and a pinch of salt to pot and cook, stirring, until softened, 7-10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more. Return beef and juices to pot, along with half of bacon, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and red wine. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add mushrooms, trimmed pearl onions, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1/2 c water. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid mostly evaporated. Stir mushrooms, onions, and remaining bacon into stew once it’s done cooking. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
12/10: Spinach kugel
Traditional noodle kugels are sweet, even when served as a side. This version goes savory, with dried onion soup mix for big savory flavor and frozen spinach. Serve with your Hanukkah meal or any time of year.
What you’ll need:
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
Cooking spray
1 (10 oz) box frozen whole-leaf spinach
1 (12 oz) pkg wide egg noodles
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 (1 oz) pkg onion soup and dip mix
6 large eggs
What to do:
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the oil and butter on medium-high. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook 20 min., until softened and lightly caramelized, stirring often. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with the cooking spray. To a large pot of boiling lightly salted water, add the spinach. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer spinach 3 min., then add the egg noodles. Cook 5–7 min., until noodles are done. Drain spinach and noodles very well; add to bowl with onions.
In a blender, purée the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, onion soup mix, and eggs until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add to bowl with noodle mixture and stir until well coated. Transfer noodle mixture to prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer.
Cover with foil and bake 30 min. Remove foil and continue baking 10–15 min., until top is golden brown. Let set 5–10 min. before slicing and serving.
12/12: Baked clams
Baked clams offer a mouthful of big flavors, pairing the briny juice of clams with a crispy, buttery topping. Their decadence fits right in among an over-the-top, celebratory meal, whether that’s for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.
What You’ll Need:
3 dozen littleneck clams
2 cups white wine
1½ cup shallots, sliced
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
½ cup parsley
3 sprigs of thyme
11 ounces softened butter
2 tablespoons prosciutto or Serrano ham, finely diced
2 teaspoons shallots, minced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3 tablespoons parsley, minced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs for the filling, plus more for the topping
What to Do:
Add all the ingredients except the clams to a pot and bring to boil. Add the clams in one layer and cover. Shake occasionally. Remove clams as they open and place into a bowl to avoid overcooking. Discard any unopened clams.
Allow the clams to cool before removing them from their shells. Save 36 shell halves for stuffing.
To make the stuffing, mix the butter, ham, shallots, garlic, parsley and panko breadcrumbs together in a bowl. Place a cooked clam in each half shell and cover with a teaspoon dollop of the filling. Place on a baking pan, sprinkling with some additional panko.
Preheat your oven’s broiler and broil clams until golden brown. Serve immediately.
12/14: Mini latkes
Skip all the potato peeling and grating by starting with frozen hash browns. This hack makes these traditional potato pancakes easy, so you can enjoy them on every night of Hanukkah.
What You’ll Need:
1 medium yellow onion
1 (30 oz) pkg frozen hash browns, thawed
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup canola oil
½ cup sour cream
3 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
½ cup apple butter
What to Do:
Using a box grater, grate the onion. Place the hash browns and grated onion in a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze to release all the excess liquid (there will be a lot). Transfer to a large bowl.
To bowl, add the flour, salt, and eggs. Mix well. In a 12-inch high-walled skillet, heat 3 tbsp oil on medium-low. Drop ¼-cup mounds of potato mixture into the skillet. Cook 3–4 min. on one side, or until golden brown. Flip and cook 2 min. Transfer finished latkes to baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding more oil as needed.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and everything bagel seasoning. Serve the apple butter and sour cream with the latkes.
Tips:
To keep your finished latkes warm after frying, transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet and place in a 250°F oven until ready to serve.
To make your own everything bagel seasoning, combine ¼ cup sesame seeds, 2 tbsp poppy seeds, 2 tbsp dried minced onion, 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper, and ¼ tsp coarse sea salt.
12/17: Take something off
12/21: Seven fishes cioppino
This classic seafood stew that originated in the old Italian fishing neighborhoods of San Francisco was typically made with the catch of the day, poached in a flavorful, stewed tomato base. Cod, haddock, shrimp or mussels all work here.
What You’ll Need:
3 tablespoons + 1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
½ cup kalamata olives, rinsed and chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon chili flakes
2 cups dry white wine
One 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
2 lb. mussels
One 8–10 oz. fillet of cod or other white fish (skin may be left on or off)
½ lb. shrimp
What to Do:
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, capers, olives and salt. Sauté a few minutes until onion and fennel begin to soften. Toss in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more.
Stir in chili flakes, then pour in white wine. Simmer until liquid is mostly evaporated, then stir in crushed tomatoes, ½ cup olive oil, and 2 cups water. Simmer for a few minutes, then add mussels. Cover and simmer 3 minutes.
Cut fish into bite-sized pieces and add to stew along with shrimp. Simmer uncovered a few minutes more until both are cooked through. Serve in bowls with crusty bread and salted butter.
12/24: Get 25% off
Maximum discount $25.
12/26: Moroccan lamb tagine
You don’t need a tagine to make tagine! For this classic Moroccan dish, a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven will work just fine. This fragrant, tender stew is great over couscous or basmati rice.
What You’ll Need:
3 lbs boneless lamb stew meat, or either sirloin chump roast or chuck shoulder roast cut into 1 ½ in pieces
1 ¾ cups Brodo signature Hearth flavor or stock
5 ounces (1 cup) madjool dates
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 small cinnamon sticks
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Salt
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
What to Do:
In a large bowl combine the diced lamb meat and 2 tsp salt. Set aside.
In a small pot, bring 2 cups stock to a boil. Remove from heat, add dates and let sit at least 15 minutes. Set aside.
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
In a Tagine, Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, warm 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add lamb to pot, leaving room around each piece and cook until well browned on all sides. Transfer pieces to a plate and set aside.
Drain fat, if necessary, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Add onions and 1/4 tbsp salt and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, smoked paprika, and cinnamon sticks; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add lamb and any juices on the plate, the dates, stock, and 1 tsp chopped cilantro.
Cover pot and cook in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lamb is tender, turning it occasionally. Top with toasted almonds and remaining chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Serve with flatbread or couscous.
12/28: Beef empanada stars
These delightful meat pies are stuffed with a spiced meat mixture and Cheddar. Serve as a fun Christmas appetizer or casual dinner.
What You’ll Need:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz 85% lean ground beef
2 tsp chili powder
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (17.3 oz) pkg frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
What to Do:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the beef and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 min., until mostly cooked, stirring and breaking up with back of spoon. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the cheese.
Meanwhile, from the puff pastry sheets, cut out 12 stars with a 3-inch cutter. Place half the stars on the lined sheet and place heaping tbsp of beef mixture in centers.
Brush edges of stars with some water. Place remaining stars on top and press the edges together to seal tightly. Bake 16–18 min., until golden brown.
12/30: Easiest apple pie
Love apple pie but don’t have the time (or the energy) to make it? A pre-made pie crust makes dessert easy as… well, pie.
What You’ll Need:
A few apples
Cream of tartar
Sugar
Pre-made crust
What to Do:
Take a couple apples and slice them thinly. Toss in a bowl with a pinch of cream of tartar and a few spoonfuls sugar. Arrange slices inside a pre-made crust, then bake in the oven at 375 F until apples are tender.