Holiday Recipes and Inspiration

Brighten your Thanksgiving holiday table with this delightful and healthy edible centerpiece.

In this article, you will find three family fruitcake recipes, a recipe for fruitcake cookies, and the best commercial fruitcake I’ve ever found.

Do you want to know how to set a proper table for a holiday dinner? Proper place setting for special occasions (or any occasion) can be easy and fun if you follow these place setting rules, guidelines, and tips.

Mince pies are an integral part of the British Christmas food culture, but when they are prepared at home, mincemeat will often be left over. The recipes on this page provide ideas for what to do with that leftover mincemeat.

Looking for decorating ideas for your St. Patrick's Day cupcakes? Try these kid-friendly design ideas with step-by-step instructions to make your own cupcake wrappers.

In this article, I share my secrets for a great prime rib. I like to make this special recipe on Christmas Day. However, you can eat this delicious dish any time of the year.

Pumpkin pie—did it begin with the Pilgrims? Let's learn the background of this sweet treat, try a "from scratch" recipe, and then explore some fun spin-offs.

You're going to love these 12 delicious clean eating Christmas cookie recipes. These are all of your favorite cookie recipes, without all of the processed and refined ingredients. With these recipes, there's no guilt, breaking your diet, or need to worry about sharing them with your family!

Learn how to make a traditional Christmas pudding recipe with helpful step-by-step instructions and photos. This is my best plum pudding recipe that I make every year before the holidays.

Pancake Day races and tossing the pancake, linked to Shrove Tuesday, are ancient English customs that date back to the fourteenth century and are still observed today. Find out about the origins of Pancake Day races and how to make a foolproof English-style pancake in this article.

I have learned much from my Polish American friends about the importance of Easter in their culture, friendships, families, and faith. Please enjoy the following recipes and history.

Oven acting up? Here are five ways to cook a turkey without using your oven. (Includes videos.)

Thanksgiving leftovers are wonderful because they can be used to create so many delicious, quick, and easy meals. Here are some hints and recipes to inspire you.

Christmas is a special time of year for spending with friends and family, but sometimes, for whatever reason, we find ourselves alone at the holidays. This page contains a number of tasty Christmas dinner recipes for one.

Easter or Resurrection is the biggest holiday of the year among my Polish friends. Their traditions and recipes for traditional foods vary by the region of the country they or their ancestors called home, but all are good.

Hosting a St. Patrick's Day party? Here are seven recipes for unique and delicious shots to serve your crowd.

When my friend of Romanian descent visited cousins in the old country, she brought back these traditional Easter recipes.

A selection of non-alcoholic Irish-themed beverages that are perfect for St. Patrick's Day or other celebrations.

We can't agree on the origin of thumbprint cookies (Sweden, Poland, or somewhere else?), but we can agree that they are easy, fun, and there are so many ways to make them. Here are 25!

Christmastime is a time for family and considering the changes coming in the next year. Why not make your holidays a little less stressful, a little healthier, and a little sweeter with these delicious clean eating traditional Christmas dishes. Maybe the big change you need is one for your health.

This article will teach you how to make a good old-fashioned fruitcake, including several different variations. All of these recipes will make your mouth water. Happy holidays!

Christmas pudding is a rich, fruity, seasonal British dessert. This page looks at some delicious and unusual recipes for using up Christmas pudding leftovers in the days following the main event.

With a bit of planning, you can bake tons of Christmas cookies all in one day. Here are some tips on how to make lots of cookies all at once.

The black pepper in these delicious cookies accentuates the other spices in the recipe, including ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. These cookies can be shaped into hearts for Valentine's Day or into other shapes appropriate for any holiday.

The holidays always involve intimate parties, gatherings, and events filled with great food, adult beverages, and flavorful concoctions. Eggnog is simply a must-have at any holiday party. If you are planning on hosting this year, this is my recipe for flavorful eggnog made simple and easy.

A no-nonsense guide for how to cook your holiday turkey, as told by my mother to my sister.

If you're looking to celebrate St Patrick's Day in style then you should try a few of these Irish-inspired St Paddy's Day shots and shooters, from the classic Irish Flag to an Irish Cowboy and more!

Enjoy a delicious meal that is believed to bring you good luck throughout the new year. Learn what each of the traditional foods represents, and try five different recipes for black-eyed peas.

Instructions, tips, and ideas for making Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas cookies using cookie cutters you might already have. These cookies are easy to create and are a great project for children, too.

Check out this quick and easy recipe for turning a store-bought cake mix into delicious pizzelle cookie batter. Perfect for Christmas and Valentine's Day celebrations.

Need hors d'oeuvre ideas for your St. Patrick's Day party? From green drinks to green appetizers, try these ideas for a successful party!

I love stuffing (also called dressing) not only on Thanksgiving, but also on Christmas, Easter, and Mother's Day! I've found a great way to make a tasty stuffing out of a box by adding just a few extra ingredients. Easy and delicious!

Everyone loves to get and give homemade baked goods. Here's how to assemble the perfect cookie tray to show off all those yummy treats you make.

No Halloween party is complete without a tableful of spooky and delicious treats to set the scene. These ideas are sure to tickle your taste buds and impress guests of all ages!

This dish is a wintry showstopper. Duck breasts are an elegant main course anytime; however, I would also urge you to consider this recipe as a time-saving alternative to a traditional Christmas dinner if you are celebrating in a small round.

Learn about Jamaican Christmas dinner traditions and gather holiday menu ideas.

New Year's Day arrives on different dates around the world, according to the culture in which it is celebrated. You might like to celebrate more than one!

Here's my recipe for a popular Thanksgiving dessert cake featuring pumpkin, spices, and maple frosting. Recipes are also included for eggnog frosting and apple frosting, so take your pick!

Cajun is a name for a culture and a people with a rich intermixed heritage and lots of good food. They made lots of great music, too.

A step-by-step guide to making bread for a traditional Polish Easter Basket, or to enjoy any time!

A St. Patrick's Day staple, corned beef is an Irish-American tradition. It is often eaten with cabbage, but it also comes in the form of reuben sandwiches, hash, and canned corned beef.

Here are seven authentic recipes dating back to the colonial days that will make your Thanksgiving truly traditional.

Shortbread is a buttery and delicious biscuit or cookie that is a traditional Christmas treat. It's an enjoyable snack and has been associated with some interesting traditions throughout its long history.

A delicious and refreshing cranberry and rum drink that was created many years ago by my grand-aunt. I'm giving away a family secret recipe here...

A quick and easy Halloween treat that isn't tricky! Made with seasonal monster cereal, each creepy little cupcake is full of flavor and fright. Perfect for parties, and the kids can help with the baking, too!

Oh so gory, but oh so tasty and sweet! Here's a great little Halloween treat for those that love the taste of white chocolate.

Yule log cakes, mincemeat, and mince pies are delicious Christmas treats with an interesting history. A Yule log was once a real log, and mince pies used to contain meat.

Thanksgiving for most people is a time of family celebration and feasting on the seasonal turkey and trimmings. There are some, however, who are forced to spend Thanksgiving alone and may be under the impression that a turkey dinner is not therefore feasible. This page shows how Thanksgiving turkey dinners for one are entirely possible and provides a number of very different preparation options.

For a heartfelt and personalized Valentine's Day treat, try making these conversation heart petit fours. They are delicious bite-sized treats that everyone will love!

Learn how to prepare a deliciously moist pineapple fruitcake. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for Christmas or any other time of year!

Learn how to make a custom, heart-shaped ice-cream cake that looks a bit like a Valentine's Day conversation heart candy.

Wassail is a traditional holiday punch from the British Isles that is made with apple cider, oranges, lemon, and winter spices. Laden with cloves, cinnamon, and allspice, it's a festive, warming, and easy-to-make holiday beverage!

The holidays are so much fun, and they give us an amazing chance to express our creativity and our imaginations. What better way to really get into the holidays than with your kids!

This no-bake mint cheesecake has a texture similar to a baked version and a delicious, light minty flavor. The cookie crust, along with the thick and rich filling, helps make this cake a real stand out among no-bake cheesecakes.

The Yule log, once a pagan ritual, has been elevated to not just dessert but a stunning work of pastry artistry known as Buche de Noel. Don’t let its looks frighten you. You can make your own. Here’s how.

These pretty and buttery cookies are thick and soft. Top with colored sugar or what ever you want to decorate them with. They will be delicious and popular with your friends and family.

These frighteningly delicious monster cookies make for the perfect Halloween treat!

Here you'll find step-by-step directions for three different designs. This article includes pictures for a simple spider web cupcake design, pull-apart spider web cupcakes, and spooky-looking spider cupcakes.

Fast and simple hamantaschen. No, they're not like the ones your mom made, but they will do in a pinch!

Don't get caught off-guard when asked to bring a snack to the class Halloween party. I've compiled several great ideas that are relatively cheap and easy to make.

Cheese balls are especially nice when served around the holidays—a little something different to add to the festivities. This Christmas cheese ball looks so delicious coated in walnuts.

Do you need appetizer ideas to welcome guests over the holidays? Here are a few mouthwatering recipes that are easy to put together and that your guests are sure to love!

Make tasty cereal bars with your favorite limited edition monster cereals. Sure to be a hit with the younger ones and those who are young at heart. Perfect for Halloween parties and ready in 15 minutes!

Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of a formal Christmas dinner? My family has adopted the tradition of a less-formal Christmas brunch, which can be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed in leisure.

Discover some of the best spooktacular spirit and cocktail recipes that will make your Halloween celebration positively wicked.

Certain foods are traditionally eaten at New Year in the hope that they will bring good luck in the year ahead. This page looks at some of these foods and delicious ways in which to cook and serve them.

Avoid awkward situations at your St. Patrick's Day party by preparing these wonderful non-alcoholic drinks for your non-drinking friends. In fact, everyone will likely be pleased with them. Add alcohol if you like!

A great, classic recipe for Christmas cake. Easy to make and a joy to eat. Indulge! After all, it's Christmastime.

The following Mexican recipes are enjoyed during the Easter Season, but they are good anytime. Roasted lamb and goat are specialties.

A dump cake is a quick and easy dessert made by, quite literally, dumping things in a pan. Step-by-step photos and directions are included. Easy dessert for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other day!

Make smooth chocolate fudge the old-fashioned way! This recipe is perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas parties, and birthday gifts.

The origins of figgy pudding date back to medieval England. At that time it was not a dessert, but a method of preserving meats for the winter months.

From getting interrogated by non-vegan relatives to navigating traditional holiday foods as a vegan, here are some helpful tips for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other major food holidays.

Valentine's Day is a special time to show affection to the ones you love. What better way is there to do that than to start the day with one of these top 12 clean eating Valentine's Day breakfast ideas? And you don't have to do anything fancy. Just use what you already have and be creative.

This collection of 13 clean-eating Thanksgiving treats to make with your kids is packed full of yummy, healthy treats that you and your kids will enjoy creating together. This is such a fun time of year—get your kids involved in helping now, and you'll have an excited, involved kid for life.

Valentine's Day is a fun excuse to make crafts, create yummy treats, and do some fun activities with your kids to show each other how much you care. Celebrate the holiday and show your kids that you care by spending time together as a family and making deliciously healthy, fun snacks.

This is a collection of 20 festive wassail recipes. Most use apple juice or cider as a base; unusual recipes use Red Hot candies or black pepper. I've also included a few alcoholic variations with wine, rum, sherry, brandy, and whiskey.

This is a real, traditional English Christmas cake recipe that was passed down to me from my Great Aunt. It is a wonderfully moist, heavy fruit cake that we used to cover in marzipan and ice. We also gave it to first footers at New Year.

Looking for a simple, rib-sticking recipe for Mabon this year? Try this hearty autumn soup, which captures all the earthy, heartwarming flavors of the season.

A sweet spin on an old favorite. These apple latkes are perfect for breakfast, dessert, Chanukkah, and any time in between. Made with fresh Granny Smith apples and simple ingredients.

Making a sweet treat in patriotic colors is easy with Jell-O! Here are four ways you can make a dessert that fits the theme of your 4th of July cookout, party, or special event all year round.

The gingerbread house is a whimsical bit of Christmas tradition in many American and European homes. Here's what you need to make one for your family.

Nothing is more delectable than the smell of yeast bread baking. Here are two great sweet bread recipes: Russian Easter bread is finer-grained, with the traditional candied fruit, while Polish babka is a lighter raisin bread.

This is a traditional fruitcake recipe that is made for the Christmas holidays. Learn how to make a moist fruitcake from scratch with an easy-to-follow recipe, step-by-step instructions, photos and videos.

15 recipe suggestions for your Easter Brunch, including everything from appetizers to dessert. There are even some vegetarian options, as well.

Ghouls and goblins, the witching hour is here! Don your baking hats and dust off that cauldron to whip up creeptastic treats for all.

Looking for something different and delicious this Christmas? Deep fry a turkey! The result is a moist, juicy inside and crispy outside! While the oil is hot, fry some onion rings, fries, pickles, and candy bars!

Learn how to make three different flavors of fudge candy that you can give as holiday gifts. These recipes are for my three favorite flavors of fudge: eggnog, Irish cream, and lemon.

This is a quick and easy recipe to make a tasty, melt-in-the-mouth Christmas pudding using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. It is much cheaper and tastier than ready-made shop versions. The pudding can be made on the day or months ahead. Either way, it will taste delicious.

Such controversy! Is the turkey stuffed, or do you eat your "dressing" on the side? Wheat bread only, cornbread, or wild rice? Oysters: yes or no? Let's put our differences aside and have fun cooking.

Looking for easy decorating ideas for your Halloween cupcakes? Learn how to decorate pumpkin, ghost, and cat cupcakes with these fun design ideas.

Make a boozy fruitcake this Christmas. It contains a lot of alcohol, which helps it last a long time. That is, if you can stop family and friends from finishing it off!

A fun and festive spin on a traditional breakfast favorite. This recipe yields a delicious treat that looks and tastes like no other French toast you have ever tried. Perfect for Halloween.

Discover six tasty non-alcoholic drink ideas that are perfect for children, family, designated drivers, and anyone else wanting to have a little fun on St. Patrick's Day!

Add some hubble and bubble to your Halloween with these bewitching brews. Eleven spooky drink suggestions that will really get your party going!

This mango peanut butter Valentine's heart dessert is a no-bake, easy, and delicious fruity mango treat for two people. It only has five ingredients.

A simple and fun Halloween treat!

Thanksgiving turkey is wonderful on Day one. Day two delights us with sandwiches, but by day three are you getting bored? Be bored no longer. Here are imaginative ways to use those gobbler leftovers.

This is one of my favourite biscuit recipes. Traditionally, biscuits like these are prepared specifically for the Easter holiday, but you can make and enjoy them any time!

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love eggnog and those who despise it (or assume they will). Let's join hands, learn some fun history, and share recipes. Who knows? You might end up loving eggnog.