Kent School
Warm Wishes and
Delicious Dishes
Community Recipes & Holiday Cheer
A Holiday Welcome from Kent School Dear Kent Community, As the holiday season approaches, we are reminded of the joy and connection that come from gathering around the table with family and friends. At Kent, those same values of community and tradition are at the heart of everything we do. We are delighted to share this holiday-themed recipe collection. These pages include some of our favorite dishes from members of the Alumni & Development Office, as well as from the wider Kent faculty and staff community. Whether you are preparing a festive feast or enjoying a quiet meal with loved ones, we hope these recipes bring comfort, inspiration, and a touch of Kent spirit to your celebrations. This season also invites us to reflect on the bonds that unite our Kent community—families, alumni, students, faculty, and friends near and far. May the dishes in this collection spark new memories at your tables and serve as a small reminder of the enduring connection we share with each of you. From our hearts to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season filled with peace, laughter, and delicious meals. With gratitude and warmest wishes, Michael Ganchegui '95, P'27 Director of the Alumni Fund gancheguim@kent-school.edu
Sarah van Mosel Director of the Parents Fund vanmosels@kent-school.edu
Michael Ganchegui '95, P'27 Director of the Alumni Fund Recipe credited to Tieghan Gerard
“Tasty appetizer, easy to make, and quick to enjoy.”
Bacon-Wrapped Goat Cheese Dates with Herbed Honey Ingredients 6 oz. goat cheese (soft) 24 medjool dates, pitted 12 slices thin-cut bacon, halved ⅓ cup honey 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (season to
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Slice each date lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Remove and discard the pit. 3. Fill each date with goat cheese and gently press closed. 4. Wrap each stuffed date with a half-slice of
preference)
bacon. Place seam-side down on the prepared
Kosher salt and black pepper
baking sheet. 5. In a small bowl, mix honey, rosemary, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. 6. Drizzle half of the honey mixture over the dates. 7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle with honey right before serving.
Vegetarian Variation Skip the bacon!
Sarah van Mosel Director of the Parents Fund Yorkshire pudding is a traditional British side dish made from a simple batter of eggs, flour, and milk (or water). Despite its name, it’s not a dessert — it’s more like a light, crisp, golden-brown pastry with a soft, airy center. When baked at a high temperature, the batter puffs up dramatically — crisp and hollow on the outside, tender and slightly custardy inside — a perfect vehicle for gravy.
Yorkshire Pudding Ingredients
Directions
2 cups all-purpose flour
1.Preheat the oven to 450°F.
4 large eggs
2.Whisk milk and eggs together in a large bowl.
2 cups milk
Whisk in flour, 1 cup at a time, until frothy and well
¼ cup beef drippings (vegetable oil
blended. Set aside. (The longer this mixture rests,
can be substituted)
the bigger the bubbles in the puddings will be.) 3.Place 1 tsp. beef drippings (or oil) into each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. 4.Place the tin in the preheated oven until the liquid is smoking, 5 to 10 minutes. 5.Remove from the oven and quickly ladle about 1/4 cup batter into each cup. 6.Return to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the puddings have risen and are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Servings: 12 Yield: 12 puddings
Christina Cumberton P'24 Director of Donor Relations Credit to the website “Allrightwithme Travel & Cook with Emma”
“I found this after trying something similar at a restaurant. It was delicious—enjoy!”
Whipped Ricotta Appetizer Ingredients
Directions
1 large head of garlic
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
Olive oil
2.Slice the top off the garlic bulb, remove any excess
Pinch of salt
papery skin, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with
16 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
salt, then wrap tightly in foil.
Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups of cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp. of olive oil ½ tsp. Italian seasoning Large pinch of salt
3.Roast garlic for 30–35 minutes, or until the cloves are tender and golden. 4.Place cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil, ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, and a big pinch of salt; toss to coat. 5.Roast the tomatoes for about 15 minutes, until they burst and soften. 6.Open the garlic foil, let it cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves into a bowl and mash them into a paste. 7.Add ricotta to the garlic paste and whisk/mix vigorously until light and creamy (about 1 minute). Then, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. 8.Transfer the whipped ricotta to a serving dish, top with roasted tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and add extra salt and pepper if desired. Serve with pita chips or dippers.
Bill Kissick Chief Advancement Officer
Savory Egg Muffins Ingredients Nonstick spray for greasing the muffin tin
Directions 1.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously with nonstick spray.
1 cup (about 4 oz.) shredded cheddar
2.In a medium bowl, combine the cheddar, spinach,
1 packed cup (2½ oz.) baby spinach,
bacon, tomatoes, bell peppers, feta, and scallions.
finely chopped
Divide the mixture evenly into the muffin cups, about
½ cup chopped cooked bacon (about
¼ cup per cup.
5 slices)
3.In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk the eggs
½ cup finely chopped cherry
until smooth. Add the milk, garlic powder, onion
tomatoes or red bell pepper
powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk again until fully
½ cup crumbled feta
combined.
¼ cup chopped scallions (about 3
4.Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups until
scallions)
they’re about three-quarters full. Stir each one gently
10 large eggs
with a spoon or butter knife to mix.
¼ cup whole milk
5.Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are
½ tsp. garlic powder
puffed and just set on top. Let them cool in the tin
½ tsp. onion powder
for at least 10 minutes before removing.
1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ to ½ tsp. black pepper
6.Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, cover and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Total Time: 1 hour Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes (includes 10 minutes resting)
Rachel Sopko Academic Technology Integrator Credit to Jordan Kenna, Tasty Team
“Stop buying expensive artisanal loaves! This simple, 5-ingredient recipe yields a rustic, crackling crust and a soft, chewy interior, all thanks to the magic of the Dutch oven. It requires minimal kneading but delivers maximum flavor through a slow, three-rise process.”
The Easiest Dutch Oven Artisan Bread Ingredients 2 cups lukewarm water (between 90°F and 110°F / 30°C and 40°C) 1 envelope active dry yeast 4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly packed and leveled off, plus more for
Directions 1.Stir the yeast into lukewarm water and let it sit until it becomes foamy (5–10 minutes). 2.Mix flour and salt, make a well, and add the yeast mixture. 3.Mix by hand until a rough dough forms (wet hands
dusting
to prevent sticking); adjust with small amounts of
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
flour or water if needed.
1 tsp. olive oil (for oiling the bowl)
4.Cover and rise 1½–2 hours until doubled. 5.Gently poke; it should indent and slowly spring back. 6.Loosen dough from edges and fold toward center, turning bowl 90° between folds. 7.Second Rise: Cover and rise again 1½–2 hours until doubled. 8.Heat a 6-qt Dutch oven with lid at 450°F (230°C) for 45–60 minutes. 9.Place dough on a lightly floured surface, dust top, and shape into a round by folding edges under. 10.Oil and flour a clean bowl, place dough seam-side down, cover, and rise 1 hour. 11.Carefully remove hot Dutch oven, turn dough out onto a floured surface, then place it in the pot. 12.Cover and bake 45 minutes. 13.Remove lid and bake 15 minutes more until golden; cool 10 minutes before slicing.
Greg Carter '95, P'28,'28 Director of Advancement
Scalloped Potatos Ingredients 1 shallot, peeled, quartered
Directions 1.In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring shallot,
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
garlic, cream, milk, and peppercorns to a simmer.
2 cups heavy cream
Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 30 minutes.
2 cups whole milk
2.Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the center of the oven
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
and preheat it to 350°F. Grease a 13" x 9" baking
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
dish with butter. Slice potatoes into 1/8"-thick slices
2 ½ lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes,
(a small handheld mandoline works well for this).
unpeeled, scrubbed
3.Strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve
1 tbsp. kosher salt
into a large bowl, then return it to the pot; discard
1 ½ oz. parmesan, finely shredded
the solids. Stir in salt, then add potatoes. Cook over
(about ¾ cup), divided
medium-high heat until simmering. Reduce the heat
2 tbsp. thinly sliced chives
to medium-low and continue simmering until the potatoes are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. 4.Pour half of the potatoes and cream into the prepared dish; top with half of the cheese. Top with the remaining potatoes and cream, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 5.Bake the scalloped potatoes until golden brown on top, 40-50 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.
Kirsten Cheney Director of Marketing & Communications Credit to Cookie and Kate
“This is a hearty vegetarian recipe that can be served as a main course or an extravagant side at any holiday affair. It is a creamy, delicious, and healthier baked brown rice risotto that requires minimal stirring (wahoo)! This recipe is designed for short-grain brown rice, so any grain substitutions will affect baking time. (White arborio rice should be baked for 45 minutes.) If you don’t like mushrooms, you can substitute any other prepared veggie; roasted sweet potato is another great option. Enjoy!”
Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano Ingredients 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided 1 small yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Directions 1.Adjust your oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2.Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over
5 cups (40 oz.) vegetable broth,
medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a
divided (if your broth comes in 32-
pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10
ounce containers, avoid opening
minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2–4 minutes
another container by substituting 1
more, until the onions are well browned.
cup water for 1 cup broth in step 3)
3.Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water).
1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain
Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
brown rice
Remove from the heat, stir in the rice, cover again,
12 to 14 oz. sliced Cremini (baby
and bake until the rice is tender, about 65–70
portobello) mushrooms, debris rinsed
minutes. The rice will look dry at first—don’t worry!
from mushrooms and drained
4.During the last 20 minutes of baking, prepare the
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
mushrooms. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet
cheese
until shimmering. Add the sliced mushrooms and a
½ cup dry white wine, optional
dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
darker, fragrant, and most of their juices have
2 tsp. tamari (for extra flavor,
evaporated, about 13 minutes.
optional)
5.Remove the pot from the oven. Add the remaining
1 tsp. sea salt, more to taste
cup of broth, Parmesan, wine, butter, tamari, salt,
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
and plenty of pepper. Stir vigorously for 2–3
4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves
minutes, until the rice becomes thick and creamy.
removed from stems and larger
Stir in the mushrooms and any pan juices. Taste and
leaves torn into small pieces
adjust seasoning. Divide into bowls and top with torn fresh oregano.
Sara Abrams Data Entry Specialist Credit to Victoria Granof via Bon Appétit
Stuffing Ingredients
Directions
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, plus more
1.Preheat oven to 250°F. Grease a 13"x9"x2" baking
for baking dish
dish with butter and set aside. Scatter 1 lb. good-
1 lb. good-quality day-old white
quality day-old white bread, torn into 1" pieces
bread, torn into 1" pieces (about 10
(about 10 cups), in a single layer on a rimmed
cups)
baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried
2½ cups chopped yellow onions
out, about 1 hour. Let cool; transfer to a large bowl.
1½ cups ¼" slices of celery
2. Meanwhile, melt ¾ cup butter in a large skillet over
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
medium-high heat; add 2½ cups chopped yellow
2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
onions and 1½ cups ¼" slices celery to the melted
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
butter. Stir often until just beginning to brown,
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
about 10 minutes. Add to bowl with dried bread; stir
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
in ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp. chopped
2 large eggs
fresh sage, 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, and 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme. Drizzle in 1¼ cups chicken broth and toss gently. Let cool. 3.Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk 2 large eggs and the remaining 1¼ cups of chicken broth in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture; fold gently until thoroughly
Do ahead (highly recommended): Dressing
combined. Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil,
can be baked (before browning) 1 day ahead;
and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted
uncover and let cool, then cover and chill. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown and crisp, 45–60 minutes.
into the center of dressing registers 160°F, 35–40 minutes. 4.Uncover dressing; continue to bake until set and top is golden brown and crisp, 35–45 minutes longer.
Candie Fredritz Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement
Mashed Cauliflower Ingredients 2 large heads of cauliflower 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 stick of butter 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions 1.Remove the cauliflower florets from the stalks and place them in a large pot. 2.Add enough water to cover the florets and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the cauliflower is tender, then drain well. 3.Return the empty pot to the stove over low heat and melt the butter. 4.Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook until softened and fragrant. 5.Turn off the heat and return the cooked cauliflower florets to the pot. 6.Using a potato masher, mash the cauliflower to a smooth consistency. 7.Stir in the ricotta cheese, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nikhil Seth History & Social Sciences Inspired by Smitten Kitchen
Challah Stuffing with Leeks and Celery Ingredients 1.5 lbs. challah bread (store‑bought or
Directions 1.One or two days before, spread challah cubes on a
homemade), cut into 1‑inch cubes
baking sheet or in the baking dish you’ll use. Leave
½ cup turkey drippings or melted
them out to dry.
unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan 2 cups diced celery (about 3 large ribs) 2 cups diced leeks or yellow onions
2.If making the stuffing immediately, dry cubes in a 300°F oven until firm but not browned. 3.Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9" × 13" baking dish. Add challah cubes. 4.In a large frying pan, melt 2 tbsp. butter over
(about 2 large leeks or 1 large onion)
medium heat. Add celery, leeks, and half of the salt
1 tbsp. each minced fresh rosemary,
and pepper. Cook until tender and translucent,
sage, thyme
about 10 minutes.
½ cup packed, chopped flat‑leaf parsley 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 3 cups vegetable, chicken, or turkey broth
5.Stir in rosemary, sage, and thyme; cook 1 minute more. 6.Sprinkle vegetables and parsley over challah cubes. Toss gently to combine. 7.Season broth with remaining salt and pepper. Pour evenly over challah. 8.Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. 9.Increase oven to 425°F. Remove foil, drizzle with remaining melted butter, and bake 15 minutes more until golden and crisp on top. 10.Serve immediately, or reheat at 350°F with foil on.
Chris Bouldin P'15 Modern & Classical Languages
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients Crust: Nonstick cooking spray 8 oz. crisp ginger cookies 2 tbsp. light brown sugar ¼ tsp. Kosher salt 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, cooled Pie Filling:
Directions 1.Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9" springform pan. 2.Pulse cookies, brown sugar, and salt to fine crumbs; add butter and pulse to wet sand. 3.Press cookie mixture into the bottom and ⅔ up the sides of the pan. 4.Bake crust for 10–12 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker; cool.
1 ¼ cups (270 g.) packed light
5.Reduce oven to 325°F.
brown sugar
6.Mix brown sugar, spices, and salt on low; add cream
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. Kosher salt ¼ tsp. ground cloves 3 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, room temperature 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 (15-oz.) can pure pumpkin purée (preferably Libby’s) 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract Whipped cream, for serving
cheese and beat until smooth (2–3 minutes). 7.Add eggs one at a time, scraping between; mix in pumpkin and vanilla on low. 8.Simmer water. Wrap cooled springform pan tightly in two layers of foil. 9.Pour filling into crust and place pan in a roasting pan. 10.Ladle simmering water into roasting pan halfway up the springform’s sides. 11.Bake for 85–105 minutes until edges are set and center slightly wobbly. 12.Cool in water bath 1 hour, then to room temp. 13.Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 14.Top with whipped cream and serve.
Darlene Luminati Development Associate
Apple Cake Ingredients 2 cups sugar
Directions 1.Beat the 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of oil, 4 eggs, 3 cups
1 cup oil
of flour, and 3 tsp. baking powder, ½ cup orange
4 eggs
juice (or apple juice) together.
3 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder
2.Pour half the batter into a large greased bundt/tube pan. Sprinkle ½ of the apple mixture.
½ cup orange juice (or apple juice)
3.Repeat with the remaining batter and apple mixture.
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4.Bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 minutes (may need a bit
Apple Mixture:
longer, so check before it comes out of the oven).
4 thinly sliced apples (medium)
5.Cool 1 hour in the pan before removing.
3 tsp. cinnamon
6.Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
5 tbsp. sugar
Serve with Cool Whip or whipped cream.
Millie North Development Associate Credit to Martha Stewart
Coconut-Key Lime Pie Ingredients
Directions
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed
1.Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together
milk
condensed milk, coconut milk, lime juice, and egg yolks
1 13.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut
until smooth.
milk
2.Pour into crust and bake until set but still slightly wobbly
⅓ cup fresh or bottled key lime juice
in center, 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 1 1/2 to 2
7 large egg yolks
hours, then refrigerate 3 hours (or up to 1 day).
1 graham cracker pie crust
3.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and
2 cups cold heavy cream
sugar on high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar 3 tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
4.To serve, top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Marya Neary P'24, P'28 Director of Development
Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons Ingredients
Directions
⅔ cup Bob Red Mills gluten-free flour
1.Stir together the gluten-free flour, organic coconut
5 ½ cups organic coconut flakes —
flakes, and salt. Then stir in the sweetened
Trader Joe’s has the best flakes for
condensed milk and vanilla extract.
these cookies. They are a seasonal product. ¼ tsp. salt 1 (14 oz.) container of Trader Joe’s organic sweetened condensed milk. Also, a seasonal product. 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
2.Form small balls and bake on parchment paper at 350°F for approximately 12 minutes. 3.Makes 1 dozen.
Joe Russo Librarian Credit to The New York Times
“It's not my recipe, but I've been making it for Christmas for the past 10+ years”
Plum Torte Ingredients
Directions
¾ - 1 cup sugar (I usually use
1.Heat the oven to 350°F.
demerara sugar)
2.Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour,
½ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
baking powder, salt, and eggs, and beat well. 3.Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9, or 10
1 tsp. baking powder
inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of
A pinch of salt
the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon
2 eggs
juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
24 halves pitted purple plums
Sprinkle with about 1 tsp. of cinnamon, depending
Sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon for
on how much you like cinnamon. (I usually skip the
topping
lemon juice and cinnamon.) 4.Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300°F.)
Chelsea Hunter Print & Design Specialist Credit to Beth Pierce
“These are my go-to cookies for festive cookie exchanges!”
Maraschino Cherry Almond Chocolate Cookies Ingredients 1 cup butter softened 1 tsp. almond extract 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions 1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. 2.In a large bowl with a mixer, beat butter until smooth
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
and creamy. Beat in almond extract and powdered
2-3 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
sugar. Turn the mixer to stir or low and slowly add
½ cup maraschino cherries chopped
flour mixing in until incorporated. Mix in maraschino
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chip
cherry juice and maraschino cherries. Stir in
morsels
chocolate chips. 3.Roll into 1" balls and place on parchment paper. Spray the bottom of a glass with nonstick cooking spray and flatten the balls. You will need to spray the glass several times. 4.Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing cookies to cooling racks.
Celebrate the season of giving with a gift to The Kent Fund. There’s still time before December 31. Use the QR code or visit www.kent-school.edu/givenow. Thank you for supporting Kent School. May your holidays be filled with joy.
The
KENT FUND