If being in the kitchen, stirring, baking, and shooing everyone out of “your” kitchen every five minutes is your ideal way to spend the holidays, you're gonna want to keep reading. If that sounds like your nightmare, you'll want to reference our dine-in + takeout guide.

These recipes, crafted by Lexington’s culinary pros and many inspired by traditions and Kentucky products, are sure to impress your guests — and your taste buds.

Pro tip: There's no "jump to recipe" button here, but you can find a little story or fun fact after each dish's directions.

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Chef Riah Durick, Nourished Folks — cafe temporarily closed

Ingredients
10 lbs. of russet potatoes
Two sticks of salted butter
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
16oz sour cream

Directions

Peel potatoes, wash them and chop into 2 inch cubes. Put them in a boiling pot.
Cover the potatoes with water, throw in a tablespoon or two of salt, bring to a boil then lower the heat to a rolling simmer.
When potatoes are soft enough to poke through with a fork (usually 15-20 min), drain and let the steam escape.
Put tub of sour cream in along with your stick of butter and a sprinkle or two of garlic powder. Hand mix with a whisk, adding a little bit of water every so often until the chunks start to disappear. Use an electric mixer to get super smooth and fluffy, but you HAVE to make sure the steam is out all the way for that.
Add more butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Keep them warm however you'd like, then right before serving add a big ol' pat of butter to the top and let it melt over all the fluffy crevices.

Storytime
"These mashed potatoes are inspired by my Mamaw in East Kentucky, whose comfort food was grounding for me as a child. She had her little kitchen built small enough so that no one else could be in there while she was cooking, but I watched her from the barstool and took big swipes of them long before the rest of the family was to eat. After nearly 40 years of listening to her recite this recipe, I've learned that mine will never be hers, because it's her hands only that make me my most favorite food in the world: fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes. But, since they can't be hers every time, here is the Nourished Folks rendition. These potatoes seem to solve a whole ton of problems, and using your intuition to make them perfect is the real key." — Chef Durick

Pam's Stuffed Mushrooms from Chef Ouita Michel. | Photo courtesy of Holly Hilly & Co.

Pam's Stuffed Mushrooms

Chef Ouita Michel, Holly Hilly & Co.

Ingredients
Button mushrooms
Fresh bread crumbs
Grated swiss
Onion
Tarragon
Heavy cream
Salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese
Butter

Directions

Delicately wash your mushrooms and remove stems.
Grate stems on cheese grater and measure the amount.
Add twice the amount of fresh bread crumbs, and an equal amount of Swiss. (For one cup of stems, add two cups of bread crumbs and one cup of Swiss)
For every four cups of filling add 1 T grated onion and 1 T fresh chopped tarragon. (If it feels a little dry, add a splash of heavy cream.)
Season with salt and pepper.
Toss mushroom caps in olive oil — coated all around and a little inside.
Stuff each with the filling, don’t be afraid to pile it on there, and arrange on a baking sheet.
Add a pat of butter to the top and Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°

Storytime
This dish is a holiday tradition at Chef Ouita’s house, based on a recipe from her mom, Pam Sexton.

Cranberry Relish

Chef Amber Hokams, Shaker Village

Ingredients
1 lb. frozen cranberries
1 C turbinado sugar
1 orange
1 Granny Smith apple

Directions
Peel and core apples, chop in a small dice. Slice the orange, rind, and all. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend well.

Storytime
"The ongoing debate between canned vs. make your own cranberry sauce is a personal choice. No judgement here, but I’m team make your own. My recipe for Cranberry Relish comes together quickly so you can get on with the rest of your Thanksgiving day to-do list.” — Chef Hokams

The Corn Husk Braised Tri Tip from Chef Paula Endara at Granddam. | Photo courtesy of The Manchester

Corn Husk Braised Tri Tip

Executive Chef Paula Endara, Granddam

Ingredients
2 lbs. Black Hawk Farms tri tip cut 3 in. x 2 in.
1 lb. red bell pepper medium diced
1 lb. red onion medium diced
1⁄4 cup garlic finely minced
1⁄4 cup cilantro minced
1 cup Weller Green
1 u cinnamon stick
2 u star anise
2 u cloves
6 u all spice
1 tsp cumin seed
5 C light beer
200 gr demerara sugar
Salt
Black peppercorn

Directions

Preheat the oven at 375F. Salt and pepper tri-tip thoroughly with a little bit of oil. On a hot pan sear trip tip. Remove them put on a tray to rest.
In the same pan, add vegetables, season with pepper to taste and sweat them on medium fire for 10 minutes, add garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Deglaze with bourbon. Reduce bourbon to half.
In another pan, toast spices (cinnamon, star anise, clove, cumin seed and allspice). Wrap them with a cheese cloth and twine.
Add all ingredients in a braising pan, tri tip, vegetables, spices, cilantro, beer and sugar.
Cover with wax paper and aluminum foil. Cook for 2.5 hours.

Storytime
"I love this recipe because it reminds me of home. We call this style of braising "seco", which is full of spice and beer. I make my own by adding some amazing Kentucky products. Black Hawk Farms has the best wagyu beef in the state and how can we forget Kentucky bourbon? Old Forester 1870 has been a favorite of mine for a very long time. As a tip, at the restaurant we utilize a technique known as "cutul", where we cover the braised beef with corn husk while it braises. We usually cook our corn in Ecuador with this technique. I like to pair this dish with southern grits. The perfect blend of Ecuadorian and southern culture." — Chef Endara

Spiced Ginger Sweet Potatoes from Chef Sam Fore. | Photo courtesy of Tuk Tuk Snack Shop

Spiced Ginger Sweet Potatoes

Chef Sam Fore, owner of former Tuk Tuk Snack Shop + currently The Snackeasy by Tuk Tuk

Ingredients
2 lb sweet potatoes, boiled in its skin
1 sprig curry leaves (available at Indian stores, optional)
2 pieces pandan leaf, (frozen OK, optional)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 banana pepper, thinly sliced into rings, seeds removed
2 teaspoons ginger root, minced or freeze dried
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 cinnamon stick, 3 cm
1-2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tspn turmeric, ground
Salt, to taste
1/2 lime (optional)

Directions

Rinse sweet potatoes to dislodge any remaining dirt.
Place into a pot large enough for potatoes to remain submerged when covered with water.
Cover pot, and remove lid once boiling.
Check for tenderness by piercing with a knife at 8 min mark — 10 for a larger potato.
Allow the potatoes to cook over medium heat another 15 mins or until tender.
Drain and cool in a colander or bowl of cool water.
Lop small end of potato off + peel skins from sweet potatoes, they should detach easily.
Cut potatoes into roughly 1-1.5 inch pieces.
In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to sputter. Reduce the heat to medium and add thinly sliced onion and curry leaves, cinnamon, pandan and ginger, stirring frequently.
After 5 mins, add banana pepper and toss until softened slightly, 3-5 minutes. Add turmeric and crushed red pepper, stir well.
After 4 mins, add 1 tsp salt, stir in potatoes and toss them to coat with the spice and onion mixture, allow to cook for 5 mins. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Squeeze half a lime onto potatoes prior to removing from heat, if desired.
Remove from heat and serve warm with pandan leaves, cinnamon and curry leaves removed, if desired. Serve as a side dish.
Pro tip: A small amount of water can be added if the mixture is too dry, and a small pat of butter can be added for browning. A richer sauce can be added by stirring in a small amount of milk or coconut milk.