Santa Likes More than Milk & Cookies
Ahhhh yes, the holidays are in full swing, seeing as it is just DAYS before Christmas! Do you have your menu ready?! If you don’t (and even if you do) we’re talking the best holiday dishes-from breakfasts, apps & snacks, desserts and cocktails-but in time saving mode and budget friendly! Now some of these may seem like basic holiday dishes, but it’s not a complete holiday for this gal without these staple items:
Breakfast/brunch
Mom’s Monkey Bread:
Ingredients-
2 cans Pillsbury Grands rolls
Butter
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Bundt pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the Grands rolls in half, roll into balls.
Combine ½ sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl
Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar mix and place into a greased bundt pan
Once the bundt pan is filled, mix the remaining cinnamon sugar with ½ cup brown sugar and 1 stick of melted butter.
Pour over the bundt pan and bake for 30-35 minutes!
Once cooled, flip onto clean plate, cut & enjoy!
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Grandma’s Eggs Portugal
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb skinless sausage – cut in 1/3’s & brown…(crumble)
9 slices of heavy bread (example:Pepperidge farm) take off crusts & cube
2 cups shredded cheddar.
6 eggs, 2 ½ cups milk, 1 T mustard – beat together
Line bottom of 9x13 pan with bread cubes. Place cheese, then sausage over bread. Pour egg mix over.
Cover with saran wrap & refrigerate overnight. Next AM mix 1 can cr of mushroom (I use cr. chicken) soup with ½ can milk & pour over top.
Bake at 350 deg. For 1 to 1 ½ hours…Eggs should not be soupy.
ENJOY!
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Apps
Mini Pigs-in-a-blanket
Ingredients:
Mini hot dogs (or sausages if you prefer! Or both!)
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut the crescent rolls in ½
Roll the mini hot dogs (or sausages) in the cut rolls
Place on lightly greased baking sheet
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the rolls become lightly browned on the top.
Serve with a small bowl of ketchup, barbeque sauce, or plain and enjoy!
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Sweet & Sour Crockpot Meatballs
This one is a fan favorite and crazy simple in a pinch!
Ingredients:
1 Bag frozen meatballs
1 container sweet & sour sauce
Empty meatballs in crockpot
Add sauce
Cook on low for 4-5 hours (or on high for 2-3!)
Serve with rolls, plain, or both!
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Dessert
Syd’s Peppermint Bark
Another super easy, yet staple item!
Ingredients:
Peppermint candies
White Chocolate
Milk (or dark) Chocolate
Vegetable Oil
Beat the peppermint candies into small pieces, put aside
Melt white chocolate w/ tablespoon vegetable oil
Spread melted white chocolate over cookie sheet lined with waxed paper
Spread the peppermint candy pieces over the top-however you feel best!
Melt milk (or white) chocolate w/ 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Drizzle chocolate over the top
Chill until solid, break into pieces and enjoy!
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Swedish Spritz Cookies
These cookies can be a bit touchy, so proceed with caution.
Ingredients:
Sugar
Butter
Egg (1)
Salt
Vanilla (or almond) extract
Flour
Spritz cookie maker (available on Amazon!)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Cream together 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, egg and extract of choice together
Work in 2 ½ cups flour SLOWLY (might want to use your hands for this)
Insert the dough into the cookie press
Press onto ungreased cookie sheet
Bake for 6-9 minutes or until lightly browned on top
Cool and enjoy!
For a twist, add a step after step 2 and throw in some food coloring!
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Cocktails
Bailey’d Coffee
Since we’re cozily caffeinated, are we even doing a holiday without kickstarting with some boozy coffee??
Mimosa Bar
Is it really Christmas without a mimosa bar?
Ingredients:
Champagne
Juices of choice:
Orange juice
Grapefruit juice
Pomegranate juice
Cranberry juice
You can take it from here.
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Rum & Eggnog
Spiced rum
Your choice of Eggnog
Combine 1 shot of spiced rum to 1 glass of eggnog and enjoy!
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Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Ingredients:
Vodka
Cranberry Juice
Ginger ale
Lime for garnish
Combine ingredients
Stir and enjoy!
Add a slice of lime to the side of the glass for a garnish!
Now that we’ve covered the basics, what are you waiting for?! GET COOKING! (Don't keep Santa waiting!)
Cheers & enjoy!