As we finish the first semester of our 20th year, and our month of studying devotions in nourishment (see previous post), we want to thank all the amazing Turning Pointe families who showed up to Peek Week performances, outreaches, Nutcracker workshops and everything in between this busy holiday season! Whether it’s your first Christmastime at Turning Pointe or your 20th, we’re so glad to share the blessings of this beautiful season with you. And what better way to spread Christmas cheer than to share some of the treats our staff nourishes themselves with each year? As we head into a brand new 2024, we wish you the very best Christmas break, full of love, laughter and celebrations of our Savior.
And now… onto the treats!
Ms. Melissa Keown — Administrative Team
“At Christmastime, breakfast becomes a big deal as we are all home and lounging around in our PJs in front of the fire. This is one of our favorites! I use whatever gluten free bread we have on hand, and the same with the berries. I’ve even soaked dried cranberries and added those when I didn’t have fresh ones!”
French Toast Casserole
You’ll need:
● 1 loaf of sandwich bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
● 1 egg plus 4 egg yolks
● 1 cup coconut milk
● ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
● ¼ cup honey
● 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
● ½ teaspoon cinnamon
● ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
● Coconut oil
● 1 cup blueberries
To make:
Place the bread cubes on a tray and leave them to dry overnight (or toast them for 20 minutes at 200 degrees in the oven). Whisk together the egg, egg yolks, milks, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use coconut oil to lightly grease a 9x13” casserole dish. Spread the bread cubes and blueberries inside the pan, then cover with the custard. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Fill a large pan with 1 inch of water, then cover the casserole with foil (add a few holes for venting). Place the French toast casserole in the water bath for 30 minutes at 375 degrees, then bake an additional 40 minutes without the foil.
Ms. Morgan Nelson — Instructor/Special Needs Liaison
“We LOVE making cookies to share with family and friends during the holidays. These are our absolute favorites!”
Peanut Butter Blossoms
You’ll need:
● 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
● 1 teaspoon baking soda
● ½ teaspoon salt
● ½ cup granulated sugar
● ½ cup brown sugar
● 1 stick butter
● ½ cup creamy peanut butter
● 1 large egg
● 2 tablespoons milk
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● About 24 unwrapped Hershey Kiss candies
To make:
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar, brown sugar and butter, then add the peanut butter, milk, egg and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until a dough forms. Roll dough into balls, roll them in sugar, and bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Once baked, remove the cookies, and place a Hershey Kiss on top!
Ms. Jenna Moore — Instructor/STARZ Rising, All STARZ Lead
Cinnamon Rolls II
You’ll need:
● 1 cup milk
● ½ cup butter
● 1 cup water
● 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
● 1 cup white sugar
● 1 teaspoon salt
● 2 eggs
● 6 cups all-purpose flour
● 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
● 2 cups dark brown sugar
● ½ cup butter, softened
● 2 cups confectioners' sugar
● 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
● 1 tablespoon butter, softened
● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
● 3 tablespoons milk
To make:
Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the butter; stir until melted. Add water and let cool until lukewarm. In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, yeast, white sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Divide dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a 12x9 inch rectangle. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Spread each piece with half of the butter, half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough, using a little water to seal the seam. Cut each roll into 12 slices using a very sharp knife or dental floss. Place rolls onto two 9x13 inch greased baking pans. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
To make frosting; combine confectioner's sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add milk gradually until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Spread over warm (but not hot) cinnamon rolls.
Mimi McKinnis – Instructor/Director, Fidele Youth Dance Company
“My mom makes these every year—they’re my absolute favorite, and they’re gluten free!”
Monster Cookies
You’ll need:
● 1 cup butter
● 1 cup brown sugar
● 1 cup white sugar
● 3 eggs
● 1 teaspoon vanilla
● 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
● 4 ½ cups oatmeal
● 6 oz. chocolate chips
● 6 oz. M&Ms candies
To make:
Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and peanut butter and mix well. Add oatmeal, chocolate chips and M&Ms. Roll the dough into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Abby Woodford — Instructor, Training Division
“This is my favorite Christmas recipe. It’s super easy and great for your heart!”
Nourishing Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate
You’ll need:
● 3 cups organic or grass-fed whole milk
● 3 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder (this is the fair-trade cocoa I use)
● 2 tbsp mild, light colored raw honey (I use this honey)
● 2 tsp vanilla extract
To make:
Add all of the ingredients to a medium-size saucepan, starting with the milk first, then add the cacao powder or cocoa powder, honey and vanilla extract. Next, gently heat the hot chocolate mixture over low heat for about 5-7 minutes or until desired temperature. Make sure to vigorously whisk the mixture from time to time to combine all of the ingredients. I find that this works the best once the honey has melted. As soon as the hot chocolate is warmed, it’s ready to serve immediately. Enjoy it as is or top with homemade whipped cream or marshmallows!
Lauren Shinnick – Instructor, Irish
“This is something that my family loves!”
Creamy Garlic Potatoes
You’ll need:
● 4 cups diced potatoes
● 2 heads garlic
● 20 oz cream
● 1 tablespoon dried onion
● 1 teaspoon dried thyme
● 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
● ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
● ½ teaspoon black pepper
● ½ cup parmesan cheese
● Optional garnish: Finely chopped parsley
To make:
Dice your potatoes into small pieces. Peel the garlic, remove the skin, and cut the hard end off each clove. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cream, garlic, dried onion, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and half the parmesan cheese. Spray a large, oven-safe skillet with cooking oil and spread the potatoes out across the bottom. Pour the cream sauce over the top and push the potatoes underneath so they’re covered. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top. Cover the skillet with foil and cook for one hour at 375 degrees.
Nicole Sheeley – Administrative Team
“We make this on Christmas Eve. After church we come home to warm, hearty soup!”
Sausage Tortellini Soup
You’ll need:
● 1 teaspoon olive oil
● ½ cup chopped onion
● 2 garlic cloves, minced
● 1 lb raw hot Italian poultry sausage, casings removed (I used Wegmans poultry sausage, you can use turkey or chicken sausage)
● 32 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
● 1 (28 oz) can unseasoned crushed tomatoes
● 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
● 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
● 1 teaspoon salt
● A pinch of black pepper
● ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
● 3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cut into cubes
● 12 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
● 2 cup torn fresh spinach
To make:
Pour the olive oil into a soup pot or Dutch oven and bring over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until the onions are softened. Add the minced garlic, stir together and cook for another 30-60 seconds. Add the sausage and stir together. Cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces, until the sausage is cooked through and fully broken up.
Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and add the cream cheese. Whisk the cream cheese in while simmering until the cheese is dissolved. Add the tortellini and spinach and stir together. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Tina Cook – Owner, Turning Pointe Dance
“We love this recipe because it's been a family tradition to make it at Christmas...and we love anything chocolate!”
Aunt Sheryl's Chocolate Cream Pie
You’ll need:
● 41/2 T cornstarch
● 1/4 c cocoa powder
● 1 c sugar
● 2 2/3 c milk
● 5 egg yolks, slightly blended
● 1/4 c butter
● 1 t vanilla
● dash of salt
To make: Mix cornstarch and cocoa together. Stir small amount of milk into cocoa mixture until smooth. Add rest of milk. Heat on high (on stove or microwave) for 5-8 minutes, stirring the last half of the time. Remove when thick. Stir some hot mixture into the egg yolks. Add yolks to hot mixture and cook 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into baked pie crust. When cool, top with whipping cream.
