UVA Faculty, Staff Share Xmas Family Favorite Recipes, “10 Criminally Good Festive Recipes From the Law School Cookbooks”

With the holiday season approaching, University of Virginia School of Law faculty and staff shared some of their favorite seasonal and family recipes, ranging from savory sides to sweet treats.

• Rachel Bayefsky: Potato Latkes
• Grace Cleveland ’09: Corn Pudding
• Kimball Gilmer: Beaver Lodges
• Juliet Hatchett ’15: Piggy Hatchett’s Brunswick Stew
• Diddy Morris: Cranberry Sauce
• Thomas Nachbar: Ma Cooper’s Corn Casserole
• Gerard Robinson: Gumbo
• Sarah Shalf ’01: Hungarian Pastries
• Gregg Strauss: Checkerboard Shortbread
• Mary Wood: Chocolate Oat Bars

And one more bonus recipe: Loren Moulds’ Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Potato Latkes

Rachel Bayefsky
Associate Professor of Law

“The first batch of what would become a family tradition was cooked over the holidays in December 1966 in Toronto. In the decades since, we’ve worked on the craft, as you’ll see in the tips listed below.”

4 large potatoes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Dash cinnamon (optional)
Mazola oil (or vegetable oil) (enough to cook all the latkes in a fairly deep amount of oil for each batch)
Serve with sour cream and apple sauce

Peel potatoes and grate finely.

Tips:

• If using a food processor, do not grate so finely as to make the potato mixture mushy — leave a little bit granular.
• Check for and remove any chunks/un-grated pieces of potato.

Pour off half of any liquid that appears in the potato mixture.

Tips:

• The potato mixture will turn from white to brown/beige. That is normal, but don’t leave it standing too long — commit to making the whole recipe once the potatoes are grated.

Beat the eggs.

Add eggs to the potato mixture.

Add the other ingredients to the mixture.

Tips:

• Be sure to sprinkle the flour and baking soda throughout the mixture, not in lumps.

Heat the oil in the frying pan. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to a hot, well-greased pan.

Tips:

• Pat down the spoonful of potato mixture lightly and quickly so it is somewhat flat, as opposed to very thick in the middle.
• Make sure the pan and the oil are hot — if not, it will increase the intake of oil into the potato mixture.
• Have a lid ready or be prepared to immediately protect yourself from splashes of hot oil, which will likely occur when the water in the potato mixture hits the hot oil in the pan. The mixture can be cooked with a lid (subsequent batches may be less likely to splash). I suggest wearing an apron and opening a window.
• Try not to turn over each latke until the latke looks somewhat done in the middle. Then turn over and fry the other side. The goal is to have the potato thoroughly cooked without burning either side.
• Add more oil as necessary.
• Crispy is good, but if you cook too quickly, the latke will become crispy on the outside faster than it cooks on the inside, and you risk burning it. At the same time, if you don’t fry fast enough, the latke may be cooked on the inside but have a mushy/soft exterior. It will also be greasier. So, a hot pan and high speed is good.
• The key is to drop the mixture into the frying pan. Let it remain in place until crispy on one side but not burnt and a bit cooked through, then flip and fry until crispy on the other side, and promptly remove. Don’t let it sit in the pan, or they will become greasy.
• After each is removed from the pan, place each latke on a paper towel to take off extra oil.
• Serve piping hot. If you want to serve a large amount at once, you could keep batches warm in the oven until all are cooked. Keep an eye on the ones in the oven, though, so that they don’t overcook or burn while waiting to serve.

Corn Pudding

Grace Cleveland ’09
Chief of Staff to the Dean

“This corn pudding recipe is the taste of the holidays in my family. The recipe comes from the ‘McCormick Spice Company’s Spices of the World Cookbook,’ a book handed down from my grandmother, to my mother, to me.”

15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
2 15-ounce cans creamed corn
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoon arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1 1/2 teaspoon Season-All (or other seasoned salt)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon instant minced onion
Dash cayenne pepper or white pepper
1/2 cup milk (I prefer 2% or whole milk)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish.

Combine the sugar, arrowroot, Season-All, mustard, minced onion and pepper in a small bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn and eggs. Stir the dry ingredients into the corn mixture, then add the milk and butter, mixing well.

Pour the mixture into your prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven, stir it once, and return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted near the center of the dish. Serve hot.

Note: Vegetable cans can vary in size. Any size from 12 to 16 ounces will work well.

Beaver Lodges

Kimball Gilmer
Director of Judicial Clerkships

“I am from Alberta, Canada, and these are my favorite traditional Christmas cookies from home. We make them only at this time of the year, and they are the first ones to get eaten (since they also happen to be my dad’s favorite!). They are very quick and easy to make, and they look vaguely like a beaver’s lodge when they are finished.”

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces butterscotch chips (or peanut butter chips)
10-12 ounces bag chow mein noodles or straight pretzel sticks (best if pretzel sticks are broken in half)
1 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted)

Dump both bags of chips into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir thoroughly. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir thoroughly. Continue heating for 30 seconds at a time, then stir, until chips are melted. (If you microwave for longer than 30-second intervals, you risk burning the sugar in the chips, and that makes a terrible-smelling mess!)

When chips are melted, dump them over the noodles or pretzels and peanuts. Stir gently to coat thoroughly. With a tablespoon, drop each spoonful (like a mound) onto wax paper or parchment paper (spread on the countertop for slower setting, or on cookie sheets to shove in the fridge for quicker setting). You don’t have to rush, but you do have to do this step somewhat promptly so you can finish before they begin to harden. (If necessary, you can always microwave the mixture for another 30 seconds to soften.)

When they are fully set, remove them from the paper and put them in an airtight container in the fridge until serving. These freeze very well. This recipe makes around 2 dozen (or 2 1/2 dozen) depending on how large each spoonful is.

Piggy Hatchett’s Brunswick Stew

Juliet Hatchett ’15
Assistant Professor of Law, General Faculty; Director, Innocence Project Clinic

“At our wedding, my husband and I gave out little recipe booklets with our favorites of our grandmothers’ recipes, including this one from my grandmother, Margaret ‘Piggy’ Hatchett.”

1 whole chicken
1 ham hock
1 onion, quartered
2-3 ribs celery, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 ounces frozen butterbeans – more if fresh butterbeans used
16 ounces white shoepeg corn
2 small potatoes, cubed
1 pound canned tomatoes – if fresh, get softer ones
1/3 cup ketchup
2-3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
2-3 tablespoons butter

Depending on how many you intend to serve, place chicken in pot and add enough water to cover. Add ham hock (best if stuffed in chicken), onion, celery, salt and pepper. Boil until the chicken comes off the bones easily (if not using ham hock, add one or two cans of chicken bouillon). Remove chicken to cool, removing ham hock. Put ham hock, corn, butter beans, tomatoes, potatoes, ketchup and vinegar in pot and cook 2 hours, or until tender. If fresh vegetables are used, cook less. Remove chicken from bones and add to vegetables along with Worcestershire, Tabasco, marjoram and butter.

Cranberry Sauce

Diddy Morris
Special Assistant to the Dean

“This recipe is not a family recipe handed down from one generation to the next, but it does have a story that gets trotted out each year. If you introduce this to your holiday array, be sure to have at least one can of Ocean Spray on hand for those who swear by it. I learned my lesson the hard way the first year I hosted Thanksgiving and did most of the cooking. I only had fresh cranberry sauce — of which I was quite proud — but no can for the diehards. It was a long time before I was forgiven. Rookie mistake! (Also, Susan Stamberg’s cranberry relish is oddly delicious. It really does turn bright pink. It’s best ice cold.)”

12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
Salt (just a pinch)
1 cup water

Combine everything in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook about 10 minutes. The cranberries will pop — don’t be alarmed! Everything will then get gooey. Be sure to stir frequently so that it doesn’t burn. This will ruin the sauce and your saucepan.

Turn the heat off, and let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature

You can make ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.

Ma Cooper’s Corn Casserole

Thomas B. Nachbar
F. D. G. Ribble Professor of Law; Senior Fellow, Miller Center

“This is the recipe that my godparents (Ma Cooper was my godfather’s mother) made every Christmas, and it’s the one thing that everyone in my family looks forward to every year. It couldn’t be easier to make, although it is not for those looking for low-cal side dishes, which was typical of Ma Cooper’s recipes. (Her famous, equally easy chili recipe starts with ‘heat two tablespoons of grease in a pan and add two pounds of ground beef…’.)”

1 can cream-style corn
1 can corn (with juice)
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, chopped
1 can chopped green chiles
3 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup sour cream

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a well-greased 9×13 pan (glass or ceramic).

Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Gumbo

Gerard Robinson
Professor of Practice in Public Policy and Law

“My favorite holiday meal is gumbo. It is a soup made with ingredients influenced by French, African, Creole and Cajun cultures living in Louisiana.”

Yields 20 servings.

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup bacon drippings
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
3 quarts water
6 cubes beef bouillon
1 tablespoon white sugar
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend (such as Tony Chachere’s), or to taste
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 teaspoons file powder, divided
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 pound lump crabmeat
3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Gather all ingredients.

Make the roux: Whisk together flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Cook roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.

Make the gumbo: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped.

Stir vegetables into roux, and mix in sliced sausage. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine water and beef bouillon cubes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until bouillon cubes dissolve, then whisk roux mixture into the boiling water.

Reduce heat to a simmer and mix in sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add okra and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes; remove okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo.

Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Hungarian Pastries

Sarah Shalf ’01
Professor of Law, General Faculty; Director of Clinical Programs

“My paternal grandmother was Hungarian. She made these for us every Easter and Christmas — with apricot, walnut or poppy seed filling. I have her recipe, and I am the only one in the family who still makes it, every Christmas — perhaps because it takes so long (about 6 hours). But they freeze well, so I can make a batch and pull one out every so often.”

Filling for Kalács or Poszonyi Kifli, below

1 pound walnuts, crushed
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 egg whites
1 pound dried apricots

Crush walnuts in blender or food processor. Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix walnuts, sugar and lemon juice. Fold into egg whites.

Stew apricots over low heat covered in water, stirring occasionally, being sure not to burn. Keep adding a little water at a time till mushy. Blend in blender.

Kalács

2 packages yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 pound soft butter
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
6 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 box raisins

Dissolve yeast, flour and sugar in warm water, set aside.

Mix butter, yolks and sugar until smooth. Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Add yeast mixture and mix. Then add 2 cups flour. Add milk and sour cream. Add remaining flour, adding the last cup a little at a time to make sure it’s not too dry. Mix until dough leaves side of bowl. It should start out slightly sticky. Knead 10-15 minutes on floured board, until smooth and elastic. (Takes about 45 minutes.)

Put in a greased bowl and let rise till double. (1 1/2-2 hours)

Punch down and knead 10-15 more minutes. Divide into 12-16 balls, and keep moist in bowl.

Roll out each ball thin and rectangular. Spread the filling thin, leaving three edges clear. Sprinkle raisins on top. Roll from remaining edge somewhat loosely (more like folding), and seal ends and bottom edge with egg-flour mixture. Place flap down on cookie sheet, with 4-6 per sheet. (Takes 8-10 minutes per roll.)

(Optional: Cover with damp cloth and put in warm place. Let rise till double in size.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush pastries with beaten egg. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Poszonyi Kifli

6 cups flour (can use half whole wheat)
1 package dry yeast
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, softened
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sour cream
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sprinkle yeast over flour; work butter into flour with pastry blender until completely blended. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and lemon juice, mixing well (you may use hands) until dough is similar to pie dough. Shape dough into 16 equal-sized balls. Layer balls on wax paper in a baking dish. Refrigerate overnight (ideally).

Sprinkle a pastry board with 1 ounce of powdered sugar. Roll out a ball in a fairly thin circle. Cut into eight triangles. Drop a teaspoon of filling (separate recipe) on wide end. Roll up to point, then shape into crescent.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lay cookies flap down on cookie sheet, 24-26 per sheet, for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar after somewhat cooled.

Checkerboard Shortbread

Gregg Strauss
Professor of Law; Director, Family Law Center

“Last year, for the staff gift from the faculty, I made about 180 cookies of the New York Times’s Checkerboard Shortbread. They call for strawberry for Neapolitan, but I switched a pink peppermint layer to make a festive holiday flavor. I thought the shortbread was delicate and delicious.”

Yield: About 60 cookies

Watch a video of the process:

For the Vanilla Shortbread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Strawberry Shortbread

1 1.2-ounce package freeze-dried strawberries (about 2 cups slices)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature

For the Chocolate Shortbread

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature

Prepare the vanilla shortbread: Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until pale yellow, about two minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve egg white) and vanilla extract, and mix until combined for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture all at once and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and scrape the bowl and paddle clean. (No need to wash.)

Prepare strawberry shortbread: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until powdered (some crumbs are fine). You should have about 2/3 cup ground strawberries. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add flour and salt, and whisk to combine.

Add butter and sugar to the stand mixer bowl, and mix together on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve the egg white) and mix until combined for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a second piece of plastic wrap.

Prepare the chocolate shortbread: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and sugar to the stand mixer bowl and mix together on medium speed until pale yellow, about two minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve egg white) and mix until combined for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a third piece of plastic wrap and scrape the bowl and paddle clean. (No need to wash.)

With your hands, pat doughs into rough 5-by-10-inch rectangles and wrap them tightly in the plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll the doughs so they are 1/2 inch tall. (If they’re larger than 5-by-10 inches, they can be trimmed to size later.)

To assemble, whisk the reserved egg whites with 1 tablespoon water to break up the whites. Trim any uneven edges from the dough (or if dough is larger, trim down to 5-by-10-inch rectangles).

Cut each dough into 9 (1/2-inch-wide, 10-inch-long) pieces. Once sliced, transfer strips to the fridge so they stay firm while you work.

To form the checkerboard pattern, lay a strip of each flavor on a cutting board (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla), brush with the egg white mixture and gently press the long sides together so they adhere. Layer another 3 strips (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate), repeat with egg white and pressing. Repeat with the last layer (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry). You should have a long 3-by-3 square. Repeat with the remaining dough strips until you have 3 logs. Wrap with plastic and transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one log at a time and square up any uneven edges, then slice the dough crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick squares.

Space the squares about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and bake until the edges are lightly golden, 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips: The cookies can be stored up to one week in an airtight container. The assembled dough logs can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, then thawed in the refrigerator until ready to slice and bake.

Chocolate Oat Bars

Mary Wood
Chief Communications Officer

“Once I was old enough to cook more regularly, I started looking for a recipe that was close to the Fudge Jumble box mix that my family enjoyed in the 1980s during my childhood. This recipe, from the ‘Joy of Cooking,’ is the closest I found. These don’t last long at home — it’s the dessert I cook most.”

Oatmeal layers:

1 cup (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs (can use egg substitute, like Vegg baking mix)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (will work with oat flour, to make gluten-free)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (quick oats are also ok in a pinch)

Chocolate layer:

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli or Hershey’s)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
After mix is cooked and smooth:
add 1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. (The original recipe calls for a 11×15 pan, if you have one.)

Make the oatmeal layers:

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until well combined. Beat in egg until fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix it into the butter/brown sugar mixture. Mix in oats.

Make the chocolate layer (you can start this while the butter is mixing):

In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and nuts (if using).

Pat about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan; set remaining dough aside.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the dough in the pan, smoothing with a spatula to cover completely. (Note: I use about 1/2 to 2/3 of the chocolate because it can be too chocolatey when you use it all in a 9×13 pan.) Dot with the remaining dough. Bake about 25 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool completely. Cut into bars or just dip out of the pan.

 

Bonus Recipe: Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Loren Moulds
Digital Collections Librarian
Head, Digital Scholarship and Preservation

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon almond extract
Yellow food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for coating)
1 tablespoon dried lemon powder

Prepare the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter, vegetable oil and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs and flavorings: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, lemon zest and almond extract. Add yellow food coloring if desired for a brighter appearance. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.

Chill the dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight). This helps prevent spreading during baking.

Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape and coat the cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball in a mixture of powdered sugar and dried lemon powder, ensuring they are well-coated.

Bake: Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until the cookies are set but still soft.

Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.