As a special holiday treat, Kathie Lee and Hoda’s mothers — Joan Epstein and Sami Kotb, respectively — joined their daughters in the studio to share their favorite recipes.
Recipe: Sweet potato souffle (on this page) Recipe: Eggplant (Moussaka) (on this page) Recipe: Basbusah (a popular Egyptian desert) (on this page)Mash the cooked yams thoroughly. If the potatoes seem dry, slowly add a little orange juice at a time until they are moist and fluffy, but don't just pour in the full cup of orange juice. Sometimes the mixture is so moist that it doesn't require any juice.
Beat in the 2 eggs, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter (notice measurements), salt and cinnamon. Again, if the potatoes still seem dry, add a little orange juice.
Put the mixture into 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish.
Arrange pecan halves to encrust entire top completely.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup melted butter
Bake at 375 degrees uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sides bubble.
This dish can be made the day before and then cooked the day it will be served.
Slice the eggplant (1/2 inch thick, do not peel).
Sprinkle with salt and let drain in a colander for about 1 hour, then pat dry with paper towel.
Fry the eggplant in olive oil and pat dry with paper towel.
Fry the onion until it's a pale golden color.
Add the ground beef, allspice, dill, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
Add the tomato paste and the tomato basil sauce and simmer for about 15 more minutes.
Spread the meat sauce mixture in 9" x 13" pan and place sliced eggplant on top of meat sauce.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Step 1: Make the syrup:
Mix 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, add juice of 1/2 a lemon, let simmer for 10 minutes.
Let syrup cool in refrigerator.
Step 2: Make the cake:
Mix 2 cups of semolina flour or cream of wheat, 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
In a separate bowl, mix 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter (melted and cooled), with 1 16 ounce container of sour cream.
Add butter and sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients, stir by hand with a wooden spoon.
Spread mixture in buttered 9" x 13" pan.
Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.
Step 3: Add almonds:
At the 20-minute mark, score the top of the cake, giving it a checkerboard design. Place a whole almond in the center of each square (I use organic roasted almond). Finish baking the cake for the remaining 20 minutes.
Step 4: Pour cool syrup on cake while the cake is still warm.
Serve cake with whipping cream.
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