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Tasty Holiday Recipes

Tim Grills, Lesley's director of dining services, teaches you how to make pumpkin smoothies, gluten free and dairy free green bean casserole, gluten free herb and apple stuffing, and roast skillet turkey.

Enjoy a recorded webinar with chef Tim Grills. Get expert cooking tips and some twists on classic holiday recipes and flavors, including his delicious no-bake pumpkin pie smoothie.

Recipes & Instructions

Pumpkin Smoothie

Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz canned pumpkin pie filling
  • ¾ cups Oat milk
  • 5 oz cup of plain oat yogurt
  • Ground cinnamon to taste
  • 2 ea. graham cracker cookies
  • ½ cup ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Spoon the pumpkin pie filling into muffin cups, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
  2. When you're ready to make the smoothies, add the Oat milk and yogurt to a blender.
  3. Pop 4 or 5 pieces of frozen pumpkin pie filling and the ice, add them to the blender and blend.
  4. Crumble the graham cracker cookie and add some cinnamon to the blender and continue to blend until the mixture is totally smooth.
  5. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Roast Skillet Turkey

Time: 1 ½ hours
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 skin-on boneless turkey breast (4 ½ to 5 pounds) 
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 ½ teaspoon fresh chopped sage  
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
  • Kosher salt and table grind ground pepper 
  • 1 Spanish onion, trimmed and halved 
  • 8 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces 
  • 2 bunches small carrots, trimmed 
  • 1 ½ pounds mixed mushrooms  
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
  2. Rub the turkey skin with 1 tablespoon olive oil; rub over and under the skin with the sage, garlic, salt, and pepper. 
  3. Sear the turkey, skin-side down, without moving, until golden, 4 to 5minutes.
  4. Flip the turkey, then add the onions, cut side down, and cook until slightly browned, 4 to 5 more minutes.
  5. Break up the onion and scatter the celery and carrots over the onions, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Add the mushrooms, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. 
  7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey registers160 degrees F and the vegetables are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
  8. Let the turkey rest 5 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with the parsley. 

 

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole

Time: 1 ½ hours
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

  • Canola oil cooking spray  
  • 1 large onion 
  • 1 cup oat milk  
  • ¼ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour  
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper  
  • 2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces  
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  
  • 1 pound mushrooms, chopped  
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced  
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt  
  • ¾ teaspoon dried thyme  
  • 1 ½ cups oat milk  
  • ¼ cup water  
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot 

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  
  2. Cut onion in half; thinly slice one half and dice the other half. Combine the sliced onion in a small bowl with oat milk; let stand for 10 minutes. (Set the diced onion aside.)  
  3. Drain the sliced onion (discard the oat milk). Add gluten-free flour and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the onion and toss to coat. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue baking until the onion slices are golden brown, about 10 minutes more.  
  4. Meanwhile, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add beans, cover, and steam until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the beans and basket from the pot.  
  5. Wipe the pot dry. Add oil and heat over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, salt, thyme, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, and the mushroom liquid is almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.  
  6. Pour in milk and bring to a simmer. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. When the oat milk is simmering, stir in the green beans. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the crispy onion slices. 
  7. Bake the casserole until bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. 

Gluten Free Herb and Apple Stuffing

Time: 1 ½ hours
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 16 cups 1-inch bread cubes, GF white or wholegrain 
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick) 
  • 2 cups medium-diced yellow onion (2 large) 
  • 2 cups medium-diced celery (3 large stalks) 
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large diced 
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1 cup chicken stock 
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans  

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet pan and bake them in the oven for about 5 minutes. 
  3. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the onion, celery, apples, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes, until the mixture is soft. 
  4. Combine the bread cubes and cooked vegetables in a large bowl and add the chicken stock, and pecans. 
  5. Place the stuffing into a baking dish cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Pull baking dish from oven and uncover the baking dish of the foil. Place back in oven and bake for an addition 15 to 20 minutes until the top browns and crisps.  
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