Holiday Favorites, A List. . .

I've put together a simple list of great holiday treats to fill your gift baskets or take on over to a holiday get together. They've all worked well for me and I'd make them again and again, and I will. Most are pretty simple to pull off but won't disappoint. To try any of them out, just click the link and it'll take ya on over to the recipe.

Merry Christmas!

Becky

Festive and simple. . .Ribbon Cookies

No baking required for these Toffee Sticks

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies, nutty, buttery and tart.

English Toffee, butter, sugar and almonds, enough said!

Chocolate Cherry Cookies, one of my favorite combos.

Chocolate Cherry Shortbread a simplified version of above which I actually prefer.

Nutty Nougats, if you miss the Archway version, these come close.

Rugelach, Jewish yes, but why not for Christmas too?

Peppermint Marshmallows, impress your friends with these.

Crispy Date Bars, these are a crowd pleaser.

Chocolate Pecan Florentine Cookies, delicate and crispy.

Happy Holiday Baking!

Gingerbread House Cookies

Last Christmas I spotted these cookie cutters in the holiday section of my local grocery store. I had to have one. I couldn't wait to make mini houses and I love the simple genius and efficiency of this cutter. Even though it was only $5, I'm a cheapskate and I was on a tight budget last holiday season (who isn't) and was trying to be really good about impulse purchases. So I passed on them. Then a week or two past Christmas, I was browsing through the clearance bin of that same store and discovered there were 3 of these cutters left, priced 75% OFF. OK, that was it, I couldn't resist. I snatched them up. Then sat a waited, a whole year, to try the recipe, post it for all of you AND. . . give the two extra cutters away. Yep, two lucky readers can have one of these all for themselves. Wahoo. But first, check out how cute these little houses turned out. . .

Marshmallow Cheesecake

You know during the holidays when a good friend calls and invites your whole family over for diner and since you've been crazy busy this is totally what you need, a no-brainer dinner for the fam? So you accept. And because she a good friend you say "What can I bring?" And you're friend says "Just bring a dessert. Something fabulous." And she says this because you write a food blog and kinda have a reputation for fabulous desserts. But fabulous desserts take fabulous amounts of time to become fabulous. And you've been working extra hours at work because they're shorthanded and because you could use the extra cash at the holidays. Your house is a wreck, the kids have no clean clothes and the last thing you have is time to make a fabulous dessert. Been there? Stuck between Ho Ho Ho and Oh No! That's where this recipe swoops in and saves the day. Seriously it takes 15 minutes to throw together (it does need to chill out in the fridge for a couple of hours). Tastes divine and can be topped with just about anything you can imagine. (I went with a quick tangy raspberry sauce.) Everyone will love this recipe, be totally impressed and beg you for the recipe. Even those who may scoff at cheesecake will like this lighter version. Give it a try. . .