Freshen Up Holiday Desserts

Posted by on December 18, 2020

At my house, holiday sweets generally feature a lot of chocolate: fudge, cookies, homemade candies. Christmas dinner dessert usually follows that theme. Rich, heavy desserts like Black Forest Cake or chocolate cheesecake have traditionally graced our table. Now, my personal motto is, “All the chocolate is not enough chocolate,” but this year I have a read more »

11 Perfect Recipes for Family New Year’s Parties

Posted by on December 15, 2020

Staying in this New Year’s Eve? Celebrating at home with your kids or just looking for some fun and festive ways to ring in the new year? I think it’s safe to say that we’re all ready to put 2020 behind us and welcome 2021 with a big cheer. (Funny sidenote: our local coffee roaster read more »

Easy holiday Truffles

Posted by on December 10, 2020

Next to cookies, homemade candies are my favorite treats of the holiday season. But the “chemistry” of candymaking has often defeated me: my brittle burns and my fudge gets grainy. Having to watch a candy thermometer is stressful. (Don’t ask me about the time I melted a rubber spatula in a pot of boiling toffee.) read more »

How to Make a Holiday Antipasto Wreath

Posted by on December 8, 2020

Love creating cute holiday appetizers? Or are you more of a freestyle cook? Honestly, I’m a little bit of both. While I love getting inspired by beautiful dishes and desserts, I’m also a busy mom – and I can usually spot a #PinterestFail a mile away. (Frankly, I know my limits in terms of both read more »

Holiday Cookie Time

Posted by on December 3, 2020

My house has been decorated for the holidays since early November. But now that December has rolled in, it’s time to get out the rolling pin and do some holiday baking. Baking cookies is one of my favorite activities of the season (along with decorating the tree and watching Hallmark movies 24/7). Here are a read more »

How to Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Posted by on November 18, 2020

I know, I know. It’s not even Thanksgiving. Under normal circumstances, I admit: it’s a little early to start thinking about holiday baking and entertaining. But it’s been a weird year, people. Here in Minnesota, we had our first big winter storm over a month ago, which is early for a blizzard – even by read more »

Thumbthing Special for the Holidays

Posted by on November 16, 2020

A favorite childhood memory is of my mom in the kitchen, baking up holiday cookies. Sugar cut-outs and spritz cookies were always popular, but my favorite was mom’s thumbprint cookies. I’d watch her roll out the little balls of dough, roll them in crushed nutmeats and use her thumb to press a small well in read more »

Five-Star Thanksgiving Recipes

Posted by on November 12, 2020

This sure has been a year for the history books, hasn’t it? 2020 has thrown many curveballs, but there is still so much to be thankful for. How you celebrate Thanksgiving may look different this year. Large gatherings may be replaced with smaller get-togethers. Big parties might be replaced with dinner at home. Regardless of read more »

Holiday Stuffing: 6 Ways to Dress It Up

Posted by on November 10, 2020

Love it? Hate it? Honestly, holiday stuffing can be a bit polarizing. Some people love the crunchy bits. Some prefer a softer, creamier texture baked with plenty of chicken broth. Not to mention, there are all kinds of different bread choices. Sourdough. Cornbread. Store-bought croutons. You name it. From savory to sweet to spicy, there read more »

Kid-Approved Halloween Recipes

Posted by on October 29, 2020

Whether you have littles at home or just yourself, it’s always fun to get creative in the kitchen. My kids especially like when we swap out hotdish or tacos (the classics) for something a little more fun – like Yummy Mummy little pizzas or Jack-O-Lantern Sliders. To be honest, Yummy Mummies are a hit all read more »