Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. Beat the peanut butter, shortening, 1/4 cup sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg, and vanilla and beat again.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix into the peanut butter mixture.
4. Roll the dough into 24 even balls. Roll each dough ball in the remaining granulated sugar.
5. Place in prepared muffin tin. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 2 minutes.
6. Press a peanut butter cup into the top of each cookie. Gently use a knife to remove the cookie from the pan and place on a wire rack.
7. Once the chocolate on the candy has melted, sprinkle the tops with sprinkles. Let set completely before moving. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Classic Deviled Eggs

1. Hard boil the eggs using your favorite method.
2. Peel eggs gently so the whites remain intact.
3. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise.
4. Remove the yolks to a medium bowl and place the whites on a serving platter.
5. With a fork, mash the yolks into a fine crumble.
6. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
7. Just before serving, evenly disperse the yolk mixture into the cavities of the egg whites.
8. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and fresh dill weed.
9. Serve.

Holiday Crinkle Cookies

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time and stir in vanilla.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; then stir into the cocoa mixture.
4. Cover the dough and let cool in fridge for at least 4 hours. (This step is incredibly important to get the crinkles in the cookies)
5. Preheat oven to 350° F.
6. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and roll dough into 1-inch balls.
7. Coat each ball with confectioners sugar before placing on the baking sheet.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool and enjoy!

Cheddar-Beer Fondue

1. Heat beer, Dijon mustard, garlic, and hot sauce in 4-quart saucepan on low; whisk in Cheddar cheese tossed with cornstarch until melted and smooth.
2. Serve with sliced cooked sausage, cooked new potatoes, bread cubes, and apple slices for dipping.

Tortilla Roll-ups with Salsa

1. In a large bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and the ranch dressing mix until evenly combined.
2. Then add the pimentos, green chilis, black olives, green onions, yellow pepper, and cheddar cheese. Stir gently until they are evenly distributed in the cream cheese.
3. Divide the cream cheese mixture on the four tortillas. Then, using a spatula, spread the mixture on each tortilla in an even layer. Keep the mixture a 1/2 inch from the edge.
4. Roll up the tortillas. Set them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until firm. Then using a serrated knife, cut the tortillas into 1/2-inch slices.
5. Stack in layers to form a "tree." Garnish with cherry tomato "ornaments" and a yellow pepper "star." Serve with salsa.

Candied Walnut Brussel Sprout Bites

1. Cook brussels sprouts: Preheat oven to 425°. On a large baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.  Scatter walnuts on a large baking sheet and bake until walnuts are toasted, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Make candied walnuts: Grease a large plate with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine walnuts, honey mixture, sugar, and chili powder. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar coats walnuts and turns golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer walnuts to prepared plate and spread into a single layer. Season with salt. Let cool completely, stirring a few times to keep walnuts separate.
4. Arrange Brussels sprouts cut side-up on a serving platter.  Top each with a piece of brie, a candied walnut, and drizzle of hot honey.

Love Toast

1. Spread mayonnaise on both sides of 2 slices white sandwich bread. With medium heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut centers from bread. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter on medium. Add bread (and centers) to skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn bread over. To each heart-shaped hole, add 1 large egg; sprinkle eggs with pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until whites are set. Sprinkle with finely chopped capers and herbs (such as parsley, chives or basil) if desired.

Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast

1. Spice Rub: Rub pork with about 1 teaspoon oil. Mix Rub together then sprinkle over pork. Pat to adhere all over.
2. Brown: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and sear all around until deep golden brown (don't let spices burn). Place pork in slow cooker.
3. Honey Butter Sauce: Wipe pan. Add butter and melt. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until golden. Add remaining Sauce ingredients, mix, simmer rapidly for 30 seconds.

4. Pour Sauce over pork. Cover slow cooker.
5. Pork loin - Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
6. Pork Shoulder - Cook on LOW for 10 hours.
7. Remove pork onto serving platter, cover loosely with foil (10 - 20 minutes rest).
8. Pour all juices in slow cooker into large saucepan. Add cornflour water mixture, mix.
9. Thicken Sauce: Simmer on medium high for 5 minutes or until it reduces down to a syrupy consistency.
10. Slice pork into thick slices (3/5 - 4/5" thick). Serve with PLENTY of Honey Butter Sauce!

Chicken Marsala

1. Using the flat-side of a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy saucepan, pound the chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thick. Season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Lightly coat the chicken breasts with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium and cook chicken until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
2. While the chicken is cooking, finely chop the shallot and garlic.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to same skillet. Cook the sliced cremini mushrooms on medium-high, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 5 minutes. Add the chopped shallot and garlic. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 2 minutes.
4. Add the low-sodium chicken broth and Marsala wine to the skillet along with the browned chicken and its juices and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with sautéed spinach.

Beef Wellington

1. Using kitchen twine, tie tenderloin in 4 places. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Over high heat, coat bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil. Once pan is nearly smoking, sear tenderloin until well-browned on all sides, including the ends, about 2 minutes per side (12 minutes total). Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, snip off twine and coat all sides with mustard. Let cool in fridge.
3. Meanwhile, make duxelles: In a food processor, pulse mushrooms, shallots, and thyme until finely chopped.
4. To skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add mushroom mixture and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool in fridge.
5. Place plastic wrap down on a work surface, overlapping so that it’s twice the length and width of the tenderloin. Shingle the prosciutto on the plastic wrap into a rectangle that’s big enough to cover the whole tenderloin. Spread the duxelles evenly and thinly over the prosciutto.
6. Season tenderloin, then place it at the bottom of the prosciutto. Roll meat into prosciutto-mushroom mixture, using plastic wrap to roll tightly. Tuck ends of prosciutto as you roll, then twist ends of plastic wrap tightly into a log and transfer to fridge to chill (this helps it maintain its shape).
7. Heat oven to 425°. Lightly flour your work surface, then spread out puff pastry and roll it into a rectangle that will cover the tenderloin (just a little bigger than the prosciutto rectangle you just made!). Remove tenderloin from plastic wrap and place on bottom of puff pastry. Brush the other three edges of the pastry with egg wash, then tightly roll beef into pastry.
8. Once the log is fully covered in puff pastry, trim any extra pastry, then crimp edges with a fork to seal well. Wrap roll in plastic wrap to get a really tight cylinder, then chill for 20 minutes.
9. Remove plastic wrap, then transfer roll to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt.
10. Bake until pastry is golden and the center registers 120°F for medium-rare, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Butterscotch Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes; roughly chop.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cinnamon and cook, whisking occasionally, until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Gently stir in the bananas. Remove from heat and add the rum. Using a match, carefully ignite the mixture and wait until the flame goes out. Stir in the pecans.
5. Serve the bananas and sauce over the ice cream.

Buche de Noel

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl beat egg yolks until thick. Slowly add ½ cup sugar and beat until pale then beat in flour mixture.
3. In another large bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar a little at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter in two batches.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until top springs back when lightly pressed, about 12 minutes.
5. Dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar and invert warm cake onto towel. Peel off parchment paper.
6. Starting at the short end, use the towel to tightly roll cake into a log. Let cool completely.
7. Make filling: if using gelatin, place 2 tablespoons cold water in a shallow microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle gelatin in an even layer on top. Let bloom for 5 to 10 minutes, then microwave for 10 seconds until gelatin is runny—do not overheat!
8. In a large bowl, beat together heavy cream, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, until medium peaks form. If using gelatin, strain and stream into whipped cream at this point while continuing to beat the cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
9. When cake is cool, unroll and spread filling evenly over cake. Roll cake back into a log, using the towel to help create a tight roll. Place seam side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until well chilled, 1 hour. Make frosting: In a large bowl beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until no lumps remain then beat in vanilla, heavy cream, and salt.
10. When ready to serve, trim ends and frost cake with chocolate buttercream. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and top with chocolate curls. Place cranberries and rosemary on log to create a festive feel.