holiday favorites

Carrots are often over-looked as a vegetable, but you won't over-look these balsamic glazed carrots! This delicious side dish has only 5 ingredients and is super easy to prepare.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Carrots

unsalted butter (melted)

honey

balsamic vinegar

carrots

thyme

salt

black pepper

thyme leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the melted butter, honey and balsamic vinegar in a medium bowl.

Slice the carrots on a severe bias into 1-inch thick slices. Add the carrots to the bowl with the balsamic vinegar mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the carrots out, in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Nestle the sprigs of thyme into the carrots and transfer the baking sheet to the oven.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the carrots over halfway through the cooking time. They should be fork tender when fully roasted. Transfer the carrots to a serving dish.

Add 1 tablespoon of water to the sheet pan to deglaze the pan, scraping the pan with a flat spatula.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black and drizzle the glazing liquid from the pan over the top. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve warm.

A standing rib roast is a special occasion meal fit for any king or queen. While it's not inexpensive, it is relatively easy to prepare and always impresses.

Standing Rib Roast

coriander seeds

mustard seeds

rosemary

garlic (smashed)

olive oil

bone-in standing rib roast

onion (large dice)

carrots (cut into 3-inch pieces)

celery (large dice)

beef stock

Combine the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, rosemary and garlic in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse until the herbs and spices start to form a paste. Add the olive oil and continue to pulse until the ingredients have a consistency of a thick paste. Rub this mixture over all sides of the rib roast and season generously with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the roast sit on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 450ºF.

Place the onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the roast, rib side down on top of the vegetables. Pour 1 cup of the stock into the pan.

Roast at 450ºF for 25 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350ºRoast for an additional 16 minutes per pound total (in other words, for a 6-pound roast, the total cooking time should be 96 minutes, so roast for an additional 71 minutes after the initial 25 minutes). Baste the roast with the juices from the pan every 20 minutes. If the liquid starts to dry out, add some additional stock.

Check the temperature by inserting an instant read thermometer into the center of the roast. It should reach 125ºF for medium-rare and 130ºF for medium.

Remove the roast from the roasting pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent the roast with foil and let the roast rest for at least 25 minutes before slicing.

Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Pour the juice from the pan into a measuring cup or fat separator. Discard any fat that rises to the top.

Serve a thick slice of the roast with the vegetables and jus from the pan.

"These Irish Coffee Cupcakes are divine", said my neighbor. I agree! They start with a simple box of dark chocolate cake mix, have all the ingredients for an Irish coffee stirred in and then are topped with an Irish Cream Frosting.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

chocolate cake mix

eggs

butter

coffee

Irish whiskey (optional)

chocolate chips

green sugar sprinkles (optional)

unsalted butter (softened)

Bailey’s Irish cream

sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºLine two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Combine the cake mix, eggs, melted butter, coffee and whiskey in a large bowl. Whisk until the batter is smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the cake batter into the muffin pans so the muffin cups are filled about two thirds full.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 350ºTest the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center of one – it should come out clean with no uncooked batter left on the skewer. Transfer the pans to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

Make the frosting. Whip the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the Irish cream liquor and powdered sugar and beat for another 2 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Set aside.

Ice the cupcakes. You can spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with a spatula making swirls on top, or pipe the frosting on with a piping bag and star tip. Sprinkle some green sugar sprinkles on top of the frosting if desired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnUA9YtJd8s

Cute and fun little recipe to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! What's not to love about a chocolate coffee whiskey cupcake with Bailey's icing? ;) Click here for the recipe: http://www.meredithlaurence.com/recipes/irish-coffee-cupcakes/

Irish Coffee Cake

This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake is the best of both worlds - a moist and delicious pumpkin cake with a cheesecake filling! The sweet brown sugar glaze puts this cake over the top. It's really easy to make - check out the tip to keep the cream cheese filling in the center of the cake. You will wow your guests with this dessert, whether it's for Thanksgiving or just for the Fall.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

all-purpose flour

baking powder

baking soda

pumpkin pie spice

cinnamon

brown sugar

white sugar

vegetable oil

pumpkin

vanilla extract

cream cheese (room temperature)

nutmeg

milk

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºGrease the inside of a 12-cup Bundt cake with butter and then coat the pan with granulated sugar, shaking out any excess.

Make the cream cheese filling, Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to whip until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl

In a second large bowl, beat the butter and brown and white sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat. Add the oil, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract.  Beat until well-combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated into the wet.  Do not over mix the batter

Pour a little less than half of the cake batter into to the prepared Bundt pan. With the back of a spoon, create a tunnel in the center of the batter. Spoon the cream cheese filling into the tunnel as much as possible (a little of the filling may overflow). Gently pour the rest of the cake batter over the cream cheese layer and spread it out evenly.

Bake at 350ºF for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out almost clean. Transfer the cake pan to a wire cooling rack and cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cake over the rack and unmold, leaving the cake to cool completely.

Make the brown sugar glaze. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the brown sugar, pinch of nutmeg and milk. Simmer for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens. Add the powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Allow the glaze to cool a little, but while it is still warm, pour the glaze over the cooled cake allowing some to drip down the sides. If the glaze drips to fast, allow it to cool a little more.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream or just a cup of coffee.

Trinidadian sorrel is a delicious sweet brewed beverage made from dried hibiscus flowers. I enjoyed it every year at Christmastime with my family. It can be served alone, or made into an adult beverage with some rum.

Trinidadian Sorrel

sorrel (hibiscus flowers) ((heaping 1 cup))

cloves

sugar ((roughly 1 pound))

(4-inch x 1-inch) pieces of orange peel ((no pith))

water

dark rum ((1½ cups) (optional))

Place the sorrel, cinnamon sticks, cloves, sugar and orange peel into a large heat-proof bowl or saucepan.

Bring 12 cups of water to a boil and pour the boiling water over the dried sorrel. Let this mixture steep for 1 to 2 days at room temperature, loosely covered.

Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Discard the solid ingredients and transfer the liquid to bottles or jars.

To make a sorrel cocktail, mix 4 ounces of sorrel with 1 ounce of dark rum like Mount Gay. Stir together and pour over ice cubes into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

When I was a kid, my Dad used to make this tea & fruit punch for the holidays. Because it was non-alcoholic, I was allowed to drink as much of it as I wanted to (within reason). It's a delicious punch that you can sweeten to taste.

Dad’s Tea & Fruit Punch

medium strength brewed tea

pineapple juice ((1½ cups))

limes

grapefruit juice

ginger ale

limes, grapefruit and oranges ((for garnish))

Maraschino cherries

Chill the tea until cold.

Make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside to cool.

In a large punch bowl, combine the tea, pineapple juice, lime juice and grapefruit or orange juice. Stir well and taste. If you want to sweeten the mixture, add some of the simple syrup to your liking. (Store leftover simple syrup in a jar in the refrigerator for another occasion.) Chill the punch well – for at least 1 hour.

Before serving, pour in the ginger ale. Garnish with slices of limes, grapefruit, oranges and maraschino cherries, if desired. Serve over ice.

Get ready to bring a taste of Mardi Gras to your kitchen with this ridiculously easy King Cake recipe!

Easy King Cake

cinnamon rolls

½ block (4 ounces) cream cheese

tsp vanilla extract

Colored sugar (purple, gold, and green)

plastic baby (optional)

Preheat oven to 350

Arrange cinnamon rolls in a Bundt pan, evenly spaced, standing on their side

Bake for 20-30 mins

Combine included icing, cream cheese, and vanilla

Allow the cake to cool completely before icing

Add the icing and top with colored sugar

Optional: Insert the plastic baby into the cake before serving.

My Stuffed Sweet Peppers are your new go-to for a Healthy Game Day Snack, a quick side, or a satisfying afternoon pick-me-up.

Top 8 holiday favorites recipes from across the web

The most viewed holiday favorites recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Carrots

Standing Rib Roast

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Trinidadian Sorrel

Dad’s Tea & Fruit Punch

Easy King Cake

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Top 8 holiday favorites recipes from across the web

The most viewed holiday favorites recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Carrots

Standing Rib Roast

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Trinidadian Sorrel

Dad’s Tea & Fruit Punch

Easy King Cake

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

The most viewed holiday favorites recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine