Holidays

  • The very best sweet potato casserole EVER. And not a marshmallow in sight!

    Sweet Potato Casserole

    The very best sweet potato casserole EVER. And not a marshmallow in sight! My paternal grandmother passed away many years ago and, even today, Thanksgiving isn’t complete without her tried and true — and terribly addicting! — sweet potato casserole. This isn’t your typical sweet potato casserole that’s served on Thanksgiving. There isn’t a marshmallow in sight. Not a one.     Instead, it’s a fluffy, creamy, crunchy, gooey, can’t-believe-it’s-a-side-not-a-dessert accompaniment to an already spectacular spread. And it’s better without the marshmallows. It. Just. Is.     My aunt traditionally made this sweet potato casserole during our large family gatherings every Thanksgiving since my grandmother’s passing. For one, it’s super…

  • Gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars

    Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (Gluten Free)

    These gluten free pumpkin cheesecake bars are a great alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving and fall holiday gatherings. This is a guest post by Diana Girtain. I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease which benefits from a gluten free diet. I’d gone gluten free/low gluten years ago because I’d started to notice that I felt remarkable better without it, so it was satisfying to have a doctor’s explanation for my improved quality of life — it wasn’t just all in my head! Since that diagnosis and my dietary adjustments, I’ve been on the search for a good gluten free pie crust for years. Spoiler: they’re not easy…

  • Slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top.

    Easy Pumpkin Pie

    This easy pumpkin pie only takes fifteen minutes to prep before baking. Use store-bought pie dough or make your own simple homemade pie crust in advance (recipe below) — either will produce a yummy homemade pumpkin pie that’s perfect to cap off any Thanksgiving feast! Even though I don’t do much baking (e.g., cake, bread, rolls, etc.), I love making pie. Apple pie is my go-to, everything from the traditional with notes of cinnamon and thinly sliced apples, to a more robust apple pie with cardamom and a crumble topping. And during the cold weather holidays through New Year’s Eve, the variety of pies I can’t help but make goes…

  • These homemade Thin Mints brownies are simple to make and loaded with rich, dark chocolate fudgy flavor.

    Thin Mints Brownies

    These homemade Thin Mints brownies are simple to make and loaded with rich, dark chocolate fudgy flavor. Browse your Pinterest feed on any given day and you’ll find an endless stream of dessert masterpieces to behold. Cakes complete with a zillion perfectly spaced layers (including the width of homemade, creamy, mouthwatering buttercream frosting), fondant masterpieces, and sculpture work indicative of a university degree in fine art. I’m not crafty. Not even in the kitchen with food projects. The thought of spending copious amounts of time on tedious projects involving little bits of anything makes me want to snarl. Not that I haven’t tried my hand at a project or two; I’ll…

  • Even though most folks think about corned beef recipes in March thanks to St. Patrick's Day, corned beef makes for a yummy meal any time of the year!

    Corned Beef Recipes

    Even though most folks think about corned beef recipes in March thanks to St. Patrick’s Day, corned beef makes for a yummy meal any time of the year! Traditional Corned Beef Recipes Nothing beats the classic, melt-in-your-mouth taste of traditional corned beef recipe. I love my corned beef mashed up with potatoes, cabbage and carrots and a healthy dollop of butter with some juices. There’s no wrong way to love corned beef! Baked Corned Beef With Mustard Crust familyspice.com “Corned beef is taken to a new level when baked with this delicious mustard crust. It’s as easy as traditionally boiling the beef, except it is wrapped in foil and baked in the…

  • This mouth-watering ooey-gooey baked brie with RO*TEL is a fun and festive appetizer that's perfect for holidays and entertaining!

    Baked Brie With RO*TEL

    This mouth-watering ooey-gooey baked brie with RO*TEL® is a fun and festive appetizer that’s perfect for holidays and entertaining! I’m always on the hunt for simple, yummy appetizers and finger foods when I’m hosting a get-together or having friends and family over for the holidays. Things that take both a minimal amount of time and effort and also yield flavors and tastes that still make your mouth water. Cheese is high on that list. Mmm… Melty, ooey-gooey cheese is even higher on that list. Marry that with a flaky crescent roll crust and RO*TEL, known for delivering bold, adventurous flavor, and you have quite the match made in appetizer heaven. For…

  • No one ever said the holidays had to be full of difficult and time-consuming recipes. The best celebrations are had over simple holiday recipes that taste great and are easy to prep and make. Cheers!

    Simple Holiday Recipes

    No one ever said the holidays had to be full of difficult and time-consuming recipes. The best celebrations are had over simple holiday recipes that taste great and are easy to prep and make. Cheers! Some folks have their holiday menu planned out weeks, even months, in advance. Others use the same tried-and-true menu year after year. And then there’s the rest of us. I have a recipe or two that I make each year, but otherwise my recipe choices vary depending on what the plans are — am I responsible for the main dish and most of the sides, or am I just complementing the main dish with a…

  • These bottles are perfect for storing sage infused olive oil to flavor sauces, roast chicken and turkey, or just to use for dipping your favorite crusty bread!

    Sage Infused Olive Oil

    These bottles are perfect for storing sage infused olive oil to flavor sauces, roast chicken and turkey, or just to use for dipping your favorite crusty bread. You can find the bottles I used with a click on the image below! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SKSHarvest #SeasonalSolutions #CollectiveBias   Leaves are changing, fall is in the air and I’m starting to figure out this year’s Thanksgiving menu. Even though it’s over a month away, we’re all hyper-aware it’ll be here before we know it! One idea I plan to try is using sage infused olive oil to…