holiday recipes

Potluck Perfection: Cranberry, Pear and Bacon Stuffing. (Mmm…)

December 21, 2016 By Lena 55 Comments

With the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, I’m regularly asked to provide tips for tackling the holidays with ease. For the most part, my suggestions can vary from creating homemade decor to trying the Secret Santa method of gift giving. However, one tip that appears on all my lists – and at the top of most – is to share the workload and have a potluck dinner.

A potluck, people! It’s the perfect way to celebrate togetherness, one dish at a time – especially if that dish is this Cranberry, Pear and Bacon Stuffing. Recipe below!
_dsc1011 Now, often A-type personalities will argue, “It’s too complicated to coordinate a potluck. I’d rather make all the dishes myself; I have more control over the menu that way.” Touché. And I say, “Have fun in the kitchen!” …

Maple Stuffed Turkey Breast with Roasted Carrots

December 14, 2014 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

Ah, holiday entertaining. It usually involves a great feast, a large gathering… and a fridge full of leftovers. But what about those one-offs? The times when friends or family stop by to celebrate the season? In our family, it’s usually the week between Christmas and New Year’s… when everyone decides that they just have to see each other again. So an invitation is offered, a small group is summoned, and we do Christmas part two. Or three.

While I love being surrounded by loved ones, I don’t love trying to think of meal ideas. That’s why I love this recipe for Maple Stuffed Turkey Breast with Roasted Carrots from Maple Leaf Prime; it’s a tribute to the season on a much smaller scale, and it’s perfect for entertaining over the holidays.
Says Maple Leaf: “This mouth-watering Maple Stuffing will leave your guests wanted more! A perfect dish to serve at during the holiday season.” Find this recipe, and more, at Appehtite. Appehtite is a community of people who love to cook, share recipes and celebrate how food brings us together.

This holiday season, we want you feel good about the food you serve to your family and friends. You can trust that Maple Leaf Prime Turkey is Canadian farm raised. In fact, whether fresh or frozen, all of their poultry products are raised here at home, in Canada. Maple Leaf Prime chickens and turkeys are ‘free roam’, which means they’re raised in open concept barns, not cages. They don’t get any growth hormones, either. …

Homemade Irish Cream

December 5, 2012 By Lena

It’s my most searched recipe every time December rolls around.

(To tell the truth, I was searching for it myself this past weekend – which is what prompted me to re-publish it.)

Instead of directing all you kind Googlers to a poorly formatted blog post from December 2008, I decided it was high-time to republish my Homemade Irish Cream recipe.

Homemade you say???

You bet! Why buy it when you can make it? This recipe yields 3 times the amount for 1/3 of the price. I promise you’ll swear off the bottled stuff once you’ve tried this do-it-yourself version – plus, do you know how handy it is to have fresh Irish Cream on hand?

Irish Cream Coffee. Irish Cream Cheesecake. Irish Cream Hot Chocolate. Irish Cream Fudge. Irish Cream Cappuccino. Irish Cream Tiramisu. Irish Cream Mini Cupcakes. Irish Cream Truffles. Oh My!

This oh-so-good liqueur is also a serious contender when you’re out to impress… when was the last time you were served homemade Irish Cream on the rocks? (Serve it in an old fashioned carafe so there’s no doubt you made it from scratch – and be sure to drop it into the conversation at least twice.)

BONUS: It’s perfect for gift giving! Simply grab sterilized glass milk bottles or mason jars and fill to the brim with the delicious concoction. Attached a handmade gift tag and be sure to note that the product must be refrigerated (and add a 1-month expiration date).

Let’s toast with an ol’ Irish saying ~
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup half and half cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Irish whiskey (can substitute Canadian or Scottish, I won’t tell!)
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, combine cream, sweetened condensed milk, Irish whiskey, instant coffee, chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Shake well before serving. Serves 16.