Readers share their favorite holiday recipes with a side of hilarious stories

All Things We're Cooking is a series featuring family recipes from you, our readers and listeners, and the special stories behind them. We'll continue to share more of your kitchen gems throughout the holidays.

The one where friends offended seven Jewish grandmothers with their brisket

Instead of picking one brisket recipe for a Rosh Hashanah meal, these college roommates combined their grandmothers' recipes into one. It did not go exactly as planned.

Read more about Grandma's brisket

Grandmother Petra's love is baked into this Mexican bread pudding recipe

Sweet and savory capirotada was an expression of Grandmother Petra's love for her family, especially at Christmastime. She never wrote it down, so her grandchild had to re-create it from memory.

Read more about Petra's capirotada

A bit of mystery surrounds a family's tourtière recipe, but it's a holiday favorite

They aren't sure where this version of the French Canadian meat pie came from, but one thing is clear: It isn't Christmas without tourtière.

Read more about Mona Grandbois' tourtière

Nonna always welcomed everyone. She drew the line when a family dog ate her pasta

Hundreds of Nonna's handmade cappelletti were no match for Barron the Doberman. But Barron was no match for Nonna and her rolling pin.

Read more about Nonna's cappelletti

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

All Things We're Cooking is a series highlighting family recipes that have special meaning to you, our readers and listeners. Earlier this year, we asked you to share your most prized recipes and explain why these dishes evoke such fond family memories. Working in collaboration with NPR member stations, we received responses from across the country. We've been interviewing some contributors and will continue to share their stories through the holiday season. All recipes and photos were provided by NPR audience members.

CREDITS

Reporting by Wynne Davis, with Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Maison Tran

Editing by Desiree F. Hicks and Amy Morgan

Design and art direction by Daniel Wood, Emily Bogle, Kaz Fantone and Alyson Hurt

Development by Daniel Wood

Project management by Caroline Kelly

Social media engagement by Matt Adams

Audio versions of stories produced by Rose Friedman and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, with assistance by Maison Tran

Additional editing by Gerry Holmes, Nicholas Charles and Neda Ulaby

NPR member stations collaboration by Franklyn Cater

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.