Seasonal Feast: Holiday Edition
There are few more important times throughout the year to safely include your family member or friend with dysphagia in the festivities. Our memories of the holidays are built on the sounds, smells, and tastes of the season and being sure to include choices that everyone can enjoy is important. There is nothing worse than feeling like an outsider at your own holiday table, and that is how the person with dysphagia can feel if not able to partake in the meal without feeling singled out. This Holiday Edition of the Seasonal Feast is intended to give you ideas that are not only tasty for everyone, but can also be modified simply to fit the specific dysphagia needs. Perhaps now is the time to start a few new seasonal food traditions!
Holiday Feast Menu
Protein:
Italian Turkey Meatloaf
Manicotti
Smoked Turkey Pate’
Sides:
Cheesy Potatoes
Cranberries
Southern Squash Bake
Desserts:
Butter Creams
Holiday Layered Dessert
Hi-Lo Lemon Cake
Click below to view recipes
Italian Turkey Meatloaf
Italian Turkey Meatloaf brings all of the enjoyment of eating turkey at the holiday meal without the choking or aspiration hazard of navigating what can sometimes be a dry piece of meat. This recipe adds a little zing to the meatloaf and is sure to be a hit at your holiday table. Finding this recipe on a Butterball site years ago, it has been a hit for our family as a turkey option that everyone enjoys.
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 65 min
Total Time: 80 min
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
½ to ⅔ Yellow Onion finely chopped (use dried onion flakes for alternate diet)
1 T Olive Oil
8oz can of tomato sauce, in 2-4oz amounts
2 eggs, beaten
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T Fresh Basil (use dried basil flakes for alternate diet)
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1.5 tsp Italian Seasoning
1.5 tsp Sea Salt
¼ Black Pepper
Optional ¼ tsp crushed red pepper for added zing
⅔ C Panko or dried bread crumbs of your choosing
2 lb Ground turkey
1T Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
⅓ to ½c grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (or Parmesan)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and in a small pan cook the onions until soft. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, add 4 oz of the tomato sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, basil, garlic, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper, red pepper and bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly and then add in the ground turkey.
Spray a 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and transfer the meat mixture to the loaf pan, rounding the top of the mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar and sugar with a whisk and set aside.
Remove the pan from the oven and spread the tomato glaze evenly over the top. Add grated cheese and bake an additional 15-20 min or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Cool before slicing.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written using real onions and basil and bread crumbs of choice. If you want to add more vegetables to the mix such as zucchini or peppers, feel free to jazz it up even further. DO NOT add, however, if anyone with dysphagia needs will be eating this version as they are a choking hazard.
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written using real onions and basil and bread crumbs of choice. DO NOT add additional veggies to this recipe unless they dissolve readily such as peeled zucchini or squash. Use your fork-smash test to ascertain if they are mechanical soft consistency approved, meaning that if you can smash the cooked veggie after it is cooked in the meatloaf, and it smashes without effort, then it can be included in the recipe.
Puree Consistency: Prepare without using real onions or basil and make sure that your bread crumbs have been soaked in a little milk to soften them. As an alternative, use Oatmeal soaked in milk instead of bread crumbs as this will soften up the recipe, and consider adding an additional egg or two egg whites. DO NOT add any additional veggies to this recipe!
When preparing this recipe be sure to add a little water into the baking pan to increase the moisture content of the recipe and check your cooking time to make sure that it does not dry-out.
When getting ready to serve, use some of the tomato sauce/drippings from the pan to form a little extra gravy, or even use some ketchup. You may make this recipe once or twice as a trial in order to find the perfect ingredients that, for you, achieve the softness, almost souffle consistency that is safe for your dysphagia family member. Make sure that prior to serving you test for cohesiveness and consistency.
Manicotti
This Italian delicacy looks a lot more difficult to make than it actually is. I learned this recipe from my Italian Grandmother and it has become a staple for our Christmas Eve dinner. Made with ricotta cheese, the texture of the dish is such that it melts in your mouth and is not a choking hazard at any consistency. Utilizing your favorite spaghetti sauce, whether bottled or homemade, renders this dish unique to you and your family. Allow me to share our family’s secret recipe as we salute new traditions, whether you are Italian or not!
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Total Time: 75 min
Servings: 8-10
Ricotta Filling Ingredients
3 lb ricotta cheese
5 eggs
3T dried parsley
1 ½ C Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Manicotti Noodle/Crepe Ingredients
10 eggs
3C flour
2C water
2 pinches salt
To Prepare the Ricotta Filling, blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and set aside. This recipe works well for full fat, reduced fat, or nonfat ricotta cheese.
To Prepare the Manicotti Noodles/Crepe, beat the eggs slightly. Add water and beat a little more. Add flour and salt and beat until smooth and fluffy. I call these noodles/crepes because the texture is slightly more cohesive than a crepe and not as tough as a noodle.
To make the noodles/crepes, heat a small nonstick frying pan with NO butter or oil (8” diameter max) or can use a crepe’ pan if you have one. Once the pan is heated, pour a scant ⅓ to 1/2C dough mixture onto the pan and swirl the pan so that the crepe mixture covers the pan bottom and sides to make about an 8” circle. Put back onto the heat and as it cooks you will see the color change slightly and the texture become cohesive. At the point that it is done, after only a few minutes, it will slide out of the pan and place onto paper towels while you make the rest of the noodles/crepes. There is a bit of an art to this technique so give yourself a few trials to get a feel for making the perfect noodle/crepe. Remember that you are going to fill and bake these.
Once you have made all of your noodles/crepes, begin to fill with the ricotta cheese mixture. To do this simply lay the noodle flat and place a heaping tablespoon of ricotta cheese about ½ inch away from the left side of the noodle. Place enough filling on the noodle so that you can roll the noodle with the filling inside but not so much that it is seeping out of the ends. Remember that the filling will expand somewhat when cooked. Roll the noodle to the right so that the seam is on the bottom.
In a baking dish, 9X12, place some of your spaghetti sauce of choice on the bottom of the pan and then place the rolled up and filled noodles on the sauce. You can set them side by side in the pan without worry if they touch. When the pan is full of the filled noodles, top with spaghetti sauce and then finish with grated cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees, COVERED (this is important to keep the texture mouth-wateringly delicate) for 40-45 min if not frozen.
If you make these ahead, freeze the noodles individually using a saran wrap and thaw before cooking.
Regular Consistency: No alterations need to be made. You can use any spaghetti sauce whether it is smooth gravy from southern Italy or a chunky vegetable-laden sauce from northern Italy.
Mechanical Soft: No alterations need to be made. You can use any spaghetti sauce whether it is smooth gravy from southern Italy or a chunky vegetable-laden sauce from northern Italy.
Puree Consistency: This dish is inherently puree-consistency friendly as the filling is souffle-like and does not contain any ingredient that is a choking hazard. If the noodle is made as directed, it should also melt in the mouth immediately. If, however, the noodle turns out to be a little tough, open up the Manicotti and fork mash the noodle sufficiently so that it incorporates into the Ricotta Filling. Make sure to NOT use any sauce that has chunks of pepper or mushroom or any vegetable. Only smooth consistency is appropriate for the puree diet. In addition, make sure that your spaghetti sauce or gravy is not watery as that will create a mixed-consistency which is not what you want for a puree diet.
Smoked Turkey Pate’
This simple to make dish can serve as an appetizer or the turkey-inclusion choice for the dysphagia patient who wants to enjoy the turkey taste with a safe consistency. It can be made dysphagia friendly with just one step and is a hit at our Holiday table every year!
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: None
Total Time: 10 min
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 C smoked turkey breast (may also use a chunk of smoked turkey breast lunch meat, not sliced)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese (can be full fat, low fat or nonfat. They all work)
3 T mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (omit initially if making ahead and freezing – add in when thawed and ready to serve)
½ C pecans, chopped
Directions:
To prepare, grind the smoked turkey breast in the food processor until finely ground. If you try to use sliced smoked turkey lunch meat this won’t work as well. Next, combine the turkey, cream cheese and mayo or miracle whip (if not freezing).
Next, form into a log and roll into the pecans.
Wrap with saran wrap and chill.
Serve with crackers, biscuits, or bread.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written with no alterations and serve with your choice of crackers, biscuits or bread. Prepare as written and enjoy!
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written but OMIT the pecans from the recipe unless you are using crushed pecans and not chopped. Although this is a cohesive texture, you do not want the pecans separating from the mixture and causing a choking or aspiration hazard. In addition, serve with crackers or bread that does not have seeds or nuts.
Puree Consistency: Prepare as written but OMIT the pecans from the recipe completely. This pate’ recipe is puree-friendly unless there is not enough moisture in the texture. Add a little milk (¼ C) to the mixture to lighten it up, either when adding the cream cheese or after it is refrigerated.
You will NOT ROLL into a log for the puree consistency, but rather will simply place in a bowl. You do not want it thick enough to maintain a log shape for a puree consistency. Serve with a light biscuit that will soften with the pate’ placed on top of it or consider making a dessert crepe to serve the pate’ by tearing off a small piece (similar to the Manicotti recipe but sweeter) as that will melt in the mouth.
Do not roll the pate’ into the crepe. Do not consider a tortilla appropriate as the texture will result in a choking hazard. The turkey pate is also good enough to enjoy without a cracker or crepe and adds that wonderful turkey taste to the menu!
Cheesy Potatoes
This holiday favorite is a crowd-pleaser year after year as the perfect accompaniment to your holiday feast. This can be made well ahead of time and can be frozen or can be made the day before your feast and reheated/cooked to perfection.
Prep Time: 75 min
Cook Time: 60 min
Total Time: 2 Hours, 15 min
Servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
2 lb package of hash browns
1 pint half and half
2 sticks of butter or margarine
4 oz grated cheddar cheese
2 inches of Velveeta cheese (larger box)
Directions:
To prepare, mix the half and half, butter and cheese in a pan. Melt until it is smooth. Break up the frozen hash browns into a 9X12 baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Let it sit for one hour or refrigerate for longer than an hour. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
May be made and cooked ahead and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. There is no change to the taste if either method is used.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy!
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy!
Puree Consistency: Use frozen shredded hash browns instead of hash brown cubes in the recipe, OR make sure to cook for an extra 15 min or so until the potatoes are very very soft.
Prior to serving, fork mash the mixture and it will render itself puree-like for serving.
Cranberries
The holidays are a time for cranberries to shine, although they are a tasty addition to any meal all year long. This easy to make recipe can be made with orange juice for a tangier taste, or with water for a milder and sweeter side dish. Add a cinnamon stick for a little holiday twinge of flavor!
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 package – 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, washed and separated
1 cup white sugar
1 cup of orange juice (may substitute water)
Cinnamon Stick (optional)
Directions:
To prepare, mix the sugar and orange juice (or water if you prefer) in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries and optional cinnamon stick and boil until the cranberries pop and soften. Scoop into a serving dish and chill.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy!
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy!
Puree Consistency: Prior to placing into the serving dish to chill, use an immersion blender to puree the cranberries in the saucepan. You may have to boil 5-10 minutes longer in order to soften them up to the needed consistency prior to using the immersion blender. Once pureed, place into the serving dish to cool prior to serving as it will set up to the right consistency.
Southern Squash Bake
This delicious side dish works well with any holiday meal. Its flavor can be enhanced with additional seasonings, however I would try it as written first. Zucchini and squash combined with cheddar cheese scream comfort food. Aren’t the holidays a time to treat ourselves to tasty comfort food?
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30-45 min
Total Time: 45 min – 1 Hour
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 ½ Lb yellow and/or zucchini squash, cubed and peeled for all but Regular Consistency.
3 T butter, melted
1 C cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 can fried onions (optional)
1 ½ bread crumbs (optional)
Directions:
To prepare, place squash and/or zucchini and melted butter in a casserole dish. Stir in cheese, seasonings and egg. Top with onions or bread crumbs to your taste.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-45 min or until a knife comes out clean when inserted near the center of the casserole. The time may vary depending on your oven’s temperature variants.
Let stand a few minutes before serving.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy! May add fried onion rings or bread crumbs of your taste. May consider adding some grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese to the top prior to baking for a crunchier taste.
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written but do not add the fried onion rings. Choose the bread crumbs of your choice to taste and some Pecorino or Parmesan cheese to the top prior to baking. This will incorporate well into the mixture and not separate from the bite as it is transiting through the mouth and into the throat.
Puree Consistency: Prepare as written but instead of putting any topping on the casserole, put some grated pecorino or parmesan cheese as a topping. Make sure that you are cubing the PEELED zucchini or squash into small pieces so that they soften up when baked.
You may need to bake this for an additional 15 min or so in order to achieve the souffle consistency that you wish to achieve.
Make sure to fork-mash test the consistency after baking to assure that it can become a puree consistency with a few fork mashes or with only a couple chews.
Butter Creams
Making candy at the holidays is an activity that can be enjoyed by all. This recipe has been handed down from generation to generation and is easy to prepare. Everyone, including your loved one with dysphagia issues, can join in the fun as there are many participatory steps for everyone!
Prep Time: 70 min
Cook Time/Refrigerate: 2.5 Hours
Total Time: 3 Hrs, 40 Min
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
½ C butter
3 ounces Cream Cheese (may use full fat, low fat or non fat)
1.5 tsp Vanilla (may substitute almond, orange or rum extract if you prefer)
4 C Powdered Sugar
Coating:
2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
2 T Shortening
Directions:
To prepare, combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping often until smooth. Add vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. Change the mixing speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until well-mixed. If the mixture is too soft or runny, cover and refrigerate for an hour or so until it is firm enough to form the balls needed for the butter creams.
Once the mixture has become firm, shape by rounded tsp of mixture into approximately 1-inch balls. Place onto parchment paper lined baking sheets, cover and refrigerate from 2 hours to overnight until firm.
For the topping, melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until smooth. Dip the butter creams into the chocolate mixture using a fork to turn and assure all sides are covered. Let the excess chocolate drip off and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool. You can garnish with chocolate shavings, sprinkles or decorate as desired. This is a time to let your creativity shine!
Refrigerate at least 30 min to set before serving. These freeze well for serving at a later time.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy! You may also add a nut of your choice to the recipe by either adding crushed pecans when mixing or placing an almond or walnut on the top of the butter cream prior to dipping in the chocolate.
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy. DO NOT add any nuts to this mixture.
Puree Consistency: The filling is puree-friendly, however the buttercream should be heated for just a few seconds in the microwave in order to soften it prior to eating.
In addition, DO NOT EAT WHOLE!
For the puree consistency, the buttercream should be fork mashed and assure that it is a soft consistency prior to taking a bite. Eating it whole could be a choking hazard. This should be consumed in two to three small bites after softened.
Holiday Layered Dessert
This holiday layered dessert combines the tastes of the holiday and can be modified to suit your particular tastes. While being easy to make, the luscious textures of this dessert are easy on the palate as well. Treat yourself to dessert to celebrate the holidays in style!
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 45 Min
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1.5 C Flour
2 sticks unsalted butter
½ C nuts, chopped finely
¼ tsp salt
1 C powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 Container of Cool Whip, Large
2 Packages Instant Pudding, Chocolate, 3 oz size
Milk for pudding
Chocolate, grated
(May use any kind of pudding. If you use lemon pudding, for example, use lemon peel for topping instead of chocolate)
Directions:
1st Layer: With a pastry blender, blend together flour, butter and salt. Add nuts and mix. Press into a 9X12 inch pan and bake for 12-15 min at 350 degrees. Cool
2nd Layer: Cream the powdered sugar and cream cheese and fold in ¾ of the Cool Whip. Spread on the first cooled layer.
3rd Layer: Prepare 2 boxes of instant pudding as directed on the box and spread onto the second layer.
4th Layer: Spread the remaining Cool Whip on Top. Sprinkle grated chocolate on top to garnish.
Cool and serve chilled.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy!
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written EXCEPT make sure that the nuts that you are using in the pastry are finely chopped so that they do not crumble and separate from the bite. If buying chopped pecans, for example, put them into the Cuisinart to chop even more finely prior to using. The rest of the recipe should be mechanical soft consistency-friendly.
Puree Consistency: The filling is puree-friendly, however the pastry layer is NOT puree friendly.
In order to serve as a puree-friendly dish simply scoop out the filling, making sure to keep layers 2-4 intact and serve.
Hi-Lo Lemon Cake
This delicious cake is moist, tasty, and celebrates the holiday with its delicate flavors. It is called Hi-Lo Lemon Cake as my mother used to make this for her bridge club when it was her turn to host. It has been a favorite for special occasions in our household for generations. Add it to your holiday feast favorites and start your own holiday tradition!
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook/Cool Time: 50 Min
Total Time: 65 Min
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 Package Yellow Cake Mix (I like to use the extra moist cake mix)
1 Package Lemon Instant Pudding – regular size, not large
4 Eggs
¾ C Water
¾ C Wesson Oil
2 C Powdered Sugar
½ C Lemon Juice (I use the bottled Real Lemon)
Directions:
Mix the cake mix and pudding powders together in a bowl. Add the eggs, water, and oil. Mix well and put into a 9X13 pan or bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the fork comes out clean from the near-center of the cake. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
To make the topping, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Prick the cake with a fork in a pattern that covers the entire cake. The lemon juice and powdered sugar mixture will be penetrating the cake at all the fork-prick points. Pour the lemon juice over the cake and let it soak into the cake prior to serving.
Regular Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy! Serve with vanilla ice cream or even a lemon sorbet.
Mechanical Soft Consistency: Prepare as written and enjoy. Serve with vanilla ice cream or even a lemon sorbet. You do not need to alter anything when serving as the ice cream will form a cohesive bite. If you do not want ice cream, assure that the lemon icing has penetrated the cake enough that it is moist prior to serving. If the cake is dry, combine a little more powdered sugar and lemon juice and add to the topping.
Puree Consistency: This recipe is difficult to make a puree consistency-friendly dessert on its own. However, if you add some vanilla ice cream or even a lemon pudding to a small bite of the cake it can become puree-friends. Simply cut a small piece of cake, top with the vanilla ice cream or pudding and then let it set for a few minutes.
When serving, make sure to combine some of the ice cream and cake together by fork-mashing it together and giving it a little stir. This will create a puree texture that is akin to an applesauce with just a little bit of texture but a cohesive mixture that can be easily swallowed. This tasty bite will be enjoyed by anyone, but especially by the patient with dysphagia needs!