Struggle Meals Season 3 Episode 11 Holiday Flavors

Struggle Meals is a cooking show that focuses on creating delicious, budget-friendly meals using everyday ingredients. In season 3 episode 11, titled "Holiday Flavors," host and chef Frankie Celenza shares recipes that are perfect for the holiday season.

The episode begins with Frankie in his kitchen, surrounded by holiday decorations. He explains that while the holidays can be a stressful time, there's no reason that cooking has to be complicated or expensive. He promises to show viewers how to create tasty holiday meals using ingredients that won't break the bank.

The first recipe that Frankie tackles is a festive cranberry sauce. He explains that while many people buy canned cranberry sauce, it's actually incredibly easy to make from scratch. Using fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange juice, Frankie creates a sauce that is sweet, tangy, and perfect for pairing with turkey or ham.

Next up, Frankie shares his recipe for roasted sweet potatoes. He explains that sweet potatoes are a staple of many holiday meals, but that they often get overlooked in favor of more complex dishes. To make his roasted sweet potatoes, Frankie simply tosses cubed potatoes with olive oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon before roasting them in the oven. The result is a sweet, caramelized side dish that requires minimal effort.

For the main course, Frankie prepares a ham with a maple mustard glaze. He shows viewers how to score the ham, which allows the glaze to penetrate into the meat. The glaze itself is made with ingredients like maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. As the ham roasts in the oven, Frankie brushes the glaze on every 20 minutes, creating a sticky, sweet crust.

To round out the meal, Frankie makes a side of green beans with almonds and garlic. He explains that green beans are a classic holiday side dish, but that they can be made more interesting with the addition of garlic and almonds. He sautés thinly sliced garlic in olive oil before adding blanched green beans and toasted almonds. The result is a flavorful side dish that goes perfectly with the sweet ham.

Finally, for dessert, Frankie prepares a pumpkin mousse. He explains that while pumpkin pie is a classic holiday dessert, not everyone likes the texture or flavor. His pumpkin mousse, on the other hand, has a light and fluffy texture and is flavored with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. To make it, Frankie combines pumpkin puree with whipped cream and other ingredients before chilling the mixture in the fridge. He serves the mousse in individual glasses, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Throughout the episode, Frankie emphasizes the importance of using what you have on hand, and not being afraid to get creative in the kitchen. He encourages viewers to experiment with spices and flavors, and to not be intimidated by cooking a holiday meal. With his easy-to-follow recipes and helpful tips, Frankie makes holiday cooking accessible and fun for everyone.