Category: Holiday

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Dessert, Holiday
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One-Bite Mini Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Guys, I really love pumpkin spice. The day that the PSL becomes available, I feel like the fall season truly kicks off. Bring on the sweaters and scarves, and #pumpkinspiceeverything. But – I do not like pumpkin pie. But – I love these pumpkin pies!

I think the crust-to-pie ratio makes me like these minis, but I also love how silky the filling is. How quickly these come together doesn’t hurt, either!

Some of my friends and family aren’t really fans of pumpkin pie either, and I’m definitely more known for my apple pie. But there’s something magical about these little one-bite pumpkin pies that seem to be a crowd pleaser. Topping them with a bunch of whipped cream doesn’t hurt either!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Recipes, Side Dish
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An Easy Kale Salad for Christmas Eve

Getting the menu right for a holiday is all about balance. I try not to, for example, have too many carb-heavy dishes because you don’t want your guests to feel bloated. Plus, I’m really all about the sides. Plus, the sides can be so colorful! I love the sweetness and the crunchieness of this salad paired with the creamy bolognese pasta I’m serving up on Christmas Eve.

Can I let you guys in on a little secret? I don’t like kale. Well, I didn’t. And I was like, “you have to massage your kale? Too much work.” This coming from the girl who goes to 4 grocery stores every weekend just to shop for the week. I mean, really? So anyway, I made this salad, and I massaged the kale, because nobody has time for bitter kale, and I actually apparently really like it!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Creamy Bolognese Pasta Sauce Recipe

Entertaining guests is something hubby and I love to do year round, but there’s really something special about hosting a holiday. While we don’t host Thanksgiving or Christmas, Christmas Eve is our one night we get to host a special holiday for friends and family. I love to take the approach of a more casual evening, with simple foods and flavors that really warm you up and make you feel cozy.

This year’s menu is so super simple – shrimp cocktail, this creamy bolognese sauce, a few simple side dishes and mini pumpkin pies. It’s all about the company. Well, and a little bit about the music, too.

The mix of beef and sausage brings a little something extra special to the dish, and if you wanted to really shake it up, you could use spicy sausage – watch out! I should note, too, that any ground meat could work, so you can change it up based on what you like. I recently saw a bolognese with lentils, must try that next!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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5 Cute Cookies & Milk for Santa Sets

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is leaving cookies and milk out for Santa (and carrots for Rudolph, of course), along with a letter to Santa. I remember every year really thinking about what I hoped Santa would bring and tuck under the tree for me, writing it in a letter, putting it out along with cookies (a bribe?), and waiting for the magic in the morning to see a bite taken out of the cookie and the milk gone. A little dose of magic and such a sweet memory!

I love these little cookies & milk sets for Santa, and what a cute little gift to give to our friends with kiddos with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

 

Vineyard Vines Set, $65.00

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Stocking Stuffers for Foodies

Can I tell you a secret? The Christmas Stocking is my favorite part of Christmas! It’s my favorite to open and my favorite to gift and I actually have a strategy for gifting it. Well, not a real strategy, but my favorite way to gift a Christmas stocking is to pick a theme and run with it.

Last year, my husband gave me all little cooking tools in my stocking and it was his best yet – he actually learned something from me!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Recipes
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Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe

What does one get the dog who has everything?! Or really, what does one get a dog for Christmas? Homemade dog treats!

Can I just start by telling you, our dog, Mudbrick (named after our favorite winery in New Zealand), was freaking out over these treats? He was air sniffing, offering up every trick he knows to try to score one, and doing this little growling thing he does when he wants something.

These are so fast and easy to make, you’ll be dishing out treats for every single dog in your life! And the ingredients are really quite simple, just make sure you use an all natural peanut butter. There are some with add ins that doggos’ stomachs can’t process.

I of course made pretty boy sit patiently and wait while I could snap a few pictures of the dog treats packaged up for his neighbor pals!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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11 Cookbooks for Gifting

Want to know a secret? Cookbooks are my favorite. I mean it, I can sit and just read cookbooks all day long! I think they’re also a really fun gift for basically anyone on your list.

I think the best way to pick a great cookbook as a gift is to think about what that person really loves – are they into sweets? Do they just love brunch? Are they a little bit sassy? Do they love the science of cooking? Maybe they love to watch movies. There’s a cookbook for everyone and every personality!

  1. Cravings. A classic, non?
  2. Salt Fat Acid Heat. For the person who really loves the science of it all!
  3.  Whiskey in a Teacup. So super cute and who doesn’t love Reese?
  4.  The Perfect Cookie, for the bakers and sweet lovers.
  5.  What’s Gaby Cooking, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Cook round up. Just love that Cali-cool vibe Gaby has!
  6.  Eat What You Watch – for the move lover!
  7.  Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook. I love Bourdain and anything by him. This one is a preorder!
  8. Meathead, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Pitmaster.
  9. Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics is always a solid choice!
  10.  Magnolia Table, because Joanna is just my favorite.
  11. Better Baking, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Baker round up!

 

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Gift Guide: For the Pitmaster

If there’s one thing I wish I was really good at, it’s BBQ. I always feel at a loss and admittedly, a bit intimidated by the whole cooking-over-a-flame and the whole this-thing-is-like-500-degrees. I do have such an appreciation for the people in my life that have so much talent on a grill, and kept them in mind when thinking about this gift guide!

  1. A wood fired pizza grill. 2. A set of BBQ rubs from Williams-Sonoma, which are always a hit and such great quality. 3. Omaha Steaks. I know a box of meat feels a little random, but it’s such a great gift for someone who loves to BBQ! 4. Canvas apron. 5. iGrill mini thermometer – one of our FAVORITE gadgets. It’s bluetooth, and will tell your phone when you’re a few degrees away from your set target temperature. Meat will always be perfect! 6. Charcoal chimney starter. 7. Grilling tool set. 8. A great grilling cookbook.
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Gift Guide: For the Foodie

Okay, I know we are all probably foodies here, but stay with me. This gift guide is for the one who is really more into the eating food than cooking or baking (promise, I’ve got a gift guide right around the corner for the cook and the baker!). Surely, you’ll find some overlap for anyone on this list, but really it’s been put together for that I-love-food-but-I-can’t-really-cook gal or guy.

  1. Who doesn’t love a little gift set?! Your recipient will only need to add pasta & cheese to this crate (or include a really pretty pasta and a nice block of parm!) 2. Cheese markers & some nice cheeses. 3. A wine bag (stashed with some bottles!) 4. Or combine that wine bag with a Vinebox subscription. 5. Cute ornaments, like an avocado or slice of bacon. 6. This book that literally makes me want to go out to eat every single weekend and not cook a thing. 7. Foodie dice, so cute! 8. Really, really good olive oil for dipping.
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Gift Guide: For the Hostess

Gift giving is my love language – I wish I had bags of money hiding under the mattress just so I could give everyone little gifts! This year, we’re kicking off the gift guide with the hostess in mind. Some of these are great for actual hostess gifts, and some for the hostess with the mostess in your life.

  1. Whisky Truffles, for a little gesture. (Or up the ante with a nice bottle of whiskey & some glasses). 2. Record player. I love playing old vinyl when we have company. 3. Apron, oven mits. Can you have too many? 4. A chic ice bucket. 5. Chemex coffee maker. 6. Rewined candles. Any scent, but Champagne is my fav. 7. A baguette cutting board/server. For all the even pieces you could want! 8. My go to: cheese knives. Really lovely hostess gift but also great for the hostess in your life. Pair with a nice cheese and cutting board to amp it up. 9. A gorgeous corkscrew. 10. A fondu pot. Legit such a great gift for the go-to house in your circle!

A few more ideas for hostess gifts:

  • A nice bottle of wine in a cute cloth bag.
  • Flowers in a pretty vase.
  • A pie, in a leave-behind pie dish.
  • Flowers scheduled to arrive the day after an event. (Bouqs are my fav!)
  • Serving platter, cheeseboard.
  • A basket with cheese, jams, nice crackers.

What are your go-to hostess gifts?