Nativity scenes have come a long way since your grandma's day. Whether you choose a modern version from Alessi, a toddler-friendly Fisher Price nativity, or a handcrafted investment set from famed designer Alexander Girard, these six nativity scenes are guaranteed to become your child's favorite piece of Christmas decor. Keep clicking to find your favorite.
Need a new treat this holiday season? Then up a batch of homemade Nutella! All you need to make this chocolaty spread is sugar, hazelnuts, baker’s chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut oil. In addition to being quick and easy to make, this delicious spread will keep unrefrigerated for over a week, which makes it an ideal gift to ship to your loved ones for the holidays. Watch our video to learn how you can make our favorite recipe.
Question: what cheery holiday dish also happens to make use of last night's leftovers? Answer: a turkey and cranberry wreath! This baked number is not only the perfect showstopper to bring to a Christmas party, but it also comes together in well under an hour. It's our favorite way to use leftover turkey (or chicken) without it feeling like leftovers. Watch the video to learn how.
No Southern holiday party is complete without green pepper jelly mounted high atop a slab of cream cheese, which is why it's a festive gift to offer friends and family.
If you're not from the South, then this might seem like an unusual flavored jelly. Made from green bell peppers, jalapeños, apple cider vinegar, and sugar, it tastes similar to a sweet/spicy Indian chutney. To me, it tastes like pickled jalapeños in a jelly form. In a good way, of course!
I'll be the first to admit that pepper jelly may look a whole lot like Ghostbusters green slime, but it only takes one bite of the sweet, peppery jelly atop cream cheese and a cracker to become a pepper jelly fan for life.
Step away from the buffet! When you're pregnant, it often feels like there are more items on the do not eat list than foods you can devour! The holidays are all about food, family, (gifts!) and fun, so it's important to know what's safe for you and your baby-to-be before heading sitting down to dinner. Take this quiz to see if you know what to pile on your plate over Christmas and New Year's!
I've always wanted to put a special little tree in my daughter's room, but I'm not a fake-tree lover and the idea of two sets of needles to vacuum is just too much for me. That's why I'm in love with the idea of crafting a kid-friendly Christmas tree! Not only are the following DIY paper trees fun to make with your kids, they can also add some holiday appeal to any room. Keep clicking to find your favorite, and start crafting!
Quick breads are one of the easiest things to bake and one of the most enthusiastically received gifts. My grandmother must receive at least 20 loaves from friends during the holiday season! She stacks them high in her freezer and pulls them out throughout the year.
I have fond memories as a child, waking up to the smell of banana nut bread reheating in the oven on Christmas morning. Call me strange, but growing up, I soaked bits of toasted banana nut bread in corn grits along with bacon crumbles. I still think it's the most incredible sweet-salty combination.
This recipe is on the cakey side, and it's not overwhelmingly sweet. When I make breakfast breads, I prefer things that are slightly crunchy and complex, which is why I added some wheat flour and a hefty dose of walnuts to the mix. Remarkably, this banana nut bread tastes even better reheated; I recommend toasting thick slices in the oven until the edges become crunchy. Gift this banana nut bread the day of or day after you make it and include a card that recommends the recipient eat it within three days or freeze it for later use.
Cinnamon rolls are a prized breakfast possession in America, yet few families will attempt to make them from home. It's understandable why. Who wants to wake up before the crack of dawn to let dough rise for several hours? Ahem, well maybe me, but I'm in the vast minority. Luckily, I've included instructions to prep certain items the night before, so the cinnamon rolls will be ready to eat (the morning of) in one hour.
Like many Americans, I don't have childhood memories of anyone in my family attempting to make homemade cinnamon rolls — just memories of the Pillsbury canisters popping open to unleash the leaven dough. However, I learned the magic behind homemade rolls when I started a job at a bakery in high school.
Making the dough is fairly easy using a food processor. The hardest part is waiting the two hours to let the dough double. The moist, pliable dough rolls out to form a thin rectangular shape, which you slather with butter and cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon roll shapes are made by rolling the dough into a tight log, then cutting it into slices. As the dough bakes, your kitchen will be filled with the most excruciating scent that is sure to send even your farthest neighbors flocking. Once the buns come out of the oven, top them with the sticky cream-cheese icing. Watch it melt into every crevice of the steaming hot buns, and then get ready for everyone to take a dive for the spatula.
Nothing compares to homemade cinnamon rolls. It's mighty satisfying to unravel the seemingly infinite layers of the brioche-like bun to uncover the melted cinnamon sugar that has seeped into the buttery dough. While some people will add in nuts or top the buns with an orange glaze, I prefer to keep my cinnamon rolls this way — plain and simple — to evoke nostalgic memories of Winter mornings with my family.
As soon as the holiday season arrives, my first stop is Trader Joe's for a box of the Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, which are essentially Double Stuf Oreos with pieces of crushed peppermint candy inside the cream filling. Given the insanely addictive quality of these cookies, I knew this year I had to incorporate them into a holiday gift.
Easy to make and beautiful to bestow, these snappy chocolate clusters are packed with crushed Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, then sprinkled with colorful peppermint pieces. I used a high-quality dark chocolate, but if tempering seems too difficult or too tedious, these candies can be made using hard chocolate shell too.
To package these clusters for the holidays, simply wrap up six in a cellophane bag, tie it with festive ribbon, and encourage your gift recipient to eat these cooling clusters frozen.
Click here to start making peppermint cookies and cream clusters.
What makes you most excited about the holidays? From a surprise visit by Santa's elf to a family trip to admire the neighborhood lights, our moms have shared treasured family holiday traditions that spread good cheer. Read on for inspiration!
