With the holidays around the corner, we know that everyone is busy preparing for special gatherings with friends and family—cleaning the house, buying gifts, planning travels, and of course, cooking delicious food. To help you out during this busy time of year, we have gathered a couple of our favorite holiday recipes from clients around the world to share with you.

Though these recipes may not be what you’re used to, we urge you to give at least one—if not both—a try. Our clients have worked hard to build their businesses, and they are excited to share some recipes from their countries with the supporters that helped them achieve their business goals.

Holiday Recipe 1: Guatemalan Hot Chocolate

In Guatemala, FINCA client Gladiz Maritza Palencia Morales runs a chocolate shop just outside of Antigua. Every day her shop produces about 80 pounds of chocolate, which she sells to 50 local shops and vendors. If ever you were to visit Gladiz’s chocolate shop, you would be greeted with the rich aroma of roasting cocoa beans and a beaming Gladiz to say hello.

Gladiz is extremely grateful for the FINCA loans she has received throughout the years and the supporters who made them possible. Chocolate is an expensive product to produce and requires a lot of business inputs up front. When she decided to start her business, Gladiz knew it would be difficult, but at the urging of her brother, and the financial support FINCA provided, she decided to take the risk and pursue her dream.

And Gladiz is so happy that she did. Not only has she established a successful chocolate business, but with the increased income she receives from her shop, she now has enough money to send all of her children to university—something she could only dream of before starting her business.

Below is a holiday recipe for Guatemalan hot chocolate, which Gladiz would be proud for you to make. Whether using chocolate directly from her shop or from your local grocery store, this recipe is sure to be a hit at any holiday event.

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablets Guatemalan pressed cocoa (look for pressed cocoa in the international aisle of your grocery store)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• pinch salt

Directions

Roughly chop chocolate. In a saucepan, combine chocolate, milk, cinnamon and salt and gently heat and stir until milk is steaming gently and chocolate is completely dissolved.

Remove cinnamon stick and using a whisk, immersion blender, or regular blender, blend the mixture until frothy.

Serve immediately while still hot.

Holiday Recipe 2: Tanzanian Pizza

Jane Hendry runs a successful restaurant in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In addition to having a passion for cooking, she also has a strong business sense and is no stranger to hard work.

When she began her business 15 years ago, Jane used a FINCA loan to buy a freezer and refrigerator. This savvy investment enabled her to buy food in bulk at wholesale prices. This cut down on her operating costs, which created more revenue for her business.

Throughout the years, Jane has continued financing smart business investments through FINCA. Her restaurant has since expanded to include a van for making deliveries, a garden where she grows her own vegetables and herbs, and an expanded seating area. But more importantly, her successful business has made a huge impact on her family’s lives. Through the income earned from her business, Jane was able to pay for her children’s education and buy her own land where she plans to build a new home.

Jane is very grateful for the support she has received from FINCA over the years, and she knows none of it would have been possible without our supporters. That is why she is so excited for you to try making a Tanzanian pizza. It is her hope that you will enjoy this little taste of Tanzania while using some typical holiday leftovers in a fun new way.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water; you might need more so add a little at a time

Filling

• 1 small onion diced
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 cup minced leftover turkey
• 2-inch cream cheese cube
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• 1 chili (such as jalapeno) optional
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil

Directions

In a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, salt, and oil followed by water. Add enough water to bring the dough together into a ball. Cover and set aside for at least 1 hour.

Once you are ready to assemble, pinch off a small piece of dough. Oil your countertop with a teaspoon of canola oil and start stretching the piece of dough out into a large disk about the size of a dinner plate.

Add the onion, tomatoes, turkey, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and top with egg. Bring all four sides together leaving a small space in the center.

Preheat a skillet with canola oil. Carefully lift the uncooked pizza off the counter and add it to a pan. Cook each side for 8 min.

Cut up into smaller pieces and serve with your leftover gravy or your favorite sauce.

A Holiday Thank You

All over the world, people look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holidays, and our clients are no different. We hope that as you share these recipes with your friends and family this holiday season, that you feel our clients’ immense gratitude for the supporters who enabled them to follow their dreams and achieve their goals