All posts filed under: Holiday Recipes

New Year’s Eve Inspiration

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In between Christmas and end of year, the plans for New Year’s Eve celebration is in full force. Here’s what I am thinking for a formal dinner setting Source Cocktails from here Appetizers Recipe for New Year’s Eve Cake I intend to bake Roast beef is on the NYE menu, with my secret recipe rub. But since I cannot share, here’s a recipe close to the one I intend to make. And for new year’s day – a reset might be in order from here. Have a wonderful celebration, stay safe, drink responsibly and enjoy your company 🙂

Collection of Recipes – Thanksgiving 2021

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The countdown has begun here in the states, and the pressure is on naturally for all those planning to feed the clan. I, for one, have not slept for more than a few hours each night this week. Can’t really say it is because of Thanksgiving dinner. But when I am up, I do think about dessert and some of the trimmings. Then I mentally scan the cupboards to note which and what ingredients might be missing. Now, although I am planning on remaining basic, in terms of the menu. I do find myself wanting to switch it up a bit…mostly the sides and you guessed it, desserts. Here’s a link to Turkey, or a bird of your choice recipes to consider.

Holiday Series: Gathering Up The Week Long Celebration Menu

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I’m hosting many guests over the holiday week, and finding just the right recipe is probably the funnest task I embark on, because you see, I love a good dinner party, and a conversations, and even followed by a board game. So, here are some of the dishes I intend to make this week: What are your favorite recipes? Here’s a fun article about how to feed your hungriest house guests 

Holiday Series: Best of Christmas List

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Over the weekend, I played a private tour guide to friends visiting from out-of-town, driving them around past Union Square to get a glimpse of the city as I know it. Which got me thinking, I don’t mind doing this as a side job – touring folks and getting to know them on a different level and actually having fun. So it got me thinking about today’s post, sharing some of the best of Christmas lists – such as… {featured image source} What are your plans for the holidays?What is your favorite destination during the holidays?Do you host a holiday party or attend one? Are you done with your holiday shopping? Have you seen the movie Klaus on Netflix? If not, do so  What are you reading currently?

Holiday Cookies – For A Little Pick Me Up

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It’s been raining continuous in the bay area, with a heavy fog to boot and unusually warm weather. I don’t recall this ever happening in all the years I’ve lived in San Francisco.  So, not feeling inspired to leave the house, I decided to bake – again, this time these tasty vanilla cookies, but I am using a snowflake cutter instead. INGREDIENTS 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup granulated sugar ¼ cup light brown sugar 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom VANILLA GLAZE 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract sugared rosemary, for decorating (more) On Another note – if you happen to be a movie buff like myself, then you’d want to see this list of the best 2019 films – have you seen any of them and which do you recommend?

Holiday Series: In The Baking Mode

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I am partly hosting a holiday-ish party next weekend and although most of the catering has been established, and deposits made, the snowflake cookies we envisioned isn’t going to happen – from a bakery. So, I volunteered to bake – for the first time – the said cookies and decorate them in time for the Saturday event. Then of course, I stumbled upon this list of 12 simple and delicious baking recipes for this holiday season to gift all the wonderful beings in your life past the immediate family.  Check out some of my favorites and for the rest go here: And since I usually tweak whatever recipe I want to try, I had to add my take on each one below: Whatcha ye baking?

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

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With a blink of an eye, the world changed since I last posted-before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, when I decided to unplug from all things online and simply live life the old fashioned way. While I snoozed the internet, I found a sense of peacefulness in my life consisting of reading an actual book, decorating my house for the holidays, of course this is after I’d cooked the big thanksgiving meal, and leaving the house for a few hours on Saturday to shop for trinkets and such for the twinkly-light decor I decided to be the theme for this year’s holiday decoration. But today is Monday, and there are many interesting topics or subject I wish to share with all of you – who I want to thank, by the way for sending me personal emails sharing your opinions, and recipes and other interesting topics that I just don’t know where to begin to address each one. So, here we go. I’m currently reading Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault by Cathy Guisewite, and I …

Food: Mashed Potatoes 101

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For the most part, I’ve taken off the side dish from my everyday life – staying true to eating less starch and more plant based  – but of course, the holidays are upon us, and one staple for a Thanksgiving dinner is mashed potatoes. But as I have learned over the years, there is a trick to making the best mashed potatoes and then there are mistakes to creating a lumpy goo easily mistaken for a mixture of cement or grout for that tile work you plan to install. So on to the perfect mashed potato from this wonderful site I turn to learning all the tricks of the trade. and the winner or the traditional mashed potatoes in my household is combo hand and fork mashed, with heavy cream, garlic, grass-fed butter, light sea salt, ground peppercorn and chives to taste. Simple, easy and the best tasting of all mashed potatoes I have ever had. How do you make your mashed potatoes?

Holiday Series: Cocktails for Thanksgiving and Thereafter

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Thanksgiving being an American holiday is not the only reason one considers hosting a cocktail party. It is the beginning or kick-off to the holiday season in the U.S.  But for those expats introducing the tradition to the friends you’ve made abroad with a dinner party, please consider this list of cocktails to raise the stakes, if you will. 😉 Do you have a favorite cocktail you’d like to share?

Holiday Series: Thanksgiving Appetizers

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Normally my appetizer set-up trumps the actual ‘non-turkey’ oh alright, a sliver of turkey dinner.  The reason for that is, most folks arrive at my doorstep very hungry, and very thirsty for a cocktail, so the ritual begins, munching away at appetizers while cocktailing.  So by the time dinner rolls around, folks are too full to indulge. I haven’t yet figured out how best to settle this matter except perhaps try an array of light appetizers. But that doesn’t mean I won’t share some of the appetizers that are making their way to my list for this year’s dinner gathering. For the rest of of the 123 recipes which by the way are great suggestions for any parties, including Christmas, or New Years, go here   And how to host Thanksgiving or any party without the stress – although I welcome the stress – it is invigorating I think