Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

Impress your holiday guests with these Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies! Ooey gooey fudgy brownies 

are topped with a layer of peppermint infused cheesecake. Top that off with sprinkles of 

peppermint pieces, and you've got one delicious, decadent, and fun holiday dessert!

You know me, I absolutely love to bake this time of year. I mean I love baking all of the time, but it's extra special during the holidays. From Christmas cookies to fancy cakes and everything else in between, I love creating desserts to share with my family and friends. These Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies are definitely no exception. If you love chocolate and cheesecake, and peppermint too, then these brownies are for you!

Christmas Eve Pasta

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All opinions are mine alone. #ad #MakeHeartburnHistory #CollectiveBias

This flavorful and delicious Christmas Eve Pasta has become a holiday tradition in our house. 
It can feed a crowd, and the sauce can be made ahead, making it the perfect holiday dish!

Over the years our Christmas Eve traditions have mostly stayed the same, but I like to change our menu up from time to time. For years we enjoyed appetizers that night after returning from mass. My mom and I would make a huge spread of both hot and cold appetizers and we'd all sit and enjoy our feast while watching Christmas movies. Although I still love doing that, recently this Christmas Eve Pasta has become a new favorite tradition. The homemade sauce, filled with pancetta, Italian sausage, peppers and onions, can be made ahead of time so there isn't much to do when you're ready to eat. Just cook up a batch of fresh pasta and you're ready to go!

Spritz Cookies #ChristmasCookies

These Spritz Cookies are crisp and buttery and have a rich vanilla flavor. Just a few simple ingredients 

and a cookie press are all you need to make these Christmas classics!

We're already on Day 5 of our 12 Days of Christmas Cookies extravaganza and today I'm bringing you my second recipe! These Spritz Cookies are a family favorite. They are light and crunchy and not overly sweet. Perfect for gift giving, bringing to holiday parties, or just for your family. (Santa loves them, too!)

Cranberry-Apple Sauce #CranberryWeek

This beautiful, bright red Cranberry-Apple Sauce will soon become a staple on your holiday dinner table! 

Simple and easy to make, it's both tart and sweet, and full of flavor. 

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline's Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures! All week my blogger friends and I will be sharing cranberry-inspired creations in celebration of National Cranberry Day. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to check out the delicious recipes that are being shared today! 

First up for me is this beautiful, bright red, flavorful Cranberry-Apple Sauce. Truth be told, growing up I did not like cranberries at all. I couldn't even eat cranberry jelly, whether it was from a can or homemade. I just did not like the taste. Fast forward several years and depending on how they're prepared, I kinda love them. This Cranberry-Apple Sauce has become one of my favorite recipes during the holidays. Fresh cranberries are cooked with sweet honeycrisp apples, a little sugar, water, and a cinnamon stick until the flavors meld into one. It's quite fanastic if I do say so myself.

Mini Pumpkin Almond Cheesecakes

 These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are the perfect light, bite sized dessert!

I  know most people reserve their pumpkin recipes for the Fall only, but I'm one of the few that love to cook with it and eat it all year long. Maybe not so much in the summer, but the rest of the year for sure. Whether I'm using it in a sweet or savory recipe, pumkin is an extremely versatile ingredient. And it's healthy, too!

These adorable Mini Pumpkin Almond Cheesecakes are the perfect portable dessert for any occassion. A  holiday gathering, a NYE party, even just a special dessert for Sunday dinner! Made in a mini muffin tin, they are tiny bites of heaven.

Orange Hazelnut Cookies

These deliciously crispy hazelnut cookies are hinted with orange and ginger and are definitely gift worthy!

I'm super excited to be participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap again this year!  This is the 5th annual swap, and my 3rd year to participate. It's seriously one of my favorite things about the holiday season! The swap partnered up with Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer. I love being able to get in the kitchen and bake AND support this great cause! 

The swap is simple – I baked 3 dozen cookies to send to three of my fellow food bloggers (one dozen to each), and in return I received one dozen cookies from 3 other food bloggers! I got Peppermint Pinwheels from Michele of Alwayz Bakin', Peppermint Pretzel Toffee Bark from Erica of Nommable, and Double Chocolate Cookies from Jessica of Jessica is Baking. Every single one was amazing, and my family loved them all! 

Gingerbread Scones with Cinnamon Glaze

These cinnamon glazed Gingerbread Scones are simple, delicious, and pair perfectly with your morning coffee or tea! 

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#SplendaHoliday #CollectiveBias

I'm in full power baking mode over here. I've been in my kitchen just about every day whipping up some tasty treats for the holidays. Between cookies and candies and breads of all kind, I've been a busy lady! I'm looking forward to sharing everything I've made with family and friends this holiday season. (And to getting it out of my kitchen so I can stop eating it all!)

Since there have been so many desserts lingering around, I decided to make something special for breakfast. These Gingerbread Scones with Cinnamon Glaze are perfect any day of the week, but they would make a very festive and delicious Christmas morning breakfast.

Sparkling Cranberry Punch

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc.

All opinions are my own. #BrighTENtheSeason

This Sparkling Cranberry Punch is the perfect family friendly drink for your holiday gatherings!

We are in the throws of the holiday season, which means soon we will be going to, and hosting, several holiday parties. I love this season because it means I get to see so many friends and family that I don't normally get to see throughout the year. It's unfortunate, but true, as life keeps us busy and moving in so many different directions. That's why I love to cook and bake for my parties. I want my guests to feel the love through my creations.

I love to have a signature drink at my gatherings. Rather than having to be a server throughout the party, it's nice to have a drink prepared and ready for my friends. This Sparkling Cranberry Punch is perfect for any occasion, and great for all ages. Want to make it a cocktail rather than a mocktail? Add a shot of vodka and you're good to go!

Kale, Walnut & Pomegranate Salad and Chicken Pot Pie

Hearty kale, walnuts, pomegranate seeds and Feta cheese come together to make a light and healthy salad, 

which pairs perfectly with a comforting pot pie!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#PotPiePlease #CollectiveBias

The holidays are quickly approaching and as each day passes I grow more and more excited! Next week is already Thanksgiving and before we know it Christmas is going to be here. I love this time of year because it means I get to spend more time with my family and friends. It seems as if we are all so busy during the rest of the year that we don't get together as often. But as soon as the holidays arrive, there are parties and get together's just about every weekend.

One of my favorite events is the get together I throw at my house for my closest girlfriends, my BFF's. I've been hosting this party for a few years now, and it's always so much fun to get together and eat, drink, talk, laugh and just be crazy girls. Lord knows we don't see each other often enough! I insist on making all of the food myself (after all, I am the food blogger of the group!), and the girls usually bring delicious beverages. You know, like wine and Rumchata. The good stuff.

Candy Cane Cocoa Blossoms

A chewy chocolate cookie with a candy cane present inside!

One can never have enough cookies during the holidays. Amiright? Yes, I am! I have a long list of family favorites that I bake each year, but I also love to create new recipes too. These Candy Cane Cocoa Blossoms are my latest treat and they've been a hit with everyone that's tried them so far.

A twist on the traditional peanut butter blossom, this has a chocolate cookie base and candy cane kisses in the center. To me it tastes just like peppermint hot chocolate! Whip up a batch of these cookies for your family or package them up and give them to friends. The recipe is simple and would be fun for a cookie exchange party too!

Espresso Cocoa Drops

Hi, my name is Sarah and I'm a coffee addict. This really is not something new to you. I've admitted my coffee addiction before.

I let me coffee lust spill over to my baking. I've done it before, but recently I came up with a fabulous little cookie. An espresso cocoa drop is what I like to call it.

These cookies are like tiny cakes. Super soft and fluffy and perfectly paired with a cup of joe. Or even some hot cocoa.

Try to eat just one. I tripe dog dare ya. ;-)

Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Drizzle

One of my favorite holiday flavors is peppermint. Combine it with chocolate, and you've just taken it over the top. I love it when the coffee shops start carrying their Peppermint Mocha drinks during the winter. Those are the best!

Well here I created a cookie that reminds me of those yummy drinks. These chocolate cookies are soft and chewy and chocolaty, with a delicious pop of peppermint. And I bet you can't eat just one. I know I certainly can't.

Guest Posting on Just us Four and sharing Fudge!!

I'm super excited to be guest posting over at Just us Four today! 

I'm sharing another one of my favorite homemade gifts...Chocolate Almond Butter Marshmallow Fudge!

Head on over to the Just us Four blog and find my recipe here!

Happy Holidays & Bon Appetit!

Easy Chocolate Candy Bark

This month and next our Blogger Recipe Challenge group was lucky enough to have SweetWorks as a sponsor. Each of us received two large bags of Christmas Sixlets to work with and create some magical recipes.

I've been making white chocolate peppermint bark for the holidays for several years and my friends and family love getting little boxes for Christmas. I decided to change up my usual bark and create something new using my Sixlets.

This recipe is ridiculously easy. I mean, it only has two ingredients! But the bark is delicious. Chocolaty and crunchy and colorful with the Sixlets inside. My kids love it, and I can't wait to give this out to my family and friends this holiday season.

To learn more about SweetWorks and all of their wonderful products, visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or their website.

Salted Pecan Tart with Chocolate Drizzle

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a great day spent with family, eating amazing food. I am still stuffed!

I created a new dessert for the big day. I love pecan pie, but I wanted to do something different, give it a twist. So I came up with this gorgeous salted pecan tart with a chocolate drizzle. It's sweet, salty, and absolutely delicious.

Don't take my word for it, try it for yourself! It's the perfect dessert for any holiday party.

Coconut Pecan Coffee Cake

I had some friends over the other day for a little coffee and treats party. Nothing fancy, just a get together to take a breather and catch up on life. We are all so busy, so much of the time, that we don’t often get the chance to talk, much less see each other.

I decided to make just a couple of treats to go along with our coffee, and what goes better with coffee than coffee cake? In my opinion, nothing! So I went to work creating something special for my friends.

The coffee cake I made was absolutely delicious. Using my secret ingredient, plain Greek yogurt, made the cake moist and tender. And the delicious coconut and pecan topping made it extra special. It was hands down the best coffee cake I've ever made!

Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake

I love a good cake. Especially a Bundt cake. I've made many a Bundt over the years, but this Vanilla Bean version is probably my favorite. By using whole vanilla beans, you can see the tiny little black flecks throughout the cake. And while it's baking, the smell in the house is out of this world.

This cake makes the perfect holiday dessert. Simple yet beautiful. And it's very easy to make.

If you're feeling especially festive, you could drizzle strawberries or cherries over the top, but I think the vanilla glaze is just perfect. 

Vanilla Crunch Cupcakes

Do you  have traditional desserts that you make each holiday season? Although I have some longtime favorites, I love trying new things and surprising my family with new desserts. 

I don't often make cupcakes for the holidays, but I came up with this recipe while trying out Swerve, a new sugar substitute. Have you heard of Swerve? Swerve is a delicious, natural sweetener that is made from ingredients derived from fruits and vegetables. Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. It is also zero-calorie, non-glycemic and safe for those living with diabetes.  

The wonderful people at Swerve sent me a box full of goodies so that I could try out their products and create some yummy recipes. I've tried Swerve in my coffee, as well as in a couple of different desserts, and I love it. You substitute it cup-for-cup and it tastes great.

You can learn more about Swerve on their website and find a location near you. The good folks at Swerve have also offered my readers a discount! Use coupon code SWITCH10 until December 31, 2013 to receive a 15% discount on your online orders!

Pancetta & Cheddar Scones

I love bread. If you want me to be totally honest, I'm a carbaholic. Seriously. I can't live without bread and pasta. I just love the stuff.

Of course during the holidays I always bake like a manicac. Whether it's quick breads, cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls, I've gotta have some carbs with my meal.

Now typically most people have some type of dinner rolls on the table, but I decided to do something different this year. I made some killer pancetta and cheddar scones. Scones typically are a sweet treat, but they can totally be made savory as well.

Roasted Garlic Dip

I love to put a few easy appetizers on the table before our holiday meal starts. So as my guests are arriving, they have something to snack on!

I wanted to make an easy dip, something to go with crackers, veggies, chips, you name it. I had the idea for this Roasted Garlic Dip one night when the family was watching football. I don't know why it hit me then, but it just did.

Have you ever roasted garlic before? The process is simple and the result is pure deliciousness. The garlic gets very soft and caramelized. It's great in this dip, but also is amazing just spread on a baguette. And don't worry, it gets milder as it roasts.