The Martin Group’s Insider Recipes

As the holidays approach, whispers of all the best family recipes have been sweeping the office, with staff competing for who has the best family recipes, what were most excited for, and of course – a bit of time off.

While the The Martin Group’s office might quiet down in the coming weeks, our holiday appetites are certainly ramping up. We thought it was only fair to share some of our secret family recipes with our clients and friends alike. From starters to the best of desserts, check out our favorite seasonal eats:

Mary Kate’s Baked Brie – For When You’re Late to the Party

• Brie Wheel of choice
• Pillsbury Crescent Dough
• Jam
• Preservatives

1. Wrap brie wheel in Pillsbury Crescent dough
2. Bake at 350 until dough is goldent
3. Drizzle jam & preservatives of choice on top
4. Serve with crackers or by itself!

Marley’s (Mom’s) Bacon Weenies – For Post-Late-Night Grease Cravings

• Package of cocktail weenies
• Package of bacon
• Brown Sugar

1. Line a casserole dish with tin foil or parchment paper.
2. Wrap each weenie in half pieces of bacon (enough to wrap around weenie once) and pin with toothpick to hold in place
3. Line weenies along casserole dish until full.
4. Cover bacon-wrapped weenies in generous amount of brown sugar
5. Bake at 375 degrees until brown & bubbly

Natalie’s Mincemeat Pie – For Cooks Who Don’t Cook

• Store-bought mincemeat filling
• Pie Crust

1. Heat oven to 425.
2. Roll out the pastry dough on 9 in plate.
3. Fill it w mincemeat then cover the top with more pastry and roll the edges and cook for 30 min

Rah (Davison’s) Apple Crisp – For When You Need a Holiday Classic

• 8 cups of apples
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 sticks of butter (softened)
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour

1. Butter casserole dish.
2. Add apples and pour cinnamon and water (mixed together) over the apples.
3. Work the softened butter, flour, and sugar together until crumbles form – spread over apples.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
5. Eat accompanied by glass of milk, thick stout, port wine, or coffee/tea.

Jiloty’s Steamed Pudding AKA Poor Man’s Pudding (Uncle Clarence Sybert’s Recipe)

We always called this Steamed Pudding but the yellowed notecard my Aunt Sally has calls it Poor Man’s Pudding courtesy of good old Uncle Clarence. This is served hot, so the “hard sauce” (which is essentially frozen sugar and butter) melts over the spiced cake. According to my mom: this recipe never had directions, because “Everyone in those days knew how to cook.” But here is here is her interpretation: 

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp nutmeg 1 cup dates (or raisins, but the real way is using dates)

Spice Cake

1. Combine brown sugar and shortening
2. Beat until light in color, approximately 2 minutes
3. Stir in egg
4. In a small bowl sift together flour, baking soda and nutmeg
5. Add in sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour
6. Stir in dates
7. Spread into buttered steamed pudding pan
8. Put lid on pan and into simmering hot water
9. Steam about 4 hours
10. Serve hot

Hard Sauce

1. Beat ½ cup butter until very creamy, fluffy and light in color.
2. Gradually beat in 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla (or rum)
3. Serve cold, so it melts over the hot cake.

The Martin Group’s Spicy Party-Starter

Spicy Ginger Syrup

• ½ cup honey
• Fresh ginger – sliced
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• Mint

1. Bring ingredients and ½ cup water to boil. Strain and cool.

Paloma

• Pomegranate Juice
• Grapefruit juice
• ½ Lime juice
• 2-4 TBSP Spicy Ginger Syrup
• Tequila
• Ginger Beer for topping

1. Combine well & enjoy!