Holiday recipe favorites from campus expert, Chef Matt Reisenthel

For over two decades, Silver & Blue Catering has been the preferred catering service for the University of Nevada, Reno. I’m Matt Reisenthel, the Executive Sous Chef at Silver & Blue Catering, and I’m taking you behind the kitchen doors to share my holiday season creations at home. I’m delighted to share not just one, but three recipes—an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. If you're looking to spice things up at your next holiday gathering, I encourage you to give one, or all, of these recipes a try.

Appetizer: Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes (Orieda Southern hash browns –the ones in cubes!)
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 lb. carton of sour cream
• ½ cup margarine or butter
• 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Thaw the potatoes for 30 minutes and mix with remaining ingredients.
2. Place in 9 x 13 casserole dish, bake 375 degrees for 1 hour, and voila!

Entrée: Vegan White Bean Chili

Ingredients:

• Three cloves of garlic
• 1 small yellow onion
• Sweet garlic, celery, and onions
• Large bell pepper
• 1 can cannellini Beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can jalapeños
• 1 can vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp dark chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Coarsely chop three cloves of garlic, one stock of celery, and one small yellow onion, sweet garlic, celery, and onions until translucent over medium heat in a stock pot.
2. Large dice one large bell pepper of any color and add garlic, celery, and onions.
3. Open one can of cannellini beans, drain and rinse in a strainer, Open one can of garbanzo beans, drain and rinse in a strainer, then add both beans to the garlic, celery, bell pepper and onion.
4. Open one can of jalapeños, pour one quarter of the juice from the jalapeño can in with the beans, garlic, celery, bell pepper and onion mixture. Add as many jalapeños as desired (half can is a normal amount).
5. Add three tablespoons of cumin, one teaspoon of dark chili powder and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add one can of vegetable stock and if needed more water until a little wetter than a thick chili consistency.
7. Cook on low heat and simmer until hot and some liquid has reduced. If the chili is too thin, either keep cooking and reduce liquid or drain some of the liquid to your preferred consistency. Taste and season as necessary. Enjoy!

Dessert: Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 6 oz dark chocolate
• 12 oz white chocolate
• 3 tsp vegetable oil
• 10 to 12 crushed candy canes

Instructions:

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x9" square baking pan with non-stick aluminum foil.
2. Stir half white chocolate and one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a double boiler.
3. Stir the chocolate as it melts with a heat-proof spatula.
4. Remove from over water. Stir in 1/3 crushed candy cane pieces.
5. Spread melted chocolate out on the parchment paper.
6. Place baking pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
7. Melt the dark chocolate and one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a metal bowl placed into a pot of boiling water.
8. Stir the chocolate as it melts with a heat-proof spatula.
9. Pour dark chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate layer.
10. Using icing spatula, spread dark chocolate in an even layer.
11. Place baking pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
12. Repeat with another layer of white chocolate with the remaining chocolate and tilt the pan for an even layer.
13. Immediately sprinkle the remaining crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate layer while it’s still warm and soft.
14. Gently press down on them to help them stick into the layer.
15. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
16. Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foil.

Break into suitable pieces. Peppermint bark is traditionally broken into chunks but if you wish to cut it into squares, dip your knife or cookie cutter in hot water.

A Little Something Extra:

Another dessert favorite of mine is holiday cake topped with dried fruit, and Silver & Blue Catering is thrilled to offer our University community a $10 discount throughout December when you order the delightful "Retro Holidays" package. This festive treat features holiday cake topped with dried fruit and almonds, sweet almond vanilla spritz cookies and milk chocolate-covered pretzels. This special offer is valid from now until Dec. 31, 2023, on Silver & Blue Catering’s website.

Which of these recipes are you excited to try? Let Nevada Dining know on social media. Silver & Blue Catering recently joined Facebook and Instagram and we are eager to share more recipes, specials, promos and more!