By Lisa Fritz

If you’re like most holiday cooks, you stick to the tried and true when planning celebration menus. After all, the holidays are really a time for family favorites and traditions. At the same time, home cooks are always looking for new ideas — wanting to add something special to those classics by giving them a little flavor twist.

From the family Christmas dinner to cookie exchange parties, holiday cooks can feel good about serving some of these flavorful favorites. For example, as a variation on the typical sweet potato side dish, try Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch, which has an added touch of ginger. Or add some pizazz to mashed potatoes with savory herbs.

Debut a new cookie at the holiday exchange with melt-in-your-mouth Pecan Cookie Balls, accented with the warm and inviting flavor of nutmeg. And gingerbread — that timeless hallmark of the holidays — is delicious as Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Icing. Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting makes a beautiful centerpiece for any holiday dessert table.

Enjoy these variations on some of the most popular family recipes to help make this year’s holiday meals the most memorable.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

WITH CINNAMON PECAN CRUNCH

Change up your typical mashed sweet potatoes with this colorful, easy side dish.

3/4 cup firmly packed

brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon divided

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 cup dried cranberries

6 tablespoons butter, cut up, divided

1/2 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger and salt in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat well. Spoon into 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries. Dot with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger in medium bowl. Cut in remaining 4 tablespoons butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in pecans. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and stir gently. Sprinkle evenly with pecan topping.

Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes longer or until sweet potatoes are tender and topping is lightly browned. Yield: 8 servings.

PECAN COOKIE BALLS

These buttery melt-in-your mouth cookies are also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes. They make a great holiday gift idea or cookie exchange addition.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 cups finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in flour and pecans.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets. Immediately roll hot cookies in remaining 2 cups sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks to cool. When cool, roll again in sugar. Yield: 4 dozen.

GINGERBREAD BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

These gingerbread bars, topped with a sweet cream cheese icing, will be a dessert or tea-time favorite during the holidays.

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

3 tablespoons water

1 package (8 ounces)

cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil. Spray foil with no-stick cooking spray. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well mixed. Stir in molasses and water just until blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the icing; refrigerate remaining icing. Spoon dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) of the reserved icing over batter in pan. With knife or spatula, swirl icing through batter to marbleize.

Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Lift out of pan using foil. Cool completely on wire rack. Invert and peel off foil. Spread refrigerated icing over top. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 27 (1-bar) servings.

RED VELVET CAKE WITH VANILLA CREAM FROSTING

Moist and luscious, classic red velvet cake is as delightful to behold as it is to eat!

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 bottle (1 ounce) red food color

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces)

cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 box (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over-beat. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.

For the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fill and frost cooled cake with frosting. Yield: 16 servings.

GARLIC ROSEMARY MASHED POTATOES

Add some pizazz to basic mashed potatoes with herbs. Here, we’ve added rosemary and parsley. You can also try thyme, tarragon or sage.

2 pounds russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Place potatoes in medium saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan.

Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, rosemary and pepper. Mash with potato masher, gradually adding milk, then butter. Stir in parsley. Yield: 8 (1/2-cup) servings.

CRANBERRY APPLE STUFFING

This stuffing is sure to become a holiday favorite. Sweet tart cranberries and apples add color, flavor and texture to the stuffing.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

2 medium tart red apples, cored and chopped

1 bag (6 ounces) dried cranberries

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

6 cups dry unseasoned bread cubes

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 cup apple juice

Preheat oven to 325 F. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in apples, cranberries, parsley, rosemary and thyme.

Place bread cubes in large bowl. Add celery mixture, broth and apple juice; toss gently until well mixed. Spoon into lightly greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; bake additional 20 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned. Yield: 10 (3/4-cup) servings.

TANGY GREEN BEANS

A savory vinaigrette dresses beans for the holidays.

2 cans whole green beans

Bacon strips, cut in half

Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon grated onion

Wrap 6 or 7 beans in a half piece of bacon. Secure with pick. Repeat with remaining beans. Place on broiler rack and broil until bacon is done.

Combine all sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour hot sauce over beans and serve. Yield: 8 servings.

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