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It’s the holiday season!   It’s time to pull out those time-worn classics and it may also be time to add some new flavors to this year’s festivities!  We’ve got some ideas for you that are favorites at our house, and will definitely make you the one who brings home the empty platter from the Christmas party! All Things Merry and Yummy – Christmas Food Ideas was made to get from party platters to the meals that matter and everything in between.

 

 

 

Of course, you need to make, decorate, and stuff your face with these beauties!  I’m not crafty even a little, but these rich, buttery cookies make me look good every single time.  We usually make a batch to get us in the holiday spirit, and then one closer to the big day because they’re just so stinkin’ good to have around for munching!  Easy to make and even easier to eat — the name says it all — Perfect Frosted Sugar Cookies.

I’ve made this Homemade Caramel Corn for decades and I’m going to promise you that it’s easier than you think to whip up a batch either for gifting (little holiday cellophane bags or Christmas tins work beautifully) or for a treat that’ll last through ’til the holidays are over.  You just can’t go wrong with crunchy, salty, sweet caramel-y corn, can you?

For addictive, gooey, crunchy yum you may not be able to put down, I bring you Christmas Crunch! It is Christmas-y because we only let ourselves make it once a year around here due to the fact that we canNOT stop eating it.  No baking for this one and perfect for sharing, parties, or gifts!

How about these gorgeous Toasted Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Cherry Jam? These are delightful little shortbread cookies made special with coconut and your choice of jelly.  Would be the first one gone on a cookie tray!

These Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are showstoppers and will delight anyone who takes a bite and finds a soft, gooey caramel tucked into the middle!

Or how about taking pecan pie and ask it to step aside and let its yummier version step up and serve more people while it’s at it.  Gooey Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are what you want for Christmas this year!

At our house, an absolute favorite holiday treat is peppermint ice cream dunked in a warm bath of this luxuriousness…

Homemade Hot Fudge makes several cups and works well for last-minute guests or a long-day-chocolate-fix.  Put peppermint ice cream into a chocolate pie shell and freeze and serve with this chocolate-y goodness over the top!  Or add layers of cherry pie filling to the fudge and vanilla bean ice cream and you have festive sundaes anytime!

Heck, put it in a jar, add a lovely ribbon and you have a gift that will make them love you forever!

Glazed Cranberry Orange Muffins are as lovely as they are fabulous. We make them several times during the holiday season when cranberries are in full swing, and they would be the perfect Christmas morning or brunch accompaniment to tea or coffee!  With a tart orange glaze drizzled over sweet, soft orange-ish muffins and bursts of sweetened cranberries, these sweet little beauties are gorgeous and delightful.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter are always a win! These Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls have crunch crispy rice cereal inside and are an easy, no-bake Christmas treat win!

Need a bunch of bites that’ll bring ’em back again and again to your bowl? These Maple Glazed Bacon Weenies have all of the sweet and spicy yum plus bacon!

Or wow them with this impossible-to-stop-eating crack-like appetizer! have four little ingredients: crescent rolls, bacon, maple syrup, and brown sugar and will KNOCK their socks off!!

It’s Christmas morning and you need something easy and filling to get you through to dinnertime! This Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Braid can be made ahead and pulled out of the fridge to bake while you open your presents!  Layers of tender, flaky puff pastry surround cheesy and savory sausage to make a perfect start to your holiday.

 I also love to whip up a Skillet Frittata and I’ve found that I can chop all the veggies (and ham) up ahead of time and refrigerate them so that assembly is lickety-split fast!

Add some festive Glazed Raspberry Almond Scones for the perfect breakfast (they can be frozen ahead and baked for breakfast!!).

There’s a Christmas dinner and you need the perfect side dish.  Tens of thousands of lovely readers have found this to be the dish that makes them the popular kid at the party.  You just can’t go wrong with THE Mac and Cheese!

 

Or how about this loveliness to serve your family?  Seriously, this is my new favorite thing.  Raspberry Cheesecake Fluff has all of the ingredients to make you a Christmas dinner hero and it’s as easy to make as it is festive!

With two ingredients you can make a main course that will make everyone happy and won’t break the bank.  Our family’s absolute favorite meal always begins with the Best Ham Ever.

So there ya go! May all your holidays be merry and your new year bright and blessed.  Merry, yummy Christmas from That Which Nourishes!