Cranberry Pineapple Punch

1 2 liter bottle of ginger ale

6c pure unsweetened cranberry juice 48oz

1 46oz bottle of pineapple juice

1 12oz can frozen orange juice concentrate

ice

fresh cranberries, garnish

fresh chunk pineapple, garnish 

 

Stir together ginger ale, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and orange juice concentrate in a 2 gal dispenser or bowl. Serve punch in glasses and garnish.

 

Homemade Eggnog

Found in All Recipes Holiday 2025 here.

12 large egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
7 tablespoons whipped cream, or to taste
7 pinches ground cinnamon
 

Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Combine milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer and small bubbles appear around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk constantly while gradually pouring a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Continue adding milk mixture in small increments until fully combined; transfer eggnog back into saucepan. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until eggnog thickens slightly and reaches 160°F, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour eggnog into a large pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Blend cooled eggnog with an immersion blender until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Ladle into cups and top each with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Found in All Recipes Holiday 2025 here.

1 pound carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Trim ends from carrots and cut diagonally into thirds. If carrots are large, cut lengthwise first, then diagonally into thirds so all pieces are about the same size.
Combine olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread out carrots on the baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil mixture until all are coated.
Roast in the preheated oven until tender and starting to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk honey, balsamic vinegar, thyme, lemon juice, and garlic in the same bowl you used for the oil, and set aside.
Drizzle roasted carrots with honey-balsamic mixture and toss to coat. Return to oven and roast until glaze is caramelized, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.  

Sheet Pan Dips 4-in-1

Recipe from All Recipes Holiday 2025 found here.

 

 

16 portions frozen white roll dough, such as Rhode’s®
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Dips: Bacon-Cheddar Dip, Cranberry-Jalapeño Dip, Spinach-Artichoke Dip, and Pecan Pie Dip

Line a 13x18" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat parchment with cooking spray. Arrange frozen dough portions 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Cover rolls loosely with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, at least 8 hours.

Cut each dough portion into quarters, taking care not to deflate as much as possible. Arrange dough pieces, just touching, along outside edges of pan, then lengthwise through center, and then crosswise through center, to create 4 even sections. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature while preparing the dips, about 1 hour, if dips are already assembled.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Uncover dough and brush tops with melted butter (tip, below). Add dips to quadrants in pan, spreading evenly.
 

Recipe Tip
Flavor Boost: After brushing rolls with butter, sprinkle rolls near savory dips with flaky salt. Sprinkle rolls near Pecan Pie Dip with brown sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven until rolls are golden brown and dips are bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into center of Pecan Pie Dip should register 200°F. Top with garnishes.

Dips:

Bacon-Cheddar Dip: Beat together 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot®) in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Fold in 6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled; 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup chopped green onion; and 1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix until combined. When ready to bake, add dip to a quadrant and top with 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake as directed. Garnish with additional green onions.

Cranberry-Jalapeño Dip: Combine ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Let stand until cranberries are plump, about 5 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, beat together 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup; and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Fold in the plumped cranberries; 3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese; 1/2 cup drained sliced pickled jalapeños, chopped; and 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion. When ready to bake, add dip to a quadrant and bake as directed. Garnish with additional pickled jalapeños.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip: Beat together 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese; and 1/4 cup mayonnaise in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Drain artichokes from 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, reserving marinade. Chop artichokes. Add chopped artichokes; 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1/4 teaspoon salt; and 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved marinade to the cream cheese mixture; gently fold until combined. When ready to bake, add dip to a quadrant and top with 1/4 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese. Bake as directed. Garnish with crushed red pepper.

Pecan Pie Dip: Beat together 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 egg in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. In another medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 1/4 cup light corn syrup; 3 tablespoons butter, melted; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. When ready to bake, add cream cheese mixture to a quadrant and top with pecan mixture. Bake as directed. 

Carrot & Zucchini Gratin

Found in All Recipes Holiday 2025 magazine.

 

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 c half & half

2 tsp chicken stock base

1/2 c shredded colby-jack cheese (2oz)

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp dried dill

8 med carrots, cut into 1/4" thick slices (3c)

2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4" thick slices (2c)

1/2c chopped onion

3/4c seasoned fine dried bread crumbs

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2qt baking dish.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Gradually add half & half, whisking constantly. Add stock base and whisk until dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Add cheese, mustard powder, and dill; whisk until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Stir in carrots, zucchini, and onion until coated. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.

Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter. Stir together meted butter and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle over vegetable mixture in baking dish.

Bake uncovered until bubbling and topping is browned, about 45 minutes. 

Balsamic Roasted Grapes

Found this in All Recipes Holiday 2025 edition.

3 cups seedless red or green grapes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Combine grapes, olive oil, chopped thyme, and chopped oregano together in a bowl and lightly toss to coat. Place grapes in a single layer on baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until grapes until grapes are soft, wrinkled, and slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and ground black pepper. 

Pork Dumplings

Found here.

100 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers
1 ¾ pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 egg, beaten
5 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage

Combine pork, ginger, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg and cabbage in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Place 1 heaping teaspoon of pork filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water and fold over to form a triangle. Press edges firmly to seal. Keep filled dumplings covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out until ready to cook.
Filling placed in wonton wrapper and sealed with water.
Edges slightly rolled to seal filling inside.
Arrange dumplings in a covered bamboo or metal steamer lined with parchment, making sure they're not touching to prevent them from sticking together; steam over simmering water until pork is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Pork dumplings placed on a steamer to steam.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Cook’s Note
If you prefer to pan-fry the dumplings: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add dumplings and cook until bottoms are golden, then add ½ cup water, cover, and steam until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon sugar for an easy dipping sauce. Add red pepper flakes or Sriracha for heat. 

Thanksgiving Egg Rolls

All Recipes Holiday 2025 recipe here. 

2 cups canola oil for frying, or as needed
1 ½ cups cubed cooked turkey
½ cup turkey gravy
1 12oz package egg roll wrappers
1 ½ cups mashed cooked potatoes
1 ½ cups prepared stuffing
½ cup prepared whole-berry cranberry sauce

Heat oil in a large pan on the stovetop until it reaches 375°F.
Stir turkey and gravy together in a large bowl until well combined.
Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner pointing up (so it forms a diamond shape). Spoon 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes, 2 tablespoons turkey mixture, 2 tablespoons stuffing, and ½ tablespoon cranberry sauce in a vertical line in the center of the wrapper.
Dip your fingertips in a small bowl of water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold the top and bottom corners over the filling, then fold in one side and roll tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Fry egg rolls in batches in hot oil, turning often, until golden brown and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.  

 

Brown Family's Favorite Pumpkin Pie

I saw this recipe in the All Recipes Holidays 2025 issue. Intriguing because I've not seen a pumpkin pie with a crumble before.

1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 9" unbaked pie shell
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, chilled
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Mix pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
Beat egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold egg whites into pumpkin mixture until no streaks remain. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell and smooth the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl until evenly blended. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped walnuts. Sprinkle topping over pumpkin pie.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.  Bake pie until center is set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool pie on a wire rack until room temperature, about 2 hours. 

 

Spicy Remoulade Sauce from the Roanoker

Original recipe found in the Roanoker Nov 2025.

Makes 1.5 cups

 

1c mayo

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp whole grain mustard

6 pimento stuffed green olives

2 tsp ketchup

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp chopped fresh dill

2 tsp Tony Chacheros cajun seasoning

1 garlic close, minced

2 tsp non pereil capers

4 tsp sweet salad cubes

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper

3 green onions, white part only, sliced thin

 

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Cover, chill until ready to use. 

Mini Crab Cakes from the Roanoker

Original recipe I found in the Roanoker Nov 2025 magazine.

 

Makes 16 mini crab cakes.

 

8oz jumbo lump crabmeat 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small shallot

1/4c finely chopped celery

1/3c finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 egg, beaten

1c Ritz cracker crumbs

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1/8 tsp salt

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

2 tbsp duck fat

 

Place crabmeat in a mixing bowl and pick through to make sure ther are no pieces of shell in the crabmeat.

Place olive oil in a saute pan and heat over low heat. Add shallots, celery, and red bell pepper. Stir and heat until shallots are wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Add mustard, egg, bread crumbs, milk, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, Old Bay, salt, and cayenne pepper to the crab. Add the shallots, celery, and red bell pepper. Stir to combine.

Place duck fat in a small bowl, microwave the fat briefly just until it melts (it will melt very quickly). using a pastry brush, brush the duck fat on the bottom and sides of min muffin pan sections. Fill each min muffin section with crabmeat mixture. Brush each mini crab meat with duck fat.

Bake mini crab cakes for 15 miniutes in a preheated 375° F oven. Serve warm with spicy remoulade sauce. 

The Best Chocolate Cream Pie

Original recipe found here.

 24 Oreo cookies with filling, crushed into crumbs*
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

For the filling:
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
pinch of kosher salt
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
6 egg yolks at room temperature
1 (5.3 oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped
1 (5.3 oz.) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure chocolate extract

For the whipped cream topping:
1½ cups heavy cream cold
1½ tablespoons white granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
For the Oreo cookie crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and the melted butter in a medium bowl and toss until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate.
Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a crust. Refrigerate the lined pie plate for about 20 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.

For the filling:
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in a large saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and egg yolks. Gradually whisk the egg mixture into the sugar mixture.
Turn on the heat to medium heat, and whisk constantly, for about 6 to 8 minutes or just until mixture begins to boil. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 more minute and remove from heat. Whisk in both chocolates, the butter, the vanilla and the pure chocolate extract until smooth. The mixture will still be hot so everything will mix together very nicely.
Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Spread the filling in the cooled Oreo cookie crust; place plastic wrap directly on filling and chill the pie in the refrigerator for about 8 to (up to) 24 hours or until set.

For the whipped cream topping:
When ready to serve, using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on low speed until small bubbles form, for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the whipped cream is smooth and thick, forming soft peaks; this usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
Spread the whipped cream over the chilled filling and garnish with chocolate shavings if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Notes
*There are recipes out there that discard the Oreo filling but I don't think that's necessary at all. For best results, pulse together the Oreo cookies in a food processor. If you don't have one, you can crush by hand using a rolling pin. 

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Original recipe found here.

For the topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the filling:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the cake:
3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup plain non-fat yourt
1 1/4 cups milk
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 apples peeled and chopped (about 1 3/4 cups when chopped)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray a 9" x 13" baking dish or pan and set aside.
For the topping, whisk together the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Slowly pour in the melted butter, stirring constantly until combined. Set aside.
For the filling, using a small bowl, simply mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside. The filling may seem like a lot but you will use all of it.
For the cake: using your stand mixer, beat together the butter, salt, both sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to wipe down the bowl if needed.
Using a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt and milk until combined. If it’s a little lumpy, that’s fine. Add the flour into the butter mixture in your stand mixer, alternating with the yogurt and milk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture; in 3 to 4 increments, mixing the batter to combine after each addition. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chopped apples.
When ready to bake, pour about half of the batter into your prepared baking dish, using a rubber spatula to spread evenly, all the way to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter. Pour over the remaining batter over the filling. If desired, use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you are making a marble cake. Lastly, sprinkle the topping all over the top.
Bake the cake for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until dark golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy with your mocha coffee!

 

Strawberry Orange Muffins

Original recipe found here.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely ground hazelnut meal/flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup Bonne Maman orange marmalade
1 cup diced strawberries
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease (or line with muffin liners) a standard sized muffin pan. Using a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, hazelnut meal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, eggs (one at a time), yogurt and orange marmalade. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until just combined. Fold in the diced strawberries, orange zest and chocolate chips.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan (I used a tablespoon sized cookie scoop and used two tablespoons of batter per muffin) and bake for about 20 to 24 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve with the Bonne Maman orange marmalade.

 

Pumpkin Pie Spice Popovers

Original recipe here.

3 large eggs room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
non-stick baking spray for popover pan
powdered sugar for dusting
optional topping: melted butter and cinnamon sugar
pumpkin or apple butter 

Preheat the oven to 450°F, and place your popover pan (or muffin tin) on a baking sheet in your oven to warm up while you are mixing your batter.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract (if using) to egg mixture and whisk until batter is the consistency of heavy cream with some small lumps remaining. You want to see some small air bubbles because they are what will cause the popovers to rise but don't over mix.
Remove your popover pan from the oven and grease or spray the muffin cups. Fill the cups 2/3 full (3/4 full for large popovers), and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes**. Then, reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not open the oven! Opening the oven door in the first 20 minutes can cause them to collapse.)
When they are brown and crusty, remove them from the oven, and make a small slit in their sides with a sharp knife. "Popovers lose their crunch if they linger in the pan, so turn them out on a wire rack immediately and poke a small opening in the side of each with a paring knife to let the steam escape." Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or a cinnamon sugar mixture and serve immediately and enjoy! A pumpkin or apple butter with these would be divine! 

Notes
Using a Muffin Pan Instead of a Popover Pan
Though a nonstick popover pan results in optimal height, a standard muffin tin works fine, too—but the popovers will be smaller. 
To make, only fill the outer cups of the standard muffin tin with popover batter; they will get better circulation in the oven. When baking, reduce cook time by 5 minutes. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes and then reduce temp to 350 for 15 minutes.
 
How to Store and Reheat Popovers
I do highly recommend making them the day of but if you absolutely have to- You can make the batter ahead of time and bake the popovers the next day or prepare a batch start to finish and freeze them for later or keep a few on your counter. Check out the tips below to keep your popovers fresh.

To make ahead: You can make the batter and refrigerate it for up to one day before baking. Just let the batter come to room temperature and whisk it well or whirl it in the blender for a few seconds before pouring it into the muffin tins.
To store and reheat: Store baked and cooled popovers in a zip top bag for up to a day. They are still edible after a day, but they don’t taste as fresh. Simply reheat them on a baking sheet (or place them back into the muffin tin or popover pan and bake) at 350°F for five to 10 minutes.
To freeze: Store fully baked and cooled popovers in a freezer safe zip top bag or any freezer safe air tight container. They will last for up to three months in the freezer.