Browsing Category HOLIDAYS

Artichokes~UNSTUFFED and STUFFED

Artichokes!  Either you love them or you hate them!  I love them!  I like them both Stuffed or Unstuffed, but more often I make them unstuffed so I don’t get so full from the stuffing and can have more leaves! I love the leaves as much as the heart!  Here are two recipes, one for the Unstuffed and one for the Stuffed version. I have…

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5-Minute Fudge

NO COOKING THIS FUDGE, NO THERMOMETER either! This is SUPER FAST and the EASIEST fudge I have ever made. You will see this popular recipe with slight variations everywhere! I have several fudge recipes I love, but they can be tricky to prevent a grainy texture and they have to be made just right! All candy making has to be very precise! Well, I was…

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Almond Candy (Croccante)

This almond candy is the ultimate Christmastime candy in my house! I can just hear my oldest son’s voice when he sees it… You made Almond Candy!! In Italian it is called Croccante, and it is a special candy to make for the holidays. I always shape it into a wreath. This particular recipe was hard to come by for years! It is one of…

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Pumpkin Bread (Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread)

From allrecipes.com, I finally tried their Downeast Pumpkin Bread, and no wonder it got over 7K likes! It is the best pumpkin bread I ever tried. I love the pumpkin flavor and I love the clean cuts it makes. It is not crumbly at all. I know that butter is tasty in breads, but using oil makes them more moist. I usually like raisins or…

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Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Wow, I am raving about this recipe from a favorite chef I love, Chef Rachel Farnsworth, the Stay-at-Home Chef!  If you like shortbread, these are OVER-THE-TOP!  I LOVE her EASY technique of rolling the dough in a plastic bag too.  NO rolling pin to wash, and it rolls perfectly!  You can leave them plain or dip the tips of the cookies in melted chocolate.  Decorate…

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Chocolate Pumpkin Nut Snack Cake

A small, 9-inch Chocolate Pumpkin Nut Snack Cake to try that I think is great change from regular brownies. It is so moist and fudgy, and it’s made with a brownie mix! NO eggs, no oil, no butter! The pumpkin puree does the job of all that! You will love that it takes less than 5 minutes to make! Use your favorite brownie mix. I…

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Red Velvet Cookies~with a Cake Mix

These Red Velvet Cookies from a cake mix are so-o good! And SO easy to make! It is a shortcut recipe with just a few ingredients. It takes just a few minutes from start to finish! My cookies pictured above have semi-sweet chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, but you can use whatever chips and nuts you want. Leave out the chopped nuts if you want!…

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Mile-High New York Cheesecake ~ Crustless

This cheesecake is a purist’s cheesecake, my type of cheesecake. And this one happens to be my personal favorite! I cannot remember where I got this recipe, but I think it was from the NY Times many years ago. I call it…..PURE CHEESECAKE, UNADORNED! It’s a great cheesecake to serve for holidays or special occasions! IT IS crustless. It is topless. It is baked. It…

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Macaroons

These Macaroons are the easiest thing to make! Quick and easy! They are delicious and chewy, and so pretty. Macaroons are great for holidays or special occasions and so many people love these! I have been making these for years with variations and I think I got the original recipe from my sister Annie. Not all macaroon recipes have flour in them. I think a…

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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Real Cranberries

Real cranberries in a chocolate chip cookie? Yes!  It is a delicious, sweet-tangy combination! Try them! We love these!  We think these are better with real cranberries than with dried cranberries. I always make these for Thanksgiving and for Christmas too.  But right now it is June and I am whipping up a batch!  They are great for anytime! You will be surprised at how good…

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Raspberry Shortbread Squares

A delicious shortbread crumb topping on these raspberry squares make these a knockout! This is one of my all-time favorite squares and it is so EASY to make! A great recipe for the holidays, for Valentine’s Day, for Teas, or for any time! These deserve good quality raspberry preserves! Use any flavor preserves you like! I LOVE these! The crumb topping is amazing!  This makes…

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Irish Cream Cheesecake~NO-BAKE!

This is SO delicious and SO easy to make! Everyone loves this one! I’ve made real fancy Irish liqueur cheesecakes that are amazing, but if I am short on time, this NO-BAKE one is a winner! Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! Or any day! Use a chocolate crust or graham cracker crust. Sometimes I mix the chocolate and graham crumbs together, and that is really…

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Bailey’s Irish Cream Brownies

Irish? YES? Lucky!! NOT IRISH? Well, get your Irish on and make these AMAZING brownies, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!  If you’ve never tried them, Irish or not, you are missing a great treat!  And they are so easy to make with a brownie mix!  Use your favorite brownie mix. Double the recipe to make a larger batch, because I think you may need to!  See…

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