I love warm & fun holiday drinks. How about you? When I host my Christmas open house I always serve my creamy hot cocoa, Christmas wassail and holiday coffee. I have an entire drink bar which includes a variety of marshmallows, peppermint sticks, chocolate chips, whipped cream and other stir ins for the holiday drinks. This year I'm going to mix up the drink bar and add a little more variety. If you have any suggestions let me know!
This post is part of the 30 Days of Christmas Goodies. Check out the other cookies, snacks and holiday drink recipes below.
This mix also looks nice layered in a jar and makes the perfect gift. I will be doing these this year for my chocolate coffee loving friends! Jingle Bell Java
Ingredients 2 c. powdered non-dairy creamer 1 1/2 c. baking cocoa 1 1/2 c. instant coffee granules 1 1/2 c. sugar 1 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. nutmeg
Directions In a bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in an airtight container. To serve, add 3 tablespoons to a mug and add boiling water to fill. Makes about 30 servings.
Hot Cocoa Bar
You need real coffee cups. We only put out holiday mugs. I do have to go cups available.
The Christmas season wouldn't be the same if we didn't make gingerbread cookies or gingerbread houses. Over the years we've tried several variation on the basic gingerbread recipe and all taste about the same. As for gingerbread houses we've made nativity scenes, houses and towers. One of our favorite cheat ways to make a gingerbread house is to use graham crackers. Enjoy this post sponsored by Gooseberry Patch. I'm an early bird review of their cookbooks. My own tasty opinions, of course, are expressed here.
Do you make gingerbread? What memories do you have? Create new ones with this tasty Gooseberry Patch cookbook! Check out the tasty recipes and review below.
Here is yet another variation of gingerbread cookies. In the new Hometown Christmas Cookbook you can go to youtube and see the video that Gooseberry Patch created with this recipe.
Spiced Gingerbreads
Ingredients
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. molasses
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. ground ginger
garnish- sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, blend together shortening and sugar.. Beat in egg and molasses until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to shortening mixture and stir well. Form into small balls and roll each in sugar. Place on a greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Makes 3 dozen.
(This is my recipe in the Hometown Christmas Cookbook)
Christmas Wassail
Ingredients
6 c. brewed tea, sweetened or unsweetened
6 c. cranberry juice cocktail
6 c. apple cider or apple juice
3 c. orange juice
1 1/2 c. lemon juice
2 c. sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 t. each of ground cloves, cinnamon and allspice
1 orange, sliced (keep on peel)
1 apple, cored & sliced (keep on skin)
1 lemon, sliced (keep on peel)
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Stir before serving. Serves 30.
Brown sausage in a skillet over med. heat; drain; Add onion, green pepper and 1/4 c. water; saute until tender. Stir in seasoning. In a large saucepan over med. heat, combine pizza sauce, remaining water, tomatoes, pepperoni and sauce mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to med-low and simmer for about 15 min. As serving time, top each bowl with shredded cheese and chopped mushrooms. Makes 4-6 servings.
Kitchen Notes
When I made this, I just added all to the crockpot, except garnish and cooked low for 7 hours while I was gone all day. It could be cooked on high for 3 hours. To make it extra hearty, stir in noodles once done.
Hometown Cookbook Review by Gooseberry Patch
Here is yet another tasty cookbook by Gooseberry Patch. It is jammed pack full of festive recipes, merry-making tips and warm holiday memories. Because this is a hardback cookbook, they are adding digital interaction by including video icon near recipes. This icon alerts the reader to go visit Gooseberry Patch on youtube to see JoAnn & Vickie create the recipe. The book also has a QR Code which when scanned will take you right to their youtube videos. I love these new features. I believe that all of their cookbooks are available as eBooks as well. I have most of their books on ebook so that I can take their cookbooks with me no matter where I go.
Chapters and a few favorite recipes: 1-Breakfast with Santa- Baked Apple Porridge, Fancy Pants Eggs, Santa's Malted Cocoa, Honey-Orange Syrup, Hungarian Coffee Cake 2-Sledding Party Warmers- Fizzle Biscuits, Meatless Borscht, Hearty Pizza Soup, Potato Leek Soup, Fancy Pea Salad, Blender Mustard 3-Old-Fashioned Christmas Dinner- Lazy Pierogie, Greek Pork Loin, Onion Yorkshire Pudding, Inside out Raviolis, Horseradish Potatoes (CLICK FOR RECIPE), Blue Cheese Potatoes 4-Open House...You're Invited!- Gramma Fried Ravioli, Christmas Crickets, Sweet Onion Shrimp Spread, Holiday Mocha Punch, Peppermint Eggnog 5-Tree-Trimming Treats- Cake mix Snowdrop Cookies, Maple Pecan Bon Bons, Cracker Candy, Snowball Cake, New Years Eve Yule Log 6-Slow-Cooker Comfort Foods- Fruity Granola Oatmeal, Caramel Bread Pudding, Butternut Crab chowder, Apple Cider Pork, Caramel Fondue 7-Coming Home for Christmas- Sweet memories shared by wonderful women! NEED EVEN MORE Christmas Goodies? Check here for my 30 Days of Christmas Goodies.
Want to win a copy of this tasty cookbook? Giveaway ends 12/26.
Do you have any go to quick sweet holiday treats in your recipe box? They are important to have so that you can make treats quickly when needed. I love making fudge for Christmas gifts and one of our favorite is these peppermint fudge Christmas goodies. I'd love to know some of your quick holiday favorites. Share them below!
This 30 Days of Christmas Goodies recipe, Holiday Peppermint Fudge can be found, HERE! It is from one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks.
What do you like to create at the holidays? Join in my 30 Days of Christmas Goodies to find, for the most part, easy to make treats, gifts and holiday recipes for your family and friends this season. If you have any to share, leave the link in the comments and I'll come check them out.
How many of you give homemade gifts for Christmas? I would love to say that I knit and crochet wonderful holiday gifts but I do not. Instead I put together gifts that are personal and when I can I make it fun! That is how I started making reinbeer for some of the males on my Christmas list. This project can be done with beer or root beer. I love giving holiday goodies for gifts. Someday I will work on a knitted scarf!
To get this easy to do tutorial, click on over to the Reindeer Reinbeer post.
What do you like to create at the holidays? Join in my 30 Days of Christmas Goodies to find, for the most part, easy to make treats, gifts and holiday recipes for your family and friends this season. If you have any to share, leave the link in the comments and I'll come check them out.
Time to continue my 30 Days of Christmas Goodies! Thanksgiving posting slowed it down but I'm reading to give you more tasty ideas for your holiday cooking! What are some of your favorite holiday recipes? I would love to feature you in this series. I have a few spots open so if you have a holiday goodie you want me to feature, leave the link below and I'll pop over and visit!
This recipe is also considered a skinny mini holiday recipe. It makes 36 mini snowballs. Let yourself enjoy a treat or two this holiday season. If you are watching the calories then just allow a piece of your favorite treat. Don't loose control and be upset with yourself later.
As soon as September hits I'm all for anything pumpkin. Not only do I love pumpkin recipes but I also love the colors and smells of various pumpkins. We have our family favorite traditional recipes which we cook every fall. I'm always on the look out for other pumpkin recipes. I'm thrilled to share with you this recipe for Pritikin's Roasted Pumpkin Wedges. These look so easy and are very healthy! Try the holiday recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.
Enjoy richly roasted but very-low-calorie pumpkin wedges (only about 35 calories per serving) with this recipe, perfect for just about anything, from a mid-day snack to a side dish star for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Ingredients
1 medium-sized pumpkin (about 5 pounds)
Generous pinch of cinnamon
1 Tablespoon apple juice concentrate (Look for 100% apple juice concentrate in the frozen food section of your market.)
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel pumpkin the same way you would peel melons like honeydew. Cut off top and bottom so that pumpkin "stands" steady on your surface. To keep pumpkin from moving, a wet towel underneath is helpful. Then, going from top to bottom with a sharp knife, filet the skin off. Next, cut pumpkin into long wedges. Remove pulp and seeds.
Season your wedges with cinnamon and apple juice concentrate.
On a large nonstick baking sheet, bake for 25 minutes or until browned.
Serve hot.
Thanks to Guest Chef Anthony and Pritikin for this tasty, healthy holiday recipe!
I use to be one to avoid cranberry sauce until I had my mother in law's orange cranberry sauce. It beats any canned cranberry sauce on the market. I will share her recipe soon but in the mean time you can try this flavorful orange cranberry sauce from Pritikin. One thing that I love about this recipe is that they do not add any salt to the recipe. I cook low sodium at home so this one looks like a keeper. Keep healthy by cooking healthier holiday recipes this Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pritikin Orange Cranberry Sauce
With immense flavor and no salt, this sauce is a winner for both palate and blood pressure this holiday season. Serve alongside turkey for a flavorful dish!
Ingredients
(2 tablespoons per serving)
1 cup chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen) 1 Tablespoon frozen apple juice concentrate 2 oranges, segmented and chopped 1 tomato, diced ½ teaspoon chopped garlic Half of red onion, finely chopped Half of jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Procedure
In a small saucepan, cook cranberries and apple juice concentrate on medium heat until the cranberries begin to break down, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
In a large bowl, combine cranberry mixture and all remaining ingredients and mix well, using a spoon.
Let sit for 15 minutes in refrigerator. Serve with turkey or any type of poultry.
Thanks to Guest Chef Anthony and Pritikin for this tasty, healthy holiday recipe!
Here is an exciting Holiday recipe for you to try from Aussie guest chef Curtis Stone and The Saturday Evening Post. I don't know about you but I love brown butter and have several recipes which uses this technique. This recipe is perfect for those who do not plan on roasting an entire turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Roast Turkey Breast with Lemon and Sage Brown Butter
(Makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
4 cups cold water
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled, plus 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
¼ cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves
¼ cup lightly packed fresh thyme sprigs
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 (3 ¼-pound) boneless turkey breast
1 large carrot, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
2 large celery ribs, cut into 1 ½-inch lengths
1 yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
½ cup reduced-sodium turkey or chicken broth
Sage Brown Butter Ingredients
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
To brine turkey: In large bowl, combine water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, lemon zest, lemon juice, and crushed garlic cloves. Using side of heavy knife, lightly crush sage, thyme, and rosemary on cutting board, then stir them into brine. Submerge turkey breast, meaty side down, in brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 8 hours.
Meawhile, make sage brown butter: In medium skillet, stir 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until it melts and turns nutty brown. Add sage, shallots, and garlic and stir for about 1 minute, or until shallots soften. Pour butter into medium bowl and let cool. Add remaining 10 tablespoons butter to brown butter and blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To roast turkey: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Rinse turkey under cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels. Place turkey on cutting board. Using your fingers, carefully make pocket between skin and breast meat. Spread about ⅓ cup of butter under skin to cover breast meat completely, then rub ⅓ cup of remaining butter all over outside of turkey breast. Tie breast crosswise in a couple of places with kitchen twine to help it hold its shape.
Spread carrots, celery, onions, and garlic halves on large, rimmed sheet. Set turkey breast on top and roast for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of turkey reads 155°F. Transfer turkey and vegetables to platter and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour any pan juices into small saucepan. Let stand for 3 minutes, then spoon off fat that has risen to surface of juices. Set baking sheet over medium heat, then pour in broth and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits in pan with wooden spoon. Add to skimmed juices in saucepan. Bring to simmer and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to sauceboat.
In small saucepan, melt remaining sage brown butter over medium-low heat; transfer to bowl. Using large sharp knife, cut turkey crosswise into slices. Return turkey to platter and serve with stuffing, melted sage brown butter, and pan juices.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
Calories: 688
Total fat: 34 g
Saturated fat: 20 g
Carbohydrate: 43 g
Fiber: 1 g Protein: 56 g Sodium: 472 mg
This recipe and photo was reprinted with permission by The Saturday Evening Post. More Holiday Recipe Ideas
