Slideshow: Tucson celebs share their favorite holiday recipes

Serves: 10

• One turkey carcass and all leftover meat torn into smallish chunks
• 3 quarts turkey (or chicken or vegetable) broth
• 1 gallon filtered water
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
• 3 onions (purple, yellow and white), chopped
• 6 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 carrots, sliced
• Kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup Kentucky straight bourbon or tequila
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 6 cilantro sprigs
• 1 15-ounce can each black beans and pinto beans, rinsed
• 2 poblano chile peppers, roasted, seeded, skinned and sliced
• 1 pound egg noodles

Heat large stockpot over medium, adding oil and flour. Stir continuously to make a dark chocolate-colored roux. Add diced onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté approximately 10 minutes.

Add turkey carcass and fill pot with broth and water until carcass is submerged. Add salt, pepper, bay leaves and chili powder and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and let cook for approximately five hours. Add (or drink!) bourbon or tequila (sooner to remove alcohol, later to leave alcohol content).

Remove carcass and discard. Add remaining ingredients and simmer approximately 30 minutes, until noodles are cooked. Skim excess fat from top and discard. Serve hot or refrigerate.

Serves: 6 to 8

Part One

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 14 ounces beef broth
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 white onion, diced
• 15 ounces kidney beans, rinsed (optional; if you use beans, add an extra half can of beef broth to the mix)
• 1 1/2 15-ounce cans Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles (mild or medium)

Part Two

• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoons chili powder (2 tablespoons for less heat)

Brown the meat in a large pot and rinse. Return to pot and add all other ingredients from Part One. When onions are translucent, add ingredients from Part Two. Heat thoroughly.

Serve with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese and Tostitos Scoops. No spoons allowed!

Here is a favorite holiday recipe from Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and his wife Karen Spiegel. Spiegel makes the layered bean dip on Thanksgiving. She often tries a different twist with the Hanukkah latkes, and this recipe is a favorite.

Serves: 6

• 2 cups grated peeled sweet potato
• 2 cups grated peeled baking potato
• 1 cup grated peeled parsnip
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill (optional)
• 1 cup chopped, peeled apple
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package precooked red beets, drained

Preheat oven to 325 F. Place first three ingredients on paper towels; squeeze until barely moist and mix. Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Level with a knife. Combine flour, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, eggs and onion in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add potato mixture; beat with a mixer at low speed until combined.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl. Heap 3 tablespoons potato mixture into pan to form a patty; flatten slightly with a spatula. Repeat process to form six patties. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook six minutes on each side or until golden-brown. Place latkes on a baking sheet; keep warm in oven. Repeat procedure twice with remaining oil and potato mixture to yield 18 latkes. Sprinkle latkes with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Garnish with dill, if desired.

Combine apple and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Serve with latkes.

From “The Enlightened Cook”

Here's another favorite from Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and his wife Karen Speigel.

Serves: 10 to 12

• 2 10½-ounce cans refried beans
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 24 ounces diced green chiles. drained
• 4 medium avocados, mashed
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups sliced green onion
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 6 ounces canned black olives, sliced

Spread beans on serving dish. Mix next three ingredients and spread over beans. Spread on a layer of green chiles. Mix next four ingredients and spread mixture over chiles. Sprinkle cheese, green onion, tomatoes and olives over top. Serve with tortilla chips.