The holiday season is officially underway, starting with Thanksgiving this week. Whether you're joining Friendsgiving potlucks orhosting family gatherings over the upcoming holidays, we've curated three recipes that impress your guests and contribute to energy and cost savings!
What enhances these recipes is their energy-efficient nature. Utilizing small appliances like air fryers, toaster ovens, and slow cookers can significantly reduce your energy consumption.
From the delightful No-Bake Holiday Energy Bites to the Sweet & Spicy Slow-Cooker Cranberry Meatballs, we invite you to savor these energy-saving recipes throughout the holiday season!
Considering that many customers are on a Time-of-Use pricing plan, you can maximize your savings by operating these small appliances outside the peak hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Discover how to make the most of your energy this holiday season at sdge.com/MyEnergy.
No-Bake Holiday ‘Energy’ Bites (Gluten-Free)
This festive, no-bake recipe is easy and quick to prepare and will save you time and energy! Create these raw bites for both kids and adults alike—a holiday-themed twist using just five simple whole-food ingredients!
Prep: 15 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1/2 cup "snow" AKA finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup M&Ms, coarsely chopped or crushed (Bonus: use only holiday colors!)
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds or ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup peanut or nut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
Steps:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Scoop out 1 Tbsp at a time. Press and roll into balls.
- Chill in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat! Store bites in a sealed container.
*If your mixture is very sticky, add more oats or chill the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes and then roll it into bites.
Recipe source here.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
The Air Fryer Turkey Breast emerges incredibly moist and juicy, boasting a perfectly cooked, deep golden-brown skin. As a bonus, it cooks in significantly less time compared to using the oven, thus saving you energy and money!
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 1 hr.
Ingredients:
- 4-pound turkey breast, on the bone with skin (ribs removed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon dry turkey or poultry seasoning
Steps:
- Rub 1/2 tablespoon of oil all over the turkey breast. Season both sides with salt and turkey seasoning then rub in the remaining half tablespoon of oil over the skin side.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F and cook skin side down 20 minutes, turn over and cook until the internal temperature is 160F using an instant-read thermometer about 30 to 40 minutes more depending on the size of your breast. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Recipe source here.
Sweet & Spicy Slow-Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
Looking to spice it up this season? Effortlessly prepared in the slow cooker, these cranberry-infused meatballs are not only tender but also bursting with delightful flavors, thanks to the incredible sweet & spicy sauce!
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 2 hrs.
Total: 2 hrs. 25 mins
Meatball Ingredients:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 22 saltine crackers, crushed
- 1/3 cup dry minced onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 14 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup quality hoisin sauce (like Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Franks Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce... or more to taste!
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. Set it aside. If you don't have a baking rack, line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients, mix until well combined. Roll meat mixture into desired meatball size. Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, whisk all the Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Sauce ingredients together in a bowl starting with 1 tablespoon hot wings sauce if you're not sure how spicy you want them. You can add more sauce to taste at the end of cooking.
- Line the bottom of your slow cooker with meatballs, then a layer of Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Sauce, then the remaining meatballs followed by the remaining. Sauce. Gently stir meatballs for an hour after cooking.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 2-4 hours (depending on size of meatballs) or until cooked through. Taste and stir in additional hot wings sauce (I use a total of 2 tablespoons which is moderately spicy). Keep warm until serving.
Recipe source here.
Looking for more recipes? Visit our recipe list from last holiday season here.