Eatables

Looking for a pretty and quick dessert for a party? Dessert bark is always a great treat for a group of people or to give as a gift in a Christmasty tin. You can also serve it along with a scoop of ice cream or You can try a variety of different flavours. Have fun and enjoy :D

Prep: 10 minutes
Freeze: 5-7 minutes
Serves: approximately 15 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. of semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate squares or 12 oz. bag of baking chips
• 1 pkg. of white chocolate squares or 12 oz. bag of baking chips
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 10 Oreo cookies, crumbled and divided

Steps

1. Microwave each type of chocolate separately until melted.
2. Add peanut butter to white chocolate and mix. Make sure not to over mix the chocolate or it will start to become runny.
3. Add half of Oreo crumble mix (five cookies each) to each chocolate mix.
4. Place a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet.
5. Add a spoon drop of each chocolate alternately. Use a knife to swirl the chocolate around to create a marble effect.
6. Place in your freezer for five minutes or until completely hardened. Then brake into pieces and store in airtight container in your fridge until ready to serve.

Credit! Thanks to Kraft Foods for inspiration for this recipe.

What are holiday meals without stuffing/dressing? I have to say, for my first time making homemade stuffing, this particular recipe came out great! The flavours mixed well together and was quite moist but not mushy. Since my turkey was in the oven all day I wanted to make this on the stove top so I could make it while the turkey was roasting. It only took about an hour and half to make total so it worked out well. Feel free to leave your comments/suggestions in the comments.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: approx. 1 hour
Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients

• Approximately 8-10 cups french bread, cubed
• 1-1 1/2 cups sausage meat (I used Little Smokies, but turkey or pork work well here)
• 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries or raisins
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cubed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1-1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Cubed and chop all ingredients.
2. Toast walnuts in microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes (or until you can smell them).
3. In a large saute pan or skillet, melt 3 Tbsp butter in the pan and add cubed bread, coating in the butter. Brown them on each side, but make sure not to burn them. The bread should preferably be at least a day old to dry the bread out; this will help them to toast better and keep from becoming mushy.
4. In a stock pot, saute onions and celery on medium high heat with 3 Tbsp butter. Saute for around five minutes or until onions are translucent.
5. In separate pan, brown sausage. Once onions are cooked through, add sausage to the stock pot.
6. Add bread cubes, pieces, walnuts, cranberries (or raisins), and apples cubes. Once mixed, add the stock. You want to keep the stuffing moist but not too mushy. Mix in spices and seasonings.
7. Cover with a lid and turn down the heat to low. Let the stuffing simmer for an hour or so. Continually check to see if it needs more stock, and stir to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Change it up! This recipe is highly flexible. Add, subtract, or substitute to your likely. Try out different breads, such as wheat, sourdough, or potato bread. You can also add a splash of Chardonnay or other wines to add a little extra flavour. Another way to change up the flavour is with a squeeze of lemon or orange juice. You can also add rosemary or garlic. The list goes on for how to change the flavourings in the recipe.

How about you? What’s your favourite ingredient in your holiday stuffing/dressing? What kind of stuffing does your family make? Share your thoughts in the comments.

With the holiday season just around the corner, I figured I would update this recipe. These soft cookies are always a fun, sugary hit! I whipped up a batch while some of our friends were over. Not only are they tasty, but also fun to decorate and pretty to look at. Enjoy :)

Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 8-10 minutes
Makes: 2-3 dozen

Ingredients

Cookie Dough
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Frosting

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• Food colouring (optional)
• Sprinkles (optional)

Steps
Cookie Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almost extract.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture.
4. Roll into two inch balls and put unto lightly greased baking sheets. Or you can always use a Christmasy cookie cutter.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown.

Frosting

1. In medium mixing bowl, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and enough water to achieve desired consistency.
2. I put about four drops of red food colouring in the frosting mix. I also added some festive red coloured sugar on top. You could mix and match colours, like a combination of red, green, and white to add a more Christmasy touch. Have fun with it!

Credit! This recipe is adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! As we celebrate this day of giving thanks I hope your day of cooking and sharing went well and safely. Cheers!

With the holidays just around the corner you’re probably thinking of delicious food and entertaining family. This year I’m having my in-laws for Thanksgiving and I’m writing up what will hopefully be a delicious menu.The most important part of the meal is the entree, right? Should we go with the traditional turkey? Or maybe a ham? You could even do something a little more out there and serve a holiday roast. If you have vegetarian eaters you could make some delicious manicotti. This year, though, I think I’ll stick to with the tranditional roasted turkey.Currently this is what I’m planning:

• Spicy spinach cheese dip with veggies and crackers
• Roasted turkey with gravy
• Sausage, apple, and cranberry stuffing
• Homemade mashed potatoes
• Homemade dinner rolls
• Sour cream and raisin pie
• Cinnamon apple crisp

Now this sounds like a lot of food for only four people, but hey, it’s Thanksgiving! And I’m sure the leftovers will be just as good. Expect to see recipes on what to do with your leftover turkey.What is your favourite family recipes? What about new ones you want to try out? What do you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers? Let us know in the comments.