“Eat, Drink and Be Merry” might be the perfect recipe for a good holiday party. It’s certainly how we like to celebrate the season. After hosting the Granite County Festival of Trees last weekend we’re in the holiday spirit, and our culinary team has shared some winter comfort food recipes. They believe that the key to a memorable celebration is putting a lot of care into what you serve and then taking the time to savor it.

If you can’t join us at The Ranch for Christmas or New Year’s, we hope you’ll enjoy these delicious recipes and use them to channel a country Christmas wherever you celebrate this year. Happy Holidays!

 

Eat Sweet Cream Biscuits

Orange marmalade on a wooden boards with biscuits

Enjoy this delicious recipe for biscuits—great for breakfast, a snack or a holiday tea.

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Marmalade by Our Chefs

Marmalade
2 mandarin oranges
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water

 

1. Peel the zest off of the mandarin orange with a vegetable peeler.
2. Stack the zest planks into a pile and thinly slice.
3. Trim the pith off of the exterior of the mandarin orange.
4. Cut the “supremes” out of the mandarin orange. The supremes are the sweet meat of the segments without the connective membrane.
5. With gloved hands squeeze the juice out of what remains of the orange.
6. Combine the supremes, juice, zest and sugar into a stainless steel sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmering for 15 minutes.
7. Transfer to vessel and let cool.

 

Sweet Cream Biscuits
3 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 ½ tbsp. baking powder
6 oz. cold butter
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
1 egg  & ½ cup heavy cream whisked together (to brush across the top of each biscuit)

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift dry ingredients together into a large broad bowl.
3. Using a pastry knife cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is broken down to small beads. Mix in heavy cream. Start with a fork and then use your hands to fold and lightly press.
4. Form into a rectangle shape on a flour-dusted work surface. Roll out to be about 1 inch thick.
5. Using a circle cutter cut out biscuits to the desired size and place on baking sheet with space in between each biscuit.
6. Brush the top of each biscuit with the egg cream mixture.
7. Bake for 7 minutes.
8. Rotate the baking sheet and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional five minutes or until golden brown and delicious.

Drink a Take Nothing for Granate

Our new favorite drink was created by Bar Lead Logan Doublin and features seasonal fruit, ginger and cinnamon. For a mocktail, simply leave out the Averno Amaro. For the kids, we’ve also included a great way to doctor your hot cocoa mix into a Montana glamper’s fireside treat.

Take Nothing for Granate Cocktail/Mocktail

10 pomegranate seeds
1 tsp. of fresh grated ginger
A sprig of rosemary for garnish
2 oz. Harley & Sons pomegranate orange tea
3/4 oz. grenadine
1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. honey simple syrup
1 oz. Averno Amaro (pomegranate amaro)
Dash of cinamon

 

1. Grate a teaspoon of ginger. Mix it with 2 oz. of brewed pomegranate orange tea.
2. Add the tea to a shaker.
3. Pour in the grenadine, lemon juice, honey simple syrup and 1 oz. of Averno Amaro.
4. Add ice to shaker and shake all ingredients together.
5. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and fresh pomegranate seeds.

S’mores Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate with marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers around the cup

S’mores Hot Chocolate

Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix
Lifeline Farms organic milk
Melted chocolate
Graham cracker
1-2 Marshmallows

  1. Melt several ounces of decadent chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  2. Crush one graham cracker and put it on a small plate.
  3. Dip the rim of your hot cocoa mug into the bowl of chocolate. Then, roll the rim in the crushed graham cracker pieces.
  4. Heat Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix with organic milk according to package directions.
  5. While the milk or water is heating, roast a marshmallow in the fireplace or in the oven under the broiler. Be sure to turn them often for an even color.
  6. Pour cocoa into your coated mug and top with a roasted marshmallow. Enjoy immediately!

Be Merry!

Our staff that hosted the 2023 Granite County Festival of Trees.

Most of our Ranch staff truly believes this is the most wonderful time of year.

If you’re looking for last-minute holiday plans, a few accommodations remain open, including Bear House, Sweet Grass Cabin and Granite Lodge rooms. But if winter travel isn’t in your future, imagine the sun setting over the Sapphire Mountains as you sit by the fire with a biscuit and a drink, and you’ll be living like a Holly Rancher.

Join the Ranch celebration by following us on Instagram.