Go-To Gathering Dishes | Living in Yellow

Soft music is playing, your family or friends are pulling up to your house [or you’re headed to theirs], and the smell of buttery mashed potatoes are filling the air! If you ask me, there’s no cozier feeling than a delicious meal during the holidays. Whether you’re hosting or attending a holiday meal this year, we’ve gathered up our go-to dishes perfect for the season!

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BBQ Water Chestnuts

Salty meets sweet in this festive holiday treat. Easy to assemble, and not something you’ll see at every holiday party!

• 3
  cans
  Sliced Water Chestnuts
• 1
  package
  Bacon
• 1
  cup
  Ketchup
• 1/2
  cup
  Brown Sugar
• 1
  tbsp
  Worcestershire Sauce

2. Cut bacon slices into thirds.

3. Wrap ⅓ slice of bacon around 2-3 water chestnut slices. Secure with toothpick. Lay in single layer in baking dish.

4. Mix ketchup, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce. Pour over wrapped water chestnuts

5. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until bacon is cooked to your liking.

6. Serve right away, or keep warm in crockpot.

The Best Deviled Eggs

• 1
  dozen
  Hard Boiled Eggs
• 3/4
  cup
  Mayo
• 2
  tsp
  Mustard
• 1-2
  pinches
  salt
• 1-2
  pinches
  pepper
• 1-3
  pinches
  paprika

1. Shell your hardboiled eggs, slice them in halves and plop out the yolk into a bowl. Place the eggs on a serving tray.

2. Smash the yolks with a fork in the bowl.

3. Add into the bowl, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper and mix.

4. Once the yolk mixture is to your liking[you can try it, add more anything you just added to get it to your liking!] Spoon the mixture into empty eggs.

5. Sprinkle the filled eggs with paprika & enjoy!

Party Mix

• 2
  sticks
  Butter
• 4
  tbsp
  Worchestershire sauce
• 2
  tsp
  Lawrys seasoned salt
• 2
  tsp
  Garlic powder
• 2
  tsp
  Onion powder
• 6
  cups
  Crispix
• 1
  cup
  Cheerios
• 1
  cup
  Pretzels
• 1
  cup
  Mixed nuts
• 1
  cup
  Cheese crackers

1. In a turkey roaster melt 2 sticks butter in oven at 250 degrees.

2. After the butter is melted add Worchestershire and seasonings and mix together.

3. Add Crispix, Cheerios, Pretzels, Mixed nuts and Cheese crackers and mix everything together.

4. Bake at 250 for 1 hour. Stir with rubber scraper every 15 minutes.

Bacon, Jalapeño, Cream Cheese Puffs

It’s like all of the best things in life wrapped up in bread, not much more to love about this easy appetizer! It’s a crowd pleaser, so easy to make and will have your guests asking for the recipe!

• 1
  pkg
  Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 6-7
  slices
  Bacon
• 2
  oz
  Cream Cheese
  softened
• 1
  large
  Jalapeno
• seasoned salt

3. Cut bacon into square pieces and cook in a pan. Once it’s cooked, place on top of paper towel to degrease.

4. Slice jalapeno [into small circles]

5. Cut cream cheese into small pieces [about the size of a nickel]

6. Unroll crescent rolls and separate pieces.

7. Cut one of the crescent roll triangles in half.

8. Place larger ends of triangles on top of one another.

9. Place cream cheese piece on top of crescent roll

10. Then place 2-3 bacon pieces on top.

11.  Top with 1 slice of Jalapeno

12.  Sprinkle Seasoned Salt on top.

13.  Wrap points of crescent roll around the jalapeno/bacon/cream cheese.

14.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.

15.  Repeat steps 6-14 for remaining crescent roll triangles.

16.  Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Holly Berry Cookies

These cookies have been a sweet, holiday tradition for my family for the past few years! They are easy to make but bring a festive and unique bite to any Holiday party….or hey a party any time of year!

• 1
  pkg
  Pillsbury white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough
  square package
• 1-6
  oz
  Dried cranberries
  use to preference!
• 3/4
  cup
  Chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1
  tsp
  Orange extract
• 1
  tsp
  Vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Put the softened cookie dough in a large bowl, add the other ingredients and blend with your hands.

3. Drop onto the cookie sheet at whatever size you prefer.

4. Bake for approximately 12 minutes. I wouldn’t not over bake! They are best a bit chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges.

Reindeer Peanut Butter Blossoms

• 1
  Cup
  Shortening
• 1
  Cup
  Peanut Butter
• 1
  Cup
  Packed Brown Sugar
• 1
  Cup
  White Sugar
• 2
  Eggs
• 1/4
  Cup
  Milk
• 2
  teaspoons
  Vanilla Extract
• 3 1/2
  Cups
  All-Purpose Flour
• 2
  teaspoons
  Baking Soda
• 1
  teaspooon
  Salt
• 1/2
  Cup
  White Sugar
  for decoration
• 1
  Bag
  Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
  unwrapped
• 1
  Bag
  Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses
  unwrapped
• 1
  Bag
  Edible Candy Eyes
• 1
  Bag
  Red Candy Chocolates
• 1
  Bag
  Mini Twisted Pretzels

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, mix together the shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup white sugar until blended. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until mixed in. Add the milk and vanilla extract. 

3. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the peanut butter mixture until blended. 

4. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss or peanut butter cup into each cookie. Apply the candy eyes and the red chocolate to the peanut butter cups for the noses. Break the pretzels in half and insert at the top of the cookie for the antlers. 

6. Allow the cookies to cool before eating. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Taken straight from the Betty Crocker website!

• 1/2
  C
  Vegetable Oil
• 4
  Oz
  Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
  melted and cooled
• 2
  C
  Granulated Sugar
• 2
  tsp
  Vanilla
• 4
  Eggs
• 2
  C
  Flour
• 2
  tsp
  Baking Powder
• 1/2
  tsp
  Salt
• Powdered Sugar
  to coat before baking

1. In large bowl – mix Oil, melted and cooled Chocolate, Granulated Sugar and Vanilla.

2. Stir in Eggs, one at a time.

3. Stir in Flour, Baking Powder and Salt

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 3 days.

5. Heat oven to 350°. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.

6. Create small balls of dough using spoons. Roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place on cookie sheet.

7. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Snowman Turds

Russian Tea Cakes reimagined , making it festive and fun for your kids!

• 2
  cups
  all purpose flour
• 16
  tbsp
  butter, room temperature
• 1
  cup
  pecans, chopped
• 1/2
  cup
  powdered sugar
• 2
  cup
  powdered sugar for rolling cookies
• 1
  tsp
  vanilla extract
• 1/4
  tsp
  salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toast nuts on a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing often.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream together butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla, until smooth.

4. Add flour and salt and continue mixing until no streaks of flour remain. The mixture will be lumpy. Use a firm spatula to fold in the nuts until evenly incorporated.

5. Use a firm spatula to fold in the chopped nuts until evenly incorporated.

6. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a clean baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Bake at 400˚F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden at the base.

7. Fill a bowl with 1 cup of powdered sugar and roll the cookie balls in it while they are still very warm then transfer to a platter to cool completely.

8. Once cookies are at room temperature, roll them in more powdered sugar to get perfect little snowballs. Cookies may be stored up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

• 1/2
  cup
  Butter, Softened
• 1/2
  cup
  Sugar
• 1/4
  cup
  Brown Sugar
• 1
  Egg
• 1 1/2
  cups
  Flour
• 1
  tsp
  Baking Soda
• 1/2
  tsp
  Salt
• 1/2
  cup
  Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix softened butter and sugars together until fully combined.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix. Add flour, baking soda, and salt – mix until no streaks of flour remain. Add sprinkles and slowly mix until combined.

3. Scoop or create dough balls [optional] onto baking sheet. Top cookies with a few extra sprinkles. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set. Let cool before transferring from baking sheet. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

• 1
  cup
  all-purpose flour
• 1/3
  cup
  cocoa powder
• 1/4
  tsp
  salt
• 1/2
  cup
  unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3
  cup
  packed light-brown sugar
• 1/3
  cup
  granulated sugar
• 1
  large
  egg,
  yolk and white separated
• 1 1/2
  tsp
  vanilla extract
• 2
  tbsp
  buttermilk
• 1 1/4
  cups
  finely chopped pecans
• 15
  caramels
  (such as Kraft)
• 2 1/2
  tbsp
  heavy cream
• flaky or course sea salt

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high spread until slightly pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg yolk (set egg white aside in a bowl in refrigerator) and vanilla extract.

2. Blend in buttermilk. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

3. Shape dough into a ball and drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten dough into a 6-inch disk then wrap with plastic wrap and chill 45 minutes, until slightly firm (or up to 1 day. If chilling longer than a few hours, I’d recommend letting the dough rest at room temperature a bit so the dough isn’t too firm and cracking when making indentations).

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove egg white from refrigerator and whisk vigorously until frothy. Place finely chopped pecans in a bowl.

5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then working with one at a time, drop into egg white and roll to evenly coat then lift and allow excess egg white to run off and immediately place in bowl with chopped pecans and roll to evenly coat.

6. Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets and make a deep indentation with thumb in the center of each dough ball.

7. Bake in preheated oven until set, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven then using the bottom of a rounded tsp, gently press down on existing indentation. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Place caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each intercal until melted and smooth. Spoon caramel into indentation in cookies and sprinkle tops with a small pinch of sea salt.

Christmas Peppermint Punch

The perfect beverage for your annual Christmas party! Add some peppermint vodka and you’ve got yourself a cocktail!

• 2
  liter
  Ginger Ale
• 46
  oz
  Pineapple Juice
• 6
  oz can
  frozen Orange Juice concentrated
  thawed
• 1
  tsp
  peppermint extract
  add more to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in large punch bowl.

2. Stir & add more peppermint extract if desired.

3. Garnish with orange slices, frozen cranberries and ice cubes.

French Vin Chaud (Mulled Wine)

• 1
  bottle
  red wine
  your preference
• 1
  orange
  sliced
• 3
  whole
  cinnamon sticks
• 2-4
  tbsp
  maple syrup
• 1/4
  cup
  brandy
  optional
• few
  pinches
  nutmeg
• few
  pinches
  whole cloves

1. Combine all ingredients in crockpot, cook on low 1-3 hours or until warm

Caramel Apple Mule

• 3
  oz.
  Caramel Vodka
• 3
  oz.
  Apple Cider
• 4
  oz.
  Ginger Beer
• 1
  Lime [or Lime Juice]
• Apple Slices [for garnishing]
• Rosemary [for garnishing]
• Cinnamon Sticks [for garnishing]

1. Combine vodka and cider in glass with ice [about 2 shots each]

2. Squeeze in fresh lime juice and top with ginger beer [about half a can]

3. Mix and garnish with cinnamon sticks, fresh rosemary, and apple slices [optional!]. Cheers!

4. Tip: start with one shot of vodka and add more if preferred!