Sweet Potato Cupcake “I created this Sweet Potato Cupcake to honour my grandmother, whom I’ve baked and cooked with ever since I was a little girl," says NAIT Culinary student Miranda McElwain. It’s a combination of her grandmother’s sweet potato pie, and a garnish of shortbread, Miranda’s favourite holiday treat.

Milk Bread Pot Pie Buns Large gatherings with lots of food are the hallmarks of the holidays for NAIT Culinairy Student Michelle Huynh and her family. But with lots of food comes leftovers: “Who wants to eat the same set up of food the next day?” So, she developed a recipe for milk bread pot pie buns. Be sure to use a scale for measurements and “cook with good intention and add a little love, as my mom would say, so your dishes turn out well.”

Quiche Lorraine “In Germany, we traditionally celebrate Christmas on the evening of December 24th,” says NAIT Culinary student Janik Hettinger. “However, the 24th is not a full holiday and my parents would work on that day. Therefore Quiche Lorraine was made at home as a “quick snack” for lunch before the traditional Christmas dinner in the evening.”

Turkey Dinner Pie NAIT Culinary student Dylan Reimer's recipe for Turkey Dinner Pie stems from a childhood habit of mixing all the components of a holiday meal together on the plate to create something bursting with different textures and flavours in every morsel. “I decided to replicate the experience in a pie, capturing the essence of a holiday meal in every bite.”

Cranberries are used extensively in holiday baking and cooking. They provide that pretty pop of red that complements and brightens meals and baked goods. This tart red berry usually partners with something sweet so that we can enjoy it’s bold flavour. Cranberry sauce is always a must have for the holidays, but cranberries are so much more. They can be used in muffins, cakes and barks, like in the recipes below. You can also add them to cookies, drinks and salads. Enjo

This recipe first appeared in our December 2024 issue of Culinaire Magazine, courtesy Renée Kohlman. The holidays are all about indulgences, and for the month of December it’s perfectly acceptable to have cookies for breakfast, Baileys in the coffee (to go with the cookies), and pretty much constant snacking, whether it’s at fancy parties, or pyjama night on the couch with your cats. December is when we get to push the boat out a little and not feel too terrible if the pants