The Observer staff is sharing some of our festive spirit with holiday recipes to try out at home! Whether you are looking for something salty and savory, or crunchy sweet goodness, consider taking a page out of The Observer’s recipe book and making them at home. Send a photo of any recipe to our Instagram (@wchsobserver), and we will post you! 

Gigi’s Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (serves 8) 

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups sugar (1 cup sugar for filling, ½ cup for topping)

¾ cup and 2 tbsp flour (2 tbsp flour for filling, ¾ cup for topping) 

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon 

5 peeled granny smith apples 

⅔ stick of butter or margarine 

Pie Crust (store bought or make your own!)

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
2. Slice apples thinly enough for filling to soak through. Place the apple slices inside your crust, which you can buy from the store or make however you like. 
3. Pour sugar (1 cup), flour (2bsp), salt and cinnamon into a bowl and mix to create the filling. Once mixed, pour filling into the unbaked crust. 
4. For the pie topping, mix the butter, sugar (½ cup), flour (¾ cup) in a bowl and top the pie with the mixture. 
5. Bake for ten minutes at 450°F, and then reduce heat to 350°Fand bake for the remaining 40-50 minutes. 
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

This is my great-grandmother Gigi’s signature recipe: Dutch Apple Pie. I am not entirely sure where the name came from, but the Dutch side of my family loves sugar, and the pie has a sugary caramelized top. It fills you up and makes you feel nice and cozy. It is definitely a comfort food, great for cooler weather, and my family only has it in the fall. 

A flaky, buttery handmade crust, with a gooey inner filling of cinnamon and sugar, with thinly sliced apples. Usually, I use green apples, which provide a sour flavour to contrast the sugar. On top is a thick caramelized sugar crust that has bumps like hills. And it all comes together into one perfect bite.

It is a family recipe, and during COVID, I learned how to make it. It is one of the first pies I ever learned how to make. 

Zitnik’s Old Bay Wings

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  
• Line pan with non-stick aluminum foil.
• Cut wings in half. Separate the drumette from the wingette/tip. Note: Use a VERY sharp heavy-duty knife and a sturdy cutting board as you will  be cutting through bone.
• Put the wings in a pan in a single layer and cover with Old Bay.  Season to taste, but more is usually better. I would recommend ~ ½ cup per dozen wings.
• Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (depending how crispy you like them).
• Serve with blue cheese and/or ranch and cut up carrots and celery.

This is an easy Maryland-style recipe that everyone loves! The Zitnik family has been making these for generations, but my mom worked for McCormick (the spice company that produces Old Bay), so we always had plenty of Old Bay seasoning on hand.

The Observer’s Upside Down Hot Cocoa (serves 1) 

Ingredients: 

½ cup heavy OR whipping cream

2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish

1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

½ cup whole milk, warmed in the microwave or stovetop

½ cup water, warmed in the microwave or stovetop

¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

Any toppings you so desire! Toasted marshmallows are highly suggested. 

Directions:

1. Using a whisk, handheld electric mixer or milk frother, combine the cream (½ cup heavy OR whipping cream), unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp) and confectioners’ sugar (1 tbsp). Whisk on medium-high for about 3 minutes, or until soft peaks form. 
2. Mix together warm whole milk (½ cup) , water (½ cup), and vanilla extract (¼ tsp) in a mug.
3. Scoop the chocolate cream over the milk and serve. To drink, stir the chocolate cream into the milk base. 

Instead of your traditional chocolate drink with vanilla whipped cream on top, The Observer prefers a sweet vanilla drink with a thick chocolatey cream on top. It tastes like a hug in a mug! 

Lemon Peace Pie Filling

A Pies by Rizzy signature

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1 (14-ounce/396-gram) can of sweetened condensed milk

½ cup lemon or lime juice, or a mix of two

Pinch of kosher salt

Freshly whipped cream, lemon or lime zest and flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

While your crust is cooling (It does not need to be cold):

1. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks into condensed milk until fully combined.
2. Whisk in lemon and lime juice into the  mixture until fully combined..
3. Pour into the shell and bake for 14-16 minutes at 350°F
4. Refrigerate until fully cooled.
5. Enjoy!

The beloved Peace Pie is a standout favorite at Pies by Rizzy. It is bright, citrusy and refreshing. The filling perfectly complements a graham cracker crust, whether store-bought or homemade. Carefully curated by our founder, this delightful dessert is a truly original recipe from Pies by Rizzy, crafted for everyone to enjoy.

Mallory’s Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

16 ounces canned pumpkin

⅔ cup oil

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour (3 cups), sugar (2 cups), baking soda (2 tsp), baking powder (½ tsp)  and spices (1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, and 1 tsp salt).
2. Add the pumpkin (16oz canned pumpkin), oil (⅔ cup oil) and eggs(3 eggs, slightly beaten). Blend.
3. Pour the batter into a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans, greased.
4. Put in the oven for 50 minutes at 350 degrees fahrenheit . Check with a toothpick to see if it is ready. 
5. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

My family has had this recipe at our Thanksgiving table ever since my oldest brother Ryan, who is currently 20, was born. My mom makes it all throughout fall, and my brothers and I go crazy over it. Most years, we will make a bunch of loaves of it and bring it to all our family friends.