25 Days of Recipes

Thank you everyone who made these last 25 Days of Recipes so successful.  Thanks to those who offered to share a recipe (or two) and who were willing to share one when I asked.  You were all so wonderful!  I really, really appreciate it!

To sum up the last 25 days, here's a list of all the recipes and the people who shared.  Thanks again!

25 Recipes For the Holiday! 

(Or just whenever)

1. Annie - Creamy Potato Soup

2. Andrea - Best Ever Sweet Potatoes

3. Lindsay - Turbocharged Biscuits and Gravy

4. Mel - Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

5. Brittany - Chicken Curry

6. Katie - Three Cheese Lasagna

7. Cristina - Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap

8. Me - Egg Strata

9. Bonny - Cheesy Sausage Rotel Dip

10. Emily - No Crank Ice Cream

11. Jennifer - Sausage Ring

12. Me - Pineapple Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

13. Lindsay C. - Breakfast Casserole

14. Joe - Pumpkin Pancakes

15. Rachel - Chocolate Covered Almond Toffee

16. Amy - Make Ahead Baked French Toast

17. Nikki - Stove Top Swedish Pancakes

18. Jennifer - Rolo Pretzel Delights

19. Gennaveeve - Homemade Turtles

20. Lindsey D. - Pumpkin Cake

21. Lara - Grandma's Snowball Cookies

22. Lindsay B. - Grandma's Cheesy Potatoes

23. Me - Frozen Fruit Slush

24. Ashley - Mississippi Mud 'Dessert'

25. Me - Christmas Gift Idea

Day 25 - Merry Christmas!! (Gift Idea)

Day 24 - Mississippi Mud 'Dessert'

Welcome to Day 24 of 25 Days of Recipes (Only 1 day left!! Merry Christmas Eve)!!  I'd like to introduce to ya'll Ashley, from Domestic Imperfection.  We actually have a mutual friend, but we don't know eachother personally.  Do you remember Katie, from Day 6?  Well, we both know her, and I came across Ashley's blog through Katie.  I have loved seeing all the makeovers that she's done to her house.  We also have a huge thing in common, we both have 2 boys who are extremely close in age.  Mine are a year and a day apart, I believe her boys are something like 15 months apart, am I right Ashley?  Anyways check out her site, she seems like such a cute, fun girl!

Take it Away Ashley:

Hey everyone! I'm Ashley and I blog over at Domestic Imperfection.  I blog mostly about crafts, decorating, home renovations, and of course my two adorable boys (21 months and 2 months). If you've read my blog before than you know that I don't post about cooking, mostly because I'm not that great at it. However, this one's just so easy and delicious that I couldn't resist. Every year for my birthday my mom made me Mississippi Mud, it's the only time of year I got it so it was always a special treat. Now that I'm an adult I can make it anytime I want... like Christmas, New Years, Valentines Day, The Ides of March, Daylight Savings Time.....

So without further ado, here is the recipe...

Day 23 - Frozen Fruit Slush

Welcome to Day 23 of 25 Days of Recipes!!  I know this is VERY late, but today has been very busy...and I didn't have anyone's recipe to add.  So, here's one of my own, or one of my Hubby's Family's recipes, I should say.  This is one of their Christmas Breakfast Traditions to be served along side the Egg Strata, I've yet to make it though.  They actually call it Frozen Fruit Compote, but I like the word Slush better.  This will be the first year I make it, and I'll add my own picture after I do ;)  I only wish I could take pretty pictures like this!  Oh!  It's very tart, but my hubby loves it, so you might too.

Right after it was all mixed together, before freezing.

Day 22 - Grandma's Cheesy Potatoes

Welcome to Day 22 of 25 Days of Recipes!  Remember Lindsay from Day 3?  Well she's back!  She was so nice to offer to share another recipe.  So, she's here to share a yummy side dish for your Christmas dinner (coming up in 3 days!!!).

Take it Away Lindsay:

These aren't your typical cheese potatoes; they are 1,000% better!! Perhaps they are better than any other kind of cheese potatoes I've had before because they are filled with 31 years of warm Christmas memories. Perhaps they are just better because they are just better!! Whatever the reason, Christmas dinner isn't complete without these cheese potatoes.

Sometimes my grandma gets this wild hair and says she isn't going to make them because they take forever for her to make. The family gets in an absolute uproar when this kind of talk comes from her mouth. So, a few years ago my mom and I decided we were going to nip that talk in the bud and make the cheese potatoes ourselves every year...to be sure that we have them! lol.

Day 21 - Grandma's Snowball Cookies

Welcome to Day 21 of 25 Days of Recipes (I know I'm posting a little late today, sorry).  I am so excited to introduce you to Lara, from Recipe Shoebox.  I believe her's was the first cooking blog I ever started following.  If you notice too, I got the idea of step by step pictures from her as well, b/c I loved it so much!  I really don't know how she does it all!  She has 5 kids and still manages to make amazing meals and keep up w/ her blog.  She has great family friendly recipes, check it out!

Take it Away Lara:

Day 20 - Pumpkin Cake

Welcome to Day 20 of 25 Days of Recipes!  Can you believe we are only 5 days away from Christmas?!  Wow!  This month is flying by!  Today I have my good, good friend Lindsey.  Remember Joe, from Day 14?  Well Joe is Lindsey's hubby.  Well she offered to share another yummy Pumpkin recipe, you can never, EVER, have too many of those.  Lindsey and I have been best friends since we were 12 and 13 years old (she's about a year younger).  We were inseparable...until I went off to college and a year later she decided she wanted to go to a different school :(  But, that didn't stop us from staying in touch, visiting eachother, and a little later, finding and marrying best friends!  It's the perfect set-up.  If only they hadn't moved to AZ...good thing my hubby's parents live there now too, and Joe's parents still live here in UT!  More of a reason to go/come and visit!

Take it Away Lindsey:

Day 19 - Homemade Turtles

Welcome to Day 19 of 25 Days of Recipes!  I'd like to introduce my good friend and old neighbor, Gennaveeve.  She's really one of the first friends I actually made in Utah.  She and her family lived right above us in our last apartment, before we moved into our home where we live now.  We worked closely in our calling for our church, she was such an organized leader, that it was actually a lot of fun to work for her!  You know, it wasn't stressful at all.  Does that make sense?  Anyways, just a warning, she thinks she's now allowed to use the word "y'all" now that she has lived in South Carolina for the last few months...I guess we can allow her to, just this once ;) haha  Her recipe is a little different from yesterdays recipe, both amazing looking!

Take it Away Gennaveeve:

Day 18 - Rolo Pretzel Delights

Welcome to Day 18 of 25 Days of Recipes.  Our guest today is Jennifer, from Day 11.  Remember she shared her Sausage Ring Recipe. Thanks Jennifer for sending in another yummy, easy recipe!

Take it Away Jennifer:

This recipe is ridiculously easy, but oh so good!

Day 17 - Stove-Top Swedish Pancakes

Welcome to Day 17 of 25 Days of Recipes!  I'd like to introduce to you to a great friend of mine, actually one of the first I made when I moved into my neighborhood...Nikki!  She is one of the nicest people I've ever met.  I don't think I've ever heard her say a negative thing about anyone in the 2 years we've known eachother.  She's always looking for something nice/helpful to do for others.  I can't tell you how many times she's offered to take my boys off my hands just so I could have free time to myself or to have a peaceful grocery shopping experience.  Not only that, she's taken both of them for hours during the day, a few times, while I have been sick in the past.  You know what else amazes me?  Mon-Sat w/o fail, she leaves around 5 AM (maybe earlier, can't remember the exact time) to travel all the way to Ogden for her favorite workout class.  She's amazing.

Take it Away Nikki:

Day 16 - Make Ahead Baked French Toast

Welcome to Day 16 of 25 Days of Recipes.  I'd like to introduce my good friend Amy.  She lives a few blocks away from me and she has one of the cutest houses around, she does an amazing job at decorating.  She claims she doesn't like to cook, but honestly, everything I've ever eaten of hers tastes, and looks great.  She is especially amazing at making all the small, cutesy orderve/dessert type, finger foods. 

Take it Away Amy:

Day 15 - Chocolate Covered Almond Toffee

Welcome to Day 15 of 25 Days of Recipes!  I'd like to introduce you to my friend Rachel, she lives right behind me.  She is one of the craftiest people I know!  It seems like everytime I see her she's wearing something new that she made, all really cute!  She also makes amazing felt food for play kitchens.  Her future kids are going to be some of the luckiest kids ever!

Take it Away Rachel:

Day 14 - Pumpkin Pancakes

Welcome to day 14 of 25 Days of Recipes!  I'd like to introduce my good friend Joe.  Actually...here's the story, try to keep up ;)  Joe and my hubby grew up together in Washington State and were best friends.  His wife, Lindsey, and I grew up together in TN and we were best friends.  So...after my hubby and I started dating, we introduced Joe and Lindsey and it was love at first sight.  They ended up getting married exactly a week before us.  We've all been living with in 30 minutes of eachother here in Utah, until a few months ago when they left us to move to AZ :(  But, they are some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for, so of course we'll still see eachother.  So, when Joe contacted me and told me he had a recipe I could include on the blog, I totally thought he was joking.  But, he actually emailed me this wonderful recipe, so here we are, we have a guy sharing today!

Take it Away Joseph:

Day 13: Breakfast Casserole

Welcome to day 13 of 25 Days of Recipes! I'm excited to introduce to you our guest for today :)  I first found/heard of Linday and her hubby on Good Things Utah (a local morning talk show).  They're that good that they were on TV!!  They shared a delicious recipe for a Banana Split Cake, and yes, I tried it out and it was so good!  I've followed their cooking blog ever since.  Aren't they a gorgeous family?

Take it Away Lindsay:

Day 12 - Pineapple Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Welcome to Day 12 of 25 Days of Recipes!  I've got another great recipe to share w/ you!  This one just so happens to be for the main course Christmas dinner!  You've probably all been waiting for this one, if you're hosting Christmas Dinner, that is.  Last year was my first Christmas to host, huge deal for me (a lot easier than Thanksgiving though).  It was our first Christmas alone, w/ just our small family.  We have always spent it w/ either my family or my in-laws.  Last Christmas, it just didn't work out that we could go anywhere :(  I totally dreaded being alone, I was so sad!  But, you know what?  Christmas morning came, my boys were so excited, and it was just so fun watching the boys open their gifts!  It didn't hurt one bit that my husband spoiled me either ;) We took our time opening gifts, and let the boys play with each individual gift they opened, that way Christmas morning lasted for hours.  It turned out to be such a good day!  And, it was so great that my hubby's brother and family were able to come for dinner, so our day wasn't spent completely alone.

Day 11 - Sausage Ring

Welcome to Day 11 of  25 Days of Recipes!  I'd like to introduce to you a friend of mine from High School, Jennifer.  She was always so happy and treated everyone so kind.  We haven't seen eachother since graduation, going on 10 years.  But, thanks to facebook we get to still keep in touch.  Jennifer was nice enough to offer to share her famous family recipe, when she found me begging for volunteers on fb ;)  Thanks to Jennifer, we have Day 11 ready to go.

Take it Away Jennifer:

Day 10 - No Crank Ice Cream

Thanks for joining us for Day 10 of 25 Days of Recipes!  Please welcome my friend Emily.  She's another one of those girls who can do anything!  She is amazing at everything.  She makes the cutest earrings, hair bows, embroidery work, a wonderful photographer, interior designer, and she's a great cook, and actually teaches Little Chef Cooking classes for children.  She's so creative and amazes me what all she can accomplish in one day, she's just so dang cute.

Take it Away Emily:

I'm Emily, the camera-weilding blogger behind www.LittleMommaAndCompany.blogspot.com.  I love to craft.  I love to travel.  I love to clean.  I love to wear aprons.  I love to take pictures.  And, I love all things food.

A favorite and easy treat around our house is No Crank Ice Cream.  It only requires a few ingredients and a freezer.  No ice cream machine necessary!  How's that for magic? 

Day 9 - Cheesy Sausage Rotel Dip

For day 9 of 25 Days of Recipes I have a very special guest...please welcome my bestie and older sister, Bonny!  You've heard a lot about her already in past recipes, she is the source of a lot of my recipes.  Bonny is probably the most amazing sister anyone could ask for.  Just ask any of my friends out here in Utah, they all probably feel like they know her personally just b/c I talk about her non-stop...not joking.  She's so talented, anything she touches turns to gold! She's one of those sisters you look up to, you strive to be just like, and you want to be around all the time.  I miss, more than anything, having my sister near by...I  miss her so much (she's in GA).  Let me share just one little story about her that I'll never forget.  I was visiting her one time and my youngest, Connor, had a huge blowout (you know he was a pretty young baby...think about it).  I got all upset, tried to find stuff to clean him up w/.  Without even thinking Bonny grabs him, puts him in her bathtub and cleans him off.  By the time I walk in the bathroom to see what she's doing, I find her cleaning out his clothes and he's already cleaned off!  She did this all w/ a huge smile ya'll!  Now that's true love, either for me or the little guy, I don't know...but either way...she's the best!

Take it Away Bonny:

Day 8 - Egg Strata

Welcome to Day 8 of 25 Days of Recipes!  Let me please take a moment to introduce myself :)  I know you hear from me all the time, but I thought I'd share some personal information about myself.  I'm Brittany, I'm 27 and I've been married for just over 6 years, I have 2 boys...ages 2 and 3.  Have I mentioned, they're a year a day apart?  Yep, we're a busy house around here!  We live in Utah, but I'm from Tennessee...where all the rest of my family still live.  Oh!  I have 9 siblings!! There's my older sister and 15 months later my twin brother and I were born!  10 years and 4 kids later another set of twins joined our family!  Crazy right?!  So how old is the youngest you may ask?  Well...next month she'll be 14!!  Sounds young to you, but in my mind she should still be 6.  Anyways, that's enough about me for now...maybe I'll share more w/ my next recipe.

This was a picture from last year, but I love it!

Day 7 - Creamy Avacado and White Bean Wrap

Thanks for visiting us for Day 7 of 25 Days of Recipes.  Please welcome Cristina!  If you ever have a question about how to eat healthy, how to cook something healthier or what to do to exercise, she is the person to go to.  She knows it all, and it shows by the way she looks!  She is probably the most healthy and fit person I know.  Also, go to her if you want to learn how to eat good but still look good through the holiday season.

Take it Away Cristina:

I'm Cristina, the self proclaimed "Healthy Living Lady" and I love cooking and eating healthy, but yummy food. I try to find a balance between my husband's love of "not so healthy" food and my children's (4 year old boy and 1 year old girl) likes and dislikes, which can be a challenge. Other than being healthy I like to be outside hiking, walking or just playing. I also split my time between my family and my Mustang Horse I adopted, named Bullseye.

My website is www.healthylivinglady.com

This is a super healthy and easy (no-cook) recipe that would be a good lunch on the crazy days you are running around getting ready for Christmas! I've made it with and without the chipotle chiles and it was good both ways. I did add some lime juice when I left out the chiles.