Photo by Brandi Kristina
I love to cook and could spend hours creating the perfect dish, but let’s be realistic that’s not going to happen during the holidays. I have tried many recipes for the holidays. Some were not that great and others took forever.
My friend over at Lippestickandlattes and I got together in my kitchen one Saturday morning to create a YouTube video just for you to show you my favorite holiday entertaining recipes! Go over and check it out!
We are sharing with you my favorite indulgences that passed the test of taste AND time saving!!! All of these can be made (and baked) in less than an hour. I make these three things every year and sometimes multiple times depending on how many get-togethers we have.
BRIE EN CROUTE
Sounds fancy right? Your guests will never know that this visually impressive appetizer is so easy to make, and it so good. In fact, I don’t have a picture of it because everyone dived in and gobbled it up before I could take one. It’s that good!
Ingredients
1 wheel of Brie cheese
1 crescent roll package
1/2 c apricot jam (You can use any jam you like here. Red currant jelly is really good too.)
Make a sun shape out of your crescent triangles by laying them in a circle on a greased pan fat side in. Be sure to overlap so there are no holes in the bottom. Lay your Brie in the center. Spoon jam on top and fold each triangle over the top of the jam covered Brie until all triangles are folded. It looks like a very large dumpling when done. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Cut like a pie and serve as is or on crackers. *A sprig of holly or sugared cranberries on top make this treat look even more festive.
GORILLA BREAD
This is a Paula Deen recipe that I have used every Christmas that of course I’ve changed up just slightly. Have you heard of monkey bread? Well this is monkey bread on steroids! I make several of these for the holidays because we can never have enough!
Ingredients
2 cans of biscuits (not the flaky style)
1 package of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
Optional: chopped walnuts
Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Be careful not to overheat. It will make it crystallize. Set aside.
Mix sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Cut cream cheese into 16 squares. Flatten your biscuit. Spoon the cinnamon and sugar mixture on it. Top with a cube of cream cheese and fold together forming a ball. Place in a well greased Bundt pan (I use a mini Bundt pan and fill each with 3 balls). Repeat until all biscuits are made. Top with nuts if desired.
Top the biscuits with the butter and brown sugar mix. Bake 30 minutes at 350 or until set.
*Change it up by adding 1 finely chopped apple to cinnamon sugar mixture. It’s amazing!!😉
DAIRY FREE CHAI EGGNOG
Sounds gross right? That’s what I thought when Lippestickandlattes suggested we try my favorite holiday drink with a vegan version of eggnog. It was DELICIOUS!!! And a little less guilt after all of those holiday treats.
Ingredients
1 c brandy
4 c coconut milk eggnog
2 chai tea bags
cinnamon and nutmeg for garnish
Steep your tea bags in the brandy for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pour desired amount of eggnog and brandy into a martini shaker with ice and shake. I never measure this and it comes out great every time.
Pour into martini glasses and garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a cinnamon stick to the glass to make it extra festive.
Now that you’ve made all of that in less than an hour you can grab a chai eggnog and sit back and relax until your guests arrive!!
Photo by Brandi Kristina
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