Category: Holiday

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Dessert, Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes
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DIY No-Bake Cookie Boxes

What better day to talk about cookie boxes than on National Cookie Day?! I had high hopes for my Christmas baking this year, but the reality of the third trimester and a now-ten-month-old (!!!!) is that I just can’t bring myself to bake several different types of cookies.

I grabbed most of everything for these cookie boxes from Trader Joe’s. It’s always my favorite place for charcuterie boards, and basically that’s what we’re making here!

I added some customization by melting my favorite Dolci Frutta and dipping two of the cookies in them and then topping them with crushed candy canes and sprinkles.

Here’s what’s in these cookie boxes:

  • Triple Ginger Cookies and Christmas Tree cookies (Trader Joe’s – left them naked and tied the trees with ribbon)
  • Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies, for which I used Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (from the regular grocery store)
  • Chocolate Batons from Trader Joe’s
  • Hershey Kisses, Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Cups, Trader Joe’s Peppermint Covered Almonds
  • Peppermint Joe Joe’s dipped in chocolate and crushed candy canes
  • Trader Joe’s shortbread dipped in chocolate and sprinkles (sprinkles from Target!).

Love these boxes for an easy way to DIY something for the holiday but also maintain your sanity. God bless all of you who have the patience to DIY actual cookie boxes from scratch!

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Quick Bites
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New Cookbooks Perfect for Holiday Gifts

One of my favorite gifts – to give or receive – is a great cookbook. There are so many cookbooks that came out this year that would make the perfect gift!

Here are some ideas on how to gift a cookbook:

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Dessert, Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes
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Pecan Pie Short Bread Bars with Drizzled Chocolate

Don’t you just love making a treat that is like, just a little less effort? Guys, I love a good pie (and I really love a great pecan pie). Forget “easy as pie” – this is “easier than pie!”

Especially at this point in my pregnancy (hey, 29 weeks!), I’m getting tired on my feet, and my belly is getting in the way. Like, to be honest, the idea of rolling out a pie crust right now is not my idea of fun!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Main, Quick Bites, Recipes
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Turkey Breast Stuffed with Mushrooms, Bacon and Cranberries

Let’s start this by saying, this isn’t the prettiest thing I’ve made. You’re seeing the second go of this recipe – the first time it was perfect. And it was pretty. I almost wasn’t going to share this because this turkey breast wasn’t as pretty as the first one – but hey. Let’s learn from my mistakes!

So, because of #quarantine, this Thanksgiving is looking a little different. There is basically no reason to make a whole turkey, so a turkey breast is a great alternative! You could even roast some turkey legs, too, if you want the dark meat.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Appetizer, Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes
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Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce & Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer Recipe

Can I even just tell you guys how much I love appetizers? It’s just my favorite. A cocktail party is my dream. Tapas is so much fun. I just love having lots of little dishes, especially for entertaining. My favorite gatherings I’ve hosted have been ones where we just serve picky food.

So, here’s a new idea for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table – goat cheese crostini topped with apple cider cranberry sauce!

These crostini are toasted in a pan with butter, giving them a gentle crunch with a soft middle. The creaminess of the goat cheese balances the tang in the cranberry sauce. And then, there’s the cranberry sauce. Sweet. Tangy. A little warm, with a hint of cinnamon.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Appetizer, Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes
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Baked Camembert with Balsamic Vinegar Caramelized Figs

We’re continuing Friendsgiving week with the PERFECT and EASY fall appetizer you have to make this year, holiday or not. This appetizer is warm, and creamy, and a little sweet – but a lot good. I mean. Really good.

I love an easy appetizer that feels special but doesn’t require a crazy amount of effort (honestly, there’s only a few recipes I’m willing to make that do). But the flavors in this are perfectly balanced, with that tangy, creamy, sweetness. And literally you can put this together in 30 minutes with barely any hands on effort.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Dessert, Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes
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Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream with Candied Pecans Recipe

There are two things that are totally essential – and worth it – about this recipe: making the custard base and purchasing the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment. Because if you like pumpkin spice, and you like ice cream, this recipe is a must. have.

So, I’m sure you’ve seen those no churn recipes that you don’t need an ice cream maker for – the ones that just use condensed milk and heavy cream. I’ve made them before, too, and they’re great. But this ice cream maker is a game changer. And my favorite thing? It has to store in the freezer, so it’s not even in the kitchen taking up space.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes, Side Dish
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Sausage and Roasted Grape Stuffing with Rosemary and Thyme

Can you imagine a Thanksgiving table without stuffing? It’s 100% my favorite part of the meal! Savory, satisfying, crunchy, soft, salty. It’s so much all in one bite. This year, I’m dishing out this sausage and roasted grape stuffing with rosemary and thyme.

Using breakfast sausage, rosemary and thyme brings those traditional flavors of the holidays I’m sure we are all gravitating towards, especially this year. But the roasted grapes – they bring something a little more unique to the table. They’re soft but still firm enough that they give you a burst of sweet juice when you take a bite.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Quick Bites, Recipes, Side Dish
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Butter, Garlic and Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash

Welcome to Friendsgiving week! I love using Friendsgiving as an excuse to create some fun, non traditional dishes. I hope you love the recipes this week and it inspires you to try something new, whether a small Thanksgiving gathering or a socially-distanced-outdoor-mask-wearing-be-smart-Friendsgiving.

If you haven’t made acorn squash yet, this recipe is your reason to try it! I always see stuffed acorn quash for a Thanksgiving side, but I cut these into slices and roasted them up in butter, garlic and parmesan. Can I even tell you how amazing the house smelled?!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Quick Bites
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Stove Top Potpourri for Hostess Gifts

Where are my last minute gift givers?! I always find myself scrambling for a few little things just a few days before the holidays. Typically, we start Christmas shopping in October to slowly check off our lists. And then, come December ~22nd I realize I forgot one or two little things I needed to add or realized I needed a hostess gift.

These little stove top potpourris are one of my favorite hostess gifts – love a consumable! I also love the excuse to make a batch of these so I have some stove top potpourri for Christmas Eve, the one holiday we host each year.

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