My holiday greatest hits

I’ve already got my elasticized waist pants ready.

Surely you’ll find yourself incredibly busy this time of year, no matter what holidays are around the bend. Luckily, I have a few recipes in my arsenal to give you some inspiration.

Triple chocolate chip cookies

Triple chocolate chip cookies — I actually made six dozen of these rich, chewy cookies last night. Yep. SIX. Always a showstopper, and a foolproof recipe to convert even the most finicky dessert-eaters. Let me put it this way: people who claim to not like chocolate, or cookies, now request these on a yearly basis.

Chewy molasses spice cookies

Chewy molasses spice cookies — Grownup and kid approved. Plus, like the triple chocolate chip cookies, one batch makes a ton—perfect for parties and gift-giving. Need I say more?

Bourbon pumpkin cheesecake

Bourbon pumpkin cheesecake — Seriously, I just can’t. This cake is too much amazing! Just make it.

Honey cake

Honey cake — Celebrating Hanukkah, or just prefer a soft, spiced loaf cake for dessert? Look no further than this incredibly easy gem. It’s my go-to for quick dinner party desserts. I usually serve it with some vanilla whipped cream, because why not?

Apple pie muffins

Apple pie muffins — Perfect for chilly winter mornings. I am making these for Christmas Day, to go along with Eggs Benedict and a terrifying amount of coffee with eggnog! If there is one day for me to indulge above all other days, it’s Christmas Day.

 

Happy holidays!

Apple pie muffins

Summer is almost here, and the comforts of fall and winter are nearly behind us. That doesn’t mean that all familiar flavours and ingredients have to fall by the wayside too, right?

Quick Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Icing

Gloriously gooey—barely had time to snap a photo before inhaling these!

I have got to say, there’s been a real mishmash of exciting and bizarre things going on in my life lately. Feel free to apply that to any and every subject you can. What you really want to know is how it applies to food, right?

Meat. It means tons and tons of meat: pulled pork, roasted and barbecued chicken, beef roasts, and everything in between. I have started having daymares from it all. Something sweet had to come in … something comforting and decadent. Did someone say “cinnamon buns?”

Aloo Gobhi Stuffing

Comforting and complex flavours make this stuffing a hit.

Dressing, sides, stuffing—whatever you want to call it, this stuff isn’t meant for holiday dinners anymore!

Eating a bowl of stuffing might seem strange to some, but I like to think that those people just haven’t really lived. It’s the best part of every turkey dinner, and is always the first of the leftovers to disappear in my house.

Apple crisp

You know it’s coming: the endless waves of winter sweets. Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or just plain ol’ holiday spirit, undoubtedly yields tons of delicious food. Heck, you’ve probably already been on the dessert wagon since Hallowe’en.

Well, I thought I would kick things off lightly with a simple apple crisp. Nothing too sweet or heavy, just homemade comfort food done in no time.

Chocolate Zucchini bread

Have you seen a more perfect loaf?

Yep. Zucchini again. But this time with chocolate—and you can’t argue with that! After my August fritter mayhem, I ended up with a couple extra zucchini lying around. The answer? Riffing on boring, old zucchini bread by making it attractive, moist, and deceptively healthier than other recipes I have come across. Best of all, it’s as easy and budget-friendly as anyone could ask for.

Spicy chicken skewers

Pretty amazing, I know.

There is something about the summer that makes people ravenous for barbecue. I don’t know if it’s the warm sunshine or the antsy feeling of being caged in during the winter months, but the idea of grilling anything turns me into the kind of crazy similar to those women who go crazy for sample sale wedding dresses.

So I decided to riff. It was my cousin’s baby shower this past weekend and I could think of only one thing to make: chicken skewers with an Asian/Mediterranean/Mexican twist. I had a foolproof trio of flavours in mind and an itch to get back in the food-making game.

Hearty Turkey Chili

Warm, hearty and astonishingly simple.

Have you noticed the crummy weather lately? Drizzly, cold, death for those of us with allergies–if none of this sounds familiar, I envy you and the paradise you evidently live in! For the past couple of weeks it has been difficult to think of something satisfying and healthy(-ish) to make after long work days spent trekking under downpours and overcast skies.

There are few better ways to feel warm and satisfied on a dreary weeknight than to cozy up with a bowl of chili, a glass of wine and a backlog of TV shows in the PVR queue.

Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

One could get lost in the cracks of this cookie. It is amazing.

Dear America’s Test Kitchen,

You now have the rights to my soul. Why? Because you have never failed me. Ever. And for that, I thank you and will continue to be faithful.

Sincerely,
Patricia (and the slew of people who have benefitted from my ATK recipes).

Forget what you think you know about spiced cookies. These are going to rock your world.

Honey Cake

I rule.

I know, I know—it’s been way too long in updating this blog. But truth be told it’s been a far crazier month than I anticipated. This basically means virtually all of my baking and cooking took place over the course of one week. You guessed it: 18 Dec – 25 Dec. I asked for it.