34 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE ERIN GOODNOW Crea my Mexican Chicken Casserole Erin Goodnow is the owner of Going Ivy, an admissions consulting, tutoring and test prep business. She grew up in Phoenix and loves raising her family here — she and her husband, James, are high school sweethearts and have two busy kids. Work, school, sports and the arts don’t leave a lot of breaks, so taking time for traditions is important. “This is the perfect make-ahead dinner for Christmas Eve,” Erin said. “My mom would make this before we’d head out to mass, then we’d all eat chips, salsa and guacamole as the casserole went into the oven when we got home.” After dinner, the family enjoyed a festivity Erin’s parents adopted when they moved to Phoenix from the Midwest in the 1980s. “We’d always do a piñata before going to bed,” she said. “It’s something I looked forward to every year, so I’ve carried it into our family’s holiday traditions.” LAUREN ROBSON Christmas Sugar Cut-Out Cookies Lauren Robson moved to the Valley 37 years ago, when her father was playing Major League Baseball. Today, she lives in Phoenix with her husband, Michael, and their three children. After 15 years in the bio-nutraceutical industry, Lauren founded Lauro Sparkling Cactus Water to keep her family healthy and hydrated. In her downtime, she loves to garden and cook with her kids — they love being able to pick veggies for dinner. Some of Lauren’s fondest memories were spent in the kitchen with family, rolling out cookies and putting mounds of icing on them. It’s in this spirit that she shares her favorite recipe. “Make sure you roll them thick and take them out of the oven right as the edge begins to brown,” she said. “You will not be disappointed with this perfectly soft and chewy sugar cookie.” Ingredients 1 medium onion, chopped 1 T butter 3 lbs. cooked chicken, boned and diced (You can also use rotisserie chicken) 1 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded 2 10.5 oz cans cream of mushroom soup 2 C sour cream 1 4-oz can green chilies, chopped 12 corn tortillas Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Sauté chopped onion in butter until the onion is cooked through and translucent. 3. Combine with chicken, 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and green chilies; mix well. 4. Place half of the tortillas in a greased 13×9 baking dish. 5. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle the remaining 1 C cheese over the top. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serves: 10-12 guests ERIN GOODNOW’S CREAMY MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE 34 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 35 Ingredients 3 large eggs ¾ C milk ½ C all-purpose flour 2 T unsalted butter melted, plus more for the pan 1 T granulated sugar ¼ tsp. salt Lemon juice for serving Granulated sugar for serving Directions 1. In a large measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout, whisk the eggs with the milk. Add the flour, sugar and salt, and whisk until smooth. Mix in the melted butter. Cover and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. LAUREN ROBSON’S CHRISTMAS SUGAR CUT-OUT COOKIES 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet (at least 9”) over medium-low heat. Melt about ½ T of unsalted butter and distribute evenly throughout the pan. 3. Pour ¼ C batter into the center of the pan. Swirl the pan, tilting to distribute the batter all the way to the sides. 4. Cook the first side for 60-90 seconds until lightly browned. Gently slide a spatula under the edges of the crepe to flip. 5. Cook an additional 45-60 seconds until cooked through and browned. 6. Repeat with the remaining batter. Between crepes, add more dabs of butter as needed. 7. To serve, add 1 T lemon juice and 1 T sugar onto half the crepe. Fold the plain half of the crepe over the filling and fold again so it is in quarters. LAINA FREEDBERG Cast Iron Skillet Apple Pie Laina, her husband Doug and their three children run in different directions during the school year, so time together during the holidays is precious. They enjoy traveling to new places, but Laina, who was raised in the South, prefers nothing more than a big holiday feast at home. Laina loves traditional style and collecting vintage items — especially cake plates. “Traditions are important to me because they help build the memories we have together as a family,” she said. “It’s so fun when the kids look forward to something we do once a year. The anticipation of what’s to come is half the fun!” Ingredients 4 lbs. Granny Smith apples 1 tsp. cinnamon ¾ C sugar ½ C butter 1 C firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg white 2 T turbinado sugar 1 package of refrigerated pie crusts Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Peel apples and cut into half-inch wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and ¾ C sugar. 3. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet, add brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved. 4. Remove the skillet from heat and place 1 pie crust in the skillet over the brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over the pie crust and top with remaining pie crust. 5. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush the top of the pie crust with egg white and sprinkle with 2 T turbinado sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in the top for steam to escape. 6. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. LAINA FREEDBERG’S CAST IRON SKILLET APPLE PIE FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 35