Frontgate’s Favorite Holiday Recipes & Traditions
A warm collection of family favorites, kitchen memories, and cherished traditions from our team.
The holidays mean something different to everyone — a favorite dish, a family ritual, or the simple act of gathering together. This year, our team is sharing the traditions and recipes that bring warmth to their tables and joy to their homes. Whether you're cooking for a crowd or looking for a new holiday staple, we hope these stories inspire you to try something new.
Lorena Tellez Sanchez’s Sweet Potato Casserole
The classic dish that makes every holiday table feel complete.
A true crowd-pleaser, Lorena’s Sweet Potato Casserole is the perfect balance of cozy, creamy, and crunchy. Steamed sweet potatoes give the filling its silky texture, while the brown-sugar-pecan crust brings that irresistible holiday sweetness. If you're looking for the dish that will have guests begging for the recipe — this is it.
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mixture
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3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (steamed, not boiled)
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1 cup sugar
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½ tsp salt
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1 tsp vanilla
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2 eggs, well beaten
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1 stick (½ cup) butter
Crust Mixture
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1 cup brown sugar
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⅓ cup flour
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1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
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⅓ stick butter, melted
Instructions
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In a bowl, mix all crust ingredients and set aside.
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Combine sweet potato mixture ingredients thoroughly in order listed.
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Pour into a buttered baking dish. (Double batch fits a 9x13 dish.)
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Sprinkle evenly with the crust mixture.
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Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Allow to rest 30 minutes before serving.
Allyson Carter’s Christmas Eve Oysters Rockefeller
A beloved Italian-American tradition from “The Feast of the Seven Fishes.”
In Allyson’s home, Christmas Eve is all about honoring Italian heritage — and no dish is more iconic than Oysters Rockefeller. Savory, rich, and elegant, these oysters are topped with a buttery blend of spinach, garlic, shallots, Parmesan, and a hint of Vermouth, then finished with crisp, golden breadcrumbs. Baked, broiled, or grilled, they’re the star of the seafood spread.
Ingredients
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Unsalted butter
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Shallot
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Garlic
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Fresh spinach
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Vermouth
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Grated Parmesan
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Crumbled bacon
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Panko breadcrumbs
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Raw oysters, shucked
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Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
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In a skillet, sauté shallots and garlic in butter.
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Add spinach, cook down, and stir in Parmesan and bacon.
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Place shucked oysters on a baking sheet.
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Spoon filling over each oyster and top with buttery breadcrumbs.
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Bake or broil at 350°F until golden. (Grilling also works beautifully.)
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Serve with lemon wedges.
Chris Pelton’s Manly Carnivore Cheesecake
Zero plants. Zero carbs. Maximum indulgence.
Chris brings a completely different kind of holiday recipe — a protein-packed, surprisingly rich “carnivore cheesecake” that gets its sweetness entirely from cream and lactose. No sugar, no flour, and not a plant in sight. It’s a holiday dessert with a twist, and it’s shockingly delicious.
Ingredients
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16 oz full-fat cream cheese
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2 whole eggs
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2 egg yolks
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½ cup heavy cream
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Pinch of salt
Optional Crust: pork rinds + beef tallow
Instructions
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Soften cream cheese and beat until smooth.
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Add eggs and yolks one at a time.
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Mix in heavy cream and salt.
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Pour into a greased 6-inch pan.
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Bake at 325°F for 35–45 minutes (center should jiggle).
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Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Optional crust: mix pork rinds with melted tallow, press into pan, and pre-bake 10 minutes.
Sabrina Atoori’s Holiday Sweet Yam Bake
A warm, fragrant classic that fills the house with holiday comfort.
Sabrina’s Sweet Yam Bake is simple, nostalgic, and the perfect balance of buttery and spiced. Layered with brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla, this dish caramelizes beautifully in the oven — a side that pairs with absolutely everything on the holiday table.
Ingredients
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4–5 medium yams/sweet potatoes, sliced
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½ cup golden brown sugar
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4–6 tbsp unsalted butter
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ tsp nutmeg
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Pinch of cinnamon and salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Layer sliced yams in a baking dish.
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Sprinkle with sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt.
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Dot with butter and drizzle with vanilla.
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Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes.
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Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more until caramelized.
Denise’s Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
There are certain recipes that feel like home the moment they hit the oven—and this one is exactly that. Deni’s Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread is the kind of treat that fills your entire space with the cozy scent of fall. It’s part banana bread, part pumpkin magic, and entirely irresistible. Moist, gently sweet, and dotted with melty chocolate chips, it’s a crowd-pleaser for kids, neighbors, dinner guests, and anyone who wanders into the kitchen at the right time.
Ingredients:
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3 ripe bananas (the spottier, the better)
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1 large egg
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2/3 cup pumpkin purée
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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5 Tbsp melted butter
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1/3 cup brown sugar
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 tsp baking soda
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1/2 tsp baking powder
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1/2 tsp salt
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2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
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1 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for sprinkling on top)
How to Make It:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease it well).
Mash the bananas in a large bowl and stir in the egg, pumpkin, vanilla, melted butter, and brown sugar until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—don’t overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, and bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow it to cool before slicing (if you can resist).
Denise’s Tip:
This loaf freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly, and store it for up to three months—perfect for those chilly days when you want something warm and sweet without lifting a finger.
Dana Austin’s Family Traditions
Holiday giving, handmade gifts, and ringing in the New Year with intention.
For Dana, the holidays are less about what’s on the table and more about giving back. Each year, her family volunteers at the Midnight Mission, donates toys to Toys for Tots, and creates handmade gifts — from herbal bath salts to homemade sangria and horchata.
And when New Year’s Eve arrives, her family gathers for their favorite tradition: crafting vision boards, cooking together, playing board games, and setting intentions for the year ahead. It’s a ritual rooted in reflection, gratitude, and hope.
Closing Note
From our kitchens to yours, thank you for being part of our Frontgate family. The holidays are a time to pause, gather, and reflect on the traditions that bring us closer — whether that’s a dish passed down through generations, a ritual you look forward to every year, or simply sharing a meal with the people who make life meaningful.
As you celebrate this season, we hope these recipes and stories spark new memories in your home. Try a dish you’ve never made before, revisit an old favorite, or start a new tradition entirely — whatever brings warmth to your table and joy to the people around you.
Here’s to a holiday filled with good food, good company, and moments that remind you of what truly matters.
Wishing you peace, comfort, and a beautifully memorable season ahead.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Frontgate. 🎄✨
