At WhatCounts, we pride ourselves on focusing on… well, what counts to your business. But business isn’t everything. Things like family, great friends, good food - these things count even more, and they don’t show up in your analytics reports.

To celebrate the upcoming holiday season, we asked WhatCounts staff members what their favorite recipes for the holidays are. Here’s what’s cooking at WhatCounts.

Samantha Frerking

Sales Engineer

1 Hour, 1 Bowl Perfect Dinner Rolls

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon instant yeast

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup, then leveled off

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.

To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour – on low speed with the paddle attachment incorporate the flour to create a wet, sticky mixture. Still on low speed, add 1 cup of the remaining flour and incorporate. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 cup flour. On low speed, mix the dough to incorporate the final addition of flour until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to medium and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl – turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 -30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate into a rectangle. Cut it in half vertically, then each half vertically again into thirds so you have 6 equal strips of dough. Cut each strip of dough into fourths by cutting horizontally to make 24 little squares of dough. Take each piece of dough and cup it lightly under the palm of your hand on a clean surface. Press lightly and start rotating and rolling the dough ball quickly so that it forms a nice little ball of dough. Once you get some practice, you can do this with both hands at the same time and really speed up the process.

Place each rolled piece of dough into a lightly greased 9×13 baking pan in rows of 4 about 1/2-inch apart. Cover the rolls in the pan with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise to double while your oven is preheating to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) – about 20 minutes. If you want an even more golden color to the rolls, brush them with a little melted butter before baking. Bake for 13-15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Advencap

Amber Green

Quality Assurance Manager

Sautéed Green Beans With Red Peppers

Makes a great alternative to the heavy Green Bean Casserole

Time 5 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 16oz package frozen green beans, thawed

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne (strips)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 shallot, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

handful sliced almonds (optional)

Preparation

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until shallot is translucent. Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for 1 minute. Add the beans and saute for 2-3 minute longer, until beans are heated through. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, season with salt, and garnish with the sliced almonds. Serve immediately.

Photo Credit: Laurel Fan

Michael Chealander

Developer

La Puree de Pommes de Joel Robuchon

4 servings

Two pounds small fingerling potatoes, unpeeled

8 oz unsalted butter, very cold, min. 82% fat content

1 cup whole milk

coarse sea salt (one tablespoon for 4 cups water)

Wash the potatoes, place in a pot, cover with cold water up to one inch above the potatoes, add salt cook at a simmer for 30 minutes or until done, drain, peel while still warm bring milk to a boil puree the potatoes through a traditional food mill, return to the pot and dry out, using a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes over low heat; add the butter, cut up in morsels, stirring it into the potatoes, then add the hot milk in a fine streak, stirring with the spoon. using a whisk, make sure the puree is extremely smooth before serving.

For friends of butter, from the 'le meilleur & le plus simple de la pomme de terre' cookbook by robuchon.

Photo credit: Quinn Anya

Tony Mueting

Business Development Manager

Jalapeño Cranberry Sauce

2 cups raw cranberries

1 med. Jalapeño pepper.

3 table spoons sugar (more if you like)

Clean Jalapeno Pepper. (remove seeds). Then finely chop. Place cranberries in sauce pan over medium heat. When the cranberries begin to burst add sugar and stir until cranberries become semi liquid. Add Jalapeno pepper to sauce and reduce heat until cranberries reduce to liquid. Cool and serve.

Photo Credit: Pretty in Print

Lindsey McFadden

Manager, Campaign Production Services

Butternut Squash Soup with a Kick

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 (2 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, ginger, and jalapeno pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the butternut squash and chicken broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the evaporated milk, coconut milk, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes more. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth, and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with sour cream and thyme to serve.

Photo Credit: Little Blue Hen

Michelle Oglesby

Senior Strategic Account Manager

Sausage Stuffing

2 Cups dried cranberries (Craisins or store brand does not matter)

1 Cup orange liquor (Triple Sec)

2 Lbs mild pork sausage

4 Cups chopped celery

1 1/2 Cups chopped onion

1/2 Cup melted butter

1 can chicken broth (14 1/2 oz can)

1 Tsp salt

1/2 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp thyme

2 packages pork stuffing mix (Stove Top or store brand does not matter; 6

oz boxex)

2 Tbs grated orange rind

2 Cups chopped pecans

Combine cranberries and orange liquor in a saucepan and boil over medium heat and set aside. Brown sausage and drain reserving 2 tablespoons good old fashioned grease:-) set aside. Sauté celery and onion in reserved sausage grease until tender. In an EXTREMELY LARGE MIXING BOWL (I use my turkey roasting pan, it's the perfect size) combine the cranberry mixture, sausage, sautéed onions and celery add next 8 ingredients (butter, chicken broth, salt, pepper and thyme; if you want to increase your dry spices do so to your taste, pork stuffing mix along with the seasoning packet, orange rind and pecans).

Grease as many baking dishes as needed, depending on the sizes you have available you can use two large or several small and bake about 20 minutes at 350. You are just trying to get it hot through and through as all ingredients are already cooked.

Photo Credit: Calweb

Kristy Barker

Strategic Account Manager

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9" loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Distribute evenly into the 3 pans. Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack before removing from pans. 

Photo Credit: OhMeaghan

Kelsey Strand-Polyak

Strategic Account Manager

Spicy Pecans

1 10-ounce package pecan halves

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place pecans in medium bowl. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan. Add cumin and cayenne and stir until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Pour over pecans. Add sugar and salt and stir to coat. Transfer to baking pan. Bake until nuts are toasted, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Pecans can be prepared 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container.)

Photo Credit: A Brown Coat

Lindsay Clark

Senior Strategic Account Manager

Pumpkin Torte

1&2/3 cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/3 cup of Sugar

1/2 cup of Butter melted

Mix the above ingredients and press into the bottom of a 13x9x2" pan. [ grease the pan lightly with butter ] Set aside.

1- 8oz. package of Cream Cheese

2 Eggs

3/4 cup of Sugar

Beat until blended well and spoon over the graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool.

1 tablespoon Plain Gelatin [ Knox ]

1/4 cup Cold Water

1- 16oz. can of Pumkin

3 Eggs separated

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

small pinch of Nutmeg, Cloves, & ginger

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Soften gelatin in cold water. Cook pumpkin, egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, milk and spices and salt in a heavy pan stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add gelatin & stir until dissolved. Cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar to the stiff egg whites. Fold egg white mixture into the pumpkin mixture and pour over the cheese layer.

Chill several hours before serving and top with Cool Whip & Nuts. 

Photo Credit: Norwich Nuts

Lauren Bell

Senior Strategic Account Manager

Great Grandma Moore's Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

1-2 bags of frozen chopped broccoli

1 bag of frozen broccoli florets

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

2 Eggs

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 large onion diced

1 Box of onion flavored croutons (topping)

Boil broccoli until cooked. Drain broccoli and mix with all of the other ingredients (excluding the croutons). Pour into greased casserole dish/dishes and let it sit over night in the refrigerator. When ready to cook preheat oven to 350*. Top with flavored crouton and bake for 45 minutes.

Photo Credit: Doortoriver

Brittany Schneider

Director of Strategic Services

Mammaw's Texas Cornbread Dressing

1 square pan of cornbread ( no sugar added) 

1/2 loaf toasted white bread torn into small pieces 

1/3 lb. pork sausage cooked and broken into small pieces ( like taco meat)

Saute together: 

1 stick of margarine butter 

1/2 onion diced ( 1 TBL dried minced onions for those that don't like onions except for flavor)

1 cup diced celery 

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

4 hard boiled eggs diced 

1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning 

1 can chicken broth ( 2 cans if no juice from turkey, such as when you're frying your turkey) 

1 to 2 cups juice from turkey

Mix everything listed together in a large bowl. put in a large baking dish - cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes @ 350- Uncover and brown last 5 minutes- makes about 8 one cup servings.

Photo Credit: JeffreyW

Christopher Kunath

Strategic Account Manager

Scallion & Feta Pastries

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1 egg, beaten

1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a small bowl, blend feta cheese, green onions, and egg. Cut pastry into 12 (3 inch) squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Lightly brush pastries with the egg yolk mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Photo Credit: Like the Grand Canyon

Carol Lake

Technical Account Manager

The White Stuff

1 can of artichoke hearts

1/2 cup of fat free mayonnaise 

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

1 cup of parmesan cheese

optional spices like garlic, pepper, and paprika

Blend it all together in food processor so its all creamy and blended, then bake in a dish for about 30 minutes on 325. I usually top it with more cheese-never enough cheese-and peak in at it around 25 minutes, when the top is a light crispy bubbly brown, its ready!

This dip is good on baked potatoes, pitas chips, corn on the cob, or just a spoonful on a plate! 

My grammie use to spread some on a french bread loaf that was cut in half, wrapped in foil, and then heated in the oven for about 10 minutes---mmmm, so good! 

Photo Credit: Stu Spivack

Sharon Grey

Director of Technical Support

Mixed Berry Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 (12oz) package fresh cranberries

1 ½  cups frozen mixed berries

¾ cup sugar

1 cup water

Wash cranberries.  In a small pot, combine water and sugar.  Bring to a low boil, stirring regularly. Add cranberries and frozen berries and return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until cranberries burst.

Remove from heat and cool.  Refrigerate before serving to thicken cranberry sauce.

Photo Credit: BDU

Christopher S. Penn

Director of Strategy

Umami Turkey Gravy

You’d think turkey gravy would be both obvious and easy, but if you want to have some fun with it, here’s how to kick it up a notch. While the turkey is resting for 15-20 minutes after removal from the oven, I make this gravy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon corn starch

2 tablespoons of water

1 container of chicken broth

A baked turkey

Preparation

First, bake your family dinner turkey. Remember that cooking stuffing in the bird results in stuffing that’s often soggy and potentially dangerous to eat, so do that separately. I tend to like to bake turkeys in one of those turkey bags as it makes collection of the materials very convenient. 

In a small cup, mix a teaspoon of corn starch and two tablespoons of cold water until it forms a white slurry.

Cooking

Collect all of the turkey fat, random solids, and broth that stew out of it. Separate them using the method of your choice. I tend to use a strainer to filter out the solids first, then store the liquids in a tall, narrow cup so that the fat separates up to the top. If there is less than a cup of broth (non-fat juice), feel free to pad it with chicken broth.

Ladle a few spoonfuls of the turkey fat and the solids, including the garlic, into a frying pan. Fry the solids until they’re golden brown, then decant the broth into the pan to deglaze it. Let the mixture heat until it bubbles, then pour in half the corn starch slurry. Stir rapidly until it begins to thicken. If it thickens insufficiently due to there being too much liquid, pour in the other half.

Add a dash of hot sauce if you like that sort of thing. Remove from heat and put into a gravy boat and serve.

Photo Credit: Special Dark

The End & Talking Turkey

We hope you’ve enjoyed What’s Cooking at WhatCounts as a fun addition to your holiday reading, and maybe even some new additions to your family’s dinner table. As always, if you’d like to talk turkey with our team, we’re happy to help you change your email marketing game.

Happy Holidays!

To talk turkey with the team:

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