Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe

This is delicious bread pudding Grandma use to make when I was a child using simple pantry ingredients we always had in the house.


Bread, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, just to name a few ingredients went into this comfortubg dessert casserole dish.


She then made her special sauce with vanilla (or bourbon sauce for the adults) to pour over the top while still warm, our family favorite..


Grandma lived with us when I was a child and made this often since dad worked at a bakery back then and we always had so much leftover bread in the house, this was a staple dessert in our home.


Mom would make Italian french toast, bruschetta, and many times with the stale bread, she used it up for old-fashioned homemade bread crumbs.


Nothing went to waste in our Italian household, they were very creative when it saved time, money, and trips to the grocery store.


Dad even had a garden, and occasionally grandma even added apples or berries to the bread pudding when in season.


Easy to make and the most comforting way to serve a dessert when you feel nostalgic since this is a blast from the past 1960s recipe.


If you love bread pudding you may also like to try our Limoncello bread pudding that's also an incredibly delicious version!


Scroll down to get her yummy recipe and let us know how you like it.

Baked Pecan Raspberry Brie

I can't think of anything better than a quick delicious appetizer like this Pecan Raspberry Baked Brie for a festive holiday get-together.


Brie is a soft-ripened cow's cheese from France, and so delicious served warm.


This sweet and savory creamy melted cheese is so addicting and delicious "Party Food" you just can't stop eating it.


How easy is this that in less than 30 minutes this is a beautiful appetizer to serve for your guest and so elegant?


For those of you that love phyllo dough wrapped brie just out my directions, that's just as easy to do below.


Just scroll down to the printable recipe card and make this for any occasion and make it as festive or plain as you like!

New Year's Eve Recipes

Here is the jackpot of New Year's Eve party recipes right here and a one-stop appetizer shop!


There is something for everyone here, and these can be anywhere from making them the whole menu for your party or just a quick bite before dinner.


We have a great assortment of elegant appetizers for that special occasion and even perfect for a wedding cocktail party.


We make a huge assortment of finger foods for all our parties and holiday functions, they're always a big hit, and most of the hot orderves freeze well to make ahead of time.


The hot assortment of appetizers can be kept on a warming tray or reheated in an air fryer for that fresh just made taste!


If I happen to serve many cold appetizers, I generally place them over a bowl of ice to keep them safe and cold all night.


Just scroll through our delightful assortment and check out what your family will like and maybe you would even like My Best Potato Side Dishesor Holiday Special Sides dishes to go along with these yummy finger foods for a large gathering.

Leftover Prime Rib Stir Fry

I know you're saying who has leftover prime rib right? Well, we have so much after the Christmas holiday we love to repurpose it like this recipe in a stir fry.

This stir fry is a wonderful addition to that end piece that may be just a tad overcooked for you!

A whole new meal is created just by adding some of your leftover vegetables or chopping up a few fresh ones you love to create this healthy meal.

While shopping for prime rib I always pick up a bag of mixed julienned vegetables that have shredded cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and snow peas.

I have even used this recipe to make delicious air fried tacos, wraps, there are many ways to serve this filling.

Leftovers can get really boring if you don't come up with some clever ideas, like making my Leftover Prime Rib Pot Pie which is another family favorite!

Make sure you check out my suggestions for serving this delicious stir fry and you may also like my Bourbon Chicken Recipe.

If you're a cabbage lover you may also like my Homemade Egg Rolls and My Easy Fried Rice recipes.

Scroll down to the bottom for this yummy printable recipe to make this tasty meal.

Easy Cabbage Roll Soup

Easy Cabbage Roll Soup is simple and deconstructed something like and this can be made on the stovetop, slow cooker or instant pot.


This one-pan meal takes on all the characteristics of stuffed cabbage rolls but so much easier and can be ready in an hour.


Perfect for any weekday meal and if you're a busy cook, just use the slow cooker adding the rice 30 minutes before it's completed.


We love this cabbage roll soup on a chilly day, and it really has all the same flavors as stuffing those cabbage rolls that take much more time to make and this is so simple.


Scroll down to the end to my printable instruction card for this delicious recipe.

Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake is a dense moist delicious cake made from scratch with spices, banana pineapple in this amazing rich cake with crunchy pecans that make it irresistible.

Truly a vintage classic yet easy recipe for this cake,  very popular in the Southern states.

The cake is lavished with cream cheese frosting which makes this irresistible in every bite.

Many prideful bakers enter their prized recipe for this hummingbird cake as the best during the Kentucky State Fair competitions and people enjoy being a judge taste tester for sure.

This cake is sweet and moist and the nuts give it that crunchy roasted perfect bite.

This is one of my favorite recipes when I need to use up at least 4 bananas that are overripe, this is the perfect solution!

More often you will see this cake displayed with three layers with several layers of pillowy soft cream cheese frosting.

I take the easy way out and either pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 sheet cake pan or bundt to save time.

Either way, the flavors are a wonderful blend of spice, banana, and pineapple enjoyed by all.

If you love banana recipes also try my Banana Streusel Bars and my Banana Oatmeal Cookies both family favorites.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for both the easy delicious cake and frosting recipes.

Quick Torrone Candy

Torrone is an Italian candy we usually make the homemade version around Christmas time, this is a quick version.

This nougat is quite different from my homemade authentic variation that would take much longer so in a pinch this is terrific and super easy.

Using a microwave, white chocolate, and some marshmallows is the start of this delicious candy confection.

You will need just a few more ingredients to get this candy treat on your holiday table.

I love making easy candy you may like my Chocolate Fudge, Amaretto White Fudge and our Irish Cream Truffles are quick and easy family favorites.

If you want a more authentic recipe then try my original Torrone recipe which requires lots of time and a candy thermometer.

This easy fast candy is perfect for gift giving for anyone who loves nougat and with the wafer or rice paper on top keeps it fresh inside for the days to come. Check out my other gift ideas in mason jars here Mason Jar!

If you're a candy lover you may also love Baked Caramel Corn, Slow Cooker Candied Nuts, recipes.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card below to get this easy torrone candy recipe.

Hobo Snack Mix

Here is an easy recipe for one of the best snacks any time of day called Hobo Snack Mix.


Just about anything can be used in this snack recipe leftover in the pantry of cereals and crackers and the best way to use it up.


This buttery snack is made in around 4 to 5 minutes in the microwave and totally addicting.


It is a little sweet and a little savory and sometimes even spicy depending on what you may want to add to it.


Once you grab a handful you just can't stop eating this.


Check out this simple coating and my several additions you can add to this recipe below.


This delicious irresistible snack is over 50 years old and we still make it often and it's perfect for parties and given as a gift when added to a Mason Jar!


If you're a snack lover late at night you may also enjoy, my Baked Caramel Corn, Slow Cooker Candied Nuts, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, and Italian Roasted Chickpea recipes.


Scroll down to my printable recipe card below to get this easy snack recipe.

Christmas Candy House

Holiday projects are memories made, and this Christmas Candy House will certainly give anyone that holiday spirit.

This is a fun, tasty project I have been doing since I was 11 years old.

Back in the 1970s, I would save all my Halloween candy to make my candy house, and way back then, it was unwrapped toffee and tootsie rolls.

We usually made it different every year, and I will give you a list of suggestions on what to use that work perfectly, waiting to eat this on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day if the kids let you wait that long.

As I got older, I made them with my nieces and nephews, then my kids, and now my grandchildren.

We love to make fun treats like our Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes together.

If you're looking to start a delicious, easy tradition, this fun project will live on to the next generation, etched in their minds.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for these easy instructions on how to create this perfect candy house.

Baked Acorn Squash Recipe

These sweet baked acorn squash are the perfect side dish with any meat and so simple to make with just 3 ingredients!


The buttery filled cavity is so delicious and you can also add some other suggestions below to change them up, we love them with diced apples, raisins, and nuts!


Perfect for a side dish, drenched in a buttery cinnamon sugar sauce.


Acorn squash is in abundance all winter long, so if you haven't tried this sweet squash you're in for a real sweet treat!


If you love easy recipes like this one you may also like my Twice Baked Sweet Potato Recipes, with 4 easy terrific toppings!


Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this delicious recipe.

No Bake Eggnog Pie

This No-Bake Eggnog Pie is a creamy holiday delight everyone loves and it so light it's the perfect dessert.


Using a premade pie crust and three other ingredients you are on your way to the easiest holiday dessert pie in minutes.


I usually make my own graham cracker pie crust and that is just another option and the recipe is added below if you prefer homemade.


This is always one of our favorites to make during the fall holiday menu planning and when eggnog is on the shelves.


We love making pies and you may also like to check out my roundup of Pie Pies and more Pies here on my blog.


Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this easy no-bake recipe.

Pumpkin Pistachio Biscotti

This Pumpkin Pistachio Biscotti is a welcome addition to our holiday cookie tray, it's perfect bursting with fall flavors.

I still love the traditional Anisette Biscotti but these are a wonderful change to any recipe collection.

These cookies bring the spirit of Christmas with the spices, pumpkin and wonderful fall chill in the air while baking!

These biscotti are a must on our holiday baking list they are the comfort of old-fashioned years past.

Grandma made all kinds of biscotti and flavors but this one was a family favorite to look forward to especially with hot espresso and a little anisette in it to warm us up.

Scroll down to my printable recipe cared for these delicious Pumpkin Pistachio Biscotti.

Insalata Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad is made by using Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese, fresh basil a good grade balsamic vinegar, and of course vine ripe fresh tomatoes.


The Authentic way of course is to use fresh buffalo milk mozzarella when possible for the best results.


Our favorite salad is made with tomatoes from the garden in the summertime but during the winter and Christmas holidays this Caprese salad is a must make for our tables in either a wreath form or candy cane sometimes even both!


Of course, you can get creative and make any shape Caprese salad you like we love food art you and you may also like some of our other holiday ideas with our Best Christmas Holiday Season Ideas and Recipes.


If you want a healthy side dish and a festive colorful salad look no further than this wonderful combination of flavors for me it's an addiction I can eat every day all year long.


Scroll down to my printable recipe card for complete instructions.

Italian Fried Calamari

Italian Fried Calamari (aka calamad in our Italian home or calamari fritti) is one of our favorite family appetizers traditionally made every Christmas Eve as part of the 7 Fishes.


Fried calamari is in the squid family of seafood and can be found fresh or frozen.


As a little girl, I would watch my mom every year clean and cut up the squid for the holiday and usually prepare it stuffed simmered in tomato sauce which is another delicious recipe you may try called Stuffed Calamari.


Later on, in years we adapted the tradition by making this crunchy coating calamari which is fried, and we even made a sauteed in spicy butter version along with the stuffed calamari for the holiday.


Everyone loves this in our family dipped in a hot marinara sauce sprinkled with grated cheese and hot pepper flakes.


Fried calamari is a relatively recent addition to the American menu and only rose to prominence on American menus in the late 1970s.


For this delicious printable recipe scroll down to the bottom of this post.

Reindeer Christmas Cupcakes

Holiday Reindeer Christmas cupcakes are a must-make during the season.


The kids love them, young at heart, and they are so darn easy to make and fun too!


What's not to love, starting out with a cake mix but with added ingredients becomes a semi-homemade mayonnaise cake recipe included below in the printable recipe card.


Then using store-bought cookies and frosting with an artistic charm that everyone loves, you're on your way to Reindeer Christmas cupcake fun.


The office will love them, great to bring to a holiday party or just a fun project for the kids.


These even look fantastic on the Holiday table for a festive Christmas centerpiece since they are so cute and they taste so darn delicious.


Take a quick look at these printable easy instructions on the recipe card below and have some holiday cheer and fun with the family!

Fun Times

I love making food art and not only do we make cupcakes, but the reindeer cookies we made with my mom's peanut butter cookie recipe are perfect to top a cupcake also or leave on the holiday cookie tray for more festive cookie treats.


The cupcakes in the bottom right are decorated with colorful m & m's and tinted green slivered almonds.

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

Well, Rudolph can be really easy to make like these chocolate frosted cupcakes, a cherry nose and broken antler pretzel ears.


The kids had such a blast with these and made everyone one these with google eyes just by piping a little white frosting with a dot of black in the center.


This was a great family fun experience anyone can do and get you in the holiday spirit.


You really can use just about anything to decorate these with, to make all kinds of different faces on your reindeer.

Ingredients You Will Need

1. cupcakes baked
2. frosting chocolate and vanilla
3. vanilla wafers
4.  maraschino cherries or red hots cinnamon candy
5. marshmallow for eye or candy eyes already made or use piping frosting
6. pretzels

More Family Fun Holiday Recipes

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies


Holiday Peanut Butter Candy


Edible Christmas Sugar Cone Trees


Cookie Cutter Pancakes


Graham Cracker Houses

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Check Out The Photos

As you can see to make these reindeer cupcakes, they are simple to follow.


Just look at the photos and how easy they are, each of them is a little different.


Whether you use the cookies, frost them with simple decorating ideas you can transform them and adapt them any way you want.


Try using colorful candies of any kind and have fun with this as a family traditional projects with the kids.


Fun to make and fun to eat!

Rudolph Cupcakes

Yield: 24

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 45 M

Easy festive holiday Rudolph the Reindeer cupcakes. He had a very shiny nose and all the kids love them even if they say it glows! Make some fun time for the holidays with these delicious easy cupcake ideas!

ingredients:

• 1 bag of large pretzels (leave the whole or  broken in half to make antlers)
• 1 large bottle of maraschino cherries cut in four pieces and blotted dry with paper towels for the nose or see other options below
• 1 bag of miniature marshmallows cut into pieces
• mini chocolate chips for the pupils or see below for other options
• white frosting and chocolate frosting
• vanilla wafers mini or regular depending on the size of your cupcakes
• a piping bag (if using to decorate) or use a zip lock bag
• 1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix
• Note: see photos to choose what you would like to decorate your reindeer with
• Optional: use candy eyes already made, M and M's for the nose, red hot candy or maraschino cherries, or make out of tinted frosting
• Cake:
• 1 chocolate or white cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup of water

instructions:

How to cook Rudolph Cupcakes

1. Pour the cake mix into a bowl and add the eggs, mayonnaise, and water. 
2. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended around 3 minutes.
3. Pour into paper-lined cupcake tins. Bake until middles are set and a toothpick comes out clean. Around 20 minutes.
4. Cool Completely.
5. Frost with canned chocolate frosting and pick out a method to decorate them.
6. To Decorate:
7. Either top them with Peanut butter reindeer cookies (as shown in the photo above) or add vanilla wafers, red hots for the nose, pretzels, and cut marshmallows and mini chocolate chips for eyes.
8. You can also make cupcakes frosted:
9. Use broken pretzel pieces for antlers. 
10. Mini marshmallows cut up for the background of the eyes or white frosting.
11. Add the cherry pieces for the nose. 
12. Place 1/3 cup frosting in a zip lock bag snip off the end slightly.
13. Use to pipe eyes onto marshmallows. 
14. These freeze well and can be made ahead of time for all your party and entertainment needs!

Calories
275

Fat (grams)
11

Sat. Fat (grams)
6

Carbs (grams)
22

Net carbs
9

Sugar (grams)
21

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2012/12/reindeer-christmas-cupcake-recipe.html

Reindeer cupcakes, holiday, food art, creative cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, cupcake decorating

cupcakes, cake, holiday, Christmas, Reindeer

American

Created using The Recipes Generator

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More Fun Recipes to Try

Eggnog Cake using a cake mix
Sugar Molds for Cake Decorations and Cupcakes
Tropical Beach Spa Cake with Samantha a creative fun activity
Chocolate Torte
Mock Cassata Cake for Easter (cake mix recipe)
Cream of Coconut Cake

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2020.

Seafood Scampi

If you love classic shrimp scampi, this Seafood Scampi recipe is about to become your new favorite.

Made with a mix of shrimp, scallops, crab, and calamari rings, this dish is rich, buttery, garlicky, and bursting with fresh seafood flavor, all while being surprisingly easy to make at home.

Perfect for weeknight dinners, date nights, or special occasions, seafood scampi delivers that restaurant-quality taste without complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients.

Our family enjoys this dish often throughout the year, but a must as part of the 7 Fishes on Christmas Eve for the holiday season.

If you're looking for the best combinations of seafood all in one pan, bursting with a buttery flavor and wine, look no further; this is a winner for sure.

Irish Cream Truffles

These Irish Cream Truffles are a deliciously creamy chocolate confection and a perfect candy treat for the holiday plus they make great gifts.


Although I do make my own Copycat Irish Cream, you can use any flavored liquor with my several suggestions below.


The truffles are very smooth using heavy cream and good grade chocolate, everyone will think you purchased them in an expensive specialty candy shop.


Simple to make and they don't take much time or much cooking other than just using the microwave to melt the chocolate.


For gift-giving, store them in pretty festive tins, but they should only be left out up to 3 days unrefrigerated, these will stay fresh up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator so be sure to store them properly.


Just scroll down for these easy printable instructions.

Roasted Glazed Sweet Potato Cinnamon Slices

It doesn't get much easier than this Roasted Glazed Sweet Potato Cinnamon Slices recipe!

Slices of sweet potatoes baked on a cookie sheet!

Perfect for a side dish, drenched in a buttery cinnamon sugar sauce.

Sweet enough not to do a thing to them but these are sure to please that cinnamon lover and spice up the Holiday table!

If you love sweet potatoes you may also like to try my Twice Baked Sweet Potato Recipes, with all terrific toppings!

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this delicious recipe.

Almond Paste Butter Crescent Cookies

These Almond Paste Butter Crescent Cookies are buttery crunchy cookies and can be molded into any shape, we like the crescent but also shaping the dough into candy canes are perfect for the holiday.


The baked cookies are dipped into the fudgy chocolate on both ends then into nuts just makes them look so festive.


Using some simple pantry ingredients, these cookies are super easy to mold and bake and also freeze well if you make them ahead of time.


If you have a hard time finding almond paste, I make my own Almond Paste Recipe you can try.


Scroll down to print out this easy recipe along with some tips to get these beautiful holiday cookies on your trays.

Jam Filled Bow Tie Cookies

This vintage recipe for Jam filled bow tie cookies are so delicate and delicious, this will be your go-to recipe for any cookie tray.


Just a warning, they smell so good baking you can hardly wait to eat them off the hot cookie sheet!


These buttery colorful gems are filled with a delicious filling from jams to nuts and fruits with my many suggestiosn below.


One of the unique characteristics of this cookie is how pretty they are to serve to look like a little bow for presents around the holiday especially filled with red jams.


They really look so cute on a cookie tray besides tasting delicious.


Growing up in an Italian household, you never knew what creative ideas would come out of the oven next and mom was always trying a new filling the dough is so versatile.


Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe card.

Sour Milk Chocolate Cake

This sour milk chocolate cake is so moist and the perfect way to get rid of sour milk.


Mom would never throw away food, back in the 1940s things were tight for money and nothing went in the garbage, she always found a way to use it.


The cake was a simply delicious treat we would all look forward to and secretly happy the milk went bad.


As the years went on sometimes we would change it up with a filling or whipped cream topping, but it tasted great plain.


Chocolate cake from scratch can be intimidating but seriously this sour milk cake is super simple and perfect every time.


If you love homemade scratch cakes also try her Vintage Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake Recipe, it's fabulous.


Scroll down to the recipe card for this easy cake recipe and it's printable, read my other suggestions I have to make these different each time.

Italian Amaretto Butter Cookies

These Italian Amaretto Butter Cookies are a basic butter cookie that melts in your mouth with the first bite.

The popular butter cookie is also known as snowballs, pecan butterballs, Mexican wedding cakes, Mexican tea cakes, Russian teacakes, butterball cookies, pecan sandies, Viennese sugar butterballs, whatever alias you name them, they are a delicious addition to any cookie collection!.

This easy recipe can be modified easily with flavoring and nuts of choice, but always dusted at the end and rolled into a snowy powdered sugar.

They make the perfect addition to any cookie tray around the holiday season.

We love Christmas time for baking cookies, and you may also like to try several other holiday cookies we love that add that spirit to the season of baking.

The additions and changes are pretty much endless when you get creative, so don't miss my optional suggestions below

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this melt-in-your-mouth simple buttery cookie recipe.

One Stop Cookie Shop Recipes

The most wonderful time of the year, it really is especially to motivate baking cookies.

We just love the holiday season and usually start early, sometimes even as early as July, you heard of Christmas in July right?

Usually right after Thanksgiving or a few days before we start cookie baking day, and below you will find all are must-makes every year.

They all freeze great and I do have to keep an eye on them or they will all vanish before the holiday comes these cookies are all family favorites.

We have all the popular cookie jar cookies and some a little fancier, everyone has a different favorite cookie they enjoy and we usually make them all.

There are 24 kinds of cookies to choose from here for you today to choose from and if you don't see one you like check out my 25 Holiday Cookie Recipes.

It's like having your own cookie cookbook right here and that's why we call it our One Stop Cookie Shop!

Every year our family gets together to bake cookies.

My family in Utica, New York calls it their cookie bake day, and every year they set one day aside to make them all.

Here in Florida where I live sometimes, we have cookie exchanges but most of the time I usually pace myself for a whole month baking one at a time.

We also have favorite candy like Peanut Brittle, Salted Crack Candy, Coconut Rum Bon Bon Amaretto Pistachio Fudge, Rum Balls, Oreo Cookie Balls they're all perfect for gift-giving in pretty tins.

If you really get stuck for gift giving try my filled Mason Jars that have dried soups and other fun ideas to give to hard to buy folks.

If you don't see your favorite cookie chances are you will find it by searching my blog on here in the top right corner.

Enjoy! Happy baking and have a delicious holiday baking season there is something for everyone here do not miss my tips on mailing cookies, freezing cookies, and storing them!

Twice Baked Sweet Potato Recipes

Twice-baked sweet potatoes will be a bonus to your recipe collection especially around the holiday they just shout fall flavors and are absolutely festively delicious.


These sweet potatoes can be cooked several different ways and if you're in a hurry microwaved over baking is the way to go.


A versatile list of toppings below is provided from sweet cinnamon to savory sour cream and garlic filled or topped with coconut, cherries, and pecans for a colorful Christmas holiday sweet potato.


Twice-baked sweet potatoes are a compliment to any meat especially for holidays like Thanksgiving along with turkey or an Easter ham.


These can even be made in advance and just reheated so no problem making them two days before a big dinner is planned.


I love all the options here and can't pick just one I like the best so I make a little of all of them and let my company be the judge.


Also, check out some of our other favorite sweet potato easy recipes like our delicious Sweet Potato Rolls or our Amaretto Potato Casserole.


Scroll down to get this easily printable recipe and print some copies everyone is going to ask you for the recipes!

Italian Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed Artichokes were always a favorite at any holiday meal.


Mom always made these for Thanksgiving or Easter if they looked good in the supermarket.


If the artichokes weren't very fresh she would skip the fresh ones and use canned and make Baked Artichokes.


Since artichokes are one of my favorite side dishes I also enjoy them all summer long with my Artichoke Stuffed on the Grill recipe.


If you haven't tried making stuffed artichokes they really are addicting and everyone loves eating this flower trying to get to the tastiest part, the heart inside.


The heart is soft and after removing the top part of the leaves, delicious delicate soft vegetables bursting with garlic and laced with breadcrumbs.


Scroll down for the recipe and see the easy instructions on how to clean, eat, cook, and buy perfect artichokes.

Honey Glazed Spiral Cut Ham

Honey Glazed Spiral Cut Ham is the most delicious almost candy-coated sweetness to complement this meat, it's over-the-top delicious and addicting.

The recipe is at the bottom of this post in a printable recipe card (if you scroll through, there is additional recipes for a complete meal) ham is the main course.

I really loved this recipe and wanted to share it with everyone. It is super easy, and the ingredients complement the ham perfectly.

Once you try this simple glaze for your ham, you'll be hooked like the rest of us. It's so darn delicious and don't miss our Holiday Side Dishes and 30 Appetizer Ideas!

Again, this recipe is in a printable recipe card below, and if you want print-off copies, I guarantee someone will ask you for this recipe after one bite.

Copycat Soft Sugar Loft Cookies

A favorite copycat soft sugar loft cookie you'll find in the supermarkets for every holiday.

Sugar loft cookies are a soft delicious sugar cookie everyone loves.

We love to use holiday cookie cutters for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Patriotic holidays of course Halloween and Christmas.

This one dough will be perfect for any birthday or party by just changing the colors of the frosting and using with coordinating cookie cutter with pretty sprinkles.

These cookies aren't overly sweet and the frosting adds just the right blend of flavors!

These are also great for fund raisers and bake sale events wrapped and labeled.

Everyone loves these cookies and it's the first recipe I think of even when I want to decorate the top of the cake with a cookie form frosted.

Check out this copycat recipe, I am sure you will be excited about the outcome!

This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and so easy the kids can help!

Scroll down to print this easy recipe, you will find after one taste you will never buy the supermarket brands again!

Pies Pies and more Pie Recipes

Holiday time, especially around Thanksgiving, our family always makes an assortment of pies for desserts and it was also the kick-off to our Christmas Cookie Baking Season!


The problem with holiday desserts is everyone in the family has a different favorite pie, so we fixed that here by giving you the most asked for pies!


Some of our family loves cream pie, others love fruit pies and there are those who adore no-bake cheese pies.


Through the years we have made the best-assorted pie recipes and always make at least five different kinds for the Thanksgiving Day menu.


There is something here for everyone in this delicious variety below to choose from.


If you have a favorite pie not listed just check in my search bar since not every pie recipe I make can be listed here but I will post the most popular pies we love.


Pumpkin Pie is always a must make for the fall season and not a piece is left of our homemade scratch pie even after a big meal it's so delicious.


Scroll through this collection of wonderful pies and just click the name links for these delicious recipes.

Stuffed Squid (Calamari) In Tomato Sauce

Stuffed Squid (Calamari) in delicious Italian Fresh Tomato Sauce is an Italian traditional meal served on Christmas Eve.


This has always been one of the 7 fishes served on our Italian tables.


We enjoy this traditional seafood banquet and absolutely love these gourmet treats during the holiday like baccala and make a fresh tomato sauce for this dish using Mom's Marinara Sauce Recipe.


I am truly blessed to have a family that kept the traditions from generation to generation and my children will do the same.


For this family, the traditional Christmas Eve recipe that printable, scroll down to the recipe card and print it off.

Spumoni Biscotti Recipe

Spumoni Biscotti is a delicious Italian cookie that tastes just like the popular Italian Spumoni ice cream, all inside these Italian cookies.

The cookies are loaded with the same classic flavors of pistachio, cherry, chocolate, and almond extract.

These just shout holiday because they are vibrant in the colors of Christmas and perfect for gift-giving.

They are the perfect addition to any holiday tray, adding beautiful color that certainly creates a festive Christmas look.

For a professional store-bought appearance, the ends can be dipped in colorful tinted white chocolate or a deep dark chocolate,e then rolled in crushed nuts for perfect biscotti.

If you love biscotti, do try our other favorites like Cranberry Orange and Pistachio Almond Biscotti recipe

Scroll down to get this easy homemade scratch cookie recipe and it's printable!

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Here is a vintage Lemon Ricotta Cake which is a delicious cake Grandma used to make from scratch back in the 1960s
.
Every time I make this it lemony rich cake it takes me on a delightful journey back in time to days when homemade treats were the heart and soul of most kitchens in that time period.

Now in this new era of convenience and busy lifestyles, we sometimes lose sight of the essence of simplicity from yesteryears past and have much less time to prepare those homemade treats.

Our easy cake uses simple pantry ingredients most folks always have on hand and with just a few extra minutes, you can enjoy a cake made from scratch and pure love.

This dessert brings me back to a real sense of nostalgia and a deeper connection to the culinary heritage of generations past and how my Grandmother grew up in Rome, Italy cooking with meager ingredients.

If you love lemon do try our other easy yet elegant favorite cake recipes and the first one is a no-bake, Lemon Lady Finger Cake

Scroll down pass all the ideas and entries to the printable card at the bottom then hit print for ads to disappear right to the recipe.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

If you’re craving a comforting, quick throw-together dinner that everyone at the table will love, this Broccoli Cheese Casserole is a must-try.

The creaminess, cheesiness are packed with crisp-tender broccoli, all baked together in one casserole, a comforting dish, and the variations of endless.

Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a hungry crowd, this casserole brings classic, tasty food vibes with very little effort and produces maximum flavor.

Whether you’re looking for a way to use up leftover chicken, this recipe will never disappoint and delivers every time.

We even have a recipe for homemade cream of chicken soup instead of canned if you want all made-from-scratch ingredients, just make this easy soup yourself!

You won't find a better side dish for any meal you make than this one.

Amaretto Sweet Potato Casserole

Amaretto Sweet Potatoes can be the sweetest surprise on your Holiday tables!

These Sweet Potatoes can be done with a crunchy praline topping, marshmallow or leave plain.

a wonderful side dish for your holiday tables.

This is a side dish that makes the perfect complement to Turkey, ham, or any meat you like.

The kids love it with this nutty flavor and sure feels and tastes like a fall dessert more than a vegetable.

If you can't find Amaretto Liquor do try making my recipe for Homemade Amaretto it's perfect for this casserole dish.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this delicious recipe.

Chicken Eggplant Sorrento

Chicken Eggplant Sorrento is a stacked gourmet chicken breast with eggplant and Italian sauce with cheeses.

We just love eggplant and this is pretty much all cooked and can be even done the day before and heated up when needed for a great family dinner.

Working long hours in retail, this is a win-win recipe for me to just pop in the oven during the holiday season or when we have unexpected guests, this meal freezes perfectly.

I love making this ahead of time because all the flavors are enhanced the next day.

This creative Italian dish was one grandma would throw together with leftover eggplant parmesan and Sunday Tomato Meat Sauce and I adapted it easily.

Mom back then in the 1960s worked in a supermarket so we were lucky to get all the ingredients we needed.

That is how I learned to make this meal easier by setting up a breading and coating station, cooking them on a cookie sheet then doing a quick assembly.

This chicken is then sliced in half, topped with eggplant, sauce, ricotta, and other cheeses, and voila the perfect all-in-one pan meal.

This sauce is so fresh tasting and the little bit of wine in it accents the chicken and eggplant while baking.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for my printable easy recipe.

Italian Pizzelle Waffle Cookies

These Italian cookies are a staple around the holiday for many Italian families and are very popular thin waffle cookies with a variety of flavored extracts.

Grandma's recipe for Italian pizzelle waffle cookies goes back 100's years and this recipe remains the best one to use year after year without fail.

Back in the 1970s around Christmas time (sometimes Easter), Grandma, mom and I would makeover 50 to 60 waffle pizzelle cookies and give them away to family and friends.

The waffles are made on a pizzelle maker and can be so many different flavors or just plain vanilla, depending on what you prefer, I will give you many suggestions below.

These are very thin crispy waffle cookies that can be made in many flavors, anisette being the most popular.

I love making these they are the perfect cookie with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa, for snacking on, and are just an addictive holiday delight.

If you love crispy cookies, these will be a new favorite in your home and they are super simple to make.

We make many memories during the holiday season with foods like our Christmas Eve Italian Recipes, Christmas Day Recipes and we have around 24 Assorted Kinds of Cookie Recipes we love we make every year.

Don't miss my tips and suggestions below before making these for the best results.

Just scroll down to my printable recipe card for this delicious pizzelle waffle cookie recipe.

Wine Drop Cookies

Growing up mom would make these cookies called Wine Drop they have no wine in them and an easy soft drop molasses cookies.


The cookies are cake-like consistency and found in many local bakeries in Utica, New York, one, in particular, I remember as a child was Hemstroughts bakery.


These simple old fashioned molasses cookies were fragrant with sweet molasses, spices, and a little more fluffy than any chewy versions of these cookies.


The batter is not thick like other cookie recipes but so much more of a cake batter that bakes up light and fluffy.


They were dropped by tablespoons on the cookie sheet and made into round soft molasses cakes and perfectly round.


I loved the addition of powdered sugar on top but they didn't need a thing and go perfectly with milk, coffee, or tea.


To this day I still have no idea why they were called wine drop cookies but mom always said molasses is good for you so she made several versions using that delicious sweet syrup.


If you love molasses do try these and some of our other family old-style favorites like Pumpkin Spice, and of course the Old Fashioned Chewy Style Molasses Cookies.


Scroll down to get this easy homemade scratch cookie recipe and it's printable!

Italian Fried Bow Ties (Farfellette) Cookies

I love these delicate fried bow tie dough ribbons that show up on the table every Christmas.

The crispy fried puffs of dough are delicate and quite fragile with this delicious snowy sugar on top.

Grandma and mom spent hours rolling, cutting, and frying these to give away to family and friends around the holidays.

My Aunt Mary (grandma's daughter) also helped her own sister-in-law who actually sold these in Schenectady, N.Y., so we had an authentic recipe.

We called them wands in Utica, New York, or bow ties, other Regions refer to these as Angel Wings,Frappe, Lattughe, Sfrappole, Bugie, Guanti, Farfellette, Crostoli, and sometimes Cenci (rags).

These are so addicting you can't stop eating them and regardless of the names these fried Italian cookies are a simple dough, rolled thin, fried until golden and bubbly, and are enjoyed fresh, sometimes accompanied by coffee, dessert wine, or dipping sauces.

They happen to be my favorite little fried flaky cookies full of powdery sugar on top and very addicting.

These bow ties are at the top of my list for Italian holiday cookies, like my other fried favorites including Struffoli (fried honey-covered balls), Italian Fried Panzerotti (fried stuffed pizza dough), and fried dough (zeppole).

Scroll down and check out the easy photos, and instructions.