Category Archives: Christmas

Baking is one of my favorite things to do but baking Christmas cookies is extra meaningful to me.  I used to spend a few days with my mom in the kitchen before the holidays baking her traditional cookies.  It was always so much fun…and something I looked forward to helping with every year.  Nowadays, I help when I can, but also like to bake a few batches of my own. I like to create new recipes or put a holiday spin on an existing recipe.  It’s fun to be creative and I love hearing reactions to the different goodies.  It doesn’t hurt that I have a sweet tooth so if no one else wants the cookies, I sure do!  This year, I’m making 5 different holiday treats to share with friends and family. Christmas Cookie “Charcuterie” Board No Bake Mint Oreo Truffles No Bake Butterscotch Clusters Holly Ginger Cookies Homemade … Continue reading

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For many years I thought the word “slider” meant a tiny hamburger, but boy was I wrong!  Sliders are small sandwiches made with slider rolls that come in a variety of flavors, and they are all the rage.  Think meat and cheese melted together in the oven on a crisp roll – yum! I can attest that all the recipes I’m about to share with you are not only delicious but easy to make.  You can even customize for various occasions – Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders for a Kentucky Derby Party, Apple Turkey Cheddar Sliders using the apples you purchased at the Apple Orchard, Chicken and Waffle Sliders when hosting brunch, etc.  You get the idea 🙂 Ham and Swiss Sliders are probably the most common slider (in my world at least).  These are filled with juicy ham and Swiss cheese nestled in a Kings Hawaiian Roll.  The tops of … Continue reading

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Friends and family will be coming together with Christmas right around the corner.  Are you ready for all the festivities?  Are you hosting a party?  It can be stressful preparing for a get-together with a house full of guests, but it doesn’t need to be.  Some people have multiple places to stop in one night while others have one stop to make.  Whether your guest are coming and going or staying for the evening, you can serve a simple menu of appetizers. I think this is a great idea because 1) your guests can eat as much or as little as they like, 2) you can have a large variety of options to choose from, and 3) you spend more time socializing with your guests than you do in the kitchen. Here’s what I plan on serving: Burrata with Cranberries and Ciabatta Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes Chicken Parmesan … Continue reading

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I love baking any time of year but baking for Christmas is something special.  There so many themed recipes, fun cookie cutter shapes, and festive decorations to choose from.  Whether you are baking treats for your coworkers, participating in a cookie exchange, or stocking up to have plenty of sweets on hand for family, the creativity and effort put into baking this time of year is appreciated by all. I would like to share with you 4 new recipes that can easily be added to your cookie platter.  I think they will be a hit! Christmas Light Sugar Cookies These sugar cookies are super simple to make and even more fun to decorate!  I used store-bought sugar cookie dough but if you have a favorite recipe you can definitely use that instead.  Store-bought dough is nice when you don’t have a lot of time or don’t want to make a … Continue reading

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Christmas Cocktails are needed to help get you through the holiday season.  Well…they might not be “needed” but they definitely enhance the experience 🙂 And, cocktails should be as important as the food served at any party.  A themed cocktail is fun for guests and creates another focal point of the night.  I have three cocktails to warm you up when (baby it’s) cold outside. First is a Mistletoe Cocktail.  This cocktail is appealing to the eye and something you (or your guests) can enjoy while socializing before dinner.  The ginger beer (non-alcoholic) gives this drink a spicy flavor while the sugar rim adds a sweet aftertaste.  I said non-alcoholic, but this drink does contain vodka.  The ginger beer is what is non-alcoholic, so if you want to skip the vodka and perhaps add a splash of Sprite instead, you can serve this to your underage guests. The recipe can … Continue reading

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Christmas is my favorite holiday to host.  I think it’s due to my love of Christmas lights and decorations, so our house is always over the top!  Plus, there are so many festive serveware options available that you can change up your table display as often as you like.  (New Christmas plates…hint hint, Andrew 😊) Sometimes I like to go all out with appetizers and the main course but there isn’t anything wrong with keeping it simple if you prefer.  I truly enjoy cooking for others and putting on a big spread but also want to enjoy the holiday with family and friends.  So, I decided to keep my menu simple this year.  I’ll be serving a few appetizers with some of the drinks from my Christmas Cocktails blog post. The first appetizer I’m going to make is Ricotta and Prosciutto Crackers.  This is a light appetizer because it’s not … Continue reading

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The holidays are upon us and Christmas is fast approaching.  It’s a busy time of year for most; decorating the house, buying a tree, wrapping gifts, finalizing plans with family, etc. so I want to offer a few drink options you can serve at your get-togethers this year.  I have 4 recipes below, 2 are adults only (sorry kids) and 2 can be for either adults or kids, so there is something for everyone.  I mean, it is the most wonderful (and booziest) time of year! Grinch Punch 2 – 13oz. Packets Unsweetened Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid 2 Cups Sugar 1 – 12oz. Can Pineapple Juice 1 – 12oz. Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, thawed 1 – 2 Liter Sprite Ice Red Rim Sugar, add red food coloring to white sugar and mix together in a bowl   Pour 2 quarts of water in a 2-gallon pitcher. Add the Kool-Aid packets and sugar, and … Continue reading

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Decadent Holiday Treats I have a huge sweet tooth and love to bake.  I often refer to myself as a “Cookie Connoisseur” because that’s how much I love a good cookie.  The holidays are a great time for baking because the options are endless.  And I think people judge the amount of sweets you consume a bit less around the holidays because they also get to enjoy the sugary goodness 😊 Below I have four recipes I think you’ll want to try this year. Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars “Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day” -Dr Seuss 1 – 17.5 oz. Pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix, plus the ingredients needed to make the packet Whipped Vanilla Frosting (or homemade) Green Food Coloring Red Frosting or Red Heart Sprinkles   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking … Continue reading

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