Merry Christmas! + New Years Eve Appetizers

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
We sure are excited for this weekend and all the fun we're about to have with our families.

This is possibly my last blog post until next week sometime. I thought I'd take a bit of a break until things wind down from Christmas, as well as my cousin's wedding and other parties. It's going to be a busy one! I look forward to seeing you back here again next week!

Before I go, I thought I would leave you with some appetizer ideas for your New Years Eve party. This is one of those lists where I want to eat everything I see. Gah! That would be bad. But hey, that's what New Years Day is for, right? Eating healthy food again. So party on!

Jalapeno Popper Dip @ Closet Cooking

Baked Potato Skins @ Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Stuffed Baguette @ Baking Obsession

Mozzarella Sticks @ Taste of Home

Spinach and Artichoke Bites @ Made in Melissa's Kitchen

Queso Blanco @ Pennies on a Platter

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball @ Sugar Crafter

Cookies!

I love cookies!! And I especially love going to a cookie exchange. I love that cookie exchanges don't have to happen just at Christmas time. We're also getting close to Christmas weekend, when a lot of parties happen and a lot of cookies are eaten. If you're looking for a new cookie recipe, whether it be for this weekend or for a cookie exchange, you might be able to find one here! Enjoy!

The cookie recipes in this first group come from All Recipes.

Soft Christmas Cookies

Pecan Turtle Bars

Christmas Stars

Peppermint Meringues

Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

Mrs. Sigg's Snickerdoodles

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Cranberry Dreams

Peanut Butter Blossoms

. . . .

This next group of cookies comes from Just a Pinch Recipe Club. I found the recipe for Magic in the Middle Cookies through this site. Readers here share great hometown recipes, as well as cooking tips and coupons. It's a great site!

Raspberry Chocolate Bars

Gaiety Pastel Cookies

Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

So you're wanting something new to make for Christmas breakfast this year but you don't know what to make? Thanks to Parents.com, I've made a list of what I think are fabulous ideas for breakfast on Christmas morning. Some are a little more time-consuming but aren't tough.

Not wanting to take any time to make breakfast? Check out Monkey Bread and Cinnamon and Sugar Pull Apart Rolls for a couple of simple and hassle-free options!

Ham and Egg Breakfast Cups with Hash Browns

Carrot Cake Parfait

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

Crazy Crepes

Farmer's Quiche

Pumpkin Waffles with Cranberry Honey

German Pancakes

Honey-Cinnamon Twists

Chocolate Pancakes

Stuffed French Toast

Chocolate Applesauce Bread

A Peek at Our Party {Our Christmas Eve Party!}

This Saturday is my family's annual Christmas party and I couldn't be more excited!! It's one of many parties Tyson and I will be attending this Christmas and it's just so much fun. This year is my family's year to have us for Christmas so the party will be on Christmas Eve. Still wondering how Christmas got here so fast, by the way. Besides all of the awesome company, my favorite part about Christmas parties is all the food. Some of my favorite dishes come out at these get-togethers and it makes my tummy so so happy. For the last few years my family has had a party with h'ordeuvres and treats. I love that idea and being able to just munch and play games all evening. We leave Christmas day for the big dinner, which is always perfect whether we're with my family or Tyson's. I love Christmas!

Here is a peak at some of the goodies that will be present at Saturday night's party. I'm so excited to play games, grub, and visit with my family! If you're still trying to figure out another idea or two for your Christmas party, I hope these can be somewhat of an inspiration for you!

Seven Layer Dip @ All Recipes
My friend Erica makes the BEST seven layer dip. This isn't her exact recipe, but it's pretty darn close! Instead of mashing two avocados, we just buy the avocado/guacamole spread. It makes things much easier!

Ham Roll Ups @ Kayln's Kitchen
My little sister Amy makes these for our Christmas party every year. Instead of the dill pickle we usually use pineapple chunks. We roll up the ham with the cream cheese spread on it and cut them into bite-size chunks. Then the toothpick goes into a chunk of pineapple then into a prepared roll of ham. So the pineapple and ham are skewered together with the pineapple on top. Easy peasy! The dill pickle is really good too so you really can't go wrong with either. Unless you don't like one or the other, then you can probably go wrong.

Party Meatballs @ Cupcake Diaries
These meatballs are easily my family's favorite at these parties. This is a recipe that my husband introduced them all to and he's very proud of that.

Chex Muddy Buddies @ Chex
Chex Muddy Buddies are one of my guilty pleasures. I LOVE these things! Such a classic party treat.

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds @ Cupcake Diaries
I love the smell of Cinnamon Roasted Almonds as I'm running through the mall at Christmas time. Or, in yesterday's case at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray, UT, pushing my way through the mall. I love going up and getting a free sample of these almonds. They're so good! That's probably the only thing worth going to the mall for at Christmas time. But if you don't feel like battling the mall for a bag of almonds, why not try making them at home!

Fantasy Fudge @ Notecook
And it wouldn't be a Christmas party without Mom's Fantasy Fudge!

Monkey Bread

Two weeks ago (wow, has it already been two weeks?) we went to our church Christmas party. Since moving to Utah we've discovered that breakfast Christmas parties are really popular. In this particular ward they sent around a sign-up sheet every Sunday for a few weeks before the party. The options were to bring a breakfast casserole or Monkey Bread. The recipes were provided to take home and prepare. It was a really good idea, especially for those who wanted to bring something but had no idea how to make it. I decided to make Monkey Bread. This recipe was one I already had so it was especially convenient to make.

Remember my recipe for Cinnamon and Sugar Pull Apart Rolls? I had a few comments and e-mails from people who called that Monkey Bread. You'll see that between this recipe and that one there are a couple of major differences. So whatever you call them, they're definitely two different kinds of rolls, or two different kinds of Monkey Bread, if you prefer. This is another yummy recipe that works out pretty swell for breakfast! Christmas morning is a great time to make Monkey Bread!

Monkey Bread
makes 16 rolls

• 16 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls (or whatever brand you'd like - NOT warm 'n serve)
• 1 - 3 oz. pkg. cook & serve butterscotch pudding
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
  
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
  
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)
  

Grease your bundt pan and arrange the 16 rolls like you do the Cinnamon and Sugar Pull Apart Rolls, putting the first layer in the big crevices and the second layer on top of the bottom layer but sitting in the smaller crevices.

Sprinkle the entire box of pudding over the rolls.

Then sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans (if you're using pecans).

Finally, drizzle the butter over everything.

Cover with a dish towel and allow the rolls to rise over night or for 12 hours. I had a picture for this, but there were a couple of rolls that looked questionably inappropriate ha ha. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes when the rolls have risen. When finished, invert onto a plate and serve.

{Please Welcome} Meredith from Mer's Memoirs

Hello, my friends! We're in for a real treat today! Meredith is a friend of mine from college and I am so happy to have her here blogging today. This girl is SO talented and witty. I just love reading her blog posts and awaiting what she's going to come up with next. Her blog Mer's Memoirs is one you'll want to check out! Take it away, Meredith!

. . . .

Hi! I'm Meredith and I blog over at Mer's Memoirs. It's my personal blog, which includes some home decorating tips, crafts, recipes, and random posts to chronicle our life. I'm so excited to share one of my favorite go-to recipes with you today on Allison's awesome blog! I met Allison in college and I've just adored her ever since! I've so happy we've been able to stay connected through Facebook and blogging. The Internet really is a wonderful thing!

I originally grew up in a suburb of Seattle, but have moved around the inter mountain west, namely Idaho and Utah, since I graduated from high school and attended college. I'm settled in Utah for now, while my husband finishes school at the University of Utah. We live in a townhouse in the center of the Salt Lake Valley with our two dogs Milo and Jazzy, who we rescued from shelters. I work full time for a local apple reseller doing marketing and admin work. I love my job and feel very lucky to have the best boss ever!

My mom slowly taught me to cook when I was in junior high. I always hated it, especially during college when I had little time and little money. My cooking skills have evolved over the years, and I think I can attribute it to getting married, The Food Network, and Rachael Ray's magazines. Now, I feel comfortable making up my own recipes and making foods that I may not normally have thought to add to a menu. It's been an adjustment for my husband as well, who, when we were first married, didn't know what garlic was and detested onions. He's since seen the light, because of the recipes I've made for him. I feel like cooking is a way to de-stress and to be creative. To learn the rules so they can be broken. And to provide a meal that can be enjoyed together with family and/or friends.

A little more about me:

• Hometown: Federal Way, Washington
• Favorite TV show: Project Runway. I love to talk fashion.
• Favorite ingredients to work with: The basics: olive oil, salt & pepper. They really can transform any food into something better.
  
• Something I can't live without: My iPhone. That thing seriously contains everything to keep me organized and function.
• Favorite blogs: Nat the Fat Rat, Picky Palate, The Wiegands
• Favorite room in my house and why: I love my kitchen! It has such a great layout to it, plus it's super easy to clean-major bonus in my busy life! I also love how everything has a place and is nicely organized. It really makes cooking so much easier when everything has a home.
• Favorite vacation: My husband and I recently went to Southern California. We absolutely loved it! It's been a long time since each of us has been there, and we've never been there together. We enjoyed every minute of it spending time on the beach, at Disneyland, and in the city.
• My typical day: Crawl out of bed and get ready for work. Work for 8 hours. Go to to the gym after work for 45-60 minutes, come home and cook dinner, craft or blog, or all of the above. Relax and go to bed, just to start the routine all over again! I love the weekends! Can you guess why? :)
  
• Something I want to learn to do: I would love to learn how to paint furniture. I think I could add a lot of unique pieces to our house if I did a little more thrifting, and of course, learned how to paint furniture!
  
• My guilty pleasure: Listening to Katy Perry. I just love her music, but I know it's probably a little too young for me. Either way, I still love it!
• How I like to relax: I go to a yoga class once a week, which really helps me stay calm. But reading books and snuggling with my hubby and puppies does the trick during the week.
  
• Three more things I can't live without: My husband Brett, and my dogs Milo and Jazzy.
  

On to the recipe!

As winter is upon us, I feel like it's time for some good, tasty comfort food. Not like I stopped making comfort food in the summer, but nothing says home like mac and cheese on a cold night after a long, dark day.

I've experimented and played around with plenty of homemade mac and cheese recipes, and this one is one of my favorite renditions. I don't eat a lot of meat, so I like to serve this with a side of protein rich veggies, this time around, brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts tend to get a bad rap because not a lot of people like them. To that I say, have you roasted them yet? There's something about the crunch of the sprout with some salt and and the crisp caramelization that occurs in the oven that will definitely have you going back for seconds. I promise!

So in just a little bit of time, you can have a nice grown-up meal that's healthy, tasty, and meat-free!

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 c. milk or half & half (I used half and half this time.)
• 1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
• 2 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 lb. of pasta (3 cupsish)
• 2 c. brussel sprouts
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• More salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

In a saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to make a roux (rue). Toast the roux for about a minute, then pour in milk. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add in chopped garlic as well. Bring to a boil to thicken.


Check back on the pot of water. If it's boiling, throw in about 2 Tablespoons of salt and then throw in the pasta. This is the only time you'll be able to season the pasta so make it count. Cook pasta until al dente (firm but not hard), depending on the pasta, about 4-7 minutes. I will pull out a noodle or two to taste and judge how much longer I'd like it to cook. The noodles will cook the rest of the way in the oven with the cheese sauce so they should definitely be al dente. Check the package for instructions if you're unsure how long to cook the pasta. (Usually two minutes less than the instruction time should do it.)

Back to the sauce! When it starts to gently bubble, turn the heat to low and throw in the cheese. Whisk until melted and taste to make sure it is seasoned appropriately. Set aside until the noodles are done. Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and add to the cheese sauce. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle more shredded cheese on top.


Chop 2 cups of brussel sprouts into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet or a baking stone. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then put the macaroni and cheese in and bake both together for 15 more minutes until done. You want the mac and cheese to be bubbling and the brussel sprouts to have some caramelization to them.

Dish up, sprinkle the mac and cheese with some Parmesan, and enjoy!

Give a Special Video Message from Santa!

Portable North Pole is up and running for the 2011 holiday season! If you've never tried this, now is the time to do it! It's quick, it's free, and the kids think it's the coolest thing in the world. In just a few easy steps, you can create a personalized video from Santa Claus for your kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews, friends, etc. All you have to do is provide a few details about the person.

The first step is choosing who the video is for: a nice child or a naughty child. You can also choose a nice adult or a naughty adult. You'll continue on to add their name, gender, age, birthday (if you want Santa to send them a birthday message), and what country they reside in. Verify pronunciation by listening to how Santa says the name of your child. So fun!

Step two is what you want Santa to talk about. The first question asks about the child's daily life. Are they in the first grade? Second grade? Are they with mom or dad all day? Both? The next question asks what special effort the child has been asked of this year. There are multiple categories (school, home, etc.) then you choose a task. Putting toys away, being nice to friends, brushing teeth, taking a bath without complaining, etc. Next you can type in what gift the child has asked for or can expect this year. Or if you prefer, Santa doesn't have to mention the toy in the video.

In step three you can upload a photo of your child. You'll want to add at least one photo to add to the fun. The video will show Santa looking through his book and he'll come across your child's page, where they'll see his or her picture. You can add two more photos so he can talk about your child through the year. I always just do the one picture.

The final step is to confirm your identity and relationship to the child. You will enter your e-mail address so Santa can e-mail you the video. You can also send the video to the child's e-mail address if his or her family has one separate from your own.

And that's it! The video is so cute and I love how Santa talks to the child by name. I made one for my 20-month-old son, Brycen. You can view his video here if you'd like to see an example.

Enjoy making your videos! The kids are going to love it!

Fudge Dudge

It isn't a Christmas party without fudge!

As long as I can remember, fudge has been present on the dessert table at every Christmas party since I can remember eating fudge.
And it amazes me how many different kinds of fudge there are out there! Love it.
Here is a list of some of my faves!

Fantasy Fudge @ Notecook
We'll start with the classic Fantasy Fudge recipe that gets my heart a-flutterin' every year! My mom makes this stuff like a champ.

Rocky Road Fudge @ Lee La La
Hello, Fabulous! You're beautiful! My mouth is watering just looking at this picture.

Oreo Fudge @ Love Veggies and Yoga
America's favorite cookie rolled into fudge. Indeed!

Eggnog Fudge @ Recipe Girl
It's never too late to use eggnog! And even if you're not a fan of eggnog, the flavor of this fudge is divine. It's so creamy and yummy!

White Chocolate Fudge @ I Heart Nap Time
I have a brother-in-law who LOVES white chocolate. He would go crazy over this fudge! This is any white chocolate lover's dream!

Maple Peanut Butter Fudge @ Coleen's Recipe
Ah...maple and peanut butter. Two of my favorite things mixed together! Delicious. And this recipe uses the microwave, which I love even more!


Snickers Fudge @ Culinary in the Desert
Gah! The guy who came up with this fudge is an absolute genius. Thank you, man.

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge @ Taste of Home
I love peppermint fudge!! And this one takes the...fudge ha ha. My favorite!!