Birdie Bean Twists on Holiday Favorites

The holidays are upon us and you already know we love this time of year. But we also love the food that connects and brings us together. All around the world food is a connection that we share with our loved ones. Each home has that dish that brings us back to our childhood, reminds us of a loved one or warms our hearts and bellies. 

As you create new food memories with your Birdies this holiday season, we wanted to share some classic twists and traditions from our own home that we’re sure your family will love. If you make any of these Holiday favorites this season, make sure to take a picture and tag us on Instagram @birdiebeanbaby. We love seeing our favorite traditions passed on. 

And don’t forget to stock up on comfy family pajamas and new Birdie Bean aprons to make baking with your kids even more memorable this year! 

Birdie Bean Twists on Holiday Favorites

Grandma’s Banana Cream Pie

You can make this pie with a graham cracker crust or traditional pie crust. We usually use a traditional pie crust for this one. And to save time, you can use instant vanilla pudding instead of making your own! 

• Baked pie crust
• 1 cup sugar
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 3 cups milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large ripe bananas
• Whipped cream

1. Blend the sugar, cornstarch, milk, and eggs in a large saucepan
2. Stirring constantly over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil for about 15 minutes
3. Continue stirring until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter 
5. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap so that a skin doesn’t form and let the pudding cool for 30 minutes
6. Restir and pour half of the pudding into your pie crust
7. Swirl the pie plate so that the sides of the pie crust are coated with your cream
8. Slice your banana evenly over the cream 
9. Pour the remaining pudding over the bananas
10. Cover the second layer of cream with the rest of your bananas
11. Refrigerate the pie until you are ready to serve 
12. Spread whipped cream on the pie and enjoy! 

Grandma’s Tip: Make this pie last so that your bananas don’t go brown before you’re ready to enjoy! 

Real pumpkin pie

For years we’ve always made our pumpkin pie with canned pumpkin puree. This year, to mix things up we made our pumpkin pie from real pumpkin, and I have to say… the difference was phenomenal! It might feel overwhelming to make your pumpkin pie from scratch, but trust us, it’s actually a piece of cake (or pie!). 

Ingredients:

• Unbaked pie crust 
• 1 small pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds
2. Place the pumpkin halves face down on a greased baking sheet
3. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until tender
4. Cool and then scoop out the pumpkin and mash or puree it
5. Beat the eggs with your sugars
6. Blend in 2 cups of your pumpkin and the rest of your ingredients
7. Pour into your pie crust and bake for 10 minutes at 450°
8. Then reduce the heat to 350° and bake for another 50 minutes or until your pie is set
9. Cool and serve with whipped cream

Romanesco Holiday Trees With Parmesan Snow

We admit, vegetables might not be the first thing on the menu for most people at the holidays. We know you’re thinking about Turkey, Pies and Mashed Potatoes… but these romanesco holiday trees are just too cute to pass up! And they get everyone eating something green this holiday season. 

• 1 large head of romanesco
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• small lump of Parmesan cheese to shred when serving

1. Cut and trim your romanesco so that each floret can stand up straight
2. Steam your florets for 8-10 minutes (or until tender) 
3. Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat
4. Add the flour and whisk into a paste (add a little at a time so no lumps form) 
5. Heat and stir the mixture until it becomes thick
6. Stir in the salt, pepper, and cheddar until melted
7. Remove from the heat
8. Spoon the mixture into a serving dish and arrange your florets so they’re standing in the cheese sauce like Christmas trees! 
9. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the romanesco florets to look like snow
10. Serve immediately

Grocery shopping tip: If you can’t find romanesco at your local grocery store, you can substitute for broccoli trees.

Vegan Christmas Wellington 

If you have any vegans or vegetarians joining your table this holiday season, this wellington is going to be a hit! We started making it about 4 years ago for Thanksgiving and Christmas in our household and it gets better every year! This recipe is adapted from Vegan Huggs, as we’ve made it our own over the years. It’ll take you about 30 minutes to prepare and can be made in advance up to the baking stage. 

• 1 sheet vegan puff pastry, thawed and rolled out 
• 2 tbsp ground flax meal + 5 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary 
• 2 tsp parsley 
• 8 ounces mushrooms, minced
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed 
• 1 cup unsalted walnuts, ground (measured whole) 
• 4 tbsp tomato paste 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 1 tbsp vegan butter, melted

1. Preheat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C). 
2. Combine the ground flax and water in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 min. It will thicken and gel up a bit. 
3. Heat your oil in a large skillet on medium heat, saute the onion, celery, and carrots until soft
4. Add garlic and your seasonings 
5. Add mushrooms and saute until soft and all the moisture is absorbed (you want a dry pan!) 
6. Add 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted
7. Remove from the heat and allow to cool
8. Rinse and mash your chickpeas just enough to break them down a bit
9. Combine the cooled mixture, ground walnuts, flax mixture, remaining soy sauce, tomato paste, salt, and pepper
10. Shape the mixture into a solid log on your unrolled pastry sheet
11. Pick up one side and wrap it over the loaf and repeat on the other side. Gently press to seal together (*If pastry doesn't seal easily, just lightly brush a little non-dairy milk in that area and seal)
12. Now roll up the ends and press gently to seal. If you have a lot of extra lengths, you may want to trim the dough first before sealing. Otherwise, the ends of the loaf will be very doughy. Flip the loaf over so the sealed edges are facing the baking sheet. 
13. You can now cut slits in the top of your pastry or use the extra pastry dough to make turkeys sit on top of your wellington! (stop here if you’re making it ahead) 
14. Brush the top and sides with melted vegan butter. 
15. Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes until heated and the pastry is golden brown.
16. Enjoy! 

This is honestly a favorite amongst veggie and meat eaters alike! The last time we made it, it was gone before the turkey! What’s your favorite tradition to share with your family over the holidays? Is there food that has to make it to the table? Or maybe a dessert that always reminds you of your childhood? We want to know!

Share your holiday traditions with us over on Instagram @birdiebeanbaby. And don’t forget to shop our holiday restock and bestselling Birdie Bean aprons to make this holiday season even sweeter! 

Happy holiday Birdies!