Merry Christmas Eve, my friends! I hope that you’re tucked in at home and ready for a relaxing weekend. I can hardly believe how cold it is outside! I’m writing this while looking out at a white Christmas wonderland. We’re looking forward to a cozy day at home and then Christmas Eve service tonight. I’m wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas weekend.
ON THE BLOG this week: Sweet, tart, and full of cranberries, apples, raisins, and spices, cranberry chutney is sure to become a must-have on the holiday table.
Chewy coconut oatmeal cookies are the ultimate five-ingredient cookie, irresistible to any coconut lover, grab a mixing bowl and get started. Did I mention that oatmeal coconut cookies are gluten and dairy free? This is an oatmeal cookie recipe without flour or dairy.
Creamy peppermint candy cane ice cream sprinkled throughout with candy cane pieces is perfect with a brownie or topped with chocolate.
Peppermint Marshmallow Fudge is rich and creamy chocolate fudge, flavored with peppermint, and loaded with bites of marshmallow. A sprinkling of crushed candy canes on top makes this an altogether perfect holiday treat.
Creamy goat cheese, spicy jam, salty ham, and peppery arugula are combined in the best ham sandwich you’ll ever eat. Packed with delicious fillings, this is not your ordinary ham sandwich recipe.
With all the flavors you love in loaded baked potatoes, this rich and creamy, this easy Baked Potato Soup will satisfy any hungry crowd that pulls up a chair at your table.
And this spicy beef and three bean chili comes together quickly on the stovetop or you can simmer it all day in the slow cooker. My kids are already asking for chili again, so we will be making a giant batch of this chili this week.
What I’m CRAVING: all the vegetables! I had a lot of fun baking this week, but man am I ever ready to dive back into my produce-loving happy place. A display of on-the-stalk Brussels sprouts at Trader Joe’s last week caught my eye, so naturally, I need to try roasting them on the stalk now.
My FAVORITE THING this week is the game What’s Your Price? I played this game with friends and it was a huge hit. It cracked us up to see what some of us were willing to do on a whim or for free and the random other things that were a full-stop, wouldn’t consider doing that. We played several times over the weekend and it provided several hours of great entertainment.
What I’m WATCHING: Polar Express. This movie has been our family’s Christmas Eve tradition for 18 years now. After breakfast, we’ll each grab mugs of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and head downstairs in our pajamas for our annual watching of the movie. There’s just nothing else like it for a guaranteed smile on Christmas Eve morning.
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2:13-14 NASB
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
