2 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

This recipe was an idea for Valentine's Day Roundup I did a few years back and so easy using only 2 ingredients to make Nutella Brownies!


These chocolate and hazelnut flavored brownies are great just the way they are baked in a regular pan, but what a great idea to make it for Valentine's Day in a heart-shaped pan, it was just perfect!


These were perfect in consistency and decorated with a drizzle of Frangelico hot fudge sauce and a Strawberry or Cherry dipped in fudge oo la la!


We are big Nutella fans here and since I was really pressed for time and hardly ever use my heart pan, this batter was perfect for it!


I use Nutella on dipped bananas, delicious Nutella drizzled on rice krispie treats, and we love this Nutella Mousse Tart, they are all so addicting!


I even give you instructions below how to cut a heart shape brownie cake if you don't have one!


You will also have a recipe for making a decadent hot fudge sauce to drizzle over the top that has Frangelico in it.


The Strawberry was an afterthought but it sure was a delicious surprise ending to a wonderful evening.


Scroll down to print and see this super simple way to a delicious brownie made with just 2 ingredients!

25 Holiday Cookies

Here are 25 more popular holiday cookies we make every year for the Christmas season the whole family looks forward to.


To make it easier for everyone, I complied with all these photos and recipes to find it all in one easy blog post.


This roundup happens to be all my family favorite cookies through the years as well.


We have anything from copycat girl scout cookies, bars and some favorite Italian traditional cookies we make every year.


I love making festive cookies and cakes like our favorite Reindeer cupcakes Rudolph of course or the peanut butter Rudolph peanut butter cookies, the kids just love those holiday projects!


If you find it hard to find time to keep looking for all the cookies you love all over the world wide web, look no more, you will find all these delicious cookie links right below the photos here on this post.


You don't have to wait until Christmas to make your family favorites but the season sure puts most of us in the mood to bake.


Hopefully, you find something you love below if not, check out my recipe index for another whole assortment of festive treats.


Let's get this cookie party started shall we? Just remember to click the link below each photo it will bring you to the recipe cards at the bottom to print off, Happy Baking!

Christmas Eve Baccala Salted Codfish

Baccalà, or salted codfish, is bound to make an appearance on many Italian household tables on Christmas Eve.


For those who observe Lent, Christmas Eve is always a meatless meal consisting of seafood and vegetables, this salted codfish is an Italian specialty we make every year called baccala.


Of course, many Regions in Italy prepare it differently, this codfish has a bit of work to accomplish this tasty seafood dish.


This is traditional and part of the 7 Fishes on Christmas Eve salted cod meal and a favorite in Italy, it's great as an appetizer or as a main course served there.


There is a process of making this dish and a little more lengthly than just regular codfish.


This authentic style meal is how it was prepared by my mom who was from the region of Bari and taught by her mom and this recipe is over 100 years old now.


I now make this in my mom's memory to carry on the holiday tradition of the 7 fishes.


This is definitely a favorite on our holiday Christmas Eve Menu.


Scroll down to the bottom for this printable recipe.

Amaretto Panettone

Amaretto Panettone is an Italian yeast-risen sweet fruit bread that is baked every year as a tradition around the Christmas holiday.

This bread is delicious served toasted, spread with your favorite jams, or eaten plain.

If you haven't tried making panettone, it's very easy with our simple instructions.

During the fall season starting around October, we like to start our holiday baking as we give many of these loaves to friends and family.

Any cooking vessels will do, round, loaf-shaped and even braided and this year I even tried some taco metal tins for pretty shaping.

I like to keep the shapes to be molded into easy cuts for making toast and even sandwiches.

This dough is light in weight and yeast-risen with an addition of both golden raisins and dark that are also soaked in Amaretto.

This is a yearly traditional bread we make in our home along with the original Panettone and Pandoro which is an Italian Golden Cake made in Italy for the Christmas celebration.

Usually, if we get any store-bought Panettone loaves, we use that for baked french toast and baked egg breakfast casseroles.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card to print this off for this easy recipe everyone will enjoy this homemade bread as a treat on Christmas morning.

Christmas Pandoro (Golden Cake) Recipe

Christmas Pandoro (Golden Cake) Recipe is a delicious traditional Italian-inspired family recipe.


Grandma from Rome, Italy made this recipe every year.


A yeast egg cake as they refer to it, I think it's a cross between rich egg bread and a kind of cake.


This is very traditional among the Venetians and Italians.


It's a tall cake you can buy a mold for or use an extra-large coffee can to make it.


After it cooled it's covered in a sifted powdered sugar or a thick frosting depending on the Region in Italy.


They are sold commercially almost everywhere, especially around the holidays like Christmas, New Year, and Befana.


Not to be confused with Panettone which is a rich egg bread with raisins and we always make this recipe too along with Amaretto Panettone, Panettone French Toast, and Panettone Strata.


Scroll down to the recipe card to print off the recipe.

Baked Caramel Corn

Growing up Baked Caramel Corn was a favorite made at home.


Dad and I loved it and every time we would go to a fair or a local favorite place in Verona, Beach called Midway, which was just like a fairground with rides, food, games, etc.


Although Dad is long since passed in 1995, the fairgrounds are still there and the memories will live on forever to cherish.


That popcorn stand was the first stop we hit at that Verona, Beach fairground, every time we went there the smell just stopped us dead in tracks and dad would immediately buy some freshly made caramel corn.


It was so addicting and gone in a New York Minute!


Since that place was only opened in the spring for a short time, we had to learn to make something similar to hold us over and this was the best recipe ever to duplicate that memory.


This delicious crunchy caramel-coated popcorn back in the 1960s was irresistible and still is today and so easy to make in your own kitchens.


Later on, we learned to make a version of this delectable popcorn at home that was easy and baked, and it's been a favorite for the last 50 years of my life.


I make this every holiday for Christmas and even sometimes at Easter along with some other treats the family loves.


Homemade candies are fabulous and from the heart and also make fond memories in the kitchen.


Having two grown sons, they both love the homemade peanut brittle, peanut butter oreo bars and this baked caramel corn is number one on that list of must makes every year without fail!


If you're a caramel corn lover, scroll to the recipe card, the first one is our favorite and the other two recipes are some we made along the way the kids loved also like marshmallow popcorn balls and Nutella popcorn, it's all in a printable recipe card below.

Thanksgiving Day Recipes

I can never have too many Thanksgiving Day Recipes.


Although we have our favorites for the Thanksgiving Day Holiday table, we certainly like to add a few over the years that we were introduced too.


We had never really had Butternut Squash soup and with one taste it was love at first bite.


There is a wonderful roundup below of tried and true recipes we make from year to year and some new additions to try.


Who could pass up homemade gravy, broccoli topped with cheese with a crunchy stuffing topping or a delicious Amaretto Pumpkin Cheesecake?


Everyone always looks forward to the desserts, there is always apple pie, pumpkin pecan tart pie, chocolate marble cream pie and old fashioned banana pudding on our tables.


Something for everyone and even some fluffy yeast rolls or broccoli cheese cornbread goes great with any brined Turkey.


We love our leftover hot covered Turkey sandwiches later in the week and make Turkey pot pies with leftovers.


I would love to hear what you do with your leftover Turkey and how you repurpose it for another meal in the comments.


Happy Thanksgiving and have a delicious day from our house to yours!

Oreo Balls, Chocolate Truffles and Keto Truffle Recipes

No matter what the occasion, oreo balls, and chocolate truffles are always a welcomed sweet gift.

Homemade chocolate truffles are an economical way to make a gift-worthy treat, but they also allow you to customize each one the way they like that's made with love.

I love to add colorful decadent truffles to a pretty paper-lined festive tin.

Making a variety for everyone to enjoy just on what they're rolled in.

I make three recipes every year for those I give candy gifts to that are diabetic, chocolate cravers and of course, the cookie monsters in the family, and those oreo balls are perfect for kids.

If you need some ideas on making no-bake candy treats you hit the jackpot of recipes, both are perfect.

You can even add my homemade baked caramel corn or rum balls and peanut brittle, which is another big hit around holiday times.

Whether it's a birthday, any kind of holiday, get well gift needed or even just because someone you're missing, trust me, they will love these.

The sugar-free keto recipe is perfect for those carb watchers also!

So what are you waiting for?

Let's get the best assortment and ideas for candy-making ever in one sweet treat.

Just get creative and I bet you will come up with even more ideas to give me to try.

Scroll down for the recipes and do leave a comment and sharing ideas we love reading them.

Sweet Potato Yeast Rolls

I am pretty sure your family will love these delicious Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Rolls.

I have a picky bunch here in my home, the kids were never lovers of sweet potatoes, but what a shock when they were told that's what's in these delicious rolls.

I didn't even make a big enough batch, they all loved them.

They are just shouting Thanksgiving and fall with the orange spud that either they love them or hate them, either way, they're hidden in this batch of fabulous fluffy yeast bread and nothing compares on the holiday tables when it comes to these sweet rolls.

Butter them, eat them plain or they're even great using them as a sandwich!

Our family just loves homemade bread, especially big yeast rolls. pizza dough, Italian Ciabatta bread, and fried dough.

Scroll down and print off the recipe, it's a keeper for sure.

The Best St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Are you looking for the Best St. Patrick's Day Recipes and how to make corned beef and cabbage or other yummy Irish celebration food that day? Then you just hit your pot of gold!


Here is a great roundup of recipes to celebrate your St. Patrick's Day from start to finish!

St. Patrick’s Day observes the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.


The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, drinking, and a whole lot of green attire and foods!


Being Irish for the day or lucky enough to have had the pleasure to eat many Irish famous dishes in local Irish pubs, I have recreated most if not all of my favorites here.


Anything from savory to sweet, as you scroll through the many recipes I have enjoyed over the years here.


I promise you will be happy to be Irish for the day too as you savor all these wonderful homemade dishes from Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Guinness beer to Guinness chili, and Green Ambrosia, there is something for everyone.


Don't forget to try one of my favorites, Colcannon mashed Potatoes with Guinness Gravy!


All these recipes are delicious, easy to make, and perfect for anyone who loves to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, wishing you all the best of luck on this special holiday in honor of St. Patrick!

Baked Cod with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Cod with roasted vegetables is one of the best seafood recipes and the results are a moist white flaky flavorful fish in the end topped with vegetables.


This easy baked cod is wonderful on a bed of sauteed spinach with a medley of roasted vegetables on top.


Basic baked cod fish is a versatile variety when it comes to fish it can be made baked, fried, and make a salted cod fish in a tomato sauce called Bacccala on Christimas Eve.


The best part about this Baked Cod with Roasted Vegetables is that it's an all in one pan meal that needs no other side dish and perfect around Easter Lent time when folks eat fish on Friday.


Cod is easy to prepare and cooks up fast for those busy weeknight meals.


Then added toasted bread crumbs on a bed of sauteed spinach makes this simple but so gourmet.


This meal is easy to make and takes a lot less time using fresh or frozen depending on how thick the pieces are.


I also give suggestions and substitution ideas if you're not a fish lover or have an allergy to seafood.


It truly is a delightful recipe, scroll down and see why it's tops in our home.

How to Deep Fry A Turkey with Herb Flavored Injection Recipe

Deep-Fried Turkey, I have to tell you when I saw them pull this bird out of the fryer, all I can think of was the Griswald Family Christmas Turkey from Christmas Vacation movie!


I was so scared with no backup plan!


This turkey was so juicy and delicious I couldn't believe it and what was even more shocking 5 people devoured the whole 12-pound turkey faster than any bird we have ever made!


It was sure easier than expected.


I was so afraid it was going to be dangerous but my husband really made a great plan and it was easy and perfectly cooked.


If you never tried a fried turkey trust me it's time, a little more costly for the oil but so worth the taste.


It's better than chicken wings if you're a big fan of wings!

Macadamia Coconut Chip Cookies

Whether it's holiday season or just because you love these kinds of cookies, they're always a hit! These Macadamia Nut Coconut Chip cookies are all dressed up for the Holiday season.

These delicious golden White Chocolate Macadamia Coconut Cookies are chocked full of white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and coconut. The island flavors will blow you away with one bite. Crispy around the edges and filled with a taste of the tropics!

These won't last long, so make a double batch!

Graham Cracker Houses

These easy Graham Cracker Christmas houses are a great project for the kids to make at Christmas and perfect for gift giving.

We love making these easy festive edible houses and they are perfect for gift giving or a wonderful centerpiece on the holiday table.

The kids are so excited to make these with me every year and so proud of their finished project that just shouts the Christmas season.

Not only are these adorable and fun but they're delicious too and believe me the kids devour them quickly.

Using graham crackers is so easy and a fun project for the little ones, and they really makes a memorable experience.

Just get creative and make a walk way, use some candy canes on the sides and build a little dream of Christmas magic with your little ones.

If you love homemade gifts, do check out my Mason Jar Ideas and Gifts with Free downloadable recipes!

Labor Day Recipes

Here is a great roundup of recipes for your Labor Day Weekend come rain or shine!

September is a strange month for weather, I always like to be prepared with an alternate game plan on what to make.

This roundup is full of surprises from gourmet grilling recipes to easy baked in the oven delicious alternatives.

Some side dishes that are easy to prepare so you can enjoy your holiday weekend no matter what the weather is like.

So don't let rain, or cold weather damper your day.

There is something in this roundup for everyone to keep that holiday spirit going.

If it is sunshine out the grilling assortment below is spectacular, just find one your family and guests will enjoy and have a delicious and Safe Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Patriotic Flag Cheese Pie

Every year to show appreciation to the men who helped keep our freedom and served our country, I make festive food like this Patriotic Flag Cheese Pie.

It is truly a delicious pie that symbolizes and honors those brave men for holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Veterans Day, this pie just shouts pure love as we share memories with friends and family at social gatherings.

I start out by using colorful fruits, bake strips of stars and stripes from refrigerated pie crust or homemade, and using simple instant boxed cheesecake mix and you're on your way to a festive pie.

I love celebrating with a Patriotic table with red, white, and blue themes and creating art from food.

Everything was just perfectly decorated.

I served this surrounding the same colors in a flag tablecloth, all festive paper products, and this dessert truly made a memorable get-together, especially to our family members we remember on these days.

This cheesecake stood proud and not for long, they all devoured it in minutes!

You may also like some of our other idea assortments with festive foods here Red White and Blue foods to make.

This pie is so simple to make and the perfect dessert, scroll to the printable recipe card for complete instructions.

Halloween Pumpkin Krispie Heads

Fun to make and eat these orange colored rice krispie treats are a blast for the kids! Easy instructions and they just need to use a little imagination to get some Halloween fun into action. I left mine goofy looking (smile) try them with other color licorice too and make them all unique~! Check out the video for quick instructions on how to make these!

Easter Pie with Basket Cheese and Meat Recipe

A old time favorite in Italian homes on Easter morning. This one was cooked without a double crust, Easter Pie is usually double crusted depending on what you prefer I love crispy cheese so I leave mine open to brown. I also used a store bought crust in a hurry.

I wanted to show you how packed it the inside with all this amazing cheeses.

The meats, eggs and basket cheese makes this one a unique pie on Easter Sunday.

2 cups chopped prosciutto

2 cups sliced Italian hot sausage

1/2 cup pepperoni chopped

1 cup shredded Mozzarella

1/2 cup Provolone or Fontina

2 tablespoons grating cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 hard boiled eggs cut in chunks

1 cup cubed Basket cheese

1 cup Ricotta

3 raw eggs

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne optional


1 homemade recipe for double crust see below or store bought dough found in the frozen food section of the grocery store.

Mix all meats with all the cheeses, boiled eggs and herbs, seasonings in a large bowl. Put raw eggs, ricotta, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste in the blender for around 1 minutes. Combine this with everything else in the large bowl. This usually is made with a top and bottom crust. Use a deep dish pie pan or cake pan. Fit the dough on the bottom and up the sides. Pour the filling into the dough, top with another piece of dough. Press edges together. You will want to poke holes in the top crust. Brush crust with a beaten egg yolk and bake at 400 degrees until pie is deeply browned. Around 50 minutes.

Crust Recipe: (When you have the time)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup lard, shortening or oil

1/2 cup water

1 beaten egg and 1 egg yolk for egg wash

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix everything together except egg yolk. Make a smooth dough. Roll out for bottom and top crusts or two bottom pie crusts. Proceed with above instructions.

Southwest Potato Salad for 4th of July

When the summer heat kicks up this is perfect to serve. Healthier and no mayonnaise to worry about. Lime juice and olive oil are the healthy version to this great Southwest style salad and you won't have to worry about making everything separately!

Heart Shaped Chambord Raspberry Napoleons for your Valentine



Be My Valentine Napoleons, a light airy flaky pastry with a delicious raspberry cream filling made with  canned fruits 

1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry sheets or homemade puff pastry

1-1/4 cups cold half-and-half

2 tablespoons Chambord liqueur or raspberry juice or flavoring

1 recipe below of custard or 1 pkg. (4-serving size) French Vanilla or Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 large  white chocolate candy bar melted ( I used Lindt) after melted tint half of the melted chocolate with some with raspberry reserved juice.

Sure to please any sweetheart!

Sauce:

1 can Oregon Raspberries in heavy syrup drain reserving liquid and set raspberries aside in another bowl set some aside for the puddings for flavoring as well.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Chambord liqueur or use raspberry juice or flavoring 

 In a small dish mix together mix the cornstarch into a paste with some Chambord to form the thickening agent. In a small saucepan measure out juices to one cup and add water if needed. Add the cornstarch paste.  Simmer for 4 minutes or more until it thickens and remove from heat. Set aside. 

Note for  making the pudding:

If using packaged instant pudding. Beat together the instant pudding, half and half and 2 tablespoons raspberry juice. Add a little of the raspberry flavoring, syrup or food coloring  for pink coloring.  Chill about 15 minutes.

 To make a homemade custard:

Custard Filling Recipe:

6 egg yolks beaten
2 cups milk
2 tablespoon of butter melted
1 tablespoon Chambord liqueur
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon raspberry flavoring or juice from the Oregon reserved raspberry drained juice, this will turn the cream pink naturally (or if you prefer more pink use a little red food coloring if you wish)

Melt butter in pan add flour stir till smooth and there are no lumps.  Add milk, beaten egg yolks, sugar, butter, raspberry...stir constantly until thick and creamy, if it gets too thick add a little more milk. Remove immediately from pot as it will continue to cook and then pour into a bowl. Add liqueur. Flavor with some raspberry juice, flavoring or more liqueur if you like. For more pink color add a drop of red food coloring until pudding has turned a light pink in color.  Cool with a piece of wax paper over the top, cool completely.

Heart Cut Outs:

Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature 20 min. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unfold pastry. Using 2-inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut each sheet into 12 hearts. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 20 min. or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Split each heart in half horizontally.

Assembly:

Place about 1 tablespoon of the pudding cream mixture onto bottom half of each baked pastry heart; top with remaining pastry half.  Drizzle with both colors of  white chocolate starting with white ending with pink. Pour  some of the raspberry sauce over the top, adding some reserved raspberries and drizzle more of the sauce on the plate.